Evening star., 1932-11-20
: BY CLARENCE NJ. YOUNG,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Aer0nautics.


The amendment to the air commerce
regulations signed Thursday is designed
TO discourage inexperienced pilots and
inadequately equipped aircraft from at
tempting transoceanic flights and other
fight projects to foreign countries.
Also. the amendment is intended to
insure that permission for flights By
American airmen to or in foreign coun-
tries will have been obtained from each
nation to be visited before the flight
is begun. This latter phase has been
worked out in cooperation with the
State Department.
Although it has kept close watch
on all such flights in the past, the
aercnautics branch of the Department
of Commerce has not officially inter
vened in the preparations due to the
experimental nature of most of such
undertakings and the desire on the
part of the sponsors and participants
to employ the oceans as proving
grounds for their skill and equipment.
New Flights Repetitious.
In view of the fact that further
tranSoceanic flights with conventional
equipment are repetitious in character,
VIC believe that closer supervision In
SuCn S6scHlpIo al eile AuIuAo III" 10 III
order.
. The aeronautics branch is working
on a code of minimum requirements
to be observed by all aspirants for for
eign flight permission. This doubt
less will include the following salient
fe9 lures:
That the pilot possess ability to fly
entirely by instruments or blind"
That he possess a substantial amount
mf td1, vfy0o
That he be qualified as a navigator
or be accompanied by one.
That the aircraft mees the airworth-
ines7 standards of the Department of
Commerce
That duplicates of certain instru-
ments be provided to guard against
failure of such instruments when they
are needed most
That the necessary amount of fuel
for the project be supplied and that
the aircraft shall have the ability to
carry such lead.
viii Seek Permission.
After it has been shown that the
participants in the project are compe-
tent and that the aircraft is airworthy
and suitably equipped for such an un-
dertaking the Department of Com
merce will make application, through
for the aircraft and airmen in ques-
ton to enter or fly over the nations
included in the plans
When this permission hes been OBJ
tained the person in charge CT the
fight will be advised to this effect and
also that there exists no arpa-en. cb-
lection to the fight bring undertaken.
1t is important that those engaged
in such flights observe the laws and
nf hn u1- VI
over which they fly. This includes re-
cent reciprocal arrangements estab-
hshed between the United States and
other countries, the viclsticn of which
would serve to bring about interna-
tional complications
It is not the intention of the De-
partment of Commerce to interfere
with constructive flights to foreign
countries, whether they be over water
or land, IS long as they are under
taken by persons qualified for such
flights and in equipment that is suit
able.
Recognizes Spcrt Element.
The department recognizes the sport
ing element in such adventures and the
sporting instincts which exist among
those in aeronautics as well rs those
in other fields of endeavor
In this connection it is not the OBJ
ject of the department to prohibit
such flights, but rather to assist in
determining that there is a reasonable
opportunity for their successful ccm-
pletion.
Transoceanic flight failures of the
past have apparently been largely due
to one or more of the following causes:
Lack Of ability in the science OF
air navigation.
Insufficient fuel for the length of
the flight.
Inability to hy by instruments in
adverse weather. and lack of proper
equipment.
1t is these which the department
seeks to overcome.
Copyright, 1892, by Eurch American News
paper Alliance, 1ne.)