Evening star., 1934-10-14

second prize. $500: third. prize,
$2,500.
Handicap race-First prize, $4,000;
second prize, $4,000.
A lot of money. Yes, but to win
any one of them means spending a
lot of money, probably more than
the grand prizes of both races COM
bined.
Any one who has backed" a flyer
in an air race knows that it's a costly
business. In this race the expenses
are extraordinarily heavy. Competi-
ton is stiff and the course is long.
This means that the winning contest
ant will have to fly night and day,
stopping only long enough to throw
in more gas. 1t is quite possible that
some planes may average $50 miles
an hour. To achieve this, they would
have to fly nearly top speed for three
days-continuous flying. 1t requires
super stamina to make so long a
fight, so most of the flyers are taking
along relief pilots.
But two is not all of the crew There
is radio to be considered. This means
of communication is required on all
the ships entered. Although the aver
age pilot knows radio code, most of
them have not had time to perfect
themselves to the expert degree ad-
visable for such a race. Moreover,
both pilots in large planes will have
plenty to do, flying or resting. There
fore, most of the ships are taking a
third members of the crew who will
handle radio and possibly do some of
the navigating. K. L. NJ, the Dutch
Air Line entry in the race, is carrying
a crew of four, the other member be-
ing mechanic.
This multiple crew means additional
salary, passport and visa expenses,
and personal transportation costs to
and from the race locale Emergency
equipment for each individual and an
additional cost of $3.50 for maps are
other items to be considered
The initial cost OF the ideal plane
hasn't been considered yet, and that
is a pretty penny: for plane which
will carry three or four besides the
extra fuel tanks must of necessity
be fairly large. The engines must
be of the latest and most expensive
type. Such planes, when new, cost
anywhere from S35,oo0 to $85, 900.
Unfortunately, the airplane that
will fly without gas or oil has yet to
be invented, and the fuel bill after
running motors at nearly full throttle
will be "sumpin!" Naturally, one
might suspect that the oil companies
would furnish this free, for the ad-
vertising value. No such luck. Such
suggestions are an old, old story to
oil companies, and with one or two
possible exceptions, free gas doesn't
exist today.
Because of the cost of tranSporta-
ton to far-away aerodromes and the
high grade Of fuel required, the gaso-
line used in this race, at the majority
of control points, will cost about so
cents gallon! Moreover, racing
motors at open throttle on large air
planes burn about so gallons an hour
for each motor. For even minimum
of 48 flying hours, it is simple to figure
that the cost of fuel will be around
$500 for two-motor ship.
But that isn't all. The plane has
to be transported, in most cases by
steamer, to the point of departure.
Then it has to be brought home at the
end of the race. Insurance will be
required by most hackers, and insur-
ance rates are high in hazardous races.
On $50,000 airplane, the money to
be posted for insurance in the Mac
Robertson race is $3.50, with a per
cent return If no claim is filed.
Finally, there are personal expenses.
CONTINUED on Fifth Page.)