POACHING PLANES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 103, 25 January 1933, Page 9

POACHING PLANES

Cross-Channel Nuisance BIG LINERS FOLLOWED An increasing nuisance on the crossChannel air services is the “shadow” light aeroplane which attaches itself to one of the big air liners and follows it all the way between London and Paris. The Imperial Airways pilots, with the aid of wireless and a very complete ground organisation, have developed a technique for doing the journey between London and Paris safely and quickly in weather which is much too bad for the average light aeroplane pilot. Being in communication with the ground, the air liner pilots are able to climb up through thick cloud layers and to know where they can safely glide down through the clouds again just before reaching their destination. The private light aeroplane with a single engine and without wireless is unsuited for a similar cross-country technique; yet recently the practice' has been growing for light aeroplanes to attach themselves.to the air liners and all the way with them. Frequently they fly too close to the large machines; not close enough to introduce any risk of collision, but close enough to place upon the air liner pilots the additional duty of keeping track of tlie position of the other machine. When tlie aeroplanes are climbing up or gliding down through clouds an additional complication is introduced if the two machines enter the clouds near to each other.