AIR TRAGEDIES

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1927, Page 4

AIR TRAGEDIES

.AIR. BALDAVLVS INVESTIGATIONS. [Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, March 11. In the House of Commons, Air Baldwin made a statement on the subject of the accidents in the Air Toree, based on his personal investigations, extending over several days. It could not be thought, be said, that tiny particular type of machine was more likely to meet with an accident than any other. Moreover, the proportion ol accidents due to remediable causes were only a small proportion ot the whole. While the improvement in design whs continuous, research made lor safety. The new machines travelled at a greater speed and a greater heiglitli. thereby increasing the risks. A slight error of judgment meant disaster. 'I he mnjoritv of tin* accidents were tiacoaide to the personal equation type, which made the greatest airmen. They were not the type which used the motto “safety first..’’ fie could discover no Mgns of inefficient training. lie thought the training could ltoi he better. and thiit the spirit of the air toree was one of the marvels of the time. There was no finer spirit in any service in the world. As regards economy, he thought the stall' of the (lying units had been reduced to somewhere near danger point, hut it had not affected t|he"accidents, for if the ground st'Mf were unltble to supervise all the machines, the Hying was curtailed. The Air Ministry was allotting some extra men to these units. The majority of the accidents were due to some error—often verv slight error of judgment on the part of the pilot. He asked the clause and the people of the country not to hamper the airman by encouraging a type of criticism which would only "make them introspective and nervy, but to support them all they could.

ENGLISH BLANK TRAGEDY. LONDON, March 11

A two-seater Bristol plane nose-dived and caught lire at the Renfrew aerodrome. The lire incinerated the pilot. John Walker, a tunning flying officer.

URUGUAYAN AIRMEN. LES I’ALAI AS, March 11

The Uruguayan airmen are at Capo Juby They stated that a rupture of their plane’s oil pipe compelled them to descend in a heavy sea. Their machine was flung by the heavy sea against a cliff. Natives near Cape Juby completed the destruction of the plane. The natives pillaged the airmen, who however, were otherwise well trelifod, and they managed to keep their wedding rings,

■BALLOON'-.) UAIjPJNG MENACE. LONDON, .March 12

Tragedy lias overtaken within u week two of the British Air Force’s foremost parachutists, this following closely oh the heels of Air Baldwin's recent statement in the House of Commons regarding the “red roll” of Air Force deaths. The death of El.ist is a severe loss, as lie was regarded as a most capable parachutist. It is estimated that lie fell through the air at tlie i'de ol 210 miles an hour. Then came the announcement of Robb’s electrocution, while engaged ill balloon jumping, as a result id' a private attempt to introduce this sport, which is prominent in America, as cabled on .March I. Dobbs had eoneluded a private lost, but, being anxious to experiment still further, he dispensed with the .safety rope, and proceeded to carry out ail experiment across country. lie jumped a hedge, tlien lie jumped over «.» tree, which was standing in the way on the other side. Then he traversed another field, across the centre of which there ran electric wires.

Captain Blacker, who was the only witness, saw i In* danger, and lie shouted to Dobbs, “For Gods sake, take care. I here are live wires!

Dobbs replied—“i’ll risk it.’’ He proceeded to jump, lie almost cleared the wires, but ids legs then became entangled in them. He struggled momentarily. He threw out liis hands in an endeavour to disentangle his legs. His hand touched another wire, causing sparks and smoke. Oiptain Blacker then rushed to the aerodrome and summoned the aid of the police, who turned off (he current. AY he u the body was extricated it was badly burned. Death must have been instantaneous.

A few minutes before ill's dentil Dobbs, who is known us “the I’ai’idjmte Kino of the H.A.I 1 ’.,” having luntle '239 spectacular descents, said : ‘‘a parachute descent is wrongly regarded as a frightful risk. It is actually safer to descend by a parachute than to ascend by an aeroplane. People who crash have only themselves to blame. It is largely a matter of temperament. liven when falling at the rate of two hundred miles an hour I have never lost consciousness. 1 think balloon jumping is a wonderful sport, and [ hope to be able soon to go on a. series of cross-country jumps, as they do in America. Earlier, Miss Odell had carried out an experiment. She succeeded in rising to a height of twenty feet. The consensus of opinion appears Ic> he that the sport is lacking in thrill, and whatever prospects it had of success are sure to he afl'eeted by the result of its tragic opening. Dobbs had descended from aeroplanes from as high as fifteen thousand feet.