Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-11-14
Asks Nation Wide
Weather Reports
For Use Of FIier
By H. K. Reynolds.

LaUllbuUGub u a tlunDCOhtthChS
system Of air routes are anon
recommendations submitted
Secretary Of Commerce Hoover ;
aircraft manufacturers OF the Un
ted States as requisites for sal
flying and the prevention Of ser
pus accidents in commercial avis
hon.
Twelve hundred aircraft wer
engaged in commercial flying i
this country during the first 81
months Of 1921, according to tn
report to the commerce depart
ment, and In this period Their
we're forty bad accidents, exclu
ave of injuries to government
pwned machines. These mishap
yemllted in the death of fourteen
persons and the injury, more o.
less seriously, Of fifty-two. II
eighteen instances there were nt
casualties.
In addition to their suggestioni
for government weather reports
and air routes, the manufacturer
pointed out that flying could only
be made safe by the use of sound
machines, with engines Of sufft-
cient power to operate satisfactor-
ily, and that air ports and emer-
gency landing fields sufficiently
close together to insure gliding TO
safety were also necessary. The
need for competent, conservative
pilots was likewise stressed.
Seventeen OF the forty accidents
during the first half OF the year
were attributed to the pilot, eth
er because OF carelessness, incom-
petence, bad Judgment or for 9TH
er reasons.
sThere is no doubt" It was stat
ca. i'that a good pilot can guide
a poor machine TO safety with
greater chance OF success than a
poor pilot can operate first class
craft. Therefore, at the very top
OF the list OF government needs Is
placed the examination and IL
censing OF pilots.
"Durlng the war more than
17.0OO young men were trained
10 fly. The art OF flying can not
be retained perpetually without
practice, nor can II be maintained
al d high degree OF competency
without regular examination"
Inadequate landing fields or
the total lack of landing facili-
ties are blamed for ten OF the ac-
cidents.
The Army Air Service points
out In this connection that the
Government acquired many termi-
nails during the war, but that
most Of these have been added 70
the Air Mail cities or private en-
terpi.ise but United States is lack
ing in air ports for even the
.2OOO commercial craft In opera
Ion. A survey made by the
Aircraft Assocla-
ion discloses that in the United
states and It's possessions there
Ire only 271 land and water cir
many OF which are con-
enfrated in certain localities. OF
he 271 listed air ports 145 are
by municipalities, sixty
Inc are privately owned, and the
thers are 4 part OF the Army and
,ayy air services and the Air
fail of the Post Office Depart
rent.
sWhile only two accidents are
ttrihuted to the lack Of weather
eports and two to the lack Of
Iearly defined routes or limita-
ons in travelling between or over
ties" the Air Service declares,
il il certain that aerial trans
,rt cannot develop until these
lctors are met. AS an illustra-
on. two OF the worst accidents
our flying history are attri-
tied to these causes. As one
as naval and the other military
lev cannot be included In the
VII table, although In their re-
Its they are as harmful TO civil
ying prospects as though they
"a occurred TO private indivi-
Ials."
The Air Service calls attention
the fact that stunt flying was
sponslble for half of the report
accidents and asserts that
is necessary TO testing
d essential TO wariare-and 1t
believed advisable that all pill
|, know how TO stunt, so that
case OF an emergency, when
" a stunt will save their craft,
ny viii be able TO act quickly.
q habit OF stunting is dan
rous, fatal in many instances
4 always harmful to civil fly-
"A Government system OF con-
4. limiting stunting to certain
'as." the statement continues,
M meet this unfortunate me-
e 10 aeronautics."
rhe Air Service also points 20
number OF accidents from "un-
,wn causes aud says that the
,pe OF preventing accidents de-
de on learning. then correct
, the cause or each. Il being
lent that Government author
Is required 10 obtain informa-
IN such cases.