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1934 - Sikorskev flying boat S-42 launched at Bridgeport, first transoceanic type of flying boat, and tested in trial flights over Caribbean route. Talked Things Over 1935--First Transatlantic Air Conference held in Washington at call of U. S. Government. British, French, German and Pan American Airways' preliminary plans considered Agreement negotiated with British Government for reciprocal use of routes. Meteorological research extended to Azores. 1936 -- Pan American Airways ordered a fleet of six four-engined 41-ton flying boats (Boeing B-314s) designed for transatlantic passenger, mail and express service. 1937--Two round-trip flights made to England by way of Newfoundland and Ireland one via the Azores and Portugal to France and England. Transatlantic Technical Conference held in Berlin to establish uniform procedure for co-operative weather and radio communication and direction finding service Regular commercial service to Bermuda instituted as laboratory for transatlantic flight research. 1938--Yankee Clipper (first of the Boeing B-314s) launched for tests. Operating bases installed at Lisbon and in the Azores. Oceanwide weather system put into trial operation. 1939 -- Yankee Clipper makes 18,000-mile shakedown flight across Pacific to China and return, then makes final route survey flight to Azores, Portugal, France, England and Iceland. First transatlantic air mail service (without passengers) started May 20. Then after five round trips passenger service started yesterday. Of course that does not tell the whole story, merely a shorthand outline. How the aeronautical radio services of the five companies became a single operating unit is a story in itself--again a story of elaborate detail carefully pursued. Another is the development of the transatlantic Clipper ships--three are now in service and a fourth will soon be completed. When the Key West-to-Havana route was opened in 1932 three-motored land planes were used, chiefly because no commercially practical flying boats were to be obtained in the country. Over the 90-mile course they might have been adequate indefinitely, but aviation was expanding in many directions and something more was needed. Even before hopping the Atlantic it had to grow in the direction of South America, and the first step in that direction was across the Caribbean Igor Sikorskey, Russian-American designer, had by then developed what looked like the first commercially practicable amphibian, the S-36, and was asked to try again, aiming at greater power, more pay load capacity and other improvements of design. He produced the S-38, a twin-engined affair which could fly with one engine operating. By 1930 30 if them were in use and a year later a fleet of an improved Sikorskey model S-41 took to the air. In that year a French service was launched across the South Atlantic, and it became evident that American aviation had not much time to lose if it was not to be left far behind in what was becoming an international race. Clipper Comes Into Being It was then officials of Pan American Airways presented a set of specifications for a really big amphibian, large enough to cross the 650 miles of the Caribbean nonstop and carry a profitable pay load in passengers and freight. Sikorskey's S-40 was the answer--wingspread of 114 feet, four Pratt & whitney engines with total 2,300 horsepower, capable of carrying a crew of four, 31 passengers, a cargo of mail and express and enough fuel to hop nonstop from Jamaica to Colombia. That was the American Clipper, launched in 1932 and piloted on her maiden flight by Colonel Lindbergh. Form then until the Clippers that fly the Altantic today it is a story of growth in size, increase in pay load capacity and engine power. The China Clippers were developed in passing and put into the Pacific service. As they shuttled back and forth from California to Honolulu, to Goa and Midway Island and the Philippines and from there to the mainland of Asia a vast body of knowledge was accumulated as to flight control, navigation, arrangement of passengers--knowledge of tremendous importance to the operation of the Atlantic service now launched. [[image - PAA Logo with caption on top of logo - On the routes of the FLYING CLIPPER SHIPS]] [[image - Pan Am Route Map with PAA Logo at the bottom]] Map showing the northern and southern routes to Europe. The first paid passenger flight which began yesterday follows the southern route. [[news article]] [[heading]] The Once Over [[/heading]] By H.I. Phillips Transatlantic Flight Scene--Airport at Port Washington, L. I. A clipper plane is about to take off for another one-day flight to Europe. Mate (to skipper)--Are we all set? Skipper--Yes, but I'm a little dizzy on this route. Are we going to Europe or coming back? Mate--I'm not positive. It's pretty confusing. A steward (to chef)--Is lunch nearly ready? Chef--We're serving yesterday's lunch, Steward--We can't do that, can we? Chef--Why not? It's still hot. A passenger (about to board plane, with wife)--Hurry, dear. Wife--What's the idea rushing me like this? Passenger--We are apt to miss this plane. Wife--what of it? There'll be another along in a minute! Second passenger (recognizing a friend)--Well, so you're going abroad at last! You said you were too busy. Friend--I found I could get away from the office for a couple of days, and decided to see Europe. Passenger--Why not take an extra day and see Asia? Lady passenger (to another lady passenger)--Is this your first trip? Second lady passenger (quite irritated.)--No; it's my fourth. First Lady Passenger--My goodness! Do you find it that absorbing? Second lady passenger--Certainly not. I just can't get off. First lady passenger--Why not? Second lady passenger--I don't have time to pack before the darned plane takes off again. [A mother (to daughter)--Good-by, Jennie. Be a good girl while I'm gone. Jennie--Don't worry, mother. Before I can even get to a telephone you'll we wiring me that you're back again. Mother--Here's a letter from me. Jesnnie (a bit puzzled--A letter? Mother--Yes, there's so little time to write it during a trip to Europe I thought I'd write it before I started. It tells you all about the trip. Jennie--But you haven't made the trip. Mother--That's all right. It tells the whole story in eight words, "Took off. Had cup of tea. Arrived O.K." An excitable gent (rushing up too late)--Is that tomorrow's plane? Official--No, that's today's. Excittable gent (relieved)--Good! I was afraid I was late. No Surprise Mother, may I go out to fly [[tab]] Clear across the ocean? Yes, my dear, and somehow I [[tab]] Think it's a normal notion.
