Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

tai to exactly 1000. OF the 1905 car
ried on the list at that time, 20l were
training planes, unit for combat duty,
and IA were transport planes, suitable
only for the carrying Of personnel ana
cargo.
for combat service OF various types,
we're divided as follows: Patrol. "a;
torpedo and bombing, 1853; observation,
36e, and fighter, 206.
Jim Ray Repeats.
James G. Ray, lanky test pilot, who
made aviation history by landing an
autogiro in the White House grounds
last Spring, duplicated his achievement
at the Capitol during the past week.
landing in the central parking oval
painted on the east plaza. The land
ing was only slightly less difncult than
that at the White House, though Ray
was handicapped by having to set down
on the pavement rather than on the
easier turf
Ray made three passes ct the plaza
| to study the air currents before making
| his actual landing. He then came IN
easily, motor throttled completely down.
dropping almost vertically on the re-
volving wings. He moved scarcely q
| foot along the pavement In landing.
-
the ability Of the revolutionary type Of
aircraft to operate In restricted quar-
tiers in the heart Of a city, and to lend
point to the episode Ray picked up
Senator Hiram Bingham Of Connect
cut, president of the National Aeronau-
tic Association, and carried him out to
Burning Tree for Is holes Of golf.
When a bystander expressed the hope
that the Senator might break par FOR
the course, he drawled. We'll. we ought
to get couple Of brides, If not an
eagle. on die way out"
Bingham, an ardent advocate of pri-
vate flying, believes the autogiro and
the light airplane will greatly increase
the range Of mans activities and will
result In moving out Of the suburban
areas Of large cities hundreds OF miles.
Airship School Busy.
The Nays dirigible program has re-
suited in the establishment at the Naval
Air Station, Lakehurst, N. j., home Of
the airship Los Angeles, of the coun-
try's largest ighter-than-air training
school. A new class consisting Of 20
officers has just commenced q years
course at the school to equip its mem
bers for the handling of balloons, bEmps
and larger airShipS.
In addition to the 20 airship students,
five additional qualified heavier-than-
air pilots will take courses at the school,
These five officers will fly the fighting
airplanes attached to the U. 8. s. Akron
giant Navy airship now under con-
struction at Akron, Ohio. Their train
| ing Is intended to At them to perform
additional duties on the airship when
not actually flying the airship's planes
The student airship pilots will go
through q course including free bal
looming. kite ballconing and airship
training. The first four weeks will be
devoted to ground school. with one
flight day each week. During the period
beginning with the fifth week, half the
time will be spent in ground school and
half in primary flight instruction.
The student must qualify as free
balloon and kite balloon pilot before
undertaking airship training.
There Is" the Navy Department ex-
planned. nothing so effective in teach
| ing atmospheric structure as being
afloat in a balloon as q free particle
In the air. The knowledge Ct ballooning
is of tremendous value in airship opera
ton in case of failure Of power plants.
When air speeds are low. as In taking
! off or landing, the airShip operator