Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1919. THE AEROPLANE IN PEACE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 19, 24 January 1919, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1919. THE AEROPLANE IN PEACE.

THE altogether amazing development brought by war to the science of flying has made the aeroplane one of the most important factors in the new era o? peace that lies before us. From the uncertain experimental stage of ‘ 1914, the aeroplane- has in four years arrived at a recognised position of assured efficiency, with possibilities before it that are infinitely great. So far, the development has, of course been confin-| ed t o the lines of military service. Now, j the designers will turn their attention j to consideration of the commercial as-i peCt and future of the aeroplane, as a means of transport. Already from the point- of view of reliability, the aeroplane can hold its own with older vehicles, and as soon as the general public learns to dissociate from the machine those hazards and perils which pertain to any instrument of war, while it is used in warfare, they will realise that aircraft now afford quite as safe a means of travel as motor-cars, trains or ships. As this is true, even now of the aeroplane,, as used in war, i- will be even more emphatically so when the aeroplane has been specially developed for peaceful uses. In the Royal Air Force machine, the principal requirements, in addition to reliability of construction,' ai’o speed and lightness, so that the machine can easily and ’ swiftly bo'manoeuvred by the pilot. It must be fast enough to overhaul—either horizontally or upwards—any hostile machine, and it must be perfectly sensitive to Jhe control of the pilot. For this latter reason, most pilots prei fer what is called an “unstable” ma;chine; i.e., one that must be flown at (high speed in order to maintain its I position in the air. Under peace con- ; ditions these qualities in an aeroplane will not be of very much importance. Steadiness and reliability in the air, and weight-lifting capacity will be [more- essential than lightness and powers of manoeuvring, the general construction will, for this reason, be furj ther strengthened and enlarged; mere speed will come readily enough with, tjjhe development of design, and of engine power. Prophecy is often dan--1 gerous, especially in the case of such a prodigy a s the aeroplane; but the large bombing machine, rather than I the small fast scout, will probably be [the type from which the commercial machine will be evolved. An increased number of engines will remove any chance of delay through forced landings, and will make longer continuous flight! possible. An enormous amount of practical knowledge of every kind is available for this new development of the aeroplane, knowledge which under normal conditions would have taken many more years to collect. However far this development

may go, it shquld not he forgotten that it is almost entirely the outcome of the experiments and tested results of the four years, keen, hightension work of the Royal Air Force,