A D.y With a Flying Sales Managel

Invited by George W. Gorman, sales manager of the Hammond Lumber Company, San Francisco, to accompany him on a one-day air trip in a private plane to a number of points in the San Joaquin Valley, one of which is almost 300 miles distant from San Francisco, the California Lumber Merchant reporter promptly accepted the'opportunity to observe at first hand the use of this most modern form of transportation as a time-saving aid in the sales end of the lumber business.

made for Visalia, the 74-milp trip being made in 40 minutes. Before leaving George took Ray Clotfelter, general manager of W. R. Spalding Lumber Company for a 25-mile trip, his first experience in flying.

The 4O miles to Fresno were flown in 28 minutes, and the 56 miles from Fresno to Merced in 38 minutes. The total time spent in calling at the four places named was 6 hours and 54 minutes.

The journey back to Alameda was made at the usual 1l0-mile an hour cruising speed of the plane. A stop was made to inspect the emergency landing field at Westley, and a brief halt was made at Livermore for gas. The total time spent in the air was about 6 hours, and the distance flown was a little over 60O miles. A perfect three-point landing at Alameda at sundown completed the day's tour.

The same trip made in an automobile would keep one very busy for two days, with about 15 hours actually spent in driving.

The value of air transportation to modern business has been amply proved in recent years by the growing use of the regular air lines by business men all over the ,country, and in fact all over the world. The use of individual planes by business houses is also growing, and will ,continue to grow as flying equipment is improved and the time-saving possibilities become recognized.

An early start was made from the San Francisco Bay Airdrome at Alameda on the morning of July 30 in perfect flying weather. The plane was a two-place cabin Fairchild monoplane, with the seats side by side. The top speed of this plane is 130 miles an hour, with a cruising speed of 110 miles an hour.

The flight to Bakersfield, the first stop, made at an average altitude of 4,000 feet was most enjoyable, but uneventful, and was about as smooth as traveling in a ship on a lake. Bakersfield airport was reached, in 2 hours and 43 minutes. The gas consumption for the trip was 231 gallons, which works out at approximately 12 miles to the gallon.

After spending three hours in Bakersfield a start was