ATLANTIS FLYING

Evening Star, Issue 19658, 10 September 1927, Page 9

ATLANTIS FLYING

LORD THOMSON'S VIEWS AIRSHIP THE SOLUTION. (British Official News.) Press Association—By Wireless—Copyright. RUGBY, September 9. (Received September 10, at noon.) Lord Thomson, who was formerly British Secretary for Air, to-day gave his views on the subject to the London ‘Evening News,’ He said; “I cannot see that anything is to be learned from further flights at present. It has already been proved that men are brave, but wo knew that before. It has been shown that a ’plane can fly 3,000 miles without stopping, but it can do it just as easily above land.” Lord Thomson considered,. however, that Atlantic flights could hardly be stopped by legislation. Men deliberately courted danger. “I do not think that land ’planes should be allowed to make the attempt at all. They do not give fliers a chance if a machine comes down in the ocean. Every transatlantic ’plane should be a seaplane. Wireless should be compulsory. To sacrifice all wireless—the only way of calling for help in the wastes of the Atlantic—for the sake of carrying a passenger is monstrous folly. Passengers should be forbidden. The money offered by passengers tempts pilots to take unnecessary risks. I cannot believe that any. pilot really wants a passenger. Passengers are in the way and take up room, which could be used- for fuel or wireless.”' More stringent tests wore greatly needed in view of the stupendous strain of flying the Atlantic. No machine .should bo allowed to start finless it had a reasonable chance of reaching the other side. had now, ho thought, reached the limit of human and mechanical endurance in the present stage of aerial development. The pioneers of flying had conquered the air by their courage and magnificent engines. Science must now step in and teach them how to use the air. Lord Thomson, in conclusion, expressed the belief that a solution of the Atlantic problem would be reached with the airship rather than the aeroplane.