Clippers
A remarkable picture of a 42-ton trans-Pacifle Clipper taken at the very moment it leaves the water.
mile Caribbean route. Then they' had to amplify and refine methods, so they would be equal- ly dependable for ocean flights. 9,000 miles in longth. One such was the simple and all-import- ant matter of knowing where the 'plane is and setting its course for its destination.
For navigation they worked out a triple-check method. They used, first, dead-reckoning which was the method of navigation on which Lindbergh relied solely during his memorable trip to Paris. Dead-reckoning consists of flying a compass course, checking the time clapsed, giving weight to the effect of the wind, and concluding the 'plane's post- tion from these data. Dead- reckoning methods were improv- ed and refined, particularly with respect to getting accurate in- formation on wind @rift and applying it properly in the cal- culations, so that this one form of navigation was brought to high state of dependability.
As a second method of . navigo- tion, Pan American Airways took advantage of the years of ex- perlence which masters of sur- face craft had had with observa- tions on heavenly bodies to de- termine their positions. This lore could not be taken over and depended upon just as it was, years the Cilppers have flown on regular schedule
because shooting the stars from to Honolulu,
the bridge of, a fast-moving aero- Midway, Wake Guam, the Philippines and Hong
plane a mile or two above the Kong. This year Pan American
surface of the ocean is much dif- ferent Airways' Pacific Division inau-
from carrying out the gurated an additional Pacific ser-
same operation on the deck of a vice from San Francisco and Los
ship. The instruments and Angeles
methods of calculation had to be to Honolulu, Canton Island, New Caledonia and New ing on the surface of the land They were the Sikorsky Aircraft American Airways, in that when nautical uses.
refined and adapted to aero- Zealand. The North Pacifle and on the surface of the water. Corporation and Glenn L. Mar they were Atted out to fly the schedules are flown weekly while The ever changing sea affords tin Company.
Third, Pan American Airways long distance on the trans- Communication Department de- Clippers fly to New Zealand and no permanent Land-marks. Its Sikorsky, who previously had oceanic routes they could not.veloped radio direction finders return every two weeks. On the vast expanses make it necessary supplied smaller amphibian have sufficient room for revenue with which ground stations could North Pacille five years of opera- for planes to fly long distances planes for the Caribbean tion add up to 3,715,553 route carrying huge quantities of fuel. coastwise services, was first to
ang producing load.
take bearings on the aeroplane miles flown with 6,481
Pan American soon found that
The larger Martin M-130's, of from various points and by cross- gers who flew a total of 21:210, these requirements made larger complete and deliver acroplanes which China Clipper was the first, ing them on a map could deter- 017 passenger miles. Mail Hown aeroplanes necessary in order to of the class which Pan American did meet his requirement and it mine the exact position of the over the five years is expressed carry fuel in sufficient quantities the S-42's which for more than started the commercial ocean ser- transmitted in radio code to the Airways desired. These were was the China Clipper which aeroplane, which then could be in the figure of 768,585 ton miles and still have space available for five years have been in regular vice by flying the first air mail to crew. Equipment for carrying, out flown. Express ton miles are payload. Therefore on .the
Caribbean service the company routes Jike
service over shorter over-water China on November 22, 1935. the same operation aboard the air-
the Caribbean and The Company estimates that technicians worked out the iden South American coastwise
To return for a moment to the craft was devised-to permit the. the Transpacific Clippers have of ocean-going clipper ships and vices. the route from New York cians there, besides working out on various ground stations, plot. ser Caribbean operation, the techniaoroplane to take radio, bearings, carried 13,480,000 letters. This Pan American invited the air- to Bermuda has been done by an air opera- craft manufacturing industry to Juneau service of Pacific Alaska had other problems to solve be- tion. These three methods of aer- and the Seattle- specifications for future Clippers, them on a map and get the posi- tion which just didn't exist and design acroplanes of the type Airways, Sikorsky-built for which there just wasn't pre- which it saw was necessary.
Clip- fore they could recommend the, ial payigation are the ones which Ders also surveyed both the establishment of long distance comprise, the present practice over cedent until November 22, 1935. It was a long step forward in Pacific and Atlantic ocean routes. ocean pir service. First of all, 62,000 miles of international air
There are as many differences aircraft designing and only two However, they did not go far of course, they had to solve these routes. between flying over land and American.manufacturers were enough forward with the idea problems for themselves before Other problems which had to be over water as there are in travel, willing even to attempt the job. which had been set. by Pan they could operate even thẻ 600- (Continued on Page 6)
396,632,
passen-
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