Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-06-10

grants each aero club up to f300, or
about 81 500, per year to maintain its
organization.
THE Australian government" Capt.
Haig said, is keenly interested in the
development of aviation and the con-
troller of civil aviation, Capt. E. c.
Johnston, and his staff, are very active
in promoting the further development
of the aircraft industry"
The civil aviation department is q
branch of the defense department,
''as the development of civil aviation
is looked upon as measure of de-
tense and the funds for the develop
ment of civil aviation come from the
vote for defense purposes" Capt. Haig
said.
Capt Haig, a veteran of World War
aviation, visited Washington during
world tour of leading airports and
airplane factories.
Glider Site Developed.
Development of the Big Meadows
site in the heart of the Shenandoah
National Park, astride the Blue Ridge
Mountains, is being expedited in an
eASAHhtAoii Vi tAiC GIL SAACA AhCCO
planned under the auspices of the
Soaring Society of America, according
to a report to the society by Don
Hamilton. local glider pilot and one
of the "discoverers" of the site.
"The site is now being graded and
half-mile auto-tow runway being
constructed" Hamilton reported. IT
have asked for temporary hangers and
believe that we will get them. During
the Summer I will try to do as much
flying from there as possible so as to
have most of the kinks out of the
place before you all arrive"
The Fall meet is to be held during
the latter part of September, follow
ing opening to the public of Skyline
Drive along the top of the Blue Ridge
from Panorama south through the
Big Meadows area. Although the an
nual national glider and soaring meet
is to be held next month at Elmira,
N. Y, the Big Meadows meet also is
expected to be of national caliber.
Efforts are being made to bring the
year.
Some dark horses are being
groomed for the Big Meadows meet
ing" the soaring society reported.
We could tell you the Stables but
that would be revealing state secrets"
Roanoke College Aeronautical Club
OF Salem, Va. is reported as one of
the glider groups interested in the
Big Meadows site.
Sixteen glider pilots now are in
training at Elmira in preparation for
the coming meet, with IL others ex-
pected in the camp within few days.
The school at the camp is in session
from 5 am. until dark every day of
good flying weather.
New Racer Described.
The new long-range racing airplane
being built by Giuseppe Bellanca at
Wilmington, Del, for Col. James C.
Fitzmaurice. Irish transatlantic flyer.
Tor entry in the London Melbourne.
Australia, race next October, is ex-
pected to possess features never be-
lore incorporated in a racing plane.
Although none of the specifications
OF the plane are available, it is pre-
dlcted by Hospitals Trust, which is
financing the entry of Col. Fitz-
maurice, that ''the plane will cause a
sensation IN aeronautical circles when
its design is revealed"
The airplane is rescribed by Bel
lanca as in no sense a freak" but as
representative of the latest deyelop-
ment in airplane design. One of the
features is landing gear which COM
pieCeiy retracts into the fuselage in
night and which may be replaced by
a Keel surface, similar to that of a
racing yacht, which is lowered be-
neatn the hull for long water hops
making the plane. In so far as land
hgs are concerned, an amphibian
The new Bellanca. it is claimed will
nave a range of about 5000 miles and
landing speed of 60 miles per hour
with full load, without use of flaps or
slotted wings. The plane will be
named the Irish Swoop. and will carry
tne colors of the Irish Free State.
F1tzmaurice's co-pilot in the race
Will be Eric Watt Bonar, well-known
commercial pilot.
sthS SUHtlnueS.
The third reduction of transconti-
mental air transport flying time within
a year has just been announced. The
new schedule of United Air Lines is
IL hours As minutes and it is ~ hours
faster than the 1927 schedule.
The slaShing of nine hours off the
schedule in single year has been
made possible by successive stages in
the replacement of slower flying equip
ment by the new type 3-mile-a-minute
transports.
United Air Lines officials expect to
reduce the schedule still further this
Summer after specially geared. SUPER
charged engines are installed in their
planes, increasing the cruising speed
approximately IA miles per hour.
Passenger Increase Shown.
Despite the disturbance in air trans
port business due to cancellation of
the alrma1l contracts, air passenger
traffic during April was heavier than
for the same month a year ago, and
showed remarkable increase over
cAAS Votdlo lOl tliC tWU preceding
months, according to a survey lust
completed by the Aeronautics Branch,
Department of Commerce
The passenger total for the month,
as reported by 10 of the 10 air trans
port companies then operating, was
LAS and the passenger miles flown
reached a record for the year of H.
373.678. The passenger total COM
pares with 29,727 in April of last year
and with 22,606 in March and 1854
in February of this year.
In addition to the passenger bust
ness, the domestic air transport lines
IN April carried 1903 pounds of ex-
press, also representing substantial
gain over totals for the two preceding
months. During April of last year air
express totaled Ill $50 pounds
Despite the increased traffic ham
died. total airplane mileage flown last
April was low, with total of only
2,450, 692 miles for the month, as COM
pared with SITS, 4o1 miles during the
same month last year. The reduction
was due almost entirely to cancellation
of the airmail contracts.
williams Plans Ocean Hop.