Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1927. AERIAL TRAVEL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10943, 15 June 1927, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1927. AERIAL TRAVEL.

The national welcome to Captain Lindbergh on his return to the United States after h;s lonely flight across the Atlantic shows that, the popular imagination is still held by feats of daring in whatever sphere they may be performed. The arresting features of his journey were that he made the long flight in a single-seater monoplane, carrying no wireless or other signalling devices, and staking* everything, on his own skill and good fortune and on the reliability of his machine. So that while there may be some justification for the "Observer's" complaint that Britain has fallen behind in the matter of aerial development, she has had a share in creating records in long-distance travel. Then there is the flight of the Smith brothers to Australia, to say nothing of Sir Alan Cobhani's more recent achievement. Again, if Britain is not to the fore in the matter of spectacular flights, she has to her credit n good record in other respects, for she has demonstrated that ordinary travel by air is not beset by serious risks. This is exemplified by the experience of Imperial Airways. Last year the number of passengers totalled the impressive record of 16,775, and there was no accident leading to death or injury of either passengers or crews. One machine was forced down when crossing the Channel, and its occupants had to be rescued: this was tbe first occasion of such Clll accident to a British air-line machine. Last year there was a marked increase in flying for hire, or "joy-rid-ing," as this sort of flight other than by organised transport services is often called. A total of 89,909 passengers made such flights, and though there were accidents no paying passenger was involved in any of them, while the total casualties, affecting others* amounted to only four deaths and one serious injury. In the achievement of the measure of safety, however, spectacular flights have had their part, for every new venture, though it unfortunately may take some toll of life and limb, adds to the experience that is the ultimate price of complete success.