Cost

The total cost to the Army Air Service of the flight round the world, as compiled to date, is $177,481.35. The cost of a flight of similar length and duration entirely within the U. S. would have been $62,998.36--covering plane and motors used, spare parts and pay of personnel. The very large differences in these two figures is due to the fact that the Air Service had so much preliminary work to do in surveying the routes, depositing fuel and supplies all over the globe and generally carrying out a gigantic task in organization. Of course, Uncle Sam had to dig much deeper into his pocket in reality. Indirect expenses, such as the cost of fuel burned by destroyers in the Pacific, by Coast Guard cutters in Alaskan waters, by scout cruisers and destroyers in the North Atlantic, were borne by the Navy, not the Air Service--but the taxpayer paid for them nevertheless.