the United States have accepted aerial transportation as a factor of highest public utility. But commercial air services cannot safely function if the country flown over does not offer to the aerial navigator a comprehensive chain. of airdromes, that is, permanent air harbors. These must be properly laid out and marked to permit of safe landing; they must also be equipped with hangars, for sheltering airplanes in transit, and contain stores and repair facilities for emergencies. An airdrome plays the same rôle in aerial navigation that the harbor plays in marine navigation. A level field merely permitting landings in case of emergency, no more deserves the name drome" than an inlet or roadstead can be termed a harbor. air In comparison with the principal European nations, the United States sadly lacks airdromes. The list of airdromes and landing fields which is printed in the appendix shows that there are only 115 permanent airdromes in the United States and Dependencies, which number comprises 13 seaplane stations. This is to say that there is only one airdrome for every 26,300 square miles of continental area of the United States. The spirit of civic progress, if not of common forethought, should urge every important community to have its municipal airdrome. At the date of writing only seventeen American cities have airdromes. Many a city, through delinquency in past years to provide adequate terminal facilities for rail and water transport, has ultimately paid a high price for such a lack of foresight. However, judging from the large number of inquiries received by the Army, Navy and Postal Air Services, American municipalities are to-day far more progressive in questions relating to transportation than they were a few generations ago. It may be confidently expected that, before another year goes by, hundreds of cities throughout the country will have provided landing, housing and supply facilities for airplanes. All persons interested in the encouragement of cross-country flying and in the advantages that may accrue to communities from this source should at once cooperate in the landing field program of the Air Service by reporting such landing fields of which they have knowledge. Correspondence is invited along the lines suggested by the following questionnaire. This questionnaire should be mailed to the Manufacturers Aircraft Association, which will see that it is promptly referred to the proper authorities. 1. Name INFORMATION SHEET ON LANDING FIELDS (Use a separate sheet for each landing field reported on) 2. Town and State.. 3. Local name of field.. 4. Shape and dimensions in feet.. 5. Direction of long axis... 6. Direction of prevailing wind. 7. Markers, if any. 8. Contour of the field.. 9. Condition of surface and drainage. State if wet weather landing possible.. 10. Obstruction in and around field, including fences, telegraph wires, trees, ditches, etc.; suitability for small airdrome. 11. Availability and quality of supplies, with name of firm supplying 12. Location of field in respect to town with reference to features that can be found upon post-office or commercial maps; that is, railroads and rivers. Population of city. 13. Altitude above sea level in feet. 16. Is this field open to all pilots?. 17. Names and addresses of firms engaged in commercial aeronautics using this field. The appended landing field map of the United States shows the odd hundred airdromes and seaplane stations mentioned before and some thousand emergency landing fields which have been surveyed by government or private agencies. In connection with the latter work mention should be made of those pioneers of the Air Service who, under the inspiration of General Kenly and General Menoher, have covered some 300,000 miles since the Armistice and have thus PRINCIPAL LONG DISTANCE CROSS COUNTRY AIRPLANE, SEAPLANE AND DIRIGIBLE FLIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES Date July 11th, 1911 Principal Cities on the Route BOSTON-WASHINGTON Approximate Statute Mileage Harry N. Atwood in a Burgess-Wright Biplane landed at College Park after flying from Boston, with stops at New London, Astoria, Governor's Island, New York City, Asbury Park, Sea Girt, Tuckerton, Atlantic City, Farnhurst, Stemmer's Run, College Park. Three days later he landed in the White House grounds for a call. 461 August 26th, 1911 ST. LOUIS-NEW YORK WORLD'S CROSS COUNTRY DISTANCE RECORD 1155 Harry N. Atwood in a Burgess-Wright Biplane won the Victor J. Evans prize of $10.000 for the St. Louis-New York trip to be done in 4 days. Route: St. Louis, Springfield. Pontiac, Chicago, Elkhart, Pettisville, Toledo, Venice, Sandusky, Cleveland, Swanville, Erie, Buffalo, Lyons, Auburn, Belle Isle, Fort Plain, Castleton, Garrison. Nyack, Governor's Island, New York City. October 21st, 1911 MINNEAPOLIS-ROCK ISLAND SEAPLANE MAIL FLIGHT 314 Hugh Robinson in a Curtiss hydroairplane carried mail a record distance. November 5th, 1911 FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHT Calbraith P. Rodger crossed from New York in a Wright Biplane to Binghamton, February 17th, 1912 SECOND TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHT Robert G, Fowler flew his Wright Biplane from Los Angeles, Pasadena, Yuma, December 15th, 1912 FIRST GREAT SEAPLANE FLIGHT 3390 2520 1500 Antony Jannus flew his Benoist seaplane from Omaha, St. Louis, New Orleans. 1918-1919 NEW YORK-WASHINGTON Daily, except Sunday, trips of the Air Mail. Begun May 15th, 1919 NEW YORK-CHICAGO Daily trips of the Air Mail: New York, Cleveland. Chicago. 1918-1919 SAN DIEGO-WASHINGTON AND RETURN Major A. D. Smith's Suadron of army airplanes flew from San Diego. Phoenix, 7000 March 12th, 1919 HAMPTON ROADS-ROCKAWAY AND RETURN, NON-STOP BETWEEN POINTS Navy H-16-1 pilot, 5 passengers; Navy F-5-1 pilot, 4 passengers. Return trip made in 195 minutes, a distance of 300 miles. Record distance in America for a flying boat with this number aboard... Total time round trip, 16 hours, 5 minutes. April 9, 1919 CHICAGO-NEW YORK NON STOP FLIGHT Captain C. E. White. April 10th to May 10th, 1919 LIBERTY LOAN FLYING CIRCUSES -725 ... 4338 Eastern Flight. Army Air Service teams of flyers covered the following cities, giving exhibitions in each: New York, Philadelphia. Baltimore, Washington, Richmond. Raleigh, Charleston Savannah. Jacksonville: Atlant Birmingham. Chattanooga, Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbus, |