AEROPLANE FLYING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 72, 24 February 1931, Page 4

AEROPLANE FLYING

DEGREE OF SAFETY INCREASED

Flying is becoming safer every year on account of improvements in aeroplane design, new instruments, better airport facilities and more thorough training of pilots, according to a review published by Dominick and Dominick, members of the New York Stock Exchange, on November 29.

“Though these facts are widely known,” the review said, “the degree of safety which has actually been attained is not generally recognised. Of the 173,405 passengers carried last year on scheduled air transport lines, only 18 were fntally injured. The fatality rate due to aeroplane accidents on scheduled services was but 10.38 per 100,000 persons carried as compared with a rate of 20.9 for automobile accidents.

“An analysis of last year’s aeroplane accidents reveals that 80 per cent occurred in taking off or landing, including forced landings, or on account of spins and stalls. Leading 1 manufacturers are consequently concentrating their attention upon designing a type of plane that will minimise the risk of accidents of this nature. “Many technical improvements are now in the experimental stage, such as slotted wings, flaps for the rear wings, propellers with a variable pitch giving added power for taking off, and other devices which aim toward a shorter take-off and a steeper angle of climb and glide the elements of flying which influence to a large extent the factor of safety. “Marked progress has been made in the establishment of airports, there bein" at present 1621 airports and l more than 1000 proposed or in course of construction; but there is still a need for many more. Aeroplanes should be able to land at any time if obliged to do so because of engine -ironble or bad weather. “An increasing number of airports is being provided with beacons tor night flying, weather reporting services and radio beacons which enable a pilot to keep on his course even though enveloped in fog. Approximately 15,000 miles of airways are now' lighted for night flying and 3000 additional miles will be lighted during the current fiscal year. There are 33 radio stations for broadcasting weather reports to pilots and 20 more under construction, while nine radio range beacons are in operation and 33 more are being erected.”