Evening star., 1933-05-07

show such as the National Air r
fortunateS are at stake, but it sht
source OF pleasure for those who C.
It was to the desire Of the sponsors
Of the local meet to steer entirely clear
Of all professional atmosphere that the
dispute between the Washington Air
Derby Association and the National
Aeronautic Association was due. They
were afraid that application for sane
ton by the N. A. A. might turn away
private pilots who might fly in an easy,
informal sort Of competition but who
might not care to compete in formal,
sanctioned meet. So strenuous was the
opposition Of the N. A. A. to an un-
sanctioned meet, however, that the
derby association yielded and todays
event will be hallowed by due and OFF,
cial sanction.
In the face Of hard times, private
flying is taking hold with increasing
vigor. The number Of private pilots
licensed by the Department of Com
merce is increasing more rapidly than
any other license classification. In the
light Of present-day developments, it
is not too much to suppose that sport
flying some day will be as universal and
keen as yacht racing, motor boat COM
petition or other forms of sport involv-
ing the use of vehicles of transporta-
ton. Today's meet is a step toward
this goal.
Aisline Five Years Old
The air transport service which passes
through the National Capital along the
Atlantic seaboard was five years old on
May /. Beginning on May l. 1928. as
night airmail line between New York
and Atlanta. the coastal line now
stretches over two routes and serves %
cities between New York and Miami
1t makes direct connections with three
transcontinental airline systems and
with international airlines into Canada
and 20 countries of South and Central
America and the West Indies.
Inaugurated by Pitcairn Aviation, the
line was acquired by Eastern Air Trans
port. which by mergers has become af-
flliated with one Of the greatest aviation
combines in the world and which has
absorbed its chief competitor. Luding-
ton Airlines, operators OF the world
pioneer hourly passenger service be-
tween Washington and New York.
In the past five years planes operat-
ing on the coastal route through Wash
ington have flown 16.550,000 miles and
have carried 3250.000 pounds of air.
mail and 218000 passengers. Air ex-
press service was inaugurated only nine
months ago. but already 5l,00 pounds
Of express matter have been flown.
The original Pitcairn line started with
six small open-cockpit mail planes and
81 employees. Eastern Air Transport to-
day has 4s airliners. including a num-
Der of the largest land planes IN use IN
America, and $40 employees. Twenty
eight Of the original employees are still
on the pay roll and three of the six
original planes still are carrying night
airmail on the line.
Five years ago the line few sched-
ule of 1926 miles daily over an airway
1856 miles long. Today its planes ny
more than 13,300 miles each "a hours
over routes covering 2,488 miles. Sched-
ules are operated hourly between Wash
ington. Baltimore, Philadelphia and
New York Daily services are main
tanned to Atlantic City: Richmond
Hopewell and Norfolk. Va; Greensboro
Charlotte and Raleigh. N. c.; Florence
Charleston. Camden, Columbia, Spar
tanburg, S. c.; Atlanta, Macon, Au-
gusta and Savannah. Ga. and jack
sonville, Daytona Beach, Vero Beach
Orlando Tampa, st. Petersburg and
Miami. Fla.
Elevated Airport Planned
An airport on stills in the heart oi
London is being planned, at a cost OF
approximately s17,500000, according tc
a report received by the Department OF
Commerce Aeronautics Trade Division
from Trade Commissioner w. L. Kilsoin
in London.
The airport is to be in the shape Of a
wheel with eight spokes. each of which
will be a runway. The landing surface
is to be elevated 120 feet above the
ground level and will be supported by
large buildings, some of which will be
used as warehouses and others as air
plane hangers. Planes will be moved
| to and from the hangers on elevators
The eight runways will provide land
ing and take-off areas under all vino
conditions At night only the runway:
in use will be lighted and the flood
lights and boundary lights will be ar
ranged so as to be turned on or of
automatically with shifts of wind.
France to Mark Railways.
Painting of location markers between
the rails of railroad tracks at intervals
Of 10 or IL miles, for the benefit of air.
men, Is being considered in France a;
q result of successful tests conducted
near Paris
The markers would show the name
Of the nearest large city or town II
Is estimated that 5000 markers would
be required for the principal French
railways. The advantage of the plan
it is pointed out. is that pilot, having
found a railway, will have to fly less
than 10 miles to locate himself
A number of pilots have flown over
the trial markers and have expressed
hearty approval of the plan.
A similar plan has been approved
for principal highways in the United
States and many highways have been
marked. This plan calls for painting
of the route number of the highway on
the pavement. In large letters, at inter-
walls Of 10 miles. The pilot need only
carry highway map, in this case. to
keep himself posted as to his location
with reference to the principal roads.
Anacostia Changes Due.
Spring shifting of officer personnel at
The Anacostia Naval Air Station is about
to begin and already orders have been
issued for the detachment og five Off
GERS from duty at the station and for
Orders for the departure Of at least
two other officers from their local as
sinments are expected and it is prob
able that all seven Of the vacancies will
be filled by transfers from the feet or
other posts Of duty during the next
month or two.
Comdr. Arthur Gavin, holder Of sew
eral world seaplane records and one OF
the most noted big plane" pilots in
the service, has been ordered away from
Anacostia and will go to San Diego to
join VT-1B Torpedo Plane Squadron
Of the Battle Force. He is planning to
leave Washington about May Is, and
probably will 60 by automobile to the
West Coast
Lieut.. Robert B. Pirie, who was off,