The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-05
PILOTS Drawing
SHAKESPEARE
PAWNS OF FATE
Destination of BaIIoOniStS
Merely a Guess: Hope
to Land in Iowa.
'CoDTr'gaf. 1894 b. science Service

fCopvrVht 1894 57 Science Service
RAPID CITY. s. D.. July s.
When Captain A. W. Stevens and
Major ". z. Kepner take off from
here in their flight 10 the upper
atmosphere. their landing place viii
be IN the hands Of aerial fstes. One
mans guess is as good as another S
IN picking their ultimate destination.
They hope. however. IF all goes IN
ideal fashion. IN land ~ or near
keOkuk, Ia. near the boundary COR
ner II Iowa. Illinois and Missouri.
In order 10 aim for this landing
site they VII. wait for winds which
viii carry them in q sOuthcasterlv
direction from Rapid CITY.
A balloon can not be steered Ike
an aiTplane; the direction N which
II travels depends upon the winds.
and no man can control either their
direction or their velocity Not that
these matters are left entirely 10
chance. The pilot does have some
choice IN the matter, Tor he can
wait to make his ascension until
the air currents are in the direction
toward which he prefers 70 travel.
Altitude Is Sole Aim
When balloons are taking part in
a race and attempting to reach a
particular destination in the short
est possible time. the pilot must
leave at a prearranged time. but he
watches the winds very carefully.
Usually the direction and speed CT
the wind differs greatly at different
attitudes. so that by selecting care
fully the altitude at which ne travels
he can have some control over both
direction and speed.
In case the winds for a time are
unfavOrable at all practical alti-
tudes, he would select that layer
having the lowest wind velocity. 50
that at least he would not be los
ing ground too fast.
In the StratOsphere ascent. how
ever the problem Is quite different
from that faced by the racer. The
time Of ascent Is not fixed. The
destination and speed are unim-
pOrtant. The only purpose is to 60
up as far as man can 60.
Low Velocity Is Needed
All sorts Of winds may be en-
Countered before the ceiling" is
reached. and Captain Stevens and
Major Kepner viii have no desire to
linger at any level. no matter how
unfavorable the currents above may
be. They VIII therefore delay their
start, If necessary. until the wind
currents all the way up are mainly
of low velocity and generally in
favorable direction.
The StTatOspheriSts are keeping
posted from hour 10 hour on the
condition of the currents over this
section of the country. The United
States weather bureau has detailed
Y. E. Jakl. meteOrolOgist in charge of
the Weather Bureau Airport station
at Kansas City. Mo, to Rapid City
to receive and interpret weather re-
ports for the balloonists. He will
receive complete weather reports for
the whole United States twice daily,
at 8 a. m. and 8 p. m. At intervals
all day long. he Will receive reports
on the weather from stations IN
the vicinity of Rapid City.
The weather bureau Is making a
constant check of air currents IN the
upper air over various stations
scattered over the country. This is
done BY means of small pilot
balloons which are released from
the ground. They are followed
usually with the aid of instruments.
and the speed and direction of their
travels gives the Observers an &C
curate knowledge of the winds at
various attitudes up TO $4,000 feet.
Weather Bureau Helps
Among the stations making these
observations are those at Omaha,
Mi Moth platte Nab Kansas