Evening star., 1943-01-31
Army's Air Accident
Rate Lower NowThan
In Decade Of Peace
Lovett Sends Senotor
Moybonk Figures on
Vast Flying Increase
BY the Associated Press.

SS liit Associated Press.
The War Department reported
yesterday that the accident rate for
Army planes in the United States
is lower now than in the l0-year
peacetime period between 1880 and
1910.
Some figures were made public in
letter from Robert A. Lovett. As
sistant Secretary of War for Air, TO
Senator Maybank. Democrat. of
South Carolina. Senator Maybank
said he had received many COM
munications calling attention to
fatal air accidents and had asked
the War Department for data.
Mr.. Lovett reported that activities
in the Army Air Forces had been
expanded in the last year beyond
the realization of even the best in
formed public" adding:
In the first eight months of 1912
the latest completely tabulated
figures available) 74.3 per cent more
hours were flown than in the whole
l0-year period from 1880 to 1910;
985 per cent more miles were flown
from January through August, 1912,
than in the entire 10 years. This
eight months mileage was equiva-
lent to $4,000 trips around the world.
THAT would be approximately L.
200 900 900 miles at the Equator)
Lower Rate Than in Peace.
"In spite of this extraordinary
expansion. the rate of accidents per
1000 hours flown was lower in the
1912 period than the 10-year peace
time average.
Accident rates fluctuate from
month to month and from year to
year Hence an average is used
to obtain reliable comparison.
The figures for the eight months
of 1912 show that the accident rate
per 1000 hours was actually III per
cent lower than the rate for the
10-year peacetime period. The rate
for fatal accidents Is up only 0014
per cent
Mr.. Lovett explained that the
slight increase in percentage of
fatalities resulted from two factors.
the increase in speed and weight Of
modern planes and the increase In
the size of the crews.
Since a larger number of men
are frequently involved in a single
accident today" he noted, ''the rate
of fatalities per 1000 hours had in
creased 05 per cent compared with
the 10-year average.
Report Satisfies Maybank.
These figures are striking. and
especially SO when it is realized that
our training schools and operational
training units are operating under
pressure of war. Furthermore, be-
fore sending combat crews into COM
bat theaters in varying climatic
conditions completely around the
world, it is necessary to train them
in a variety of weather conditions
50 that, when they meet the enemy
in life and death combat, they will
not have the added hazard of run
ming into flying conditions and
weather with which they are not
experienced.
Mr.. Lovett said that the number
Of accidents would increase in some
proportion to the increase in the
number of planes and hours flown
but that the important criterion is
whether the rate Of accidents in re-
lation to the number Of hours flown
has increased disproportionately."
Senator Maybank said he was sat-
isfied with the report and that he
believed the War Departments rec
ord was comendable.
Mr. Lovett cited only the figures
for the percentage Of decline in the
accident rate without giving the flg-
ures on the present and past rates.