"LOOPING THE LOOP."

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2925, 10 November 1916, Page 5

"LOOPING THE LOOP."

—— ■ MILITARY TESTIMONY/AT AST i AVIATION INQUEST. Interesting testimony of . an expert character was given at an inquest ait Birmingham recently as to the practical value of what is Jmown as "Loon, ing the Loop" in military aviation. The coroner s inquiry related to the deaths in an aeroplane accident on the previous day of Flying' Officer and Inspector JoM'Hoages, aged 19, son of the rector of Coggeshall, Essex, the pilot, and, {second Lieut. Leslie Fyson, aged 25," or Shepherd's Bush, London. Evidence was given to the effect that' the two officers went up in a. biplane which was completely overhauled before the start. It was then found to be in a perfect condition for flying purposes. Captain Simpson, of the Royal | Flying Corps, who witnessed the flight, said he saw the machine "loop the loop" at a height of $bout 3000 ft. It seemed to go through the evolutions ' all right at first, but ho then saw the tail plane move. He could not see what was the cause. In bis opinion the last loop was made in such a way as to put rather a heavy strain oil the machine, which collapsed aud fell. "Do you oonsider there is any advantage in 'looping the loop' for* mili-< tary purposes, or is it for show?" asked! the uxroner.

"No, it is not for show," replied Captain Simpson, who added that "looping the loop" as a. training was very useful indeed. The Coroner then asked if anything had been done in order to give an op* portunity of escape if an accident occurred', by means of a parachute or some other device. ' Captain Simpson replied that nothing had been done, although he thought it might be possible. All their progress at the present moment, he said, was in the making of fast machines. Medical evidence was to the effect that death was instantaneous. The officers bad probably lost consciousness before they reached the ground, owing to force of gravitation.