New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-13

The framework of the Bodensee
death to forty-nine persons and IN
jury, more or less serious, to eighty
nine. Each Of the ia accidents
recorded was caused by deficiency in
one or more of the necessary requisites
for safe flying. Forty-nine were at
tributed to the pilot, perhaps through
carelessness, perhaps Incompetence,
perhaps bad Judgment, combined with
other factors. There is no doubt that
good pilot can guide poor machine
to safety with greater chance Of sue
cess than a poor pilot can operate a
first class craft. Therefore, at the
very top of the list Of governmental
needs We place the Federal examina-
ton and licensing Of pilots.
Twenty accidents are attributed in
whole or in part to inadequate landing
fields or to the total lack Of terminal
facilities. While only four accidents
are attributed to the lack of weather
reports and ten to the lack of clearly
defined routes or limitations in travel
ing between or over cities, it is certain
that aerial transport can not develop
until these factors are met. CONNER
cial cross-country or inter-city flights,
it is evident, can not be encouraged
with safety until there Is full protec-
ton afforded by establishing civil
weather reports and co-ordinating these
with the various government reports.
This service obviously can not be pro-
vided by the several states.
Thorough Inspections
Called Vital Necessity
Equal in Importance with learning
the qualifications Of pilot and naviga-
tor is inspection of aircraft and en-
gines. Out Of the ia accidents TWEEN
ty-two may be attributed to faults
which proper inspection probably would
have revealed-four concerning the
plane, nine the engine and nine an &C.
cessory, gas or oil. This inspection
must be made at frequent intervals by
Federal authority. When it is remem-
bered that operators Of motor cars are
required to qualify and that the motor
cars are periodically placed under rigid
inspection, 1t IS astonishing to learn
that any one can take any sort Of fly
ing machine into the air at the present
time, with the consequent peril not
only to himself and his passengers,
but to many persons on the ground.
II the standard Of control were left to
the various municipalities or states the
hope Of correcting this unfortunate
condition would seem remote.
In the lack Of any governmental ex-
animation and inspection the legitimate
manufacturers and operators have en-
deavored TO do what they could. They
check up on their products, but their
control is Of necessity limited to local
tiles and to q comparatively brief Pc
Rod of time. AS flying increases this
method must become more hopeless and
a stern responsibility is thus placed
upon the Federal government to pro-
vide an adequate system Of examina-
ton and inspection.
Twenty-nine Of the ia accidents &C.
Cured during stunting. In these
twenty-nine accidents, twenty persons
were killed and thirty-six injured
more than 40 per cent of the total. In
other words, stunt flying in unre-
stricted areas was responsible = for
almost as many casualties as all other
elements combined. Now stunt flying
is necessary to testing and essential
to warfare. 1t is believed adj
visable that all pilots know how to
stunt, so that, In case Of emergency,
when only a stunt will save their
craft, they will be able to act quickly,
with understanding and without fear.
But the habit Of stunning for thrill is
dangerous, fatal In many instances,
and always harmful to civil flying. A
governmental system Of control, limit
ing stunting to certain areas will meet
this unfortunate menace to aero
nautics. From the foregoing it is seen
that flying, even with the burden of
unnecessary hazard, imposed through
the lack Of an aerial code, is not un-
safe. Furthermore, the airplane of
1921, powerful and beautiful as it ap-
peared to US, and as it undoubtedly
was, in contrast with the gliders of
Lilienthal and Chanute and even the
Kitty Hawk biplane of the Wrights
will some day be to the ultimate flying
machine what the primitive train of
1880 is to the Twentieth Century
Limited. The designing and engineer
ing features are progressing. I'm
provements in safety and efficiency
are being constantly introduced. These,
if aided by regulation and stipulation
by the government, assure security in
the air travel of the near future COM