Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-05
HAZARDOUS TASK OF FLYING
Roster of Accidents Due to Faults of
Mechanism and Reclx-
Iesaness.

In the volume entitled THE Aeroplsne"
GippincotD, of which the aeronaut, Claude
Grahame-White, is part author, chapters
are devoted to aeroplane records and the
achievements of aeronauts the world over.
and the story of progress revealed is
heartening. Afull analytical account is
given, too, of all the fatal accidents Of
which the details are known, and with
no disposition to minimize the risk, the
author and the other airmen who col
laborate with him express confidence that
the causes OF accident are in considerable
part removable and that the aeroplane
will some day be made a safer carriage
than the automobile. Even at present the
risk of flying is not so great as is COM
monty supposed from the numerous acct
dents recorded. In the first place most of
the accidents damage the machine with
out injuring the aeronaut, the elastic struc-
ture serving to break the fall. In the
second place, the proportion OF accidents
to flights is smaller than is imagined, be-
cause II is not generally realized how
many airmen there are at work. In this
book sketches are given of some 700. but
the total number runs we'll above 1000,
some placing the figure as high as 5000.
In a little more than two years, from
September H. 1905 to February 8, 1911,
there were thirty-four aeroplane fatalities.
In the year 1910 ninety people were killed
and eighty injured while mountaineering,
and the number Of real climbers is not
greater than the number of aviators. Even
in crude figures then, flying seems to be
safer than mountain climbing, but this Is
only a part OF the truth. For the work in
aviation done during this time was expert
mental, both as to the building and the
operation of the machines. A large part
Of the accidents may be traced to causes
which have already been removed, while
others are OF a sort which careful training
would go far to obviate. OF the thirty -four
fatal accidents studied, the causes assigned
are: Breakager IL; loss of control 8;
failure, Of controlling mechanism. 8; wind
gusts, 4; accidents on ground, 4; failure of
motor, 1; illness 81 pilot. 2; unknown. L
The list Is suggestive At least fifteen
Of the thirty-four accidents were due to
faults of mechanism, which it is believed
can be remedied. OF the rest. it is safe
to say that number were due to lack of
skill at points upon which the operator of
the future will be well coached. Others
were caused by reckless stunts which have
no place in legitimate aeroplaning at the
PAoochb Slab0 "a ZIG dIti anu therefore
are no more to be reckoned against the
aeroplane than cup race accident is to
be reckoned against the automobile. When
all these deductions are made, the residue
OF fatalities, while deplorable,, is really
not very large for two years progressive
conquest of the air and the breaking in of
over 1000 pilots. It will probably be long
before flying is safe. as walking or trolly
riding is safe. and It is not a sport for
those who have others dependent upon
them. For the young and adventurous It
is quite legitimate field for the employ
ment of courage and presence OF mind
not free from danger, certainly, but by no
means foolhardy. Those who take part in
the development OF flight are a very gal
liant legion in. the van OF mans battle for
the conquest of nature.-Springfield RE
publican,