Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

flown airmail over the graveyard"
route for years, now is operating late
passenger service over the mountains
between New York and Chicago This
service now calls for arrivals long after
dark, though the mountain crossings
are made in the cary evening before
the Summer darkness begins. AS the
nights lengthen, however, the crossing
OF the mountains, In both directions,
will be made in the dark.
Night passenger service, though new
across the Alleghenies, is an old story
in American air transport operations
The great Western mountain ranges
have slid by beneath the landing wheels
of the night-flying passenger airliners
for many months, and it was inevitable
that the Eastern mountains, with
their much less favorable weather con-
ditionS, should bow as well to air
progress.
Big Motor Coming.
Urgent need OF the Army and Navy
for more powerful motors for heavy
bombardment planes has led to the
development OF what is said to be one
OF the worlds most powerful radial air
cooled engines. This is a high-com-
preston, supercharged version Of the
Pratt & Whitney Hornet.
The Supercharged Hornet, according
to Andrew Willgoos, chief engineer of
Pratt & Whitney, is a modification
OF the series B Hornet, which is known
to all military pilots and to many COM
mercial pilots in this country. The
new engine is capable of developing IT'S
horsepower at sea level, as contrasted
with the SIS of its predecessor. At
5000 feet altitude the new engine will
develop the full sea level power out
put of the older engine.
The new engine, it was announced,
bombing planes. It has been put
through satisfactory type tests at the
Naval Aircraft Factory at Philadelphia.
The design includes q new type Of
supercharger which Is said to make
higher Supercharging possible than ever
before. A novel feature of the new
power plant Is a propeller reduction
gear Of unique design, which gives q
ratio Of to 2.
The new engine is regarded as one
Of the years important aviation achieve
mentS and is expected to result in faster
and more effective planes Of the larger
type, In both military and civil fields.
Secret Motor Ordered.
At the same time the Navy Bureau
Of Aeronautics, armed with 1920, 900, ap-
propriated by the last Congress for
high-speed development, has awarded a
secret contract for design and produc-
ton of what Is expected to be the
worlds most powerful aviation engine
II the quest for the proper power
plant proves successful, 1888 may find
the United States back in competition
for the Schneider Trophy the worlds
greatest racing prize. Not since 1926
TfVatkn
in Schneider racing.
Time and much money will be re-
quired to bridge the gap. Two years
will be all too little time, and $1,000
900 will no more than foot the bill, in
the opinion Of David S. ingalls,. As
sistant Secretary Of the Navy for Aero
nautics. Congress will be asked TO ap-
propriate a major portion of the re-
quired sum next Winter.
Fast Working Pilots.
When you hear the whine Of an air
plane supercharger high over Washing
ton these warm Summer days and, II
your eyes are keen, you make out tiny
speck circling high against the sky, the
chances are 10 to l that one OF the
flight test pilots at Anacostia Naval Air
Station is putting new type Navy
plane through its routine altitude runs.
There Is scarcely week in the year
during which some new plane does not
60 through altitude runs at the local
station, which is the off1cial test center
for all new type Navy planes. One Of
the features of the flight tests is a
climb to altitude. 1t sounds simple, and
when, from the ground, you hear the
whine Of the supercharger and see the
circling speck, apparently free as the
air, 1t does not look difficult
Actually. however. test flight to al
titude taxes the pilot to capacity. He
is working under a constant tension few
can realize. In preparation for his
flight. the pilot must bundle up Ike an
Arctic explorer, with heavy fur suit and
boots, mask covering his face. heavy
fur-lined leather gloves. When the
ground temperature Is in the COS. the
pilot, bathed in perspiration. has the
consolation of knowing he soon will be
as chilled as he now Is hot.
AS he climbs in the plane he Is test
ing the air quickly cools and there IS
a period OF comfort. At about $4,000
feet altitude the air begins to thin out
too much for comfortable breathing and
the oxygen tank must BE- resorted to,
the pilot taking in the life-gtving gas
through a rubber tube and mouthpiece
Now his troubles begin.
The Heavy Work Begins.
From $4,000 feet up, the operation Is
one Of major proportions and the pilot
does the work OF many men. He must
continuously fly the plane, watch and
keep the oxygen flow regulated to
counteract the changing air conditions,
operate the mixture controls OF the en-
CINE to maintain maximum engine power
as the air grows thinner, ny at exactly
the prescribed speed for the indicated
attitudes, constantly observe at least
seven Night instruments, and every two
Enthusiastically on time-record
the indications of not less than seven
instruments. All this Is to be done in a
temperature which is approaching 40
degrees below zero, when fur gloves
make the hands about as useful as two
hoofs. Despite the heavy clothing, the
cold nipS through with numbing effect.
During the altitude climbs the plane
undergoing test carries two recording
Paragraphs, to constantly record the
varying air pressure, a statoscope to
establish level flight conditions and
thermometer to indicate free air tenn
curately the attitudes attained.
In addition to the climb to the planes
maximum altitude, another altitude run
Is necessary to determine rate of climb
and speed at various levels. For this
run, which extends only to service cell
ing, the pilot takes off and flies until
the engine is properly regulated and
warmed up. He then flies close to the
ground to approximate take-off condi-
lions, opens the throttle wide and starts
his stop watch, just as the climb be-
gins.
Steady Speed Required.
From the instant the climb starts
the pilot flies at an absolutely steady
speed, recording the readings of his
various instruments at fixed time inter-
walls. This is continued until the indi-
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