The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-14


 to leave the important point to the es- timation of the sky pilot when the rem edy is so obvious and so easyato apply.
 The accident that happened to an American aviator, who, when flying dt dusk. was overtaken by the darkness, is very pertinent. He was flying at dusk, he thought at the normal angle, when as d matter of fact he was de- scending almost perpendicularly with full power on. and that he is alive today is through great good luck rather than anything else.
 Many American Accidents
 Many deaths from aviation have been caused by stalling on q turn. This shows the absolute necessity of having some device on the aeroplane which will show the angle of descent or ascent and if possible the lateral angle also. Such device could have danger marks so placed that dangerous angles of the machine would at once ne apparent to the sky pilot. Up to March 1, there were IS martyrs to aviation, according to figures I have received from the Aero Club of America, including a mechanic who was struck by the propeller as he was starting the motor. And since that time you have all read of the tragic death of Calbraith Rodgers at Long Beach in California, making l9. Two of thIs number were army officers, one
  Two more deaths wers caused, respee- lively. by stalling on U turn and being crushed by the motor in the fall and care1essness in inspecting the aeroplane before flight. which resulted in an aileron becoming detached The re- mainder. 13 in number. including some of the best aviators this country has ever known, met their deaths in exhibi- tion flying and competitive racing.
 No Passenger Killed for Three Years
 Passengers who are going up the en- suing week may find comfort and con fidence in the fact that no passenger has been killed for three years. With the accidentswhich happened to Lieuten- ant Selfridge in 190S there has not been single death or sers-us accident to any of the several thousands of pas sengers which have been carried up, both by the Berger aviators and by oth- CT sky pilots, and he could scarcely he called a passenger, as he was student of aviation. Cross country flying has even a better record, Tor to date not single fatality has been recorded against this branch of aeroplaning. That the distance covered in cross country flights is considerable may be judged by the fact that the worlds record for dis tance is doubly held In the United States through the two cross country trips by Fowler and by poor Calbraith Rods- CTS.
 Aeroplane Is the Safest to Date
 The aeroplans is the safest type to date facts developed bs patient investl- gation prove this, and 1t is also swift enough 10 satisfy the average denizen of the earth. There is not the slight est doubt that in a few years the aero plane will be seen sn regular inter- city service in Alabama, and between Birmingham and other cities. It will take the place of all other present meth ods of transportation Look at the num- bel of deaths by railroad Wrecks ana automobiles They are appalling compared with aviation, so there Is no reason why the aeroplane shall be the most safe mode of travel in the future.
 Flights Should Be Encouraged
 When the intelligent and far seeing citizens of Birmingham get together and form their aerop1ane club, they should at the start encourage cross country flights The .-ck of practical interest of the general public in the aeroplane has been brought about by the prominence given to the exhibition flight of the aeroplane, which. by the very conditions necessary to hold the attention, must be spectacular and dan gerous. In order that the aeroplane shall speedily occupy the position in the transportation world that it's record shows 1t should have. the public must De informed or Us pfdCilcdI SdIelY. 10 this end cross country flying should De encouraged and such exhibition and competition indulged in should be made with the equipment and the precaution, which was lacking and caused the deaths of so many fine fellows in the past
 During 1910, over in France, where laeroplaning Is far ahead of us. 10 fatal accidents occurred and as the distance covered in nights was 312,500 miles this worked out to one death for 1,230 miles flown. In 1911 the distance flown was 1885, poo miles, while the fatal ac- cidents were 26, giving one death for each 62,500 miles. Last year 1850 aero planes were built in France as against 500 in the previous year. The number of passengers carried was 12,000 as against 4S00, and the time spent in the air increased from $500 to 30,000 hours. Birmingham Should Have Flying Field There are now 40 flying fields in tho Uniteh States, and it is hoped by aerial admirers around the city, that the great aviation meet here will give impetus to the establishment of one in Birmingham Other enterprising American cities are forging ahead with aviation and there- by gain publicity and s,eps of welfare for the future. It was only little while ago that the man who had built CT bought an aeroplane had difficulty in finding a suitable field for practice, with arrangements for housing the ma chine Now the country Is provided with two score flying fields with from to 30 hangars. Besides there are dydro-aeroplane stations in half q dog en localities. Although the hangars are rot much more than half full, on &C., count of the winter just passed. there are at present, it is safe to say, about 800 aeroplanes at the various aero dromes.
 With New York, Chicago, St Louis, Boston and Los Angeles .vieing for frs place 1t Is difficult 10 say which will be regarded as the aero center of the United States within the future; but at present New York leads, with "The Hub" Chicago, St. Louis and Los Angeles struggling for second place, sides the cities mentioned all of which have more than one adjacent flying field, Louisville, Galveston. Milwaukee, Seattle San Diego, Detroit, Denver. Kansas City, Dayton, Wilmington. Au- gusta, Bath, Saginaw, Terre Haute anc Coal City, H., have one field each. Theie are several hydroplan- stations, q very Interesting new branch of aviation.
 Conquests Either by Land or Sea
 When I was in Miami, Fla, recently I had occasion 10 witness the many flights of Witmer in his Curtiss hydro. and they all brought to my mind ami ina gina ton yistas of the great con- quests possible in the suture for Ameri- can manned hydros, flying the Stars and Stripes and winning victories by land ard sea against her enemies. Miami is fine little winter resort town, with good boosters for citizens and whan they secured the hydroplane station they showed good judgment and fore sight, which il may pay other American