Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-17
INTERNATIONAL PLANE
TESTING CODE IS URGED
Lack of Pact Governing Airworthiness
Held Serious Obstacle to Progress
of AerOnautics i'm World.

Britain :; to what constitutes road
worthinesS" In an automobile.
For example" he explains, "our idea
Of road worthiness Is q car so Solidly
built that it is 10 years out of date be-
fore its owner Is justified in putting
it on the scrap heap. The American
idea of road worthineSs Is a car which
puts up a marvellous performance and
is so cheap that the owner can AFFORD
to scrap it at the end OF four or i've
years - though. as matter OF TACT,
there are plenty Of American cars at
10 years old or more still doing good
service So there Is always a possibility
that in our desire for absolute air
worthiness we may be asking TOO much,
though personally one does not think so.
The various nations at present, Mr..
Grey points out, rely on their scientists
for airplane stress calculations, which
decide the size and strength standards
Of various parts. So long as we depend
on theoretical calculations, he holds, or
until all nations agree to use the same
method of calculation. there does not
seem to be any hope Of arriving at in
ternational agreement.
$50 far as the trouble between our
selves and the United States Is con-
cerned," he continues, apparently there
is no argument about the strengths re-
quired by the streSs-merchants employ
ed by the Department Of Commerce.
which does the same work In the States
as Is done by our Department Of Civil
Aviation. American requirements seem
to be just as good as ours. Our trouble
seems to be simply that because Of the
enormous expansion Of aircraft produc-
ton In the States and the compare
lively small number of the personnel
employed by the Department Of Com
merce, there Is no possibility Of inspect
ing each Of their airplanes while 1t is
being built.
Doubtful Of Airworthiness.
THAT being so. naturally we are
little bit doubtful about granting air.
worthiness certificates to American air.
craft which will allow them to ny over
here for hire or reward. But one gathers
that II an American owner brings an
American machine over here with an
American certificate he will be given
permission to ny that machine about
the country for his own private use
| And II he likes to hire an English pilot
to ny 1t. the said pilot is quite at lib
erty to do so at his own risk"
Grey, despite his apparent doubts
regarding the ability of American air
craft to measure up to British stand
ards, holds that free trade and open
competition could not be other than
good for aeronautics.
ITO be quite serious" he says. "there
is actually everything In favor Of a
complete mutual recognition and in
terchange Of certificates both for aero
planes and pilots. Our airworthiness
requirements may be q bit higher In
some ways than those Of the United
States Government. but no make OF
American airplane with q good reputa-
ton such as Is likely to find a market
over here would be likely to 60 wrong.
II any make gave trouble IL prob
ably would kill its own market before
it killed enough people to make any
difference. And II 1t had the luck TO
Kill its importer. probably people would
say that 1t served him right for trying
TO sell an airplane instead Of an aero
plane.
"If we are going to trade in other
countries, other countries must be
allowed 70 trade here. And buyers must
take their own risks when they back
their own Judgment Of what they are
going to buy. But. just because that 1,
so. there Is every reason for maintainine
the present high standard Of the British
airworthiness certificate.
LET Flyers Take Their Chances"
'Let US stick to our high require
ments for our certificate. II necessary,
let US have graded certificates and let
US pass as merely airworthy aircraft
and engines which are not up TO our
highest standard.
| We do this now, to G certain extent.
by giving certificates of airworthiness
up to certain load limits. And we have
kind Of special airworthiness certifi-
cate In that a machine which Is fully
up to strength is given an aerobatic
certificate. Apparently, q pilot could
be prosecuted for chucking stunts IN
any machine which had not such q
certificate.
And so. having admitted grades Of
airworthiness In our own machines. let
us accept the airworthiness Of any ma.
chimes which is certified by the air
authorities Of its own country. And
let those who fly in 1t take their own
chance" Us