AIR: License Lifted

U.S. aviation’s wartime boom has brought an alarming growth of reckless flying—some of it by pilots too young to know better, some by veterans too skilled to give a damn. So long as a flyer lets off steam somewhere by himself, with plenty of room, the possible results are of primary interest only to his commander, the crash-wagon crew and the next of kin.

But the aviator who obeys that impulse to make a playful pass at a lumbering transport plane, to fly formation, waggle his wings and cut in front is not risking his life alone. In this day of crowded schedules he is more than likely gambling with the lives of the liner’s parachuteless pilot, copilot, stewardess and 21 high-priority passengers.

Airman’s Penalty. Last week the Civil Aeronautics Board struck hard at this form of high jinks, served notice that it was going to keep on being tough about it. To Ernest E. Basham Sr., 56-year-old chief test pilot for Consolidated Aircraft at Fort Worth, the board handed out a stiff penalty: total revocation of his airline-transport-pilot certificate. That means he may not fly, and CAB sources said grimly that he would probably stay grounded for two years. Pilot Basham had been found guilty of twice flying B-24 Liberator bombers less than 500 feet from American Airlines transports.

Next, Jesse A. Blevans, North American Aviation test pilot, drew a six—month suspension from CAB for flying a B-25 Mitchell bomber within 150 feet of a TWA plane near Adrian, Tex. Blevans, who had no previous incidents charged against him, admitted his error .in cutting in front of the transport, which was rolled over at a 45° angle by his propwash.

Tough as CAB proposes to be with civilian offenders, it lacks power to deal with the parallel problem of skylarking Army pilots. CAB Chairman Lloyd Welch Pogue has complained to General H. H. (“Hap”) Arnold about wild Army flying on the airways, but that is all; the Air Forces alone can discipline Air Forces pilots.

Airman’s Tragedy. One of the saddest of military accidents occurred two and a half years ago when two Naval ensigns, “flat-hatting” in a trainer, hit and beheaded a woman working in an Alabama field. Both youngsters were cashiered, sent to prison. But the worst “fooling” accident yet was at Palm Springs, Calif., last October, when nine passengers and the crew of three died in the crash of an American airliner clipped in flight by an Army Lockheed B34. CAB investigated the crash, reported that the “probable” cause was the “reckless and irresponsible conduct of Lieut. William N. Wilson in deliberately maneuvering a bomber in dangerous proximity to the airliner in an unjustifiable attempt to attract the attention of the first officer [copilot] of the latter plane.” The Army promptly court-martialed Lieut. Wilson, just as promptly acquitted him.

This was no help for air safety. Since then CAB has received scores of complaints, most of them unofficial, since commercial pilots are generally reluctant to make charges against their Army colleagues. But the stories got around.

Airman’s Problem. Fortnight ago an American airliner was flying north to New York in soupy weather when a dozen southbound P-40s, which had no business being on the same flight level, roared in headon; two had to gointo acrobatics to miss the transport. A few days ago an airliner was landing at Baltimore when a B-26 Marauder took off right past it and bounced the transport in its propwash. Pan American pilots occasionally get grey hairs when fighter pilots at small Pacific bases, going stale from long inaction, make “gunnery runs” on Clippers.

The Army has its own dilemma to solve, in enforcing regulations and discipline on its men without breaking their spirit and snuffing out the spark a really good combat flyer must have; dangerous flying, in various forms, is an inescapable part of aerial combat. CAB men are aware of that; for the time being all they can do is to swing a big stick in their own jurisdiction, and, where military pilots are involved, cross their fingers and hope.