Evening star., 1927-09-04
A Matter of Concern.


Growing public concern is being
manifested over the large number OF
aviation fatalities since Col. Charles
Lindbergh led the way to Paris from
New York last May. The fatalities
over land are probably no greater than
there were before, but ocean flying in
land planes has taken so many lives
that the public is beginning to falter
in its newly gained confidence in flying
transport. When the Lone Eagle"
made his epochal trip he was hailed
as the pioneer in city-to-city trans
atlantic flying. But Lindbergh him.
self knew and warned of the risks he
ran and of the small margin Of safety
that every aviator must accept in nav
igating the skies in a land plane over
ocean wastes.
There are those, of course, who
stress the fact that any advance In
mans conquest Of knowledge is to be
gained at the sacrifice of lives. That
is indubitably true. But there is prob
ably no one who believes that when
regular overseas commercial flying Is
inaugurated land planes will be
used for the Job. Either seaplanes or
amphibian planes. capable Of landing
on water or earth. will be the means
of conveyance for the flying public. II
this is the case, then what in particu.
lar can be accomplished by repetitions
and embellishments of the pioneering
fight? Col. Lindbergh proved con-
clusively, as have others since. that
there has been great development
in airplane design and in engines,
principally the latter. He showed that
the American air-cooled motor is, at
the present time, without a peer for
aviation. But when that is shown.
what more is there to show until the
time comes for sane consideration Of
overseas commercial routes?
The late-lamented Dole race from
San Francisco to Hawaii did more to
shake public confidence in aviation
than any other single event. In this
case the spectacle was presented OF
a desperate grab for money prize, OF
incompetence in plotting. Of faulty air
plane design and a grand total Of ten
forfeited lives. Aviators entered this
race with practically not nickel in
their pockets and with insufficient
equipment. Their eyes were set only
on the prize dangling tantalizingly be.
fore them at Honolulu.
The public, of course, has not
reached the stage where 1t would forbid
pioneering efforts in the advancement
of aviation. But It has reached the
stage where 1t regards the Offering Of
prizes for the risk OF human life in the
air as a detriment instead Of an aid
to the development Of the art Of fly.
ing, and where it believes whole.
heartedly that stunt expeditions,
which teach nothing. either those that
are successful or those that end in
failure, should be abolished in favor Of
well considered and misunderstanding
flights.
There will be fatalities as long as
man essays to fly through the skies.
Motor failures and aircraft structural
failures will bring the birdmen crash
ing to earth. But 1t does seem pathetic
that unnecessary chances are being
taken in aviation. There should be no
sea flying in land planes and no Land
flying in seaplanes. That would seem
to be thoroughly logical reasoning
Unfortunately. however. logic, at the
present moment, seems to be replaced
by a mild hysteria on the part OF the
enthusiast to do something in the air
that has never been done before, ana
what the end will be no one can fore'
tell.