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L.D. GARDNER 
PRESIDENT 
L.D. WEBSTER
TREASURER 
GEORGE NEWBOLD
BUSINESS MANAGER

AVIATION
 
LADISLAS D'ORCY 
EDITOR 
VIRGINIUS E. CLARK 
EDWARD P. WARNER 
RALPH H. UPSON
EDMUND T. ALLEN 
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 

VOL. XVII   SEPTEMBER 15, 1924   NO. 11

A Double Loss
WHEN a great pilot lost to flying through an accident it is lamented by all who are doing their part to advance the art. The passing of Lieut. Alexander Pearson from the ranks of our foremost military pilots will be regarded as another of the sacrifices, heroic in time of peace as well as in war, that seem to be an unavoidable part of aeronautical development. To the long list of super-pilots that have gone is added the name of one of the bravest and most skilful of our post-war aviators. 

While our hearts are touched by the personal loss, the destruction of the fastest airplane in the world, the one that has dazed the imagination by its wonderful speed performance, will also cause general regret. With its twin Curtiss-Navy racer transformed into a seaplane, it leaves us without a representative of the class of racing plane that has brought the laurel of distinction to American aviation. Sadder, too, is the fact that there is little likelihood of the Army or Navy being able to build aircraft for racing purposes in the future. With appropriations being curtailed, it will take great courage to spend the large amounts required for racing airplanes. Inasmuch as the Navy has decided to confine its speed efforts to over water flying, there will not be the incentive which came from interservice competition.  The decision of the Air Mail to confine itself strictly to the business of carrying the mails is also another loss to aerial competitions.

The effect of all this on the Dayton races will also be unfortunate. With the only airplane capable of approaching the world's speed record destroyed and foreign entries not coming, the Navy withdrawn and the Air Mail avoiding races, the meet will be mainly an Army Air Service contest and a commercial aircraft exhibition. 

The sportsmanship of the Navy in giving the Army Air Service one of its world record ships should be recalled at this time, for such acts of mutual helpfulness toward the general advance of air supremacy are in line with real efficiency.   

Three Fine Flights
THE trip of Major Spatz and his pursuit group from Detroit to Washington, New York and return in three days is the kind of flying that impresses the country with the possibilities of aerial mobilization. The speed of over 190 miles per hour made by the Navy Curtiss Schneider Cup entry shows how much progress we have made over water. Finally, the flight of Lieutenant Moffat which covered the distance from Boston to New York in fifty-eight minutes will appeal to the imagination of the traveling public. 

Coming, as they do, just before the arrival of the Round the World Fliers, the country has been given demonstrations of aerial accomplishments which should have their reward in greater public confidence and support. 

Airplane Type Names 
OCCASIONALLY AVIATION has expressed the hope that our aircraft constructors would see the great advantages of giving their planes distinctive type names. The ease with which the public remembers such names as Shenandoah, Douglas World Cruiser, or Martin Bomber, should show the constructors the distinct advantage of designating aircraft types by a name instead of by a series of letters and numerals. The custom of adopting the draughtsman's blue print designation has made it almost impossible to handle aerial publicity so that it means anything concrete to the public.

Abroad, the name of the manufacturer is always associated with his products. The Vickers Viking, Vickers Vimy, Bristol Bullfinch, Supermarine Seal, Farman Goliath, Sopwith Camel and Avro Aldershot are examples of type names that could well be followed by American practice. The alliterative English system is, of course, extremely attractive, and if it could be adopted here it would be a great help to the popular news writer as well as the aeronautical editor. 

A start in the right direction was made with the Oriole, Eagle, Petrel and Seagull, but these were commercial types. Suppose the PW8 were known as the Curtiss Challenger, and we had besides Vought Vigilants, Loening Lightnings, Douglas Defenders, Aeromarine Arrows, Boeing Bear Cats, or Wright Warriors, how easily the public would distinguish the types and remember them. Instead we have CS1, WSD, F5L, VE7SF, JN6HE, TMMB3M and DH4B3. Such designations are so senseless that they should be confined to the shops. Engines, too, are distinguished by alphabetical jumbles that only confuse. 

If the Air Service would join with the constructors in seeking a remedy for this obviously unfortunate handicap that is being given the public, a great service could be rendered to the whole art. To have aircraft referred to as "Army Pursuit Ships" is, of course, meaningless except for the military classification. Then, too, the constructors deserve to have the reward that comes from public appreciation of excellence of design and performance. The services, too, want the public to have an appreciation of the widely divergent types that have to be constructed for their requirements. Publicity is as essential to Air Service welfare as it is to any other government activity. To make this easy for the public to absorb would be a great step forward.

Welcome Home
THE Round the World Fliers are home. The welcome of the nation is no less enthusiastic than the apparent joy of the pilots themselves. To have carved on the tablets of history an enduring achievement is a great feat, but the ties of the heartstrings can never be loosened by glory, no matter how great. The cheers of the welcoming throng are resounding across the continent. Behind it is the more substantial echo- Well Done, Brave Pioneers.

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