Nogales international., 1931-04-22
Radio Apparatus, Timetables
and Routines Put Flying on
Dependable Basis

"An adventure in the air turned
out to be Just bit OF commonplace
travel" says VIII Whitmore in
Western Electric Nszcs. in chronicling
a trip two-ttrrds OF the way across
the continent. He had looked for
ward to 1t as just about the most
exciting thing he had ever done. His
inquiries into the lntricacies of the
trip were greeted on all sides IN a
most casual and mat:er-of-fact man
ner 1t irked him considerably. He
says, IN describing what ne felt was
to be almost toolhardy air stunt:
Il took the .Airway Express from
the Pennsylvania station. New
York. a, o;05 .. m. to Columbus.
OHIO. on business. When the con-
ductor took my ticket. he asked me
a question IN such commonplace
tone that | missed the meaning.
Are you taking the plane at
Port Columbus:? he repeated. Taken
abacis just a biz. suffered no.
''And as he passed on down the
aisle that question began to rankle
Just bit. For some reason had not
liked the conductors casual manner.
yet obviously it had not been at
fectcd. Il was routine for him. Just
as routine as Are YOU getting ott at
North Philadelphia
mo. did not like 1.-THE thought
that aviation had slipped up on me
unaware. that flying was as COM
nonplace as taking the tube to Jer-
sey Citv. OF course. I knew planes
were flying every day. | knew that
people few in those planes. but just
the same -
-- Arrives at Airport
"At 7:4l the next morning the
train stopped few miles out OF Col
umbus at Port Columbus. Brick
hangers. waiting room and station.
everything provided for the comfort
OF the air traveller.
Eighteen people got off the train
70 ride out into the sky in those
three tri-motored all metal Ford
s,laRes warming up ozl the rainways.;
They walked to the station. porters
carrying their bags. with the nom
chalance that we take the subway.
THE week in Columbus for me
was busy one. but in the back OF
my head was the thought of those
planes warming up ready to take
me on a new adventure. Business
completed. | decided to take the
plane to Dallas. Texas. for vaca-
tion at home | tried to be casual
as I bought my ticket at the down
town ticket office in Columbus. The
ticket agent reached into ticket
rack, scribbled on a ticket with a
pen in the customary fashion. and
SAID, Route 3, Seat |. elght-thirty
am. tomorrow.
From Taxi to Plane
"The next morning out go to
the airport in a taxi. My bag IS
taken by porter. 1t is weighed
and don't see it again until get
off at Dallas. At the airport there is
4 fine restaurant | enjoy the break
fast tremendously.
"Soon the planes begin to take
off. Route | and Route 2 planes
laxi up to the station. Passengers
ret ON. and in a moment the two
planes are in the air. Then Route )
plane rolls up. A telescope awning
is pushed out from the station to
The door of the plane. Leisurely we
walk under this and into the plane.
The twelve seats are filled with pas
sengers. We taxi down the runway.
The plane swings round into the
wind. The pilot races the motors.
one at a time. A final test to see
that each is fuuctioning perfectly.
Then he gives the motors the
gun. We are off One woman IS
calmly adjusting a flower in the but
lon-hole of her jacket. A man is
scanning his morning paper. and the
wheels of the plane have not yet
aiken to the ari Fifteen minutes
utter we are up FIVE of the passengers