Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-01-28

| AyAlS pOdI CcINlCc - 4ltcIlOcOs
Luft Hansa with German aerial
Is a step in the attempt to devel,
American markets.
| Follows Graf Success.
The seaplane service follows three
years Of extraordinarily successful oper-
alton Of the veteran German airship
Graf Zeppelin between Friedrichshafen
Germany, and Pernambuco. Brazil
Twice a month during the Summer
season the Graf has piled her way back
and forth across the South Atlantic
with q regularity not exceeded by
In view of the cent international
survey trip made by Col Charles A.
L1ndbergh for Pan-American Always
which included flying of the South At
lantic route to be followed by Luft
Hansa, the new German service Is of
unusual interest to this country.
| Transoceanic service Is the next great
| goal Of commercial aviation in this
country and abroad. Many In the In
duStry feel that ocean air transport will
establish itself In 1894 and thereafter
| will play q role Of ever-increasing i'm
portance in the story Of international
relations.
The German line Is to start oper-
atoms on the Graf Zeppelin's schedule
OF two round trips q month, alter
mating with the Graf to give four air
trips a month between Germany and
South America and return. Five days
in each direction will be allowed for
the seaplanes, as for the Graf though,
the trip can be made easily in less time,
the Graf frequently having made the
trip in three days or little more.
France Also Has Plans.
France also is busy on plans for
South Atlantic air service. Jean Mer-
moz has made two round trips between
France and South America to pioneer
permanent air service. The French
government is fostering construction Of
three big flying boats for operation be-
tween Senegal, West Africa, apd Natal,
Brazil, connecting with the French
South American airlines nov IN oper-
alton and with colonial services In
! Africa and to Europe
| Pan-American Always, for which
Gndbergh made his survey, Is hard at
work improving its South American
services to meet the coming European
competition and Is completing prepare
tons at the same time for its own
| ocean service.
Three Of the largest flying boats ever
| QUILT for regular airline service now are
nearing completion for Pan-American,
and it has ordered IL Of the fastest new
American twin-motored landplanes, ca
pablo Of speeds Of 200 miles an hour,
Tor its land routes in the Americas
Fast new amphibian planes have been
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It's new equipment, Pan-American not
only hopes to double the speed Of its
schedules. but to operate them with
greater frequency.
1t Is universally conceded that avia-
ton. despite the magnificent progress II
has made in reducing the size Of the
continents. will find an even greater
field of usefulness to civilization when
1t succeeds in bridging the oceans, thus
cutting down the barriers now separat-
ing markets and peoples. Aviation in
1884 is pioneering not only q new field
| in transportation, but a new day In
human relationships.
N. A. C. A. Reports Progress.
The annual report Of the National
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
made public today by the President, is
q paean OF progress, celebration of
| splendid advancements made during
the past year and a forecast Of contin-
| ued achievement in the year to come.
1T Is gratifying to the committee to
report that the past year was noticeable
| as witnessing the greatest advance in
airplane performance and efficiency &C
complished in any single year since the
Great War" the committee said in its
review.
Its continued development" the
committee continued looking to the fu-
ture, holds possibilities for the growth
OF large industry, creating new sources
o. wealth, new fields Of employment and
new outlets for the energies of the
American people"
Increased speed Of military and COM
mercial aircraft has resulted in tech
ntcal problems which have kept the
past year and which will necessitste
even more widespread activity during
this year.
The greater speeds have been accom-
plshed partly through increase Of en-
CINE power, but more through reduction
OF drag or air resistance, by use of
cleaner design. more efficient engine
cowling retractable landing gear, con-
| trollable-pitch propellers and more ef-
fective wing sections.
The penalty Of increased flying speed,
however, has been higher landing speeds
and limited gliding angles. Coupled
with the increase in speed Of multi-en-
gined transports from 40 to 60 per cent
during the past year, has been an in
crease In landing speeds to what seems
to be the practical limit" the commit
tee reported.
Speed Subject Of Research.
To retain the great high speeds at
tanned without dangerous increase Of
landing speed has been the major aim
Of the committees research staff at
| past year. A vast amount OF research
work has been done on the testing Of
wing flaps Of various types, fixed auxil-
larry airfoils, tailless airplanes, new con-
troll devices and spoilers" in connection
| with the study of this and related prob
lens.
At the same time research has con-
tinued looking toward still greater
| speeds without increased horsepower
The drag of landing gears has been
| studied further research into the de-
sign of cowling has been prosecuted
Propeller drag studies have continued
Change of design Of airplane wind
shields has resulted in cutting in hall
Of drag due to this cause. The solder
ing of tiny wires three thousands of an
inch in diameter along the streamlined
wire of conventional design has reduced
drag by more than 40 per cent in this
detail Smoothing of surfaces and nat
tening of rivet heads have resulted In
| further gains In speed. Tests were
| do ~ 10 ralofal ofrfo{1e Until, fpfor-
esting and valuable results
| Important studies have seen made OF
structural loading problems-of load
1 factors and Of load distribution. Ro-
tating wing aircraft have been exam
/ inad santana and fluin1 hOAfs and