March 31st
March 31st
Daily Flight Information:
The World Flyers are preparing their aircraft for the official start of the Round-the-World flight on April 4th.
Diplomatic Arrangements
The arranging for passage of the round-the-world flight through twenty-two foreign countries is in itself an undertaking of some magnitude. The State Department has, of course, already arranged the necessary credentials for the travel of the advance officers and for the passage of the flight. The Commanding Officer of the flight, Maj. F.L. Martin has been given the credentials for the passage of the flight through all countries. Maj. Martin has also been furnished with definite instructions as to procedure for arrival in the foreign countries and the formalities which will be necessary for him to undergo.
World Flight Supply
On account of the fact that the airplanes will be a great deal heavier with pontoons than with landing gears, the highest powered motors have been shipped to points at the beginning of divisions where flying over the water and take-offs will have to be made from it. Pontoons have been allocated midway in divisions where all landings will be made on water to take care of any trouble due to soakage or damage in open harbors. Each division has its main supply depot and in some cases one or more minor depots. The reason for this being that supplies for stops along the route in that division may have to be shipped to the various stops by means of local transportation from one or more points which are on regular steamship or rail routes.
(Source: General plans of airplane flight round-the-world for information of advance officers. U-669-A.S. - ©USAF Academy Library Special Collections Maj. Gen. Leigh Wade collection. )
Map showing the originally proposed route and support divisions for various legs of the trip. (San Diego Air & Space Museum)
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