Evening star., 1937-02-14

Air Lines "mainliners" now in opera
ton between New York and Chicago
and soon to 60 into coast-to-coast
service, with connections from Wash
ington.
The telephone circuit In the big
planes covers 80 feet. The door be-
tween pilots and passengers must be
kept closed and locked while the 12-
ton planes are in fight and the stew
ardess, third member of the flight
crew, keeps in touch with the air
plane captain by telephone.
The stewardess may want to know
how much time she will have to serve
meal or whether passengers will
have time to finish a rubber of bridge
before the next stop. She also finds
out during the fight how many
passengers want taxicab transporta-
ton at the destination and this in
formation is passed along by the
pilots via radio.
At each end of the 30-foot tele-
phone system is a French-type tele-
phone and the party at the other end
is signaled by pressing a button,
which rings buzzer and flashes a
light.
THOUSANDS of handkerchiefs
which travelled more than 5000
miles by air now are being carried by
American women. AS result of the
shipping strike, which for weeks tied
up trans-Pacific traffic by water, great
quantities of delicate Oriental hand
kerchiefs have been sent to this coun-
try via Pan American Always.
Having come so far on their way
by air, the handkerchiefs were sent the
remainder of the distance aboard the
big transports of United Air Lines.
One shipment, originating in Swatow,
China, contained 1877 dozen hand
kerchiefS.
THE New York-Paris route of Col.
Charles A. Lindbergh will be the
scene next August of an interna-
tional race for a total of 100000
francs, or $4,000 at the current rate
of exchange, it has been announced
by the National Aeronautic Associa-
ton.
The prize money has been donated
by the air ministry of France. and the
race will be under supervision of the
Aero Club of France and the N. A. A.
The French government has ordered
three of its fastest and most powerful
aircraft to be prepared for particle
patton in the contest. These are the
Farman 2300. similar to the type
now being used in service across the
South Atlanic, the Aniot $40 and the
Bloch 160. A number of well known
American pilots are understood to be
preparing for entry. Pilots Of IS ma
tions will be eligible
The best time made under the 80
hours and 80 minutes required BY
Lindbergh for his flight 10 years ago
will win first prize, 100000 francs,
or s7o,05O.
To overcome the grave hazards
which might be encountered if the
racers were required to go at a given
time, regardless of weather, the pilots
will be permitted to choose their own
day and hour Of starting during the
month of August. The race will be
open to both seaplanes and landplanes,
but they must be of multi-engine types
and must carry two-way radio tele-
graph equipment.
Pilots must hold a pilots license for
the type Of aircraft flown and sport
ing license of the Federation Aero
nautique Internationale. One of the
crew members must be qualified as a
navigator and radio operator. Take
on and landing places for landplanes
and seaplanes have not yet been an
nounced. but will be as close as possible
to the two cities. Intermediate land
1ngs are authorized. Entries are to be
closed May /,