Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01

1
Operating over more than $4,000
miles of airways in the United States,
| Canada and Latin America, "a major
air transport lines during 1880 carried
a total of 1886, $40 passengers, according
| to reports to the Aeronautical Chamber
of Commerce. This represents pas
senger increase of 1873 per cent over
1929 The distance flown by passenger
planes last year, totaling nearly 29,00O,-
900 miles, was nearly double that OF
| 1929.
During the past year transport planes
few total of $500, 900 passenger miles
for each passenger fatality, and less
than per cent of the $4,000 trips
scheduled during the year were can
celed or not completed. Bad flying
weather accounted for 81 per cent of
the incompleted trips. while 6.44 per
cent of the cancellations were due to
insufficient traffic.
U. S. Standing Drops.
During the past year the United
States lost to France its second-place
standing in number of world aviation
records, and now ranks third, with Ger
many in the lead
The new official list of records, as re-
vised for 1881 by the Federation Aero
nautiQue Internationale and its Ameri-
can representative, the National Aero
nautic Association, credits Germany
with As world records, France with SO
and the United States with 80. French
aviators captured 20 of the recognized
records during 1880, wnile Germany
gained 16 new marks and the United
States a.
Though the Federation Aeronautique
International recognizes 1876 official
types of records for all branches OF avt-
alton, including the airplane, seaplane,
airship, balloon and glider, all new rec
ordS for the year were gained by heav-
ier-tl1an-air craft. AirplaneS eStab-
lished AZ out of possible 81 new air
plane records during the year, while
the seaplaneS bettered "a Of the exist
ing Al official records.
Only five of the 1876 types Of record
are regarded as major records, and the
United States appeared in this choice
circle during the year by virtue of the
flight of Lieut.. Apollo Soucek, U. S. N,
to an altitude of some miles above
the National Capital last Spring.
Italy took two of the five major rec
ords, u. Maddalena and F. Cecconi cap
turing the endurance record of 81 hours
and Is minutes and the nonstop dis
lance record of 5,088.27 miles around
a closed circuit. Great Britain holds
the major speed mark Of 357.723 miles
H. Orlebar. The longest nonstop,
straight-line flight was made by the
French transatlantic flyers Dieudonne
Coste and Maurice Bellonte, who COW
cred 4.912.799 miles.
Germany, France and the United
States now hold between them ia Of
the 1876 Official records, the remaining
% beirg divided rs follows: Italy, 10;
Czechoslovakia, 4; Great Britain, 8;
iYa .. CNr.ff NJ III I
Navy Buys AutOgiro.
The Navy Department, following thor
ough personal investigation by David S.
ingalls,, Assistant Secretary of the Navy
for Aeronautics, and Rear Admiral Will
liam A. Moffett, chief of the Bureau OF
Aeronautics, has contrasted for the pur-
chase of the latest-type autogiro or
flying windmill"
The craft, which will bear the naval
designation XOP-1, designating it as
an experimental observation type. man
factured by Pitcairn, the first of its
series, will be delivered to the flight test
section at the Anacostia Naval Air Sta
ton some time during March. It Is to
be flown experimentally from aircraft
carriers and battleships and under con-
ditions Stimulating those encountered by
the Marine Corps in its Nicaraguan
campaign.
The autogiro will not be entirely new
to members of the fight test section
who will be charged with putting it
through its trials. Jim" Ray, chief
pilot for the autogiro manufacturers,
brought one to Anacostia last Fall, and
members Of the flight test section few
It without previous instruction, Lieut..
Ralph Ofstie, chief of the section, lead
ing off.
Mr.. ingalls, and his aide, Lieut..
Comdr. Robert P. Molten, also have
flown the craft at the Pitcairn field,
Willow Grove, Pa. Following his fight,
the autogiro's ability to make short
take-offs, steep climbs, fast and slow
forward speeds and vertical landings
could be applied to many types Of mill
tary and naval problems.
Two New Fords Coming.
Henry Ford, who is represented in
the aeronautical field by several tri-
motored transport plane models, is
coming out with what are for him rev.
dictionary types. While the main ac-
tivity at the Dearborn plant will con-
tinue TO be the production Of tri-
motored types, it has been announced,
there has been developed a single
motored transport for freight service
Oulyy dItu Tile uSfeIUpIIlGuG VI q BldIlL
four-motored transport, the largest
land-plane yet planned in this country,
is nearing completion.
The single-motored plane is to be of
practically the same size as the tri-
motored type with lower speed. It
will be more economical to operate, but
will be available for use only as a
freight carrier and will not be equipped
for passenger service. The older type
~ mt ID Ill
'Whirlwind Fords." may be converted
into the new single-motored type
readily, 1t is announced.
The company has been engaged for
the past two years in the development
OF 38-passenger transport plane, to be
powered with four motors, and It is ex-
pected that a definite announcement
of this new type will be made within
the next go days. Oflcials of the COM
being made with q two-p1ace type Of
plane.
Nearly $4,000, 900 has been spent or
allotted for expenditure in aircraft ac-
tlvities in Baltimore, according to the
annual report Of DR.. Hugh Young
chairman of the Maryland Aviation
Commission. Among the items making
up this total DR.. Young lists the fol-
lowing:
AnviAASAPoA kAAPOib, AlCAuQHlB Lne 1ur-
nishing of sites and facilities for air
lines ana aircraft manufacturers, g..
100000.
Glenn L. Martin aircraft factory and
| field, $6000.O00.
Curtiss-W Wright field, planes, plant
and hangers, $1,5O0,00O.
Beriiner-Joyce field, plant, expert.
mental tunnel and planes, 81, 000, 600.
Curtiss Caproni field and plant.
$500, 900.
Anyways branch. Department of Com.
merce, beacons and equipment in the
vicinity of Baltimore, 100000.
Julien P. FrieZ a. Sons manufacture
ers of aircraft equipment, 81 SOC. 600.