Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-05
AMATEUR FLYERS
QUIT CAPITAL FOR
DIXIE AIR RACES
Richmond First Stop of
Planes Headed for Miami
in Face of Thick Weather.
PILOTS MAKE OVERNIGHT
STOP AT PINEHURST, N. c.
Guests at Banquet Here Unbalanced
When Hotel Elevator Drops
Out of Control.

In the face Of raw, cloudy weather.
which made the prospect OF Florida
skies more than usually attractive, a
fleet of private planes Of all sizes, colors
and types, flown by members Of the
United States Amateur Air Pilots ASso-
citation, organized to promote aviation
as a sport, took off from Washington
Hoozer Airport today on the second leg
of a three-day flight to Miami, Fla,
in connection with the All-American
Air Races.
Thick weather, which gave several OF
the flyers some real excitement yeSter-
day afternoon, coupled with l4-point
forced landing in hotel elevator mere
last night, gave the SportSmen pilots
something to think about on the flrSt
day of their cruise, which ranks as one
of the greatest undertakings by organ
lied amateur aViatorS in this country.
The visiting pilots and their guests
were entertained at an informal dinner
given last night in the Carlton Hotel
by F. Trubee Dawson, Assistant Secre-
tary of War for Aeronautics, and David
S. ingalls,, Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy for AeronauticS.
Bingham Is POSTMASTER.
Senator Hiram Bingham of Connec-
ticut was POSTMASTER and among the
speakers were Clarence M. Young, As
sistant Secretary of Commerce for Aero
nautics: Rear Admiral William A. Moi
felt, chief of the Navy Bureau of Aero
f., IT 80
Gently retired chief of the Army Air
Corps; c. S. Casey" Jones, noted
American air pioneer; Alexander de Sc
versky noted Russian airplane de-
signer; Clarence Chamberlin, transat-
lantic flight hero, and Miss Ruth Mich
OILS woman speed champion.
After the banquet Is of the party
took an impromptu dive in hotel ele-
vator, which plunged out of control
down the shaft for six stories, winding
up on the IA shock abSorbers provided
at the bottom of the shaft. The flyers
and distinguished passengers in the car
seemed to enjoy the experience and
cheered loudly as they plunged down
ward.
Among the not unwilling passengers
or the unscheduled flight down the
shaft were Chamberlin, Senator Bing-
ham, Admiral Moffett, Gen. Fechet, Mr.
Young and Miss Nichols. AS the eIe-
vator brought up on the snubbers in a
faster landing than any of the famous
pilots ever made, there was a cry. Go
on; do it again" A broken skylight in
the roof of the elevator was left as the
only memento of the drop.
Luncheon in Richmond.
Owing to the bad weather this morn
ing, no effort was made to maintain
formation on the flight from Washing
ton to Richmond where the amateur
pilots are to be guests at luncheon at
tended by Gov. John G. Pollard and
other Virginia leaders.
Young Bob Buck, holder of several
junior aviation records, was first to get
away, pulling off into the early morning
miStS before 8 o'clock in a Pitcairn
Mailwing. The planes went off singly
and in small groups during the morn
ing, the final take-offs being delayed
until II o'clock
Powell Crosley, ir., fleet leader in
place Of A. Felix du Pont, jr., who failed
to get away from New York yesterday,
took of IN the largest ship of the fleet
twin-motOred amphibian monoplane.
He carried Maj. Paul " BurWell, feet
manager and several other passengers.
Clarence Chamberlin was given an
opportunity to demonstrate his skill
with balky airplane engines when the
power plant in the open cockpit bi-
plane Of Mrs. John T. Remey of New
York and Washington turned stubborn
and refused to start.
one OF the amateurs, coming in from
Pittsburgh yesterday afternoon, en-
countered fog and thick weather and
made the last part of the trip flying
blind. He confessed that he went into
couple Of spins and that he overshot
the National Capital by more than 20
miles before he dared drop down
through the clouds.
Aviatrix Shows Speed.
Mrs Evelyn de Seversky, who is
known as one of the country's most
beautiful! aViators, was given an OPP
portunity to try her skill at cross cOun-
try flying for the first time and caused
her noted husband considerable useless
worry. He was flying much faster
plane than she and landed at nearly
every airport on the way to Washing
ton, waiting for her to catch up. He
vented his feelings in one of the not
test" landings the local airport has
seen in a long time. Pulling up over the
field in a steep climb, he stalled MS
ship and slid off on one wing into the
field, Strengthening out just in time to
land.
This afternoon the caravan is to con-
tinue on to PinehurSt, N. C., where an
overnight stop will be made Another
overnight stop will be made near Sa-
vannah and the amateurs are 10 arrive
in Miami Thursday taking part IN
number of sporting events IN connec-
ton with the Miami races.
The cruise to Florida and the com
petltive flying there are parts OF the
associations general program OF pro-
noting amateur flying fol, sportSmen
pilots on the same high plane as Or
ganized amateur golf, tennis ana otner
sports.