SAFETY IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 299, 21 January 1911, Page 9

SAFETY IN THE AIR.

Berlin, November 24. Mr. Orville Wright, who has arrived here to assist in reorganising the business of the company which purchased the Wright patents for Germany, declares that flying is quite as safe as motoring, and maintains that all the numerous recent accidents were due to reckless foolhardiness on the part of airmen, who tried to achieve the impossible with their machines. He says:

"Flying machines are at present so full of promise that one can expect almost anything for their future. My brother and I, as the pioneers of flying, are not in the least surprised at the progress made in aviation. The flight across the Channel and round the statue of Liberty and other great performance! have made little impression on us, because we expected all of them. Personally. I am. of course, convinced that the Wright machine is the best. That is only human. I maintain that one can fly through the air with as much safety as one can drive along the road in a motor car."

Diseu««ing the recent fatal accidents. Mr. Wright said: "The Wright machines have sustained only one single accident in. America this year. This happened when I was away. It must be remembered how these accident happen. In this particular case two young men were eiving a performance. Both were efficient airmen,'but on that day each tried to surpass the achievements of the other.

"Let airmen refrain from show performances, let them stop trying to break records, let them fly just for the sake of flying, and nothing will happen to them.

"The future of the flying machine lies in a reasonable development of this kind. Tf you have never flown you cannot have any conception of aerial flight. When the world in general has convinced itself that these marvels can be enjoyed without danger, aviation will become the most popular sport. We are not far distant from the time when that will be the case."