Evening star., 1937-07-27
POLAR FLYERS SEE
U.S.-T0-RUSS|AL|NE
Regular Commercial Air
Service Possible Soon,
Aviators Say.


Pilot Mlkhall Gromov, commander of
the Soviet plane which established a
world nonstop distance record be-
tween Moscow and San Jacinto, Calf.
Gromov expressed the belief that
sear-around service across the North
Pole Is feasible with equipment now in
sight linking by the shortest route
two great nelghbors."
The airplane in which he made the
record flight with Co-pilot Andrei
Yumashev and Navigator Sergei Dan
lin, he said, is five years old and,
with technical data already in hand,
supplemented by the experiences Of
the two Russian polar flights, air
planes much better suited for the
work can be built.
In their first press conference since
their arrival in Washington by COM
nerclal airliner last Saturday. the
three aviators late yesterday at the
Soviet Embassy told, through Charge
dAfaires Constantine A. Oumansky,
the story of their flight and their
views on its results.
Optimistic Over Results.
Clad in spotless white. the trio re-
laSed in easy chairs at the Embassy
tired after a hot day of oficial cour-
tesy calls and sightseeing. Big.
husky. clean-cut men, all three. they
spoke frankly of their experiences and
In e
Of their trail blazing in the furthering
of air tranSporta lion of the immedi-
ate future.
Their single-engi lined airplane. they
said. has a maximum range OF nearly
S,700 miles, under the conditions OF
storm and difficulty encountered IN
Arctic flying. or a little more than
5000 miles in normal operation. In
1884, they said, their polar airplane
made a fight Of 7,707 miles around
closed course and landed with fuel
for 372 miles still remaining in its
tanks
During their flight from Moscow to
Southern California. they explained,
they covered an actual ground dis
tance of 6,3o936 miles. not including
mileage flown in hunting for a clear
landing area. They could, they said,
have gone nearly 500 miles farther
south on their remaining fuel, but cut
the fight short in order to land with
in the United States.
The great range Of their alrplane,
already obsolete in terms of military
development on standards adopted by
the United States and other air
powers. they attributed to the fact it
Is single eneined, has unusually large
span and has its performance charac-
terlstlcs all shaped toward range.
Favor Two-Engine Ships.
Future airplanes for polar transpor-
tation, Gromov said, should have two
engines and higher speed than their
ship, which required s. hours for the
trip. For pure long range flying, how
ever, he admitted, single -engined
ship would be preferable. Such An
airplane could be built. he believes,
which would nearly double the range
of the record breaker.
Then you could fly from Moscow
across Canada. the United States,
Mexico and Central America into
South America" it was suggested.
why not?" he asked with a shrug
Asked whether he and his fellow
crew members would recommend to
the Soviet government that such air
planes be built as result Of the flight
experience. Gromov replied that the
whole spirit of our aviation is looking
ahead We are always seeking greater
speed and longer range"
He said that in regular transpolar
service, service can be maintained
safely using range between fueling
stops Of about 5000 miles 1t would
not be necessary to establish fueling
bases on the Arctic ice. he said. though
he expressed belief this could be done
II necessary.
As to their flight he said, the only
dangers actually realized were at the
start, in taking off with their great
load of fuel, and in fighting around
four cyclones encountered en- route,
one OF them In California They
landed at a time when all regular
transport sirplanes were foG-bound
st California airports, Oumansky VOL
unteered
Reminded that Californians might
not like this testimony as to their
weather Oumansky translated the
remark and Gromov replied hastily:
But 1t always clears by noon"
During their So hours in the air.
Danilin said, they had So hours OF
continuous daylight.
Visit Langley Field.
Today the visitors were flown to
Langley Field, Va, to inspect the
Arny's main East Coast air defense
base and the laboratories of the Ma
tional Advisory Committee for Aero
nautlcs as the guests of officers of
the General Headquarters Air Force.
reception in their honor will be
given at 9 O'Clock tonight at the
Embassy by NJ. and Nine. Oumansky.
They will leave Washington tomor-
row morning as passengers on a regu-
lar Eastern Air Lines transport plane
AOl t'SN VA n. llC PldllC, llONeNSI,
after completing its scheduled run at
Newark Airport, will continue to a new
airport at Queens to land them within
the metropolitan limits of New York.
They are to spend a week in New
York, making visits to airplane fac
tories and other points of aeronautical
interest in New York and nearby
States
Their plane has been dismantled
and will be shipped to New York,
where they will take charge Of it dur
ing the trip by steamer to Paris.
Instead of flying the plane from
Paris to Moscow, as had been planned
originally, they probably will continue
by rail rather than undertake reas-
sembly Of the ship in France, they
said.