New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-29

around CONGRESSMAN La Guardla OF New
York, who spent fifteen months in Italy
in the United States flying service Mr..
La Guardia was arguing for the use Oh
the airplanes the government now has
on hand and the employment of aviators
already trained, instead Of having new
planes built. and new men trained tor
the postal service The discussion pro-
ceeds:
MIR. GILEETT ] would like 10 ask the
gentleman there US to the danger which
there is in utilizing these men who have
been trained. | noticed that about one
day was killed during the training period
down in Texas and so forth, and one OF the
officers who appeared before our Committee
on Appropriations gave some very damag-
ing testimony about the real danger in fly
,ur The gentleman has had great expert
cnce and | wondered whether he could say
whether it was too dangerous Tor the Post
oaicc Department. TO use in civil life
Mr. Ia GUARDIA Flying is dangerous.
~ long as we are going 70 have flying and
many machines in use We are bound to have
accidents. Now, if we were to carry out the
scheme Of carrying the mail all over the
United States. we are sure TO have. we'll, a
fcw fatal accidents every month, because
when something goes wrong in the air there
is nothing to hold you there. You are
bound to come down. That is inevitable.
Mr.. LITTLE Mr. Chairman, will the
gentleman yield right there?
M IA GUARDlA Yes.
Mr. LITTLE Is not the parachute practi-
cal in connection with the airplane?
Mir IA GUARDIA-Wel. we used the
parachute from the S. P.-I think can tell
gu this nov that the thing is over-to land
agents in Austrian territory. 1t is very
hazardous work. The machine has to be
specially constructed, and landing is made
under ideal conditions. But the trouble is,
if something goes wrong and you get into
tail spin, you have very little opportunity
to use the parachute With time even that
may be practicable. We must, gentlemen,
consider present existing conditions
Now, as to the training, I will say to the
gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.. Gill
lett that these accidents almost in
cvitable The student is flying with the in
structor up to a certain time and until the
Instructor feels that the pupil can negoti-
ate the machine himself he stays with the
pupil; but when he is turned loose, If
something happens, then, OF course, that is
the only way of telling whether the man is
able to fly The only way is to let him fly.
The instructor naturally corrects any de-
feet of manpuvres when he is flying with
mis- student, and he may unconsciously cor
rect any overcontrol in banking or landing,
VII v.ha n the
student loose he does so, and if the student
is excitable negative in flying, Of course
ne is subject to danger. had l think, 496
American students in school in Italy. ]
think we lost eleven men. Out of eleven
we have TO subtract three who met &C
cident through a collision in the air, so that
we lost perhaps eight men in the course of
their training. 1t is possible in time Of
peace when the training is slower and there
is nc need Of turning them out rapidly, to
reduce the number of accidents, but acct
dents are unavoidable.
Mr. TESS Is there anything in the state
ment that numerous accidents are due to
unusually hazardous stunts in the air, where
YOU are man@uvring to get away from an
enemy. which would not be required if the
fier were in the mail service?
Mr. LA GUARDIA Oh. absolutely; the
boys who take up pursuit work have to
train in what they call stunt flying. 1t is
not stunts. it is acrobatics 1t IS necessary
to 50 train III order TO be able to skilfully
maneuvre and get around away from
am enemy plane. 1t is the whole thing in
ecrial combat Although the boy might
turn out we'll in straight and preliminary
0ying. when he gets to doing advanced
Nannuvrcs there is great danger. In the
mail service We would not have that; it
would not enter into the mail service at all
Y The danger would be limited to forced land
iugs, losing course of route, defective ma
teras, and the like.
Mr.. TESS That was the query in my
Wud, whether the mail service would be as
dangerous as training an aviation corps.
Mr. LA GUARDlA Absolutely not. 1t
would be the regular cross country flying
IF We have good system Of training anc
discipline all through the service we car
keep fatal accidents down. For instance
the Postmaster General suggests that he is
Going TO start regular service between Chi
cago and San Francisco Immediately afte,
the war III cannot do anything OF the
Kind We are in no more condition to STAR
Nyne from Chicago to San Francisco thar
we were in the spring OF 1917 in sending
over hundred thousand planes to France
We have to make some preparation, and
might as we'll take that up now as at an!
time. If he starts from San Francisco tt
Chicago he has the whole country to cross
and il will require considerable preparation
Mr. FORDNEN Mr.. Chairman, sugges
that the gentleman from New York be no
interrupted His remarks are very interest
ing. II he is constantly interrupted hi
statement is disconnected and will not b.
as satisfactory as it otherwise would be.
The CHAlRMAN-The chair will stat
that the matter is entirely in the hands AM
control Of the gentleman from New York