Evening star., 1931-12-06

ming of construction Of a publicly
owned airport for the National Capital
at Gravelly Point also is expected as
a result of the Columbia Island con-
troversy
And so the proposal for two great
granite memorial shafts on Columbia
Island may turn out in the end to
have been proposal instead for mile
stones along the road of aeronautical
progress.
Winter Tests Scheduled.
Pilots of the Nays combat squad
rons are going to get their first real
taste of subarctic Winter flying this
Winter when the u S. S. Langley.
pioneer aircraft carrier, now at Hamp-
ton Roads, is to carry its aerisl brood
into the waters of the North Atlantic.
\ Ihe maneuverS are to demonstrate
the possibility of combat operations
under conditions of extreme cold and
VIII permit study of the effect of
ice and snow on the flight deck and ar
resting gear, the action of machine
guns and other equipment at low tenn
perature, the ability of the personnel
TO work effectively in heavy clothing
and other problems
Specifications have been drawn up TO,
heaVy Winter clothing for pilots and
Tlght-oeck personnel. Navy combat
squadronS, it is said, never have had
much actual experience operating from,
icy fight decks. as might be necessary
in case of war, and the results of this
Winters tests are expected to be of i'm.
portance to the entire naval aviation
service
The flight-test section at the Anacos.
tia Naval Air Station has sent two ex.
perimental planes to Hampton Road,
Tor transfer to the Langley. Bott
planes, one big XT5M-l Martin tor.
pedo plane, the other the new FAB
Boeing fighter, will go along for test,
during the North Atlantic cruise.
Following the polar bear cruise" the
Langley is to go to the opposite ex.
treme, having been ordered to Asiatic
station beginning next Summer. Pilot,
OF VS. Squadron l, aboard the Langley
were notified that any of them who are
due Tor shore duty might be given per.
mission to extend sea duty for two more
years SO as to accompany the squad
ron to its Asiatic station.
The result was that every officer raj.
lied around the "Galloping Goose" in.
sigma of the squadron. and all will pr
TO the Far East. The squadron mem.
oers now are trying to decide whethe,
they should put pigtail on the goose.
Foreign Aviation Growing,
Developments in the foreign aviation
nelo, as reported to the aeronautic,
trade division of the Department O
commerce, show progress in air trans
| portation in many parts of the world.
RADIO service on airplanes in Czecho
= Slovakta is to be made possible next yea
oy the ministry of posts and telegraphs
since last February planes on the i'm
! portant Berlin-Vienna line have bee,
equipped for reception of messages /,
passengers. This service is to be ex
tended.
Popularity contests. the winners q
which will be given free rides in pas
senger planes of the line, are being re
| sorted to in Mexico to build up interes
in the airmail and passenger servic,
from Brownsville, Tex. to Mazatlan on
the Mexican Pacific Coast.
Marked increases in mileage foWr
by Imperial Airways of England is re-.
ported for this year as compared with
last year. A total of 835 1922 miles werf
noWn between April l and Septem.
Nearly $4,000 pounds Of gold were
hoWn from England to the Neither
4ahos during single month by planes