AERONAUTICS: Balloon Race

Ballooning is an ancient sport which dates back to 1784, when the hot air bag invented by the Montgolfier brothers made its first man-carrying flight from the gardens of the Tuileries in the presence of Louis XVI of France and of Benjamin Franklin. When Franklin, foremost scientist of the day, was asked what use the balloon was, he cautiously countered: “Of what use is a newborn infant?” And the balloon has indeed been the precursor of many mighty dirigibles. Per se its utility is small. Kite balloons, a variant ol the spherical balloons used for sporting purposes, are useful as observation posts for Army and Navy operations alike, and spherical balloons may serve to form a barrage by a network of suspension wires to intercept attacking planes. But on the whole it may ‘be said that the spherical balloon remains today what it has always been—an instrument of a most delightful and thrilling sport, with devotees as numerous as ever. The great balloon event of the year is the Gordon Bennett Cup race open to international contestants, and at present held by Belgium. But a pilot to have his chance in the Gordon Bennett must survive a national elimination race. This race was held last week in the U. S. Seven large gas bags left San Antonio in the presence of 100,000 people. The pilots were Captain H. E. Honeywell, Kansas City Cooperative Club, making his 550th ascent; Herbert von Thaden, Detroit Aviation Society; Major Norman W. Peek, U.S. Air Service Balloon No. 1; Captain Edmund W. Hill and Lieutenant Ashley C. McKinley, two other Air Service pilots; W. T. Van Norman, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. The construction of a balloon is comparatively simple. It consists of a huge bag some 30 or more feet in diameter, spherical in cut but assuming an egg shaped form with the bigger end at the top; round the gas bag is the load ring from which are suspended a series of cables holding the basket; the basket much resembles a housewife’s market basket— only much bigger, some 3% feet high, 3 feet wide and 3% feet long. In the basket are ballast, instruments, warm clothing, food, water, coffee, sterno. The balloonists are comfortable, though slightly cramped for long flights.

The “object” of the balloon race is to float as far as possible from the starting point. This looks simple, far simpler than piloting a racing airplane. The balloons entered in a modern race are more or less alike, the equipment and instruments are identical. Since the wind is the sole propelling agency, it would appear that luck alone is the deciding factor.. Far from it. Skill is more important: in ballooning than in airplane racing, where the technically best machine is almost certain to win.

Ballooning is perhaps the one outdoor sport where brains count for everything. The pilots study meteorological conditions round their particular starting point for months. True the wind is the sole driving, force, but its direction and intensity vary from height to height. The: thing is to keep the craft at that altitude where the wind effects are most: favorable. Suppose a balloon im equilibrium at a certain height. The: sun may come out, heat the hydrogen, contained within the gas, cause it to rise too high. The unskilled pilot: may let out gas in too much of a hurry, drop rapidly, throw out too— much ballast to check his descent, shoot up and lose more gas. “Bobbing up and down,” he soon exhausts both gas and ballast and must land, throwing out food, instruments, clothing—a disgraceful sight. This year’s elimination race was held under exceptionally favorable circumstances, with a steady, strong wind almost due north. Superiority in handling asserted itself as usual. All the balloons sailed away late in the evening at five-minute intervals Two balloons were forced down about the middle of next day in Oklahoma with less than 700 miles to their credit. Another landed at Moline, Kansas, the evening of the second day. Four other contestants covered over 1,000 miles, and landed during the third day. The winner was W. T. Van Norman (Goodyear Co.). With his aide (C. K. Woolam) he landed near Rochester, Minn., over 1,100 miles from the starting point. The distance was within approximately 73 miles of the American distance record of 1,173 miles made by W. R. Hawley in 1910. Honeywell (Kansas City) was second, Peek (Army) third.