Evening star., 1927-11-13
PLANE INSPECTION
PLAN IS SUCCESS
Scheme Sponsored bv Mai.
well Proving Great Fac.
n in Reducing Crashes.

\ system of inspection. whereby
nnoru than 50 vital parts of an air
plane. the failure of any one of which
in flight, would cause loss of equip.
ment, personal injury or at least in.
terrupt the mission of the pilot-~re.
ceive close check and inspection daily
by a competent mechanic has Just
been installed at Wright Field, Day
ton. Ohio. bringing the number of
Army Air Corps stations using this
arcidentprevention scheme to IL.
I'm this number Boiling tieid. Ana
COS,ia. is included and Furthermore ii
vas at the fed that the personnel,
under the direction of Maj. Harvey r.
:. Rurwell. commanding Office. work
ei out the System--known as visual
inspection system-on a large scale.
Maj. Burwell is the father of the
plan. which is but small part of a gi
yantiC, yet simple, method of running
the Air Corps on the same principles
that are employed In the leading indus
tries of the country. This general plan
still is in the process of experimenta-
tion and has not vet been adopted for
the use of the Air Corps.
Great Strength Required.
Mai. Burwell conceived the idea az
commanding officer of the Sd AT.
tack Group at Kelly Field. Tex. "At.
tack aviation" the latest development
in aerial fighting. requires that planes,
heavily loaded with bombs and ma.
chine guns. operate at attitudes of
around 100 feet or So raking the
ground with steel bullets from the
guns and tossing out demolition
bombs on troop concentrations and
equipment. Flying at this altitude.
forced landing would mean disaster
IN most eases 10 the pilot. gunner and
plane. owing to the high explosives
carried.
II attack aviation were to succeed,
Mai. Burwell argued, there must he no
forced landings. His safety. inspection
the sroup. Not one plane had a forced
landing in two years operation.
Noting this success, higher officials
of the Air Corps encouraged Maj. Bur-
wefi to apply his plan on A larger
scale and today IS of the major Air
Corps posts are functioning under this
system.
Neglect Impossible.
In brief the system makes If i'm.
possible for plane crews TO neglect in
spection OF the smallest part of the
aircraft. A large chart, setting forth
the parts Of the airplane that must be
inspected, hangs on the hangar wall
near the berth of the plane, and the
rev chief, after testing out each part.
initials the chart for that particular
section OF the plane. In that respect
he is held responsible for the condition
"f the plane as it is about to take off.
Thus. when n pilot leaves the
ground he knows his propeller is in
perfect condition, the fuel tanks are
2dcquate for his mission, the ignition
functions properly, the controls are
properly adjusted, the Instruments
IRE true. the mechanism of the engine
h2s been thoroughly tested. the wings
ana tail surfaces are in proper align
ment--in short. the plans is as perfect
eS human hands can make it.
Records of the Air Corps show that
rarely have forced landings or crashes
''Hen caused by major mechanical fail.
u"es I'm the air. To the contrary, it is
the seemingly insignificant parts OF
the plane that fail and necessitate the
piiot making for the first available
patch or ground. While he may get
down safely many times, there is al
"ays the possibility Of cracking IN"
an the ground. Often the occupa nts of
The plane receive no injuries, but when
such crack-ups occur on the ground.
hunureds, sometimes thousands, of dol
'ars damage to equipment is sustained.
Safety is Threatened.
To continue flying for long periods
without giving attention to these so
OF more necessary elements in the
plane is possible. but Air Corps ON.
ccIs now argue that If this d-time
procedure were resorted to in the light
cf the visual inspection plan, it would
constitute waving all available safety
precautions.
The inspection system makes 1t DOS.
sib!e for pilot about to take off to
tell in one glance at the big board in
the hangar that the plane is in safe
condition. Should his eve catch a red
mark in one OF the little squares on.
nestle an important part OF the plane,
that constitutes a warning that every.
thing is not as it should be. But If
the pilot believes that this seemingly
small defect is not dangerous or will
rot bring undue hazards on his project
ed night, he can take responsibility
away from the mechanic for the
planes condition by signing his name
opposite the days inspection and he.
come responsible himself for anything
that happens subsequently.
When n pilot departs for cross.
country flight, say from Boiling TO