Comments on: What Will Happen to Flying? (Feb, 1929)

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:43:39 +0000

” Apparently television and radio advertising are the only thing that can save the world.”

@Charlie: I think the “television” in this article is actually Radio Facsimile. I don’t believe the mechanical “televisors” of the day had sufficient resolution for advertising.

In general, Rickenbacker gets a lot of things right. He’s spot on about the generational shift between the creators and the adopters.

By: Firebrand38

Firebrand38 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:49:51 +0000

Nomen Nescio: Not odd at all, airman of several countries were already pinning their hopes of air arm independence on the concept of strategic bombardment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.....world_wars

A lot of people were still overly impressed from the airships of WW I.

Add to that a lighter than air dirigible The Los Angeles had crossed the Atlantic in Oct 1924. Lindbergh’s solo non stop flight in May 1927 was seen as heroic. Sticking with airships was a pretty safe bet at the time of this article, I think.

By: Nomen Nescio

Nomen Nescio — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:16:58 +0000

it's odd that Rickenbacker, fresh from praising the great speed of aircraft as being their main advantage, would predict the coming of huge airships, which are slow.

By: Toronto

Toronto — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:51:40 +0000

Yeah, but the R100 made it all the way here (Toronto, Canada) on its first long voyage. And Neville Shute wrote a great book about it (“Sliderule”.)

If only the world’s helium supply at the time wasn’t in the hands of Texas.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:22:55 +0000

The English airships they refer to are the R100 and R101. If you read about what happened to the R101 - not to mention the Hindenburg and the USS Akron - it's apparent that mile-long airships would have been a very, very bad idea!

By: Tracy Blomgren

Tracy Blomgren — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:57:08 +0000

Capt. Rickenbacker describes the DO-X flying boat which was built by Dornier. They replaced the 500Hp radial engines with 600Hp liquid cooled curtiss conquerors and the flying boat was still underpowered.

By: William Deering

William Deering — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:53:15 +0000

Cartoonist Al Capp had a way of often bringing this later president of the now defunct Eastern Airlines and wild-eyed optimist down to earth. Although many of his early visions were not winners, he did help build spirit and vision for our country into some areas that were practical.