§ 52. Sir G. STRICKLANDasked the Secretary of State for Air whether service aircraft are provided with a system of mirrors to give all-round vision to the pilot and avoid collisions in the air by methods practised in the street; and, if not, whether steps will he taken to diminish the chances of loss of life of pilots by such like expedients becoming the rule?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Major Sir Philip Sassoon)The use of mirrors in service aircraft was investigated during the War and again last year, but it was found that the analogy of street traffic does not apply, owing to the much wider field of vision required if the pilot is to obtain any practical advantage. Such use is open to the objection that the pilot may he temporarily dazzled while flying away from the sun and that each mirror in itself constitutes a further blind spot.