Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-30

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 21.-The
wv reckless "joy-hier' is already with
w us, and may become as much prob
lem in the near future as the reckless auto
driver.
During the recent parade of the Twenty
seventh division in New York, hydro
airplane flew up and down Fifth avenue, over
the heads of crowd packed into the streets
like cobblestones, at an elevation estimated
to be not more than five hundred feet.
Every aviator knows that flying at low
elevations is the most dangerous kind of
flying. If engine trouble had caused that f1ier
to come down, he could not have chosen a
safe landing. Ten to one, he would have
smashed into the crowd, killing and manning.
This occurrence was called to the attention
of the joint army and navy board of aeronau-
tic cognizance, which has control of all air
craft licenses for civilians. 1t was discovered
that the reckless f1ier was civilian who had
no license. He was reprimanded and in
formed he must qualify as pilot and obtain
a license before he could fly again. The in
cdent is significant because it shows how
easy the airplane makes it for fool to risk
his own life and the lives of others.
To protect the public against careless fliers
is the object of the aeronautic board.
Licenses will be issued only to responsible
persons, who have qualified as pilots. The
government is not opposed to civilian flying,
but it does require that a person must first
take out pilots license to operate an air.
plane, seaplane balloon Some of the
war restrictions on civilian flying have been
removed, but President Wilson's proclamation
of February 20, 1918, requiring civilians to
procure license from the government is still
effective. There is heavy penalty for the
violation of this regulation.
These licenses are issued without cost
Anyone desiring pilots license, should make
application to the joint army and navy board
of aeronautic cognizance, building D, Sixth
and streets, Northwest, Washington, D. G.
The application must be accompanied by evil
dence Of the applicants qualifications to op-
crate machine. Requests for licenses have
been more numerous the past month than at
any time since the presidents order was is
sued. From January rs, 1919, to May TO-
the board granted 1873 licenses. Many OF
these were issued to former army and navy
aviators, who purchased machines for their
own personal use or for commercial pur-
poses
This licensing system has done much to
prevent inexperienced and unqualified civil
ians from operating machines, and it's contfn-
uance is part of the peace-time aviation pro-
gram being worked out by the army air serV-
ice organization.
The rehabilitation of the air service has
probably proceeded farther than that of any
other service. Although little more than
six months have elapsed since the signing of
the armistice, the personnel OF the air service
has been reduced from l9U,UUU commissioned
and enlisted men to approximately $4,000.
About one-half of the men now in the service
are overseas. Of the 81 flying fields in opera
ton during the war, only five are now active,
while millions of dollars worth of equipment
has been stored up until such time as plan
is decided upon for it's disposal.
According to the present tentative plans,
some of this equipment will be sold for COM
merciaI purposes. In fact the Ourtiss Aero
company is negotiating with the government
for the purchase of about 1000 planes and
engines Part of the equipment has already
become obsolete and will be RELOCATED to the
Junk pile, while the government will retain