The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-17
AIR CHIEF TO AID IN
LAWS GUARDING CITY
Gen. Menoher Enlisted by La
Guardia in Temporary
Ordinances.
q. s. CODE rs FORESEEN
Altitude of 1000 Feet and Lii
censes for Pilots Are
Among Safeguards.
J. s. CODE rs FORESEEN

A request that Gen. Charles T. Memo
her. chief of Air Service, cooperate In
framing temporary ordinance regulat-
Ing flying over New York city was made
yesterday by F. II. La Guardia. Presi-
dent OF the Board OF Aldermen.
Mr.. La Guardia, who has decided that
Eiers must be restrained from low CT
dangerous flying of any sort over the
five boroughs. requested Gen. Menoher
in a letter to detail experienced Off
GERS of the Air Service to cooperate
with him in determining the altitude
limitations and nature Of flying over the
city. He suggested that Col. Hiclam
or Major A. r. Christie, commandant
at Mitchell Field. Mineola. be requested
to furnish information concerning fly
Ing conditions.
"You understand, of course. that my
purpose in enacting the city ordinance
IS merely to serve as q gap between
this time and the time when we shall
have the much needed national avia-
ton regulations" Mr.. La Guardia said
IN his letter. ALSO, I shall endeavor
20 have the city Of New York so upon
record as urging the speedy enactment
Of such national laws"
Favors National Code.
This announcement by President La
0uardia that he, too, favored national
code rather than q conflicting mass
of local ordinances was q matter or
much qualification to aeronautical men,
who had feared that the city might IN
tend to pass a permanent law whlch
would not be uniform with the reEula-
Gions of other cities and countries.
Representatives of the Aero Club OF
America, the Wright Aerohautical Com
pany, the Looming Engineering Com
pany, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor
Company, the National Aircraft I'm
derwriters Association and the Manu-
facturers Aircraft Association had III
ready pointed out in THE NEW YORK
HERALD the value of national code
which would conform to European reg
ulations as well.
Major Christie said yesterday that In
his opinion a minimum altitude OF 1000
feet over the city would be sufficient 70
safeguard the people from possible
aerial dangers. This height. he pointed
out, would permit fiier to glide more
than two miles if his motor should stop,
z distance sufficient to reach the Hud-
son. East or Harlem River. the Sound
or some other location where landing
would be possible without danger TO
those on the ground. Stunt flying. he
said. was not dangerous OF high altl-
tudes.
To License Pilots.
'rThe big thing needed in aviation 10
make both those in the air and those on
the ground safe is the licensing Oh
pilots not in the army, navy or some
other disciplined organization" he said.
"A man should be required TO prove his
ability to fly plane under all condi-
tons before he Is permitted TO carry
passengers, fly over the city or perform
acrobatics. Too many novices feel like
taking a chance and foolshly endanger
their own lives and those of others.
Only a Federal regulation will prevent
this, however. Planes. too, should pc
Government licensed and inspected. Big
numbers on fuselage or wings TO identlly
the machine should be required"
Clarence Coombs, test pilot OF the
Ordnance Engineering Company and one
OF the most experienced pilots in this
country, also expressed the opinion that
1000 feet would be good level He
pointed out that clouds often form over
the city at attitudes greater than this
SO Il would work a hardship and even
danger to pilots to require them to ny
much higher.