Evening star., 1936-05-17
New Richey Mark Puts
Washingtonian in Van
Local Woman, With Midget American Ship
Adds to Our Supremacy in International
-Country's Effort to Show Heels

have established IL new record per-
formances in speed, altitude and dis
tance flights. Reports on these flights
have been sent by the Contest Board
of the National Aeronautic Associa-
tion from the Washington Offices to
the Federation Aeronautique Interna-
tionale in Paris, with requests for off,
cial homologation Four of the IL
already have been approved and con-
firmation of the others Is expected.
1T is point of pride with the Ma
tional Aeronautic Association that
none of its reports transmitted to the
F. A. l. ever have been rejected" off,
cials Of the association commented.
The federation now embraces 35 ma
tions and is the internationally recog-
nized authority on aircraft perform
ance tests. The National Aeronautic
Association, its representative in
America, is charged with the sanction
ing, conducting and certification Of
all official air record trials in this
country.
4lO ooNSOoo VA EALAiSA
ican airplane designers and engine
builders in improving aircraft perform
ance is indicated graphically by the
figures of the N. A. A. on record flying
during the two-year period.
In July, 1884, when the association
issued its first challenge to American
aircraft manufacturers to enter upon
a definite campaign to win world rec
ognition for American airplanes. the
United States held IL records of the
80 then existing.
BY october, 1885, the United States
had climbed to world leadership for
the first time in two decades. The
standings then were: United States,
80; France, SO; Italy. %; Germany
and Poland, 8 each, and Great Brit
ain, /.
Last month, this country was able to
lay claim to 48 records, 6 of which
still were subject to F. A. I. homolo-
cation. France held 81 records.
On May S 22-year- Bob Buck,
who several. years ago, as o Juvenile
pilot, amassed a number of Ameri-
can records, took of from Burbank,
Calf. in q little monocoupe and
headed into the Northeast. In the
regular and special tanks, the ship
carried all the fuel 1t could lift of
the ground. The following day, tanks
drained, Buck landed at Port Colum-
bus, Columbus, Ohio. on a skid, his
wheels having been dropped just after
the take-off. Observers lifted out
the barograph, which spelled another
record for the United States. The
standing: United States, 49: France,
36.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey has
reported to the National Aeronautic
Association that Buck covered an air
line distance of 1875 miles. The
previous record of 1904 miles was
established by Lalouette and De
Permangle of France in q Farman
23l airplane. flying from Istres to
Ville-Cisneros. France. January IL
and IL, 1891.
When any one begins talking of
records, the question invariably Is
asked if there are any laymen pres
ent: well, it's all very interesting,
but what does it mean?"
As TO the individual records, 1t
= may not mean a great deal to
the layman. The fact that an air
plane of the fourth category, weigh
ing not more than 440.92 pounds, may
be able to fly to an altitude Of so
many feet, or q distance Of so many
miles, or various measured distances
at such and such a speed; while a
heavier airplane of the next category
may be able to do little better in each
instance, and a first category plane
much better yet, may appeal to the
layman as just an unnecessary null
tiplicity Of records.
To the aircraft designer, manufac-
turer and exporter, however, it Is a
different matter entirely. Though the
layman may not realize it. it Is just
about as difficult to establish an
18.000-foot altitude with one of the
midget ships as it is to climb twice as
high in bigger high powered ship.
Weeks Of study and work went into
Ben Kings record of 17,s40 feet. The
benefit of all this work, including
many improvements Of airplane and
engine, designing of special oxygen
equipment and flight gear, went into
Miss Richey's fine fight.
The flights were just as much a
test of the performance of the little
ship as a flight miles into the sub
stratosphere is of ore of the big So
called major record" holders. There
fore, when the midget American ship
demonstrates beyond dispute to the
whole world that it is able to OUT
climb, outrange and outspeed its for
eign rivals, 1t Is conclusively show
ing the superiority Of its design and
power plant.
And so. when the potential light
airplane owner in some South Ameri-
can or European country, which does
not produce domestic planes Of this
type, begins casting around for an
airplane, with the choice of airplanes
Of similar size, power and price range
Of several countries open to him, he
Is very apt to select the United States
ship. because It has demonstrated
that it is the best of its kind.
Therefore, every airplane record
established has a direct effect on the
foreign market. Under the progress
sive wave of American records, Amer.
ican manufacturers are going quietly
into the foreign markets Of the world.
During the two brief years in which
American pilots and designers have
been going after records consistently,
American transnort. military and nff.