Evening star., 1933-06-23
PICARD PICTURES
| HIGH AIR SPEEDS
Stratosphere Pioneer Pre-
Idiots Planes Will Fly 10 to
/ Is Miles Above Earth.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June % (N.AN.A) -
Within the next few years airplanes
will be travelling at a speed undreamed
of today. Five. 500 miles an hour will
be their ordinary cruising speed, flying
at a height of from 1900 to 1900 miles
above the earth, with scheduled time
Of six hours from New York to Paris.
Chicago will be little more than an
hours trip from New York, and a
cross country flight from coast to coast
will be made in three hours-and all
in perfect safety, with none of the
handicaps of fog. wind, rain and snow
which worry the pilots of today.
These are the predictions Of Prof.
Auguste Picard, renowned for his rec
ord balloon flights into the stratosphere
more than 10 miles above the earth.
The professor arrived here yesterday
aboard the Champlain on his way to
the Century of Progress Exposition in
Chicago. where, some time during July
he will supervise flight into the
stratosphere, to be made by his twin
brother. Jean. and Comdr j. M. Settle
of the United States Navy.
Will Advance Aviation.
The observations and scientific data
rathered on these air journeys into the
stratosphere. Prof Picard believes, will
do more than anything else to advance
the progress of commercial aviation.
He expects the Chicago flight to re-
veal further data which will speed
zaviation's development, step up the
progress of air travel by at least Is
wears and at the same time bring to
HI, 60 ote
which may aid scientists of the future
to open up a vast and unlimited source
of heat and power for the world.
Prof. Picard sees nothing remark
hble in the predicted results of his ex-
periments. To him they are already
nothing more than facts to be accepted,
dust as every one now accepts radio
and the telephone and electric light.
He chatted about the wonders of the
future in much the same manner as
one would talk of a prospective trip
across the country on railroad train.
How soon this will come, can't pre-
dict" he said speaking of the prob
ability of new high-speed planes. May
be one year, maybe two maybe 10. But
II will come. Several Stratosphere ships
are already being constructed. And"
he made an expressive little gesture
with his hands-"why not? All that
Is needed is certain modifications-air-
tight compartments to protect the pilot
and the passengers because of the rari-
fed air.
Fly at High Attitudes.
PLANES will fly at from 10 to Is
miles above the earth-and in much
greater safety than at the lower alti-
R,,I Az ic
resistance. and they can make greater
speed-500 or 600 miles an hour. There
Is greater security because up in the
stratosphere there is no rain, no ice to
form on the wings, no wind, no mist,
no air pockets. 1t is all good weather.
before this" he went on, smiling
little. people would have been afraid
TO fly at such great heights. But now
that have been there, and say that
1t is perfectly safe-for there really is
not much danger about it-aviation can
go on. And people will ride in the new
planes. It will be much more COM
Portable, much more beautiful, also
There is nothing more beautiful than
the sight from the stratoSphere of the
sun setting in the Alps. Marvelous!'
The beauty of the sights from such
an altiture, the professor said, is some
thing that cannot be expressed in words
sYou must go up and see for yourself
how beautiful it is," he said. When
you get to certain height, below you
you see a-what do you call?-a sharp
division in the air. Below-a layer of
dusty white fog. Above that, the
SHAKESPEARE is blue, with the sky grow
ing darker and darker. You have never
seen such a beautiful view And on
one side, where the sun is you open "a
window-it is brilliant light. You open
one on the other side-it IS dark"
Heat Absorption.
Prof Picard also revealed the reason
why the new gondola under construc-
ton for the Chicago flight is being
painted partly black and partly white.
It is because Of the difference in heat
absorption Of the two colors.
I'VE have found" he said. that black
absorbs more heat. We know if the
gondola was all black it would be too
hot. If it were all white, it would be
too cold. The last time, my feet were
intensely cold. and at the same time I
had a temperature in my head. There
fore the gondola will be painted black
s.on the lower part and white on the
upper part, to equalize the heat and
cold. The inside, of course, will be
entirely white, because there is little
light"
(Copyright, l933)