That there is an element of danger in aviation is
undeniable, but it is nowhere so great as the public
imagines. Men are killed and injured in the operation
of flying machines just as they are killed and injured in
the operation of railways. Considering the character of
aviation the percentage of casualties is surprisingly
small.
This is because the results following a collapse in
the
air are very much different from what might be imagined.
Instead of dropping to the ground like a bullet an
aeroplane, under ordinary conditions will, when anything
goes wrong, sail gently downward like a parachute,
particularly if the operator is cool-headed and nervy enough
to so manipulate the apparatus as to preserve its equilibrium
and keep the machine on an even keel.
