South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-29
PLAN REGULATIONS
FOR AIR TRAFFIC
Within Five Years AirpIane
May be PiIOted Through
Fog or Storm as Easily
as Steering Ships.
Associated Press serrice:

AsHff-iffefl
MANCHESTER. England, Dec 30.
Corresponds - Within the
next six months the allies should
reach an agreement regulating COM
mercial traffic in the air. and within
the next five years il should be as
easy and as safe TO pilot an air
plane through fog and storm as it
is to pilot a ship. asserted Lord
Weir. secretary OF state for air
forces. before an audience here the
other day In order that ambitious
projects now being discussed might
be entirely successful. ne said, these
things were necessary:
Development Of navigational in
struction by really sound and severe
navigational training.
Creation Of an energetic meteor
illogical service especially designed
TO help air transport
The adoption Of improved systems
Of wireless telegraphy and telephony.
The adoption Of a first class sys-
tenn by day and night marking OF
landing places and airdromes.
I'VE now possess in substantial
numbers, either delivered or in
course OF construction. airplanes
which will carry crew of seven
and thirty passengers; which will
climb to a height of 10000 feet. and
which will travel 1900 miles with
out a stop" said Lord Weir. "One
type can come down at sea, float
on the waves and rise again with a
full load.
we have machines that can land
safely at definitely gliding angles
entirely without human control This
means that when the pilot can set
his instruments by means of a kite
balloon anchOredin clear air, he will
he able to land with safety in an
airdrOme completely fogbOund"
Lord Weir made it very plain that
he did not think the best ends of
civilization would be served by keep
ing civil aviation for a government
monopoly Cooperation between the
state and individuals, he believed.
would bring the best results. The
state would Of necessity be the
pioneer and from the present air
ministry would spring an air depart
ment i'm the government which would
not only control the administration
Of the royal air forces. the fighting
air branch of the British army and
navy. but would act as the supreme
authority for the development OF
civil aviation
The first step Of the new ministry
would be the organization Of inter-
national flying. that is flying among
the different countries. This would
involve an international aircraft
convention.
I'VE have already drafted the ar
ticles Of this convention. and they
are now being submitted TO our al
lies" continued Lord Weir. If they
substantially approve it, an inter
national air conference will be held.
I have reason to anticipate that
within the next four or five months
the principal nations of the world
will have reached agreement on this
momentous matter.
Similarly domestic legislation will
have to be enacted TO govern flying
in this country. The bill has been
prepared. and I anticipate that with
in a few weeks of the opening of the
new parliament a useful act will
come into force. Until this conven-
ton and this domestic legislation
becomes operative there can be no
private flying at all, either interna-
tiOnal or in this country. II would
be unfortunate if the development of
civil aviation were retarded owing
10 the effects of series OF fatal &C
cidents due TO the lack of absolutely
necessary regulations.
The state should require in per-
manence a large proportion Of the
existing military airdromes. and
should render them available for