ANTARCTIC FLYING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 91, 17 April 1929, Page 7

ANTARCTIC FLYING

THE BYRD ’EXPEDITION ’PLANES FOR EXPLORATION (By Russell Owen, copyrighted ■ by New York Tinies Company and St. Louis Pos -Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved through I world wireless to New York Times). BAY OF WHALES, April 14. I The airplane has proved oi value in the Antarctic, Hying under most severe conditions, witli the cold far below zero, through snow squalls, over a surface obscured by drill and surrounded by an undefined horizon. The motors have shown no mechanical failures. The landing gear has stood up on field so rough that at home no pilot would 'dream of taking off with a load. The 'most important lesson learned is that airplanes for use in this country of violent winds should have folding wings. ' “1 judge that GO per cent, of our flying is done by instruments, because it has been impossible to distinguish the surface or horizon at times during the flights,” said Commander Byrd, 'adding: “The results have so far exceeded our expectations, and I am %<»w more than ever convinced that in a rcIgion so inaccessible as Antarctica the airplane is the logical method for exploration except where local conditions 'make it prohibitive. We have flown over thousands of square inles of ternever before seen. We have surveyed and mapped it and landed on it [for closer geological examination and to fix its position. True we havg lost ,011 c airplane, but we were pioneering, and 1 believe from the cvpericnce gained that such losses can be avoided by 'future air explorers. So I think the • record of this preliminary work speaks I well for the use of airplanes in cxplor'ation and points the way to an even greater record to be written in, not only by us but also by those who will come after us. Heating Up the Engine. , “During a photographic flight at IOjOUUft.,” added Commander Byrd, “with temperatures 38 below zero the [engines began backfiring and missing, •due to the lack of heat in the oil system. The oil temperature is normally 140 to IGO degrees Fahrenheit, but [on this occasion it fell to 100. Lagging [two more oil lines brought it up to 140 • and there was no further trouble. It •is believed that it will eventually be 'possible to enclose an entire air-cooled [engine in a cowling, so that the flow of air may be regulated and an even temperature maintained at all times. [Such cowling would be ideal for Antarctic Hying. Starting the engine presents many difficulties, but with blow [torches and hot oil we arc able to do it in 45 minutes. i We frequently found after a storm that fine snow drifted in through the tiny openings in the canvas until .every space between the cylinders, rods, and • even the inside cowling is packed with ’hard snow. Valve box covers are filled .with paste snow and congealed oil, and ( the entire engine is so stiff that a man jean throw his weight against the pro- • peller without budging it. This looks irather hopeless till the heater is put under the engine and it is melted out. Even if the engine could be turned • over corburetion in a cold engine at [3O below is impossible, but, with a •fireproof canvas above and blow torches [underneath .even in the coldest weather [with high winds it is possible to heat ■the motor to a temperature of 120 in 45 minutes.”