Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15

The compass swings rather violently.
The bank and turn indicators come
back to their zero positions, the COM
pass oscillates a little and then steadieS
to the reading Of the new course, with
the airplane level again. A glance at
the clock shows the airplane has been
in flight but five minutes. No, the clock
has not stopped, but it seemed you had
been under the hood for o much longer
time.
take the Controls"
I'VE have now reached 1000 feet and
are flying a straight course. The throt-
tie moves back to cruising speed for the
engine. The voice Of the safety pilot
comes in over the interpnone, Take the
controls
You glue your eyes to the turn in
dicator and the compass and try to keep
the airplane on straight course. The
indicator moves little to the right,
you operate the controls to bring It
back to the center or to zero: 1t passes
a little beyond the center, the controls
are operated to correct this. A glance
at the compass shows 1t to be swinging.
1t finally comes to rest, but not on the
original reading; 1t is 10 degrees to the
| left of the course you are trying to ny.
That will be easily corrected by using
the correct course.
THE control stick is moved over a
little to the right and slight pressure
is applied to the right rudder, the
compass starts to move. an attempt Is
made to put the airplane in a level
position. the compass oscillates and
| finally comes to rest. The reading shows
it to be Is degrees to the right of the
course! How can that be? The con-
elk
| ". The engine sounds peculiarly, as II
! it we're laboring under heavy load. A
| glance at the air speed indicator shows
almost stalling speed; the pitch indi-
Gator is at Is degrees above the hori-
zontal; the control stick is pushed for
ward slightly to bring the pitch indi-
Gator back to zero so the airplane will
be in a level position. The pitch indi-
Gator moves slowly down its scale. The
revolutions Of the engine increase, so
does the reading of the air speed in
dicator; the pitch indicator travels
about degrees below the point indi-
Gated for level position. The airplane is
now below the proper position for level
THE struggle goes on to maintain
the airplane in straight, level flight.
Due to the concentration on the reading
of the instruments you are becoming
4
you were able to see the ground, but
glance at the clock shows just 45
minutes. The safety pilot calls over the
interphone: I will take the controls
now and make the landing What q
relief!'
Always Work Advanced.
Work Is in progress on Department
Of Commerce airways serving the Ma
tional Capital from all four main points
Of the compass.
Strengthening Of the Washington
New York airway Is nearing completion
and. as a part Of this program, worl
has been completed on an intermediate
landing field, fully lighted for might
operations, near Bowie, Md. Bids FOL
the relocation Of other sites on the sec
ton Of the airway nearest the Capita
were opened early this month.
/ From Wilmington, Del. to New Yorl
all major items have been completed ir
connection with the relocation Of thu
airway, and some of the new lights ART
in operation, with others TO follow soon
To the south Of Washington work u
well along on the Florida cutoff, which
saves several hundred miles Of nyine
between Washington and Florida. Three
lights have been put In operation or
the section between Jacksonville, Fla.
and Florence, s. G.
On the Washington Norfolk airway
conditioning Of the landing field a
ROCK Point, Md, Is In progress. The