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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 1183.PDF
Flight, November 18, 1920 AIRC&AFTBNGINEEFL 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. 621 (No. 47, Vol. XII.) NOVEMBER I8, 1920 ["Weekly, Price 6d.L PoM free, 7d. The Aircraft Engineer and Airships Editorial Offices: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. a Telegrams: Truditur, Westcent, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1828 Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free : United Kingdom .. 30s. +d. Abroad.. .. .. 335.04.* These rates are subject to any alteration found necessary under abnormal conditions and to increases in postage rates • European tubscriptions must be remitted in British currency CONTENTS Editorial Comment PACE Public Safety in France .. .. .. .. .. .. 1185Air Supremacy .. .. .. .. .. .. ., .. 1186 Setting an Example .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1186Lighting the Airways .. .. .. .. .. .. ,. 1186 Modern Cabin Machines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1187The F.I.A.T. Twelve-Seater Biplane u8q Cambridge University Aeronautical Society: Paper on "Spins" .. 1192London—Continental Services .. .. .. .. .. .. 1196 Aixisms .. .. .. ., .. ., ., ,, ., 1197A Study of Aeroplane Ranges. By J. G. Coffin .. .. .. 1199 The Royal Air Force .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1202Model Aeroplanes. By F. J. Camm .. . . . . .. . . 1205 ' DIARY OF FORTHCOMING EVENTS. Club Secretarus and others desirous of announcing the dates of important fixtures are invited to send particulars for inclusionin the following list: Nov. 18 ... Lecture, " Tbe Problem of the Helicopter," by M. Louis Damblanc, before RAe.S., at the Royal Society of Arts, at 5 p.m. Dec. 2 ... Lectures, " Airship Rioting," by Major G. H. Scott, C.B.E., A.F.C, "Airship Mooring," by Right-Lieut. F. L. C. Butcher, before R.Ae.8., at Royal Society of Arts Dec. 18 ... Lectures, " Possible Developments of Aircraft Engines," by Mr. H Ricardo, and "The Instalment of Aeroplane Engines," by Mr. A. J. Rowledge, before R.Ae.S , at Royal Society of Arts HE Air Ministry has recently issued a " Notice to Airmen " calling atten- tion to a decree made by the French Government, under which no air- craft is permitted to fly over any town or inhabited district at a less height than will allow of a landing being made outside the town or district or at an aerodrome open to public use, in case of engine failure. The specific heightsallowed in the case of "multi- and single- Public Safety engjne(j machines are given in the France Notice. The regulations are on all fours with those obtaining here, and may be agreed to be no more than are sufficient for safeguarding the in- habitants and their property. They are not in the least irksome, save possibly to the few " stunt " pilots whose dearest recreation is in flying low over quite unsuitable places and showing off to spectators whose hearts are in their mouths the whole time of the performance. The time and place for that sort of thing is over a properly prepared aerodrome for the entertainment of people who have come to see trick-flying and will be satisfied with nothing else. Aviation is far too serious a matter now for it to be tolerated, and we not only agree in principle with the making of such regulations as we are discussing, but in their most rigorous enforcement. Flying is fighting an uphill battle in the endeavour to get itself recognised as a means of transport. To obtain that the first essential is to get the public to regard it as an everyday, commonplace sort of thing which need not excite remark except upon the wonderful pitch of reliability and certainty at which the aero- plane has arrived. This means the taking of no single avoidable risk, since every public accident, so to say, must have a very adverse effect upon the manner in which aviation is regarded by the man in the street. We have used the word "public""' in this connection with intent. What we mean to convey is this : Accidents in aviation are certain to happen, as they occur to railway trains, ships and motor-vehicles. A percentage is quite unavoid- able, but we want that percentage to happen as quietly as possible. The appearance of a paragraph in the newspapers, conveying that a machine was compelled to make a forced landing in a field in Kent would excite no remark at all. But the landing of one in the Strand through engine failure would set all London talking about the terrible danger of allowing aeroplanes to fly at all. Provided sufficient height is maintained, there is no need at all for such a thing to occur, but if the regulations are not observed, or if there were no regulations, it would., one day happen as certainly as the sun rises and. sets. From this point of view the new French decree,.
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