Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

landing f1eld near Buckstown, Pa.
Many acres of Stumps and trees were
removed before grading of this noun
tain-top field could be undertaken.
On the long slope down from Laurel
Hill to Pittsburgh there are three more
beacons, one adjacent to the Green's
burg airport, which was privately de-
veloped as an alternate landing field. +,
io-beacon courses will be lalo
down along the airway from Wash
ington and Pittsburgh, intersecting at
McConnellsburg. The difficulty of 10
eating beacons and intermediate fields
was Increased by the fact that they
had to be regulated not only by topo-
graphical necessity, but also by the
straightaway beacon courses.
Within the next IL months, accord
ing to airways officials, an automatic
acknowledgements circuit probably
will be available along the Washing
ton Pittsburgh airway for handling
weather information and plane move
ment reports. Teletype stations along
this airway are to be established at
Washington, Hagerstown, McConnells-
burg, Greensburg and Pittsburgh.
Coastal Airway Bids.
The airways division of the Depart
ment of Commerce aeronauticS branch
has called for bids to be opened about
January 80 for the installation Of light
ing facilities along a portion OF the
new Atlantic coastal airway cutoff
from Richmond, Va, to Jacksonville,
Fla. This cutoff, striking the coast at
about Savannah, Ga, will save more
than four hours of flying time between
the National Capital and Miami, Fla.
The bids which have been asked will
cover the installation of lighting facili-
1-<o FNNnF
of which will be at intermediate fields
between Richmond and Florence, S. G..
Along this cutoff Eastern Air Trans
port, holding coastal airmail contracts,
will operate, beginning about February
l, a passenger service. Tw1n-en-
gined monoplaneS will be used and all
passengers on the coastwise run, except
those bound for destinations along the
Atlanta airway, will travel the cutoff
route.
Plan New Metal Airship.
Plans for an all-metal Army dirigible
larger and faster than the Graf Yep
pelin, equipped to serve as an airplane
tender or for other military purposes,
are being expedited as a result Of the
action Of the House authorizing an
initial appropriation of 5000. 900 for ex-
perimental and engineering work in
connection with the project.
Equipped with eight motors OF be-
tween 500 and 800 horsepower each,
according to officials of the Detroit Air
craft Corporation, which is to build the
ship, the metal-clad airship will have
an estimated top speed of 100 miles per
hour Operating at slow cruising speed,
it is claimed, the ship could carry sufh-
asA f,rAl - 1wa
on a long-range observation mission
for up to % days.
The ship is to be of the same type
as the small all-metal experimental
ZMC-2, built by the same company for
the Navy. It is to be covered with It's
sue-thin alclad, one of the nghtest
metals yet discovered. The shell of the
airship itself will act as the container
of the helium gas used for lifting pur-
poses and also will carry large part
of the stresses. The shell will be REIN
forced by metal rings and longitudinal
members and will be partitioned OF into
separate compartments to prevent loss
of q danger amount Of life in case OF
puncturing by gun fire.
A crew of 40 men is contemplated
and provision Is to be made in the
plans for a useful load of 40 900 pounds
in addition to fuel and supplies neces-
sary to operation. 1t is estimated that
the total cost of such a ship would be
$4,500, 900.
World Charts Predicted.
knowledge of wind conditions pre-
vailing in the upper air, far above the
surface of the land and sea, is becom-
ing SO increasingly important that
eventually charts of the upper air will
be issued to cover all parts of the
globe, it is predicted by Rear Admiral
w. r. Gherardi, u. S. N. The Navy
photographic ONCE now Is publish
ing monthly pilot charts Of the upper
air for the North Atlantic and North
Pacific.
The preparation of maps and charts
for aviators has become an activity of
increasing Importance for the Navy
photographers. Sets of air charts for
the coasts of the United States Mexico,
Central America and the West Indies
have been completed and now are being
issued. There is a comprehensive
charting program under way, accord
ing to Admiral Gherardi, which en-
braces the entire coast of South Amer
lea. A series of handbooks, designed
especially for airplane pilots, compar-
able to the sailing directions found on
nautical charts, are in course Of prepa-
ration.
The Nays aviation charts differ con-
siderably in appearance from the nau-
tical chart, being especially designed to
indicate the outstanding landmarks
visible from the air which are used by
pilots for determination of position.
To Honor Pioneers.
The lives and works of three men
who have made outstanding contribu-
tions to the art and science of aero
nauticS will be commemorated at a
meeting TO be held in New York Febru-
airy Is by seven national organizations
The meeting will be a tribute to the late
Glenn H. Curtiss, the late Daniel Gug-
genheim and the late Chance NJ.
Vought.
The organization, which will combine
to hold the memorial meeting are the
Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce,
Engineers, the American Institute of
Mining Engineers, the American So
ciety of Civil Engineers, the American
Society OF Mechanical Engineers, the
National Aeronautic Association and
the Society of Automotive Engineers.
The National Capital will be repre-
sented largely at the meeting, the list
of special guests including relatives and
friends of those honored, leading aero
nautic authorities, presidents of the
various societies, Army, Navy and Coast
Guard officers and pioneer flyers. Capt.
John H. Towers, assistant chief of the
Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, who was
associated with Mr.. Curtis in the early
days Of flying, will be one of the speak
ers.
Dark Continent Lighted.
One of the most interesting Of the
new world air transport lines pro-
jected for 1891 will be put In operation
by Midsummer from London to Cape
Town, South Africa. Much of the roure
will lie over almost virgin wilderness,
many intermediate landing ports hav-
ing been cleared already in the heart OF
vi Inch In ha hfu 0aSfna ro,y,trty