Show m H I SAFE Af H RULE l IN AIR I The Higher the Safer Is Odd but True Slogan of Airmen By C. C Lamar Nelson I Former Pilot of U. U S. S Air Service and I Now Member 1 of The Telegram Staff The higher the safer is an odd yet true tue slogan of the aviators In Incidentally Incidentally Incidentally In- In it was borne out in the fatal accident which marred the momentous momentous momentous mo mo- and otherwise happy arrival of the filers fliers who landed here yesterday yester yester- da day in the great transcontinental derby It seems that the higher one gets in an airplane the safer sater one is Yet the truth of or the paradox Is quite generally borne out in the accident statistics compiled by the air all service From personal observation I would s shy say y that 80 per cent of the accidents with aircraft happen close to the ground It is near the earth that the flier must meet his most trying ordeals his most unexpected emergencies For this there are several several sev sev- eral reasons which briefly are these Air currents are much more violent and active near the earth due to the the deflection by the irregularities of the earths earth's surface and also to the direct Influence of the temperature of the earth which causes undulating cur- cur cents near the surface Winds are more changeable ear the surface Obstructions such as buildings trees fences and wires offer a constant source of danger to pilots In many cases these obstructions are not discernible discernible discernible dis dis- dis- dis from the air all Lastly the view of ot surrounding country and therefore of ot suitable landing places for emergency use is diminished In proportion to the pilots pilot's nearness to the ground ADVANTAGE OF ALTITUDE On the other hand if it the aviator I attains an altitude of several thousand thousand thousand thou thou- I sand feet he is afforded a view of I the underlying country for miles around In case of motor trouble he I has ample time to select a landing I spot and glide or to it Also If the machine becomes Unmanageable unmanageable unmanageable un un- manageable or if the pilot has the misfortune to get into something he is not accustomed to he has time timeto timeto timeto to think out the proper use of his I controls to right the ship If It doing stunt flying and the machine does not respond as anticipated which is is' is I Ivery very frequently the case the pilot has hasa a leeway of hundreds of feet to fall I during which he can regain his equilibrium and bring the ship out of its gyrations I |