FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0789.PDF
Flight, July 18, 1918. s§ First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor : STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 499. (No. 29, Vol. X.) JULY I8, 1918. rWeekly, Price 6d.1J Post Free, 7d. [and The Aircraft Engineer. Editorial Office: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. •. Telegrams: Truditur, Westcent, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1818. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free : United Kingdom .. *%s. %d. Abroad 33J. ad. CONTENTS. Editorial Comment: PAGE Where Better Discipline is Needed 787 A Year's Work of the R.A.F 788 The New R.A.F. Uniform 8 To Cross the Atlantic 1 .. ..788 The Recent Strike 789 Ak Raid Over Zeebrugge .. 791 Report on tha Friedrichshafen Bomber .. „ 793 The Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 797 The Roll of Honour 797 Accidents which Should Not Happen. By Douglas W. Thorburn .. 798 Some Outstanding Problems in Aeronautics. By Dr. Durand .. .. 801 Airiuns from the Four Winds 803 Pcnonals.. .. ... 6 Baron Carl Cedestrfim 807 Aviation in Parliament — 808 The Royal Air Force .. .. . .. 809 The Flight of an Aeroplane at Different Altitudes. By Louis De Bazillac 811 Aircraft Work at the Front. Official Information 813 A Propeller Shaper 815 The Aircraft Workers'Strike 815 Newspapers are an essential part of our war organisation." (Sir Auckland Geddcs, Minister oj National Service.) another part of this issue of " FLIGHT " we print an article from one of our contributors, dealing with the effect on the training casualty lists of un- necessary " stunt " flying. We fully appreciate that it is necessary for our aspiring pilots to learn the whole of their business in the air, and to' learn it properly. That course of pupilage unquestionably must include a great deal of " stunting," because on the ability of the pilot to so control his machine that he can get out of difficulties and win bis way to victory by keeping his Hun opponentguessingwill often depend the safe emergence from aerial combat of both pilot and machine. Indeed, the pilot who has not learnt to " stunt" would be easy game to the Hun aviator or " Archie." But there are limits beyond which the gamejnust Where Better Discipline is Needed. not be allowed to go. Our contributor gives instances of dangerous flying for its own sake, or to gain the applause of people—especially women—altogether outside the Service. We, for our own part, could supplement these examples from others which have come under our own notice. Indeed, anyone who frequents the up-river resorts within 20 miles of London, expecially on a fine Sunday, is perfectly familiar with the extraordinary flying risks that are habitually taken out of what appears to be sheer exuberance of spirits. We agree with our contributor that it is this wonderful sense of vitality among our young flying men that constitutes one of the most priceless assets we possess, but, as we have said, there are limits, and we cannot afford that the toll of accidents should be inordinately swollen simply because the exuberance of youth leads them to take desperate risks without reason or necessity. There must be casualties, because we have to carry through an intensive system of training, during which the perfect war pilot has to be evolved from the raw material in a short course of instruction covering at the most four months. The powers that be of the R.A.F. have taken their account with that as part of the price demanded by the Admiralty of the air. But there is no question that the list is far too large, or that its dimensions are seriously affected by the love of the fledging pilots for dangerous " stunting." The remedy is easy enough to apply, and it is very clearly indicated by our contributor. We can only trust that the R.A.F. authorities will take the clearly expressed recommendation at its true value and take immediate disciplinary steps to lessen the abuse. So far we have not touched upon the public danger which is caused by very much of this " stunt " flying. We have no wish to quote chapter and verse of the many examples which have either come directly under our notice or have been reported to us, since the desire to make trouble for the individual is en- tirely absent. But when a young fool descends so low above a crowded river resort that the wind from his propeller actually takes the hat from a lady's head, as happened on the Upper Thames a week or so ago, we begin to think that it is time attention was called to the matter. The public is" prepared to take all the legitimate risks incidental to the war, and to accept them cheerfully, but that sort of thing is most certainly not within the bounds of the legitimate. .X;.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
