New Passenger Ships

So adolescent is the science of air transportation, ships are called obsolete by engineers before the public is fully aware of them. The year 1933 will witness at least the partial retirement of practically all types of passenger planes now flying the nation's transcontinental airways-- the ponderous 14-passenger Boeings, the antiquated trimotored Fords and Fokkers, the cheap, slow Stinsons. In their places will come new, sleek craft into which designers have built speed, speed--more speed than the U. S. air traveler has yet known. None will carry more than ten passengers--ample capacity for present traffic. Last week facts about the new ships became known:

Transcontinental & Western Air, which plies the midline of the U. S. between New York and Los Angeles, has ordered 15 shiny, duralumin Northrop Deltas to cut its transcontinental time 24 hr. to 16 hr. First ship of the fleet is scheduled for service April 1. As most people recall, this is the "Lindbergh Line" which, four years ago, proudly inaugurated an air-&-rail service taking 48 hr. Then came an all-air service; but passengers had to lie overnight at Kansas City. That took 36 hr. Two months ago, a new through schedule with night flying lopped off that 12 hr. delay. Now still another 8 hr. will be slashed by the Northrops which are to cruise at 187 m.p.h. with eight passengers, mail & express. Low-wing monoplanes, similar to special jobs lately built for Lincoln Ellsworth's Antarctic expedition and for Texaco's Frank Hawks, the Northrops have an important new feature : a "zap" flap hinged beneath the wing. By deflecting the flap the pilot can slow the plane to a landing speed of 50 m.p.h. --a remarkably slow rate for a plane which cruises so fast.

United Air Lines, which flies from New York via Chicago and the Overland Trail to San Francisco, is about to place in service the first of 60 new twin-engined Boeings, adapted from the bomber lately built by Boeing for the Army. The new Boeing should fly 155 m.p.h. with ten passengers, cross the U. S. in 23 hr. Sixteen are scheduled to begin service March 15, the remainder by July.

American Airways has made no announcements, but everyone knows that a new Pilgrim is being built for service this year. Specifications for the new Pilgrim call for 180 m.p.h. with capacity of ten passengers.

New Bus

From the Pitcairn factory at Willow Grove, Pa. to Washington last week a big orange-&-blue autogiro flailed through the sky. After being christened Florida Year Round Clubs by wispy Professor Auguste Piccard (see p. 23), it was to be flown to Miami, the latest notion of Tycoon Henry Latham Doherty who lately bought Miami hotels, beach clubs. He had the 'giro built for $15,000 to shuttle club members and his hotel guests between his Miami Biltmore, Roney Plaza, Key Largo Anglers' Club, saving them time and taxi fares.

The new ship is the first of the new transport cabin type to be produced commercially. Biggest commercial model ever constructed, it carries four passengers & pilot, has a rotor 50 ft. in diameter. The model boasts two important new features. One is the controllable-pitch propeller, enabling the pilot to "shift gears" in flight. The other is the tilting pylon, made necessary by the fact that the cabin load is not always the same.

For his development of the autogiro, plump Inventor Juan de la Cierva last week received the 1932 gold medal of Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Previous winners of the medal:

1925. . . . . . . De Pinedo

1926. . . . . . . Cobham

1927. . . . . . . Lindbergh

1928. . . . . . . Hinkler (see below)

1929. . . . . . . Coste

1930. . . . . . . Balbo

1931. . . . . . . Eckener

Re-elected president of F. A. I. was debonair Prince George Valentine Bibesco of Rumania.

Two Anzacs

Out of the sunset over the Tasman Sea a trimotored airplane droned toward Mount Egmont, New Zealand, one evening last week. A covey of small planes of the New Zealand Aero Clubs flew up to meet the big ship, convoyed it into New Plymouth to be cheered by an excited crowd. The ship was the hardy old Southern Cross which flew the Pacific five years ago, the Atlantic three years ago. The pilot was Australia's hero, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith. He had flown from Sydney, Australia, 1,200 mi. across the sea, in 14 hr. to promote an Australian-New Zealand air service.

One woman in New Zealand was in no mood to cheer. She was the wife of another crack Australian airman, Harold J. L. ("Bert") Hinkler who had taken off from England four days earlier in hope of regaining his oldtime speed record to Australia.* His plane was the little Puss Moth in which he crossed the South Atlantic solo in 1931. Characteristically he had chosen a little known airdrome named Feltham for his take-off because he abhorred ballyhoo. Only the airdrome staff saw him start on a schedule that called for five long hops ending at Port Darwin on the seventh day. Pilot Hinkler's first stop was to be Brindisi, Italy. On his course towered the Alps. Four, five, six days--a week passed. No Swiss sighted Pilot Hinkler.

*Present record: 8 days 21 hrs. made last year by Charles William Anderson Scott.

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