Evening star., 1936-05-24
NATIONS In COMPETITION
FOR ORAIRLINELEADERSHIP
Germany i'm Front of North Atlantic
Race With Hindenburg's Two
Trips to Lakehurst.

larger load on the long water jump
between San Francisco and Hawaii
and correspondingly greater loads on
the shorter jumps from Hawaii to
Manila. Since the first flight to
Manila, last November, the clippers
have made nine round trips with mail,
and are about to start on the tenth.
Their arrangement with the Post Once
calls for a year of experimental flying
and than a regular schedule.
The United States Government,
through the Post Ofice Department,
has formally approved the Pacific
venture by granting Pan-American a
mail contract. But. while it would ap-
pear that Postmaster General Farley
prefers to trust the mails to airplanes
instead OF airships over the oceans,
there is strong and growing move
ment to give the airship its first real
chance of commercial operation in
this country, and our competitors, the
Germans. are providing the strongest
possible argument for this chance. A
bill is now pending before Congress,
carrying an appropriation of s6,000,.
900 for airshipe
The performance Of the worlds
newest and greatest airship, the
Hindenburg, on its first flight TO this
country is too recent for its full
significance to be felt. DR.. Hugo
Eckener, head of the Luftschiffbau
Zeppelin, has frankly stated the pur-
pose of this first flight and the nine
round trips with passengers. freight
and mails to follow.
I'VE felt that We must demonstrate
once more just what airships could do
in commerce over the North Atlantic"
he said last week IF our confidence
is justified-and I think it will be
see no reason why a service, with two
American airships and two German
airships. cannot be established soon
between Germany and the United
States. If We make good this Summer.
the capital will be found for such O
venture"
Sister Ship Being Built.
Back once more at Friedrichshafen,
DR.. Eckener is personally pressing the
completion of sister ship to the
Hindenburg, while out at Akron. Ohio.
the engineers of the Goodyear Zeppelin
Co. have completed plans for a huge
American airship much like the
Hindenburg.
But the Hindenburg is not to have
the airway between North America and
Europe to itself this year. The Deutsche
Lufthansa expects to start test flights
With planes and a mother ship to
service them. stationed midway be-
tween the Azores and Bermuda This
system has been used over the South
Atlantic with real success. Its chief
drawback has been the heavy cost of
maintaining the floating landing field
and the comparatively small financial
return in mail and express income to
Offset this cost.
Pan American, in cooperation with
imperial airways Of Great Britain.
is also ready to start survey flights
| over the Bermuda Azores route, but
officials of the company are not yet
ready TO commit themselves on the
exact date for starting 1t is under
StOOu tHdI dC IeaSL one round Trip
will be made before the Fall. between
New York and Southampton or Lis
bon.
Pan American has concluded ar
rangements with imperial airways for
the use of haven in Bermuda and
the British expect to obtain something
like an exclusive concession from
Portugal for harbors in the Azores.
The Germans and the French also are
negotiating there.
Yes, the North Atlantic race is on,
with the Germans at present we'll in
the lead as the Hindenburg comes
second time within the month to
Lakehurst.
tCopyright. 1896. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)