FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0436.PDF
(/JjCHT MAY 18, 1912. EDITORIAL COMMENT. The Investigation Readers of FLIGHT will have gathered from the official notices appearing in its columns of "Accident's" l'iat tne Royal Aero Club is keenly appreciative of the need that exists for the thorough and systematic investigation of all flying accidents which are of at all a serious nature. To that end has been established a Public Safety and Accidents Investigation Committee—the title is rather a cumbrous one, perhaps, but it is its work rather than its name which matters. We commend the Club on its move in what is unquestionably the right direction which for a very long time it has had in contemplation, and in our congratulations we would also include the Aeronautical Society, which is working hand in hand with the Club and whose collective scientific nature should prove simply invaluable in unravelling the often obscure causes of those unfortunate occurrences which all interested in the progress of aviation have sometimes to deplore. It will be remembered that Major-General Ruck, C.B., strongly advocated the institution of such a body at one of the earlier meetings of the reconstituted Aeronautical Society, and this has led to the co-operation of the Society with the Club. Already a move has been made by the Committee which ought to result in valuable information being recorded. Notices have been issued to all the different flying grounds, soliciting the co-operation of aviators in the prevention of dangerous flying and asking for systematic reports by experts on all accidents and, as far as possible, of their causes. So far, so good. It has also been decided by the Committee to appoint officials at various centres whose business it will be to enquire into and report upon all accidents, and to that end the Committee invites offers of assistance from experts and those with technical knowledge, who need not necessarily be members oi the Royal Aero Club. It hardly needs saying that with Col. Holden at its head, the new Committee will get to the root of its business in the shortest possible time. That is to say, the Committee itself will beyond all doubt do its own work in the most thorough manner and aviation will be all the better for its work. But it is as well to examine the weak points of the scheme as well as the strong. A Committee such as this may be excellent in its composition and may do excellent work of its own, but that work will be terribly handicapped unless it can command the services of the best possible experts to report upon the subject with which its work deals. The whole point, so far as the prevention of accidents is concerned, seems to be the thorough investigation of those that do happen and the ascertaining of the root causes. In order that the investigation shall be of value and not positively mis leading in the deductions derived from such investigation, is the securing of evidence from responsible persons who were actually on the spot. It, naturally, cannot be expected that a member of the Committee will be present at every accident, but by the appointment at every aero drome of a Club official the probability will be largely increased of there being present at least one qualified and responsible person who will furnish some of the data required. It might be argued that there is usually some person present at a time of accident who is able to furnish such a report as the Committee would find useful in its investigations and that, therefore, the appointment of these officials is a work of supererogation. Indeed, we cannot recall a single accident to account for which there were not at least a dozen theories advanced by actual witnesses to account for the occurrence. The main point, however, is that all this is devoid of system and it is systematic work which that is required, and this can only be achieved by the institution of a system. That, we think, is what the Committee is going to build up, and we would add our own solicitations to those of the Club that all our readers who feel themselves qualified to assist in this work of investigation should place themselves at once in communication with the Club. There is just one delicate point to which we feel it our duty to direct attention. The investigation of accidents involves, naturally, the detailed inspection of damaged machines, and it will perhaps not be unnatural if the manufacturers of such machines exhibit a little touchiness upon the matter of the identity of the investigator. Therefore, it behoves the Committee not to be too hasty in the appointment of its investigators, lest some of these appointments of men whose qualifications are undoubted may, in other respects engender somewhat of a sense of inquisition in the minds of some who are most likely to be affected by the Committee's proceedings. There is no need to labour the point—it is sufficiently obvious to all who are on the inside track of things, and we are confident that, the Committee's attention having been drawn to it, the point will not be lost to sight. One of the points we have striven to make r. V,- £ • J when dealing with the subject of aerial Pubhc-Spmted , r . t, b t , , J , , Campaign. Qe'ence 1S tnat or"y by a real awakening of the public mind to the possibilities of the aeroplane as an instrument of attack and defence can the hands of unprogressive authorities be forced and those of the more enlightened be strengthened until our gravest needs are satisfied. The necessary awakening must either be left to work itself out by the gradual processes of time—which would mean a loss of extremely valuable time and opportunity—or it must be given a decided fillip by bringing those possibilities of which we have spoken right home to the doors of the people. The last is by far and away the better course, but it is attended by many difficulties, the chief of which is the financial one. There is no public moneyforan advertising campaign— for that is what it amounts to—and it would be outside the scope of any institution which exists to-day. There fore the only way is for some public-spirited person or corporation to do what is needful, and into the breach has once more stepped the Daily Mail. We make no scruple of saying that we honour and congratulate Lord Northcliffe and his colleagues for what they are doing. Already British aviation lies under a heavy debt to them, a debt which will have been increased almost immeasur ably when M. Salmet has completed the programme which has been mapped out for him. Indeed, it is not aviation but the nation itself which will owe a deeper debt than is realised by many. 436
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
