Evening star., 1932-04-17

night airmail run across the Allies
Though the tendency in all parts OF
the country has been to replace the
single-seater mail planes with big pas
senger-mail transports, Pennsylvania
Airlines is going back to the little OPEN
cockpit ships of the character made IA
nous by the stories of the night mail
These planes will be equipped with
every possible aid to aerial navigation
and will take off in the face of all
except the fUulest weather the NOUN
tains can brew Ordinary fog, winds
and rains will not keep them on the
ground. The pilots may expect to fly
blind on the path of the radio range
beacon very often, with no escape ex-
cept by way of the parachute IN case
of motor failure.
1t ia going to be a picturesque .serv-
ice. worthy of the traditions of the
famous battle-ground of the night mail
and It should add its own stirring chap
ters to the history of the night-riders
of the skies.
The new night service, according TO
officials of Pennsylvania Airlines, Is ex-
pected to begin within a month. The
tentative schedule now under consider
alton calls for departure from the Ma
tional Capital at about 10 pm. so that
the westbound mail from Washington
may be consolidated at Cleveland with
the trsnscdntinental from New York
The eastbuund night plane now is ten
tatively scheduled to arrive here about
am.
New Schedule ADDED.
Pennsylvania Airlines now operate
three passenser-nail round trip sched-
ules between the National Capital ana
Cleveland, using tri-motored transports.
Two of these runs from washington to
Cleveland made direct connection with
United Air Transport planes from
Cleveland to Chicago and the Pacitc
Coast Beginning April IS United put
on an additional schedule to provide
direct connection with the third Scheo-
ule out of Washington.
The new schedule provides direct
service from Washington to Chicago,
leaving Washington Hoover Airport at
$50 pm, Cleveland at 9:20 and ar
irving In Chicago at 11:47. The new
run permits d passenger to leave wash
tngton after the close of the business
day and be In Chicago that night.
On April ii Pennsylvania Airlines
will celebrate Its fifth anniversary. The
OLD Clifford Ball Line, which later be-
came Pennsylvania Afrlines, made It's
first run from Cleveland to Pittsburgh
with the airmail on April 81, 1927.
Three years ago passenger service was
extended on to the National Capital
from Pittsburgh and that line today is
the Oldest passenger air transport line
service on the Pittsburgh Washington
section was contracted for last year.
Test Stands Completed.
WRIGHT Field. Dayton, Ohio, home of
the Army Air Corps Materiel Division,
today boasts what are said to be the
most efficient and modern torque stand
laboratories for the testing of airplane
engines il. existence anywhere in the
world
Though there stfl remains a consid-
ersble amount of work to be done on
the buildings and their surroundings,
the first unit Of the laboratories has
been placed In operation and others
seon will follow.
In planning the new laboratory, spe-
e4al effort was made to reduce noise,
vibration and fire hazard.
In appearance the building resembles
0 series Of square concrete stacks. 40
fket hiNh, joined by inclosed passages.
The materials employed are reinforced
concrete and steel Except for q few
doors and some "bombpruofing ar
ranged as protection against flying
fragments Of shattered propellers or
engines. no wood is used, even in the
interior.
Conferred between the stacks are seven
torque stands, six for the use of the
power plant branch for the endurance
testing Of engines, and one for the use
of the aircraft branch fUr the testing
% pfopellefs under installation on
engine conditions,
Piers Are Cora LINED.
Each engine support pier is a huge
block Of concrete sunk 20 feet into
NE ground, completely incased in cork
10 prevent transmission OF vibration to
ef1y part Of the building, the iointure at
the floor being filled with tar, used be-
cause of its resiliency. Older torque
stand supports were not independent
Ahd transmitted serious vibrations to
the walls Of the engine room, to the
various recording instruments and to
the operators.
Each toruue stand Is placed in its
ekn engine room, with cseafance suf-
ficient TO handle an 1S-foot propeller.
To protect the concrete walls against
nT1ng metal in case OF accident, a g.
inch thickness Of red oak forms
bombproof. This is sheathed in alumni
mum. In one room an experimental
bombproofing of rock wool filler Is be-
1nB u5eu.
The great stacks are intended to re-
dlce noise outside the building and are
30 constructed one around each of the
engine rooms, that the SOUND waves find
outlet only through the top of the stack,
which lie open to the sky. Pilots have
Commented on hearing the roar through
the stack 500 feet up, against the noise
Of their own motors and propellers.
Safeguards Are Provided.
Between each two engine test rooms
Ia an operators room, used for observ
ing the engine during test The walls
are very thick. of reinforced concrete,
With a vibration -deadenmg insulation Of
heavy cork. The rooms are light and
thoroughly ventilated to prevent injury
10 the observers from gas rlnnes. Doors,
front and back, provide easy emergency
exit. Glass observation windows permit
inspection OF the engines IN the test
rooms on either side Twin installa
tons Of instruments ana controls for
conducting tests and recording observa-
tions are placed on the wall near the
windows. There are instruments for
measuring engine pressures, tempera-
lures, fuel flow, oil flow, fuel consufnp-