Evening star., 1937-04-04

actually to handle the airplane them
selves without the formahty of either
mental or physical examination.
II, after such preliminary training,
they felt confident Of their ability to
continue, they could take the neces-
sary examinations and, II qualified,
would go at once into the solo stage.
The proposed rule was outlined by
Fred D. Fagg, jr., new director OF air
commerce, at meeting here during
the past week Of the National Inter-
collegiate Flying Club. Fagg asked the
college groups and other aviation
bodies for an expression Of opinion on
the proposed liberalization of the rules.
Preliminary response, so far as can be
determined, has been favorable.
To safeguard these untried. run OF
the mine" student flyers, Fagg also
proposed another regulation which
would require that instructors be spe-
cially qualified and licensed by the Bu-
reau OF Air Commerce. The regulation,
which would represent tightening up
on Federal control Of flight instruc-
ton, would set up a rating for in
structors and provide for their exam
ination to determine their training
and fitness to act as teachers.
The new regulations. it is believed,
would bring flying within the reach OF
many persons whose desire to find out
whether they might like to continue
flying after a preliminary trial was
not suf1icient to KEY them up to the
ordeal of a rigid physical and mental
examination.
At the same time, there would be no
relaxation Of safety standards, but
rather a more thorough provision OF
safeguards, through the examination
and licensing Of instructors.
DURSUIT Of the flying weasel,
i postponed last Sunday after q
high wind had played havoc with the
"weasel's airplane, will be the order
of the day for Washington Air Derby
Association members this afternoon.
The weasel will take of from the
Capitol Airport at l:30 pm. today
and the hunters will take of Is minutes
later, in keeping with the original
plans. The weasel pilot will be per-
mitted to land at any airport In the
local area and hide his airplane and
himself. 1t will be the task OF the
hunters to find and touch him.
To the three prizes posted last
week, but not claimed will be added
$40 put up by j. P. Mcdonald, one
of the association directors. Last
weeks hunt came to an abrupt con-
clusion when the weasel, Harrison
Buddy" Somerville, decided there was
too much wind blowing for light air
planes and went on back for land
ing. He was entirely right in his
estimation Of the power of that WIND.
After he had landed, q gust caught
him and turned his airpAne over.
Buddy. unhurt physically, but wounded
mentally to no slight extent, did just
what many and many a good pilot
has done before; he reached up, undld
his safety belt, and dropped out on
his head. But all ended we'll and
today the hunt Is on again-they
hope.
A MEXICAN aviation has gained a
IA large, gaudy feather for its cap
through the awarding to Pan Amerl-
can Airways, by Brazil OF rights to
develop air transport service from
Rio de Janeiro to Bello Horizonte, the
diamond capital Of South America,
on the edge of the great Brazilian
jungle.
The contract was won in the face
Of the stiffest competition from Air
France and the German Luft Hansa
and Pan American has organized a
new company, Panair do Brazil, in
cooperation with the Brazilian gov
ernment to operate the service, which
began preliminary schedules during
the past week.
Wasp-powered Lockheed Electras
will be used to cut the l2-hour train
trip between Rio and Bello HoriZonte,
commercial center of the famous
Minas Geraes, to rs minutes.
The service will use the big inter-
national port which Brazil is just
completing at Punta do Calabouca,
at Rio. At the other end new air
port is being completed and equipped
with the latest radio aids.
The new line promises to be one
- ~. h,,r;a.+ L., Cn,,tb Apperica and
the cargoes are likely to be made up
largely Of gold, silver and uncut dia-
monds. Brazil ranks second only to
Africa as the worlds largest producer
of diamonds. Natives wash them
from the jungle streams and buyers
from all over the world go to Bello
Horizonte to buy the uncut gems.
Opening of this interesting new air.
line is In large part due to boom
in the diamond business during the
past year.
The new route is the second opened
by Pan-American into the interior OF
Brazil the other being 1,000-mile
run along the Amazon from Para to
Manaos.
4 ND, while on the subject Of South
American development, it is in
teresting to note that while Wash
ington still is without any sort OF
public air terminal, Buenos Aires Is
ready to begin construction OF a great
modern municipal airport. The gov
ernment has requested early COM
pletion of specifications for the air.
port so that work may be started as
soon as the site Is approved, according
to information received by the Bu-
reau of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce.
The airport Is to be built under
the terms Of . law passed in Septem-
Der, 1885, which authorized a cost
limit of $3,067,5o Since that time,
however, studies have been made
which are expected to result in an
increase to $4,900,000.
DAN-ANfERICAN AIRWAYS, in ad-