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Story
October 16, 1959
The Nome Nugget
Nome, Nome County, Alaska
What is this article about?
Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara reports U.S. Air Force lost 3,471 pilots and 7,062 planes in accidents since 1950, exceeding many nations' air forces. Two-thirds preventable; rate improving from 44 to 9.3 major accidents per 100,000 hours (1947-1959). Delivered at Chicago air safety forum.
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THE NOME NUGGET
Gigantic Accident Toll Tallied Up by Air Force General
CHICAGO, (P) - An Air Force official says that since 1950 his service has lost 3,471 pilots and 7,062 planes in accidents, totaling a larger air force than any country in the world except Russia.
Two-thirds of the accidents shouldn't have happened, he said.
However, he added, the over-all accident rate in the Air Force is steadily improving.
Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara, deputy inspector general for safety of the Air Force, gave the figures Wednesday night during a talk on safety to the Seventh Annual Air Safety Forum of the Air Line Pilots Association.
He said that safe flight operations are attained by improved air base facilities and adequate pilot training.
General Caldara came up with these statistics concerning Air Force planes:
That- at any given moment the Air Force has 1,000 planes air-borne and these planes average 4,800 miles of flight per minute.
This is equivalent, he said, to crossing the United States twice every minute or flying the distance to the moon in an hour.
Every minute the Air Force flies accidents somewhere have cost $900.
Within the past five years the Air Force has lost 1,800 pilots.
The accident rate has been reduced from 44 major accidents per 100,000 hours of flying time in 1947 to 9.3 in 1959.
Gigantic Accident Toll Tallied Up by Air Force General
CHICAGO, (P) - An Air Force official says that since 1950 his service has lost 3,471 pilots and 7,062 planes in accidents, totaling a larger air force than any country in the world except Russia.
Two-thirds of the accidents shouldn't have happened, he said.
However, he added, the over-all accident rate in the Air Force is steadily improving.
Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara, deputy inspector general for safety of the Air Force, gave the figures Wednesday night during a talk on safety to the Seventh Annual Air Safety Forum of the Air Line Pilots Association.
He said that safe flight operations are attained by improved air base facilities and adequate pilot training.
General Caldara came up with these statistics concerning Air Force planes:
That- at any given moment the Air Force has 1,000 planes air-borne and these planes average 4,800 miles of flight per minute.
This is equivalent, he said, to crossing the United States twice every minute or flying the distance to the moon in an hour.
Every minute the Air Force flies accidents somewhere have cost $900.
Within the past five years the Air Force has lost 1,800 pilots.
The accident rate has been reduced from 44 major accidents per 100,000 hours of flying time in 1947 to 9.3 in 1959.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Air Force Accidents
Pilot Losses
Plane Crashes
Safety Statistics
Aviation Improvements
What entities or persons were involved?
Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara
Where did it happen?
Chicago
Story Details
Key Persons
Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Caldara
Location
Chicago
Event Date
Since 1950
Story Details
Air Force official reports massive losses of pilots and planes in accidents since 1950, notes many preventable, but safety improving; presented statistics on flight volume and costs at air safety forum.