Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERToN.


a I'D, removing the tires. smearing the
working parts with oil, has disappeared.
30 has the aviator who used to lay his
plane up In the Autumn. Cold no
longer Is handicap to the pilot.
Winter flying, in many respects, Is
more interesting than Summer flying.
II you're not accustomed to Winter
flying toys you'll find them something
really intriguing. The air, as a rule,
is clearer and, while the earth may
appear more drab in its Winter garb,
it can be seen to better advantage than
when In its Summer green.
Flying over Southern Maryland and
the Northern Neck of Virginia in Win
Ter win give you lasting impression
to the natives. The number Of oyster
and fishing boats in the rivers and bay
and the range Of water covered by the
tongers Il amazing when viewed from
Ali this outburst Of confidence con-
corning the joys Of Winter flying is
the result Of q trip to Langley Field,
Birnn, on duty In the ofdce of the
chief Of the Army Air Corps. It was
. bright, sunny February day-a day
which might have been arrested for
falsely impersonating an April day,
preferably April Fool day.
Operations ONCE at Boiling Field I'M
burdened q mess Of flying gear. There
was a suit, about IS pounds of 1t, with
reefs for close-hauling at throat, wrists
and ankles-if they all worked, which
they didn't. There were fieece-hned
leather boots, gloves with the fur side
outside and the skin side inside. Sew
eral yards Of silk mufi1er came along
and there was a fieece-ined leather
helmet. goggles and parachute.
The Victim Ponders.
Man, what will I ever do with all
tfis?" pondered the victim, with look
outside at the bright sunshine. The
true RIGHTEOUSNESS Of the day, however,
had not begun to make itself felt.
WalIowing out like polar bears look
ing for Q place to mott, two bulky
masses, formerly men, climbed into the
two open cockpits Of blue and yellow
Douglass BT-2B adjudged thoroughly
capable Of immense strain OF flying to
Langley Field and back even on such o
morning as this turned out to be. The
bulk in the front cockpit turned out to
be none other than Lieut.. Roland
Birnn, ONCE Of the chief of the Army
Air Corps.
Cast OIL" ordered Lieut. Birnn,
Iapsing into the nautical lore of more
youthful days, and he gave that BT-2B
(Air Corps number A.C. 31-16) the So
called gun. Away went q cloud of dust,
n spectator with cinder in his eye and
q BT-2B airplane, blue and yellow with
two bulky masses IN its cockpits. the
front bulk still being Lieut.. Roland
Birnn, ONCE chief of the Army Air
Corps, the bulk in the rear cockpit be-
ing Just still.
Boiling Field dropped away dts prob
ably getting tired by now, dropping
away so often for so many different
people, and the Capital spread out, as
the Capital does 50 obligingly for those
who fiy. Alexandria, not to be outdone,
spread out and so did large flock of
Maryland and Virginia suburbs. With
everything all spread out below accord
ing to regulation, there was nothing to
do but head the nose Of the BT-2B
toward Langley Field and this Lieut..
Roland Birnn, ONCE, chief Of the Army
Air Corps (the bulk In the front cock
pitt. did.
The Craving Begins.
Then for the next hour the SEEM
tnely mid February day barred its black
heart and sharp fangs and gnawed
away through the leather, fleece, wool
and what-not issued by Uncle Sam to
keep warm his III chilluns in the Air
Corps. At first deep-breathing exer-
cises served to keep the base-born Feb
ruary day at its distance. But 1t finally
closed IN again, teeth going. reglla-
ton 1,T6O rpm. Business Of stamping
feet and beating arms. No sale. The
February day, SO bright, innocent and
gllileless seeing at first glance, so vile
and dastardly at heart, gnawed away.
There Il something mixed In that last
sentence, but never mind. It was Just
that kind OF q day-mixed, and pretty
Now has the time to give a thought
TO the passengers In the comfortable,
heated cabins Of air transport planes.
There they were, probably forced TO
take on their hats and overcoats to re-
main comfortable. Here were we, heads
projecting into Gods fresh air (speed,
40 miles per hour, the sun and blue
sky overhead. Would we change places
with them7 You bet we would
Ignoring the gnawtng as best we may,
let's look at the outspread Maryland
and, yonder, across the snaky Potomac,
Virginia. The Winter landscape seen
from above is drab and colorless thing
other seasons. The fields, meadows,
forests, except for the pine groves, are
all OF about the same color When the
Spring blowing begins this will not be
so-theFe viii be patches of plowed
fields ranging through all the shades
Of brown and red. In Spring and Sum-
mer there win be an infinite variety Of
green's and yellows.
BY contrast with the uniformity Of
the landscape in Winter, however, the
waterways are vivid, colorful and full
OF Life. Streaks Of white ice are visible
around their shores, even from 5000
feet. The waters are clear and deep
green. Flats, bars and deep water can
be seen with great clarity. For the afr
man channel bouys are unnecessary.
He can pick out the channels at
glance.
A stir breeze whips across the waters,
chasing whitecaps before it and streak
ing the green with lacy streamers Of
foam. The oystermen are at work, never
theless, In every body Of water crossed
after the plane leaves Maryland air.
The Potomac crossing Is made lust be-
low the mouth Of Wicomico, leaving
Blackstone Island just under the left
wing, and the Virginia shore Is reached
at the mouth Of Nomini Greek, with its
long, narrow channel
Scores Of oyster boats are visible In
the river. Each time the tongs are low
cred 70 the bottom little cloud of mud
Is stirred up and carried away by the
tide, 90 that from each boat there ex-
tends long string OF these brown little
clouds, like beads on a string. finally
diasolvtng away again in the green Of
the water.
In the Rappahannock, surprisingly
close TO the Potomac, the activity Is the
sannA Many bagTels, presumably of oys-
teTB, are visible on the wharveS along
the river and its inletS. Power boats
plug along sedately from wharf to wharf
gathering up the crop.
SIN Lieut.. Roland Birnn.
Leaving the Rappahannock, the York
soon comes in sight ond we cross within