Evening star., 1937-01-03

the air transport fleets is above 160
miles per hour, and, on the more i'm
portant routes, $50.
Much larger airplanes than those
Of today are in prospect and are ex-
pected to be as fast or faster than
those now in service. During 1887 the
Douglas DC-4 is expected to make its
appearance. 1t is to have a wing
span Of 40 feet and will carry 40 pas
sengers as a day transport or half
that number as a sleeper.
The DC-4 will be approximately
twice the size of the Douglas DC-3,
which came into service in 1886 and
now is the largest landplane in air
transport service in America. The
new ship is being built to the joint
order Of five of the largest domestic
airlineS, which are helping to shoulder
the cost of development.
The DC-4 probably will be able to
maintain one-stop service across the
United States in regular service. 1t
will be so large that separate motors
will be used to generate electricity for
lighting and power. This ship now Is
in the "mock-up" stage, built up Of
wood for inspection and adjustments.
Even larger airplanes are on the
drawing boards in the drafting rooms
of the major aircraft manufacturers.
Col Edgar S. Gorrell, president of the
Air Transport Association Of America,
has expressed the opinion before the
Interstate Commerce Commission that
a 125-ton airplane is the next step
beyond the ALTON size now being de-
signed.
On the sea transport lines the trend
toward large aircraft is expected to
be more pronounced than is the case
with the land transports. The Martin
clippers now used by Pan-American
Airways on the trans-Pacific route are
larger than any land types, and future
flying boats are expected to be pro-
gressively larger than the land planes.
One hundrei-ton sizes already are be-
ing considered. Flying boats much
larger than the Pacific clipper types
already are in process for Pan-Ameri-
can Airways. it has been announced,
though none Of the details has been
made public.
THE Washington Air Derby Asso-
ciaticn will eject officers and make
plans for 1887 at its annual meeting
in the University Club at 8 pm, Tues
day. January 10.
The association, credited with a
large share in the development of
private and sports flying in and near
Washington, completed a year of in
teresting monthly flying events and
aviation meetings with its participa-
ton, on December II, in the annual
Aviation day observance. The asso-
citation put IA privateiy-owned air.
planes into the air on that occasion
for an aerial review.
MODERN military aircraft will be
Az the subject of discussion at the
regular monthly conference Of local
Army Air Corps Reserve officers, at
pm, Tuesday, January IL. in room
1859, Munitions Building. The name
Of the instructor has not been an
nounced yet.
The discussion Is regarded as very
timely for local Reserve pilots, in view
of the recent delivery of the first of
three modern high-speed training air.
planes to Boiling Field for the use OF
the local Reserve officers. These
planes mark a transition from the old
type trainers to the new combat air.
planes, especially of the attack and
observation types.
CHANCE vOUGHT AIRCRAFT has
announced that it has received
from the Navy Department an order
for 40 scout-bomber airplanes. which
will be basically similar to the Vought
model SBU-1, of which "a have been
delivered during the past year for use
on the Navy's aircraft carriers.
These airplanes are two-seat BIZ
planes of metal construction, fabric
covered. The power plant is the latest
model of the 14-cylinder Pratt &
Whitney twin wasp junior engine, de-
veloping TOO horsepower. The air.
plane is intended for both bombing
and long-range scouting, and is de-
signed for high performance, in spite
of the limitations of size, weight and
landing speed imposed by carrier op-
Grafton.
The new ships will have a span OF
80 feet 3 inches, overall length OF
81 feet 9la inches, gross weight OF
| 5,318 pounds, maximum speed Of 205
miles per hour at $500 feet, landing
speed of IS miles per hour and service
ceiling of 24,600 feet, it was an
| ncunced.
THE growing responsibilities of the
men who fly the modern airliners
have led to change in the nomencla'
ture of Eastern Air Lines.
First pilots of the big. high-speet
transports now are known as captains
and the second pilots, or co-pilots,
as pilots. These changes were oc-
casioned. it was explained by Capt
Edward v. Rickenbacker, general
manager of the lines, not only by the
increased responsibilities Of the pilots
but also because of public misconcep-
tions regarding the functions and du-
ties of the officers of the airliners.
There Is a widespread idea that
because a co-pilot is SO named he is
inferior in ability to the erstwhile
pilots, who have now become cap
tains," Rickenbacker explained. "This
| Is in no way the case. The members
Of our flying personnel are so nearly
equal In ability that the distinction
which the titles pilot and 'co-pilot'
apparently imply is unfair"
Rickenbacker pointed out that the
functions of the captain Of an airliner
and those Of the captain Of q ship
are analogous and that 1t seems "only
! fair to give the captain Of his plane
a name which recognizes his author
ity."
This follows practice adopted by
Pan-American Airways and foreign