R.F.A. CRASHES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 October 1924, Page 7

R.F.A. CRASHES.

FEWER IN COMPARISON. In an official statement the British Air Ministry point out that comparisons of the actual number of accidents during the last three years take no account of the increase in the size of the Force during this period and the much greater amount of flying carried out in all units than formerly. During the period July 1921 to Julv 1924 the number of squadrons has been raised from 34 to 48, and the average amount of flying time ner pilot has increased by nearly 100 per cent. Owmg to the expansion of the Royal Air Force now in progress, arid other factors, the nuxnber of pilots under training at the present time is larger than would be required for the existing 48 squadrons, and this has entailed a further material increase in the current volume of flying. Although the number of accidents in the present year shows an increase, upon the corresponding figures for 1923 and 1922, there has been a continuous improvement during the last two years in the ratio of hours flown to fatar accidents. Thus the number ot machine hours flown during the 12 months ending June 1923 for each fatal accident showed an increase of rn .° 3 . e an 47 per cent, as compared iooo mont,ls ending June 30, t *'■ months ending £T e 1924 there was a further increase ot 7 per cent, in the number of hours mT or eacb Fatal accident The statement adds that those who are not cognisant of all the facts are naturally prone to draw erroneous deductions in regard to both personnel and material. As regards the latter while the Air Force is graduallv beirm re-equipped with machines of new design, there is no ground for suggesting that the older designs still in uw» aye m any way unsafe or lacking in airworthiness.