Viewing page 53 of 90

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

design. Professor Franklin spent the morning test hopping the ship at the airport. 

Yesterday's program was devoted to a discussion of rules, posing for the newsreel cameramen, and auto towing at the airport in the late afternoon.

Late Tuesday afternoon the ease and skill with which the delicate ships can be controlled by expert pilots was demonstrated for the Paramount Sound News cameramen by Bowlus, Holderman and Hastings.

As the sun faded the three pilots took their planes to the South Mountain field and were shot off by auto tow. Forming over the crest, they flew by in perfect V formation and circled while the newsreel photographers filmed the maneuver.

Seeks to Avoid Mishaps 
That a repetition of the accident in which Major William L. Purcell was injured should not take place, Asbury H. Meadows inspector for the Department of Commerce, called a special conference of pilots in the morning to formulate rules eliminating all risks.

The inspector's chief concern was the younger pilots, entered in the contest work for the first time, and he feared their enthusiasm might lead them to emulate the work of the seasoned campaigners and thus meet with disaster. As the government's representative on the field he followed a course receiving approval from contest officials.

It so happened that the meeting was called when flying conditions were at their best and the pilots finished their parley to find an absolute calm prevailing.
[[image]]

Franklin K. Iszard and Edward Barton, members of the Arnot Gliding and Soaring Club, visited South Mountain in the hope of catching a passing breeze but Mr. Barton's flight only served as a demonstration of the adverse conditions. He was unable to reach the airport, landing in a farmer's field at the fort of the mountain.

Many Pictures Taken
Three or four hours were spent by the pilots in the early afternoon "looking at the birdie" for the newsreel representatives on the field. Numerous "stills" were taken by the camera men.

The 15 ships entered in the meet were lined up on the airport field giving it the appearance of a real national air show. Next all contesting pilots were grouped and L.F. Ross of Cleveland, referee, gave a short speech for the benefit of the sound newsreel men.

Following the pictures, Herschel B. King, in charge of the airport contests, announced the "landing to a mark" contest for pilots holding Class B licenses. This involves taking off by auto tow, remaining in the air 60 seconds, and landing to a mark.

It was entered by A.L. Lawrence, Allen Rooke, Jacob S. Fassett, Providence, R.I.; Henry Hallett, American Legion Glider Club, Elmira; A.G. Sayre, Canton, Pa., Norman J. Weiberg, Arnot Glider and Soaring Cub, Elmira; Edward Barton, Arnot Club, Montour Falls. None of them, however, qualified for the prize although M. Weiberg made the best record.

Receive Licenses
Albert Sayre, Henry Hallett and Benjamin L. Welch, the latter of Troy, Pa., qualified for B licenses, while Mrs. Russell Holderman of LeRoy, made a test flight. She is regularly entered in the contest and has her eyes upon the major prizes.

Tow Rope Breaks
There was little out of the ordinary in the spot landing contest. Spectators were provided with two brief thrills when the tow rope broke but these were only momentary. The rope broke first when Lawrence of the Providence team was trying for a spot landing.

Lawrence had reached an altitude of about 200 feet when the rope suddenly snapped close to the tow car. The pilot did not release his end but made a perfect landing dragging the 500 feet of rope through the grass.

Allen Rooke of the same team displayed real ability when the rope broke as he was attempting to get altitude. Although he was only about 20 feet from the ground, Rooke instantly released the rope when he felt it snap and glided down to a perfect landing.

The foresight of the airport committee in providing a traffic manager at the field was demonstrated yesterday. Earl R. Southey, formerly connected with the Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical Corporation, acted in this capacity.

Provided with red and green flags, he remained in the field the entire day flagging down the passenger planes when gliders were preparing to take off and generally keeping things safe for the contestants.

New Arrivals
New arrivals yesterday were Jack Yancher, Dick Fitzsimmons, Oliver Mavard and Amos L. Wood, jr., from Cleveland, all members of the Cleveland Glider Association. This organization was founded and sponsored by Louis F. Ross, referee of this year's meet.

Sherman P. Voorhees, director of the National Glider Association, left for New York Tuesday afternoon to complete arrangements for the broadcasting of the Second Annual National Glider and Soaring Contest as well as to confer with some New York business men who are coming to the meet, probably in a special train.

When Captain Frank M. Hawks arrives later in the week he may be accompanied by J.H. Lapham, director of the Texaco Oil Company, flying his own plane, with his son, John, 18, as "co-pilot."

Edward P. Warner, editor of Aviation, has sent an urgent message to David Ingalls, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics, who pilots his own plane. The message read as follows: "You don't know what you are missing. Lock your desk and hop to Elmira. The contest is the best ever and one of aviation's big bets."

Lloyd George of Airway Age, New York, has interested A.B. Macy, a Lackawanna Railroad official, in the Elmira soaring contest, and Mr. Macy has interested President Davis to the extent that Dame Rumor says the chief  executive of his staff are soon to be Elmira guests.

Among others planning to visit Elmira during the contest are Lawrence Fisher of General Motors, General John F. O'Ryan of Colonial Airways, George Eastman of Rochester, Bernarr McFadden, Ray Howard, the publisher; Paul Bloch, former Elmiran now prominent in the advertising and publishing business; C.T. Luddington of the Luddington Air Lines, J.H. McGraw of the McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.