The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1934. TRAGEDIES IN THE AIR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19986, 19 December 1934, Page 8

The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1934. TRAGEDIES IN THE AIR.

In the waters adjacent to Honolulu, one hundred military aircraft have just dropped floral leis in memory of the Australian airmen, Messrs C. T. I*. TJlm, G. S. Littlejohn and J. L. Skilling, who gove their lives in the cause of aviation. The reason for this tragedy is largely a matter for conjecture; but following so closely upon the almost uncanny calamities that befell another type of aircraft, the do Hnvilland Dragons, it raises the question as to what are flie chief causes of air accidents, and further, what can be done to avoid them? Considering the number of aeroplanes ill daily use, the percentage of accidents is not very high; for instance, while within six months three Dragon machines have crashed —two in Australia and one in the English Channel — there are about GO Dragons being flown in various parts of the world. One was in fact, flown here by its New Zealand crew, after they had made a commendable showing in the Centenary Air Race. The fact remains, however, that one two-engined Dragon, and two four-engined Dragons have been connected with the deaths of 22 people, 15 of them being killed in Australia. Giving an opinion on aeroplanes generally, the report of the Aeronautical Research states; “Though only thirty-one years have passed since the flight of an aeroplane was first, made, flying may now be regarded as a safe means of transport. This is due to the steady increasing reliability of aircraft engines, and to the satisfactory development of rules of design, which go far to ensure the stability and the control of an aeroplane. But, it must be admitted that this relative immunity has been attained by tlie age-long process of trial and error, and at the cost of much loss of life.” The science of flight, admittedly contains problems which have not yet been solved; but it seems to be evident that all air tragedies cannot be attributed to these problems; they cannot all be attributed to mechanical faults. Tests recently conducted in England on the Dragon ’plane have for instance, shown no failings in the structure or the flying characteristics of the machine. Of course, no ’plane, or for that matter, nothing man creates, can be made to withstand the full force of natural phenomenon, such as storms; but not frequently are Nature’s upheavals responsible for air disasters. Occasionally storms cause forced landings with dire results, but neither to structural weaknesses, nor to storms, does it seem possible to place the blame for all mishaps in the air. The fact that seems to be revealed is that not yet has air travel reached the stage in which no strain is placed on the pilot. Because of the constant necessity for alertness, a yiilot cannot relax and thus as his. flying hours mount up, the risk of his heart or his nerves failing must increase. A sudden faint would leave the machine without control and an aeroplane stays in the air because of human control. Thus a human failing could cause passengers and pilot to hurtle to doom at 300 feet a second —a speed which would leave a follow pilot no time to remove an incumbent body and take charge of the controls. Medical certificates for aviators are, of course, only supplied after a strict examination, but probably the examination could be more strict and more frequent. Dual control gives some safeguard, but even when it is used, only one pilot is as a rule, on duty. It would seem, therefore, that like many other advantages that have come with our civilisation, air travel will not reach perfection, until it provides safeguards against the risk of human failure.