Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-22
FLYING IN PEACE
IS FORECAST BY
BRITISH CHIEF
Major Sykes Tells How the
Aerial Game, Developed
in War, Will Be
Followed Up.

Of the British Air Staff, in recen
address before the London Chambel
Of Commerce drew a word pictur,
Of the prospects Of Commercial
aviators in the light of war exper
fence" He said, in part:
Aviation in any form is but Z
dozen years old and there is some.
thing very striking and even pro-
phetic in the perfect sequence Of
events, when we consider that the
problem of fight should have beer
solved just in time to have rendered
possible not only the great par
which aviation has played in the
struggle and victory we have just
achieved, but also to profit by the
weii-nigh incredible impetus which
the stress of war has given to its de-
velopment. So it comes about that
in. most countries aviation is today
4 child of war and a military de-
velopment pure and simple.
"A feature which distinguishes
military aircraft from other forms OF
warlike preparation lies in the
peaceful and useful employment to
which they, unlike tanks, for in
stance, are also adapted. They con-
stitute means of undertaking pub
lie and political work of the highest
value. They can be employed in
opening up far distant and inacces-
sible portions of the empire, in sur
vey and mapping, and in postal and
other communication services in
districts as yet unreached by private
enterprise. Aviation is now on the
threshold of new existence in the
realms of civil and commercial life.
The opportunity is unrivalled, the
conditions ideal, and we must guide
it along right lines.
s i"Above all, its progress end de-
velopment must inspire confidence
on the part Of the public and the
business community. There must
be no fash in the pan or exploita-
ton of new industry by ignorant
or INSCRIPTIONS persons. Sure
steps are necessary, and no attempt
must be made to achieve the i'm
possible.
There is the technical aspect.
Here we shall pit the brains of our
inventors and engineers against
those of the whole world, and we
have no reason to fear the issue.
In aviation we have gained for our
selves the foremost place in design
and technique of aircraft and en-
gines, and British manufacturers
may safely be trusted to maintain
and improve their position. State
assistance in design and research
work must continue. A policy OF
safety" must prevail and the aerial
"Plimsoll'' line and the "A-l at
LloyGs" must brand every British
aircraft with the hallmark of quail
ity and security. (Cheers.)
The risk and danger of flying is
Ia reality very much less than is
/ often supposed. The improvements
ii the design and construction OF
leroplanes and engines have brought
Us to a position in which, with pru-
dence and judgment, the risks of
flying are very small, apart from
the danger attached to the process
ST the training of pilots. Even here
the records of our training organiza-
tion clearly indicate that consider
able proportion of the accidents
which occur are due to higher war
training in aerial fighting and form
ltion flying and to the the arduous
conditions under which this train
ing is carried out. Even under these
conditions fatal accidents have been
surprisingly few and the average has
now reached the high figure of LILO
hours per fatal casualty. Since jan
nary, 1916, 3,34O officers have been
killed on the western front. The
strenuous nature of the fighting Is
we'll known, and nearly all these
have been due to battle and only
small proportion to accidental caus.
IS. The total flying done during
the same period has been close on
1000, 900 hours, equal to ia years.
Transatlantic Flight.
Major General Sykes, referring
to the prohibition of civil flying dur
ing .he war, said that the air mir
istry fully recognized the necessity
Of early action, so that the present
restrictive orders might, as far as
possible, be removed. 1t had now
been found that the private and DO
rnestic legislation which, as Lord
Weir had announced, was being pre-
pared, depended for its character ON
the findings of the international con-
ference, and to avoid delaying the
commencement of private flying In
this country preliminary set OF
regulations had been drafted and
would come into force during the
first few weeks of the new parlia-
ment. Proceeding he said:
This brings me to the subject OF
some of the competitions which have
been discussed, and particularly to
the magnificent offer of the Daily
Mail Of $1,000 for the TRANSPLANT
ic flight. With the enacting Of the
interim regulations l have referred
to, this flight will, as far as Great
Britain is concerned, be made open
10 all corners, including our friends
ID America. It has long been under
consideration at the air ministry
not, OF course, with view to the
pfixe-and last June arrangements
were seriously commenced with
view to testing the possibility of
bringing aerial reinforcements from
America, and also of being in = posi-
ton to render all possible assistance
to those wishing to make the at
tempt. The problem is not so much
one Of endurance Of the machine and
personnel, but of navigation, mete-
orology, and wireless. As regards
the first, you will appreciate that
straight course must be kept, both
hy day and by night, in thick or
fine weather, In winds whose force