Evening star., 1934-10-14

CaVlS, Lydia Clement, Elise cooper,
Mary Craig, Irene Evans, Fern Kyle,
Sarah Livingstone, Dorothy Moreland,
Marjorie Murphy, Andre Patichoud
and Ethel Mae Taylor.
Mrs. Phoebe Omlie, director Of air
intelligence of the National Advisory
Committee for AeronauticS, will act
as referee for the meet. Because there
are not enough women to go around,
some of the field jobs will be handled
by men-Jesse Lankford and A. v.
Verville of the Bureau of Air Com
merce acting as starters, William
Enyart of the N A. A. as timer, Ches-
| ter H. Warrington as contest chair
man, J. Earl Steinhauer, Harley Clap
saddle and William Marsalis as field
marshals and Mai. Gen. James E.
Fechet, Col. J. Carroll Cone and
Comdr. P. V. H. Weems as judges.
The program includes spot landing,
bomb dropping and acrobatic contests,
25-mile handicap race and para
chute Jumps to mark, giving little
more than four hours of flying.
The airport may be reached by
turning of the Washington Baltimore
pike to the east just south Of the
University of Maryland. The road
leading of in front of Calvert Inn is
marked, though other roads may be
used.
Soaring Report Made.
Confidence that the new Big Mead
ows national soaring camp in the
heart of the Shenandoah National
Park, 85 miles on an airline from
Washington, will witness the smashing
of world soaring records and will prove
a valuable addition to the Nations
aviation facilities, is expressed in
nine-page report to the Soaring So
ciety of America on the recent 1nau-
gural meet held there.
while it is true that no soaring
records were broken during the ex-
pedition," it was reported, definite
results were obtained that will do
much to further the science Of mo-
torless fight in the United States"
Although a group of the country's
most skilled soaring pilots waited at
Big Meadow for II days, the brand
of weather provided in the Virginia
mountains proved thoroughly disap-
pointing and there were only two
times during the whole period when
flying of any consequence could be
carried on.
During the first Of these favorable
days Warren Eaton and levin Bar
ringer climbed to the greatest altitude
above sea level yet reached in this
country by soaring planes launched
from the ground, ascending to 1904
feet. Although they climbed to the
same level, in formation, the take-offs
were from different elevations and
| Eaton received official credit for
climb of 5,922 feet and Barringer OF
! 5.7O5 feet. Both were short of the
| official American altitude record OF
6.223734 feet, established by Richard
C. du Pont at Elmira, N. Y, early In
the Summer.
On the other good day Eaton and
Barringer made a cross-country flight
of 30 miles in formation, Barringer
remaining in the air 5 hours and is
minutes, while Eaton landed half
hour earlier.
"Firsts" recorded during the meet
are reported as follows:
First time in this country that
formation flying has been practiced
so that both pilots might profit from
their combined experience.
First time that a motorleSs craft in
this country reached an altitude OF
over 5000 feet above sea level from
ground take-off.
First time that two-place motor
less craft was flown in Virginia.
Four flights of an hour or more in
duration were made, two Of them by
Washingtonians-Don Hamilton max
ing a hop of an hour and half and
Lloyd Fish one of an hour.
Power Plane Landing.
The first power airplane to land at
Big Meadows was that Of Graham
Cameron of Gordonsville, Va, who
was followed by Lieut.. James E. Webb,
U. S. M. c. R., commanding officer OF
VJ-7MR, local Marine Corps Reserve
Aviation Squadron, who flew up from
the Anacostia Naval Air Station
carrying weather maps and morning
newspapers. Mrs. Richard c. du Pont
was the first woman to land power
airplane there Several other planes
paid visits during the week.
Approximately 81 hours of soaring
we're accomplished and over 100 flights
in all were made during the period
of the first Big Meadows encamp-
ment
Crediting Don Hamilton, president
of the Washington Glider Club, with
discovery" of Big Meadows, the re-
port says: Don Hamilton was one
proud fellow as he strutted around his
pet soaring ridge. Don, you know,
really is responsible for the site being
discovered and tried out. After two
years of persistent effort to get a
sponsored expedition Don has every
reason to be proud. To him went the
honor of making the official opening
flight on September 20. If all goes
well we will have two Hamiltons
soaring next year-Mrs. Hamilton
and Don"
In summarization the report says:
1--WE now have two proven soaring
sites, Elmira, N. Y, and Big Mead
ows, Va. Each site has definite val
ues peculiar to the local terrain. ."
fLSCOIQS Will CUIlIlIiuC W NC uloOC UO1lA
at Elmira and Big Meadows, and both
sites are now available the year
around for pilots wishing to soar"
Hawaiian Service Begins.
Airmail service has been inaugu-
rated in Hawaii during the past
week, adding to the Nations do
mestic" air transport system one of
the most scenic of all its routes.
The Post Office Department has
classified the Hawaiian airmail line
as domestic, contracting to pay for it
out of the domestic airmail funds. In
so doing the department has taken
position directly contrary to that of
the Department of Agriculture, which
now Is fighting a suit brought by
Hawaiian sugar planters on the basis
that Hawaii is not legally part Of
the United States.
Although the Hawaiian service
adds but 333 miles to the 8,487 miles
Of existing domestic airmail lines, 1t
is regarded as of far more Importance