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Show I AIR MAIL PLANE BURNS Our poetoffice department does not seem to be deterred by the numerous accidents which have attended the operation of the an mail plane ser i-e from const to C0aa1 Not less than five aviators have lost their lives and a dozen planes have been destroyed But the officials go on. expressing faith by persisting ill their efforts On Tuesday, a pilot and mechanician, operating a plane carrying mail near Cleveland, Ohio, were burned to death w hen their machine, at an altitude of 500 feel caught fire While this disastt r was being reported, the department was letting contracts for thro,' new air mail routes bctct-n Pittsburg and St. Louis, between New York and Chicago, and between New York i and Atlanta, ! It is yet to be fullv demonstrated whether the airplane is sufficiently suf-ficiently 'safeguarded against Accident 10 be permanently employed in carrying mail An Innovation, which promises to do mucb to avoid accidents to belated plains at night, has been announced by Coloneel John A. Jordan, superintendent oi the western diviiion of the air service Electric lights, operated bj wirelelas, will be placed on the from of the machines. The will be tuned bo the wireless instruments of the terminal points and will shine only when the planes are within a radio path 200 feet wide Air Jordan explains that, when a plsne stras from this path, the light will out and the pilot will be obliged to determine by the wind on wineh side of the rout he is traveling. Approach to the destination will be sipnified by a flashing on and on of the lightaj The apparatus has been tested out and has proved a success, i With more improvements ..i this kind, the airplane eventually cay be .dado comparatively safe |