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To All Members  -3-  October 4, 1941

15 miles off course. Definitely he should have had at least 6000 feet of altitude. The Transoceanic Pilots Association investigated his qualifications and it was found that although he had 9000 hours of flying, only 600 were as a pilot. (Note) English pilots log their time whether radio operator, navigator, or deadheading. The second accident was also by a pilot of B. O. A. C. In this case he selected a runway with Transatlantic load of 900 feet in length, up grade, cross wind. When the pilot gave the throttle, a mechanic ran forward and tried to stop him. He proceeded nearly 200 yards when he left the runway to the left and continued on the sod portion of the field, leaving three deep ruts as his wheels cut in. In this manner, he continued for 1200 yards with throttle wide open, crossed a small hedge fence, carried away a guard house, tore through a wire fence, crossed a railroad track, and bounced off, splitting open the tanks at which place the aircraft and all on board burned. In a summation, he definitely could not have gotten off the runway with no load; second, he never attempted to cut his throttle in the entire run. Ground observers saw him as he passed through the guard house. It appeared that he was still trying to pull the plane off the ground.

"It would be difficult for professional pilots to understand these things without contact with English air line method of operation. For instance, yesterday a B-24 left with three carburetor heaters broken. It is common practice to gas 600 gallons short and then for the pilot to gas the aircraft full showing the shortage on paper. Many times the gross load on B-24's has been exceeded by 4000 lbs. Their instrument method of operation is terrifying. They will fly at 2500 on instruments with terrain elevation of about 5000. They will let down on a dead reckoning position with ceiling of 800 feet. If they can find a hole in the overcast they will dive through it with a B-24 exceeding their maximum diving speeds. They refuse to make use of radio range or radio compass approach methods. In closing I wish to point out that not one American has been lost as a result of his own actions. Nine-tenths of the deliveries have been made by American pilots."

Recently a ferry service was organized under the direction of Pan American Airways to operate over the Southern Atlantic. Pan American is well experienced in long-distance ocean flying and this should be a safer and far more efficient operation from almost every conceivable angle. The extent of this operation will be governed largely by the ever-changing theaters of war. Another good feature about this operation is that, according to the information we have received, they expect to continue operating after the war. In other words, it is a forerunner for a permanent Southern Atlantic transoceanic service. This new undertaking is in need of pilots and if anyone is interested in the exact details, such as salary, bonuses, working conditions, etc., inquiries should be directed to Pan American Air Ferries Inc., c/o Pan American Airways, Chrysler Building, New York, New York.

Getting back to the home front, everything has been popping as usual. We now have all the domestic contracts in effect except National, and it is in negotiation at the present time. This is our sixteenth agreement and the last to be negotiated with the