Flights & Flyers

Graf Zeppelin. With Germany's minister to Austria (Count Hugo Lerchenfeld) and the Austrian Minister of Commerce (Dr. Hans Schuerff) aboard, the Graf Zeppelin rose from its field at Friedrichshafen one morning at dawn and before 10 a. m. was flying over Vienna. School children in the streets sent up balloons with flags and flowers. Dr. Hugo Eckener sent down by radio a speech saying: "We crossed the frontier a few hours ago, but we do not feel ourselves in an alien land. We have the same tongue, the same Kultur, the same hopes. We will again come." Then the Zeppelin flew to Graz and returned home via Vienna and Salzburg, completing the trip in 13 1/2-hrs. For the Graf Zeppelin's next trip, May 15, to New York, passenger fare was fixed at $1,200; postage for a letter, $1.05; for a postcard, 55-c-.

R-100. In England, two new giant dirigibles are undergoing shed trials. One of these, the R-100, is expected to be ready for a flight to North America early in June --on the heels of the Graf Zeppelin. The R-100 has one-third greater gas capacity than the German ship and a passenger capacity of 100 as compared to the other's 25. It is to have a top speed of 82 m. p. h.. is powered by six 700 h. p. Rolls-Royce Condor Motors, is built of tubular members in such a way that its framework is semi-flexible.

Nome-Long Island. Parker Dresser Cramer (who last year attempted a non-stop flight from Rockford, 111., his home town, to Stockholm, Sweden, but was forced down in Greenland) last week took off from Nome, Alaska, in a light Cessna cabin monoplane with a 110 h. p. Warner-Scarab motor. In seven days, with stops along a route which led over Alaska, Canada, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, he put his ship down on Long Island, N. Y. Flying time: 48 hrs. 28 min.