Evening star., 1940-07-19
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.

Star Aviation Editor.
SANTIAGO, Chile (By Airmail).
Fifteen thousand miles of flying
within II days is apt to produce
some odd contrasts, especially when,
within less than two weeks, the
traveller goes from the farthesr
point north reached anywhere in
the world by scheduled air trans
portation to one of the farthest
points south.
Two weeks ago, the Arctic sum-
mer; few days ago, the tropical
winter.
Less than two weeks ago I looked
north, at Fairbanks, Alaska, to see
where the midnight sun lay just
below the horizon and broad day
light bathed the sub-Arctic land
scape. Today I look north at mid
day to find the sun.
In Fairbanks it was midsummer,
the temperature in what part of the
"a hours of daylight passed for
afternoon rose to 80 degrees and
men walked abroad at midnight in
their shirt sleeves to enjoy the mild
daylight. Here in Santiago, less
than two weeks later, after passing
through the steaming tropics. 1t is
winter.
From Hot to Cold.
Three days ago, in Cristobal, c. T.,
the ightest of tropical clothing was
much too warm; paper and clothing
wilted in the steaming humidity.
Today there is ice and snow on the
mountains not so many miles away
and the people one meets on the
street are bundled in overcoats and
scarfs against nipping air.
At Fairbanks there was "a hours
of daylight. On the way here,
crossing the Equator and in a broad
belt on each side, day and night
always are equally divided, with
dawn regularly at 6 am. the year
around and dark as regularly at
6 pm.
My trip from Fairbanks, Alaska
to Santiago. Chile, in two weeks IS
not by any means a possible record,
although it was made possible be-
cause Of the opening this month of
new air transport services. If a
man really wanted to make the trip
in the fastest possible time, by reg
ularly scheduled air transportation,
he could 60 from Fairbanks, Alaska,
to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in just
| about one week to the day, touch
ing the farthest north and farthest
south points reached by scheduled
air transports.
The trip can be made using only
three scheduled air transport lines,
all operating under the United
States flag; two of them in get
ting across the United States. The
third, Pan American Airways, op-
crates from United States terri
tory into Alaska and down through
Central America and the West m
dies along most of the length of
the South American coasts.
Only One Weather Delay.
In II days Of flying, from Wash
ington, D. c.. to Alaska and return
and from Washington southwark,
distance of COLT miles, so far, to
Santiago. there has been only one
delay because of weather. That is
occurring here today because of
snow and thick clouds in the IL ,000-
| foot pass across the Andes east OF
here.
The course flown during the last
two weeks has passed within 80
miles of the highest mountain in
North America, Mount Mckinley,
Alaska; past the highest in the
United States and the highest in
the Western Hemisphere, Aconcagua,
23,380 feet high, just northeast of
Santiago. There is no mountain In
the world higher, save for some
peaks in the Himalayas, among
them the worlds mightiest peak,
Mount Everest, some 5000 feet
higher.
The course has passed through
some of the densest tropical jungle
and over absolutely barren desert,
which supports absolutely no vege-
tation, not even the driest cactus.
1t has passed within sight OF or
over three oceans and one OF the
worlds great seas. 1t has passed,
so far, over nine nations.
Travel by air and see the world
swim past.