Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-04-16
Rigid Laws to Govern AerORaus
A. Leo Stevens, Instructor of U. s.
Army Balloon Corps, Advocates Gov
eminent License and Examinations.

Army 6auoon CorpSs Advocates Gov
eminent License and Examinations.
Every day I am firmly convinced that
there should be government regulation
on ballooning. have held this theory
for some time, but the experience of a
certain California aeronaut q few DAYS
ago in the Sierra Madre mountains has
brought the need home to me more
than ever. The government
regulations should consist of licenses for
balloon pilots, and laws within which
the pilots should have to confine them
selves.
While do not wish to reflect on this
aeronaut, l do wish to point out that
he is only case in point Some people
can never become successful balloon
men any more than all men can become
successes as artists or deep-sea divers.
It's part of man g makeup. There
are some men who can make 20 ascen-
sions and still be no better equipped
us pilots than if they were going up for
the second time. A person who is not
skilled in aeronautics, knowing that
this man has made say nine ascensions,
says, "Oh, I'll willingly CO." If we
had government regulation, where men
skilled in aircraft should make the ex-
aminations as to whether or not the ap-
plicant was fitted to be pilot, this OBJ
vious danger would be dispensed with.
The popular idea is that all one has
to do to make an ascension is to jump
into the balloon car, cut loose, and when
one is ready to ascend throw overheard
the sand ballast. AS a matter of fact
that much is not even the alphabet of
air riding.
When / heard that this experimenter
was to make the trip with that number
Of passengers and with SO small an
amount of ballast in my old "Ameri-
ca" l predicted failure. He should be
thankful that the escape was so sue
cessful. There are some requirements
ard some theories controlling the ascent
and descent of balloons Just as fixed
as those that govern temperature or that
of gravitation. A certain sized air ship
with so many cubic feet of gas natural.
ly can carry only so many pedestrians
exclusive of it's ballast.
There is nicely in determining just
bow many it can carry successfully. TIC
be specific, balloon with $4,000 cubic
feet of gas should start out with So
bags of ballast and five passengers
Equipped in that manner the pilot need
fear no storm and have no worry. He
is just as safe as if he were sitting at
his own fireside.s When a storm comes
by throwing overheard some ballast he
| can go above it. When the storm is
over, by letting out little gas through
the escape valve he can descend safely
to the earth. When balloon of this
size, that is $4,000 cubic feet, has
thrown over all its ballast for one rea
son or another, except five bags, il
should drop to earth at once. To de
otherwise is to run a dangerous risk
q law making this necessary would bt
great boon to the art and practice Of
ballooning. A bag carrying between
$4,000 and 10000 cubic feet of gas and
two persons besides the pilot should
drop to earth when the pilot has ex
pended all the ballast save three bags
If he does not do so he is risking livei
that he should not be allowed to jeop
ardize.
I am in favor of government regula
|
be granted to pilots in this country b.
the Aero Club of America. There ar
now "a men holding these licenses. Al
applicant must make 10 successful as
tensions before he is granted tn,
license. These ascensions have to b,
made before he is granted the license
under the direction of other licensed
pilots, or after the applicant has mad
four or FIVE so that he can manage {
balloon he must keep data of his trips
This information has to be exact an(
be filed away. For instance, when thu
applicant drops back to earth, say on ;
man g farm, he has to give the man
name and where he lives, and WIFI
hauled him back to town. This is 81
that at any future time the authorities
may satisfy themselves that the triI
was really made and that it was sue
cessful one in every way. .
| France has a very creditable method
licensing it's balloon men. The licenses
are not governmental, though. Eacl
! pilot, who is going to make an ascent
carries in his pocket little book will
his number and his photograph in it
# anyone questions his identity or hi
ability as a navigator he simply showl
the book with his photo behind the isen
glass.
am in favor of government licensing
and government regulations, rather thar
that of state jurisdiction. In this way
the laws would be uniform, and all the
air sailers of something near equal abil
ity. An applicant would not have to g
to Washington to make an ascent by
any means. He may make the trip a.
any place under the guidance of an &C
credited pilot.
Ballooning is becoming more and more
popular. It is now more than a craze
It's possibilities are attracting a great
many reckless people to have the ex
perience of seeing the earth slip Out
from under them. Here is where the
trouble comes. I will not say that il
is not right for man to go up in {
balloon by himself. 1 think that ii
more a matter of ethics. A person may
walk on a railroad where there is {
third rail. He does it knowing that hi
is taking his life in his hands, but wher
he persuades other people to go along
with him he risks their lives without
enough experience to get them out Of
danger should anything happen. Wher
five people go up in balloon in add
ton to the pilot, the unskilled pilot ii
risking five lives in addition to his own