AVIATION AND OLD AGE

Evening Star, Issue 19274, 12 June 1926, Page 24

AVIATION AND OLD AGE

Old age is being robbed of its terrors. No one now believes that a man is " too old at 40.” On golf courses, as moll as on tennis lawns, grandfathers take their recreation with the second and even tho third generation—and not infrequently prove tho bettor men. W. G. Grace in his day showed that a cricketer need not retire from tho field because his hair is turning grey or has more or less completely disappeared. There is no ago limit to the motorist. But it was generally assumed (says tho London ‘Gaily Telegraph') that aviation was the sphere of youth, and that the pilot's career necessarily came to an end when he had celebrated his thirtieth or at most his thirty-fifth birthday. When the conquest of the air was an achievement of yesterday, and the aeroplane was still in tho early stages of development, there was no doubt an element of truth in these reservations. But it is now stated that there is no limit to the ago at which a man mar fly. “So long as ho is certified ns fit he can go on flying as long as he likes.” That declaration, made by a responsible officer of the Royal Air Force, opens up interesting and. indeed, exhilarating possibilities. Aviation is still somewhat of o novelty. Few of us have acquired the p.ir habit. But tho time wiP oomo when tens of thousands of men will have learnt how to handle an aeroplane, and the art of the pilot w’ll . have been greatly simplified by the remarkable progress in des ; cn ond construction which is now being made, as well as by tho invention of safety devices. The pilots of to-day are showing no inclination gracefully to retire in favor of neonhytes fresh from school or university. Dows the future hold the prospect, that old gentlemen, with hornrimmed spectacles to correct any defects of vis'on due to advancing rears, will puup’b their way through the skies with tho pome assurance that octogenarians to-day rnani pulato motor oars? The prosport, is an alluring one. Browning’s words, “ Grow oM along with me, tho best is yet to he.” will require a wider significance when Darby anct Joan can take n tour by air w-th as nmch assurance rs to-day th"v celebrate f.'-err golden wedding by starting on a motoring trip, Gnrby competently holding the steering wheel.