GRAPPLING WITH AERIAL DANGERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14039, 23 April 1920, Page 6

GRAPPLING WITH AERIAL DANGERS.

/By Night-Hawk.)

With the gradual increase in the yolurne of'' civilian -passenger travel in tfie;:air.; the question of the installation' of safety devices in aeroplane_s' grcfws 111 importance.

A ship flying the British flag is compelled by law to carry Hraboats and lifetie Iris iri accordance with : -her registered' complement of passengers and crew. The new ships : of the air should likewise be compelled to carry such der vices.as —after experiment—will give to" «r travellers, in the event of accident, at least ;a- sporting' chance. of reaching the ground in safety ; or, in the event of a ?'crash" in some outlying district or lar out at sea, viiill give them a reasonable hope pi being discovered. j In the case of engine failure or fire while in the air the parachute, in nine cases out of ten, provides the easiest road to safety. ' • ' '

, It is true that engine failure does not rrecessarily , imply a "crash," , and it is often safer to stick to your machine t'iui.ii to 1 , attempt a parachute descent therefrom. It ; depends,to a. very great extent on the type of country , you are living over. • It , must be remembered, however, 'that a landing" is always inore oi- less a gamble even in open country and clear daylight. There may be ditches or bumps which you cannot see trom the . air,: or telegraph wires, or your pilot may not judge the wind' quite correctly—all of which might spell disaster. -

. Then- at night time, or when there is any log or ground mist, a "forced landing" js 'absolutely a matter of luck. Taking all these factors into consideration, therefore, it. is apparent that, sooner or later, parachutes will be installed in all passenger-carrying aircraft. ,

. _ The manner of their' use is at best a difficult proposition. . Jn my ropinion the onus of responsi!hi li ty,. should be - with the pi lot. As soon asrhe 'realises- that; a bad "crash' ? .is, inevitable (ancl lie- will be - able to ■do, this from a "height sufficient to allow the ;parachxxtes; to open)ho should signal all and crew to leave the. machine. He -will himself, • of course, .. srfy <afc his post in an endeavor to save his .machine. That will become the tradition of; the air. '■

, - Nervous; passengers not inclined to jump will -find themselves precipitated earth)wards by 'experienced; attendants—--prGjbably through manholes, in the:floor of- 'the fuselage; and ; in the great ma-1 jorit-y of "cases': -all the occupants , of ! these air-wrecks will, at any rate, save their_ lives.; During the last threei month's, of .the war. the Germans- used' this method and economised in valuable ' lives accordingly.