Evening star., 1937-06-26
BOATS BLAZE TRAIL
Dress Rehearsa Flight From Port Washington the Bemudas
Marks Opening of Air Transportation Across Atlantic
Clipper Ship Is Miniature Winged Ocean Liner.

world but who would better the work
OF the finest pilots other nations could
pit against them in the bitter war
for international air transport rights
and business
Pan-American starts with men who
already are qualified transport pilots
and opens to them a career. The
university graduate, even though he
may be both a transport pilot and an
aeronautical engineer. starts In the
lowest Of six Pan-American pilot
grades-apprentice pilot. Though he
may already be an expert pilot. he
goes through the whole training rou-
tine. He acts as traffic man and
engages in communications activities
and as a meteorologist. He even
pitches in and helps the mechanics
and the radio operations men and may
even serve as the steward or purser
OF q crew.
pAN-AMERICAN has established a
school to which the apprentice
pilot goes in his spare time He learns
the trades of engine mechanic. air.
plane mechanic, radio operator, all
well enough to obtain licenses. and
also becomes a celestial navigator.
This. however. is not enough to boost
him up even the first step of the lad
der. He still must learn traffic prob
lens and must qualify by examination
in international clearances, interna-
tlonal law, maritime law, at least one
foreign language, and seamanShip.
Having mastered all of this. he be-
comes eligible to fill the junior post
on an ocean flying boat
Then, to progress to the next de-
gree, that Of flight engineer. he goes
to school some more. specializing on
engines and radio, among other things.
The next grade is senior pilot. which
calls for great deal of air and water
experience. The senior pilot is cap
tain of his flying boat. His salary
may be $1,000 a year or more
But even the senior pilot still goes
to school, aiming for the highest
grade Pan-American has created for
its flying personnel, that Of master of
ocean flying boats. No Pan-Amer.
loan pilot yet has won this degree.
The master probably will act entirely
as captain. being relieved Of all actual
flying. This will prolong greatly the
useful careers of veteran pilots and
will permit Pan-American to use their
great and hard-won experience long
after their value for actual piloting
has ceased.
This searching thoroughness In
handling Of fight personnel is typical
Of the care which has been applied
to every phase of organization for
the great pioneering job Of ocean
transportation. 1t is reflected in the
smoothness and entire lack Of con-
fusion with which passengers are
cared for before and during their
journeys. 1t is reflected in every de-
tail Of equipment aboard the airplanes
and at the bases. in the constant
stream Of information which comes
through the head phones of the radio
ofdcer and to the chart table Of the
navigator.
THE growth Of Pan-American has
been one Of the astonishing phases
| OF world aviation development during
the last decade. At the end Of 1928
the embryo world air giant was oper-
ating single 25l-mile route. A
year later it was operating a 10000
mile system. The end OF 1886 found
1t operating an airway mileage Of
40,869 miles, over which it carried
during the year 1861 passengers
and more than 100000 pounds Of
mail and express.
During 1887, 50 far "Pan-Am" has
completed its trans-Pacific service by
1naugurating an extension from Ma.
nila to Macao and Hongkong. It has
pioneered . trial flight from San
Francisco to New Zealand and re-
turn and has just inaugurated its
New York-Bermuda service as the first
leg of operations to Europe.
The great American system now is
established as = world leader in In
ternational air transportation; 1t op-
crates nearly one-fifth OF the total
international airway mileage and at
the opening Of this year linked no
less than 10 countries. It's growth
was made during the period of the
great depression, In the face Of q
savage foreign competition which
every year u becoming more intense
This despite the fact that the United
States, alone among the great com.
mercial nations. has not provided spes
(Contipued on Page B-s1