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Show HERBERT, C. WADE TELLS OF THE REQUIREMENTS AT THE AVIATION SCHOOLS OF THE U. S. ARMY Editor Standard: Remembering my 'promise to write concerning the work of the cadet aviator, I am proceeding at this time, because we are experiencing tho first taste of monotony InBenarat-bly InBenarat-bly connected with army life, due In this instance to the severo Bnowstorms and extremely cold weather of the past two days, which makes it impracti-; impracti-; 'cable to fly. Because there Is no aviation school lin Utah, what I say may be interesting to sorao, and I can also say it with less '.danger of my mistakes being criticized. As you know, the present program ; intends that every "pilot" in the aviation avia-tion section of the U. S. army is ex-inected ex-inected to be an ofllcer, and in prepara- tion for a commission quite an exten- bIvo course of training is prescribed. Candidates, after passing the entrance 1 examinations, are sent to the ground Ischool for two months, where they are 'instructed in the theory of practically practical-ly every thing that will be useful in the work for which they are seeking to qualify. This includes engines generally general-ly wireless telegraphy, administration and discipline of the U. S. army, theory of flight and practical aeronautics, aero-nautics, and the construction and repair re-pair of aeroplanes, beside many other minor things. Cadets (for such is our designation,) must pass an examination in each subject. At the completion of this course, comes the actual course in flying. The ground schools and flying fields are absolutely separate, the ground instruction in-struction being given at seven of the largest universities of the country. The writeT was at Berkeley, Cal., whore Is located tho. University of California. It is quite remarkable the progress that is being made In flying and the comparative safety with which the "art" is carried on. This Is due to strict enforcement of rules and extreme ex-treme carefulness. To each machine is assigned from four to five mechanics whose duty It is to keep the machine in good condition. Each machine is ' Inspected carefully by the chief mechanic me-chanic before leaving the hangar and : again by the pilot (officer or cadet) 1 before each flight. The engine must i make 1200 revolutions per minute, before be-fore flight is attempted. The slightest ' defect will render the ship unfit for ' flight until proper repair is made. The most dangerous thing connected with work . around the machine Is cranking it, which is done by turning tho propellor. Strict rules, howevor, govern this operation. The mechanic before touching the propellor, must call out "off" at which sound the pilot carefullv sees to it that the switch is off and "calls out "off." The mechanic now turns the propellor four or five times slowly, steps back two paces and says "on." at which tho pilot turns on the. switch after which he repeats "on." The mechanic now steps forward, for-ward, grasps the propellor with both hands and pulls quickly with all his strength, stepping backward at the same time to avoid being struck by the other end of the propellor as it revolves. re-volves. The slightest violation of these rules results in the violator having hav-ing to police the barracks a given number of days, according to the seriousness ser-iousness of the offense. Half of the me?i fly in the morning and half in the afternoon, and attend classes in gunnery and telegraphy the half day they are not scheduled to flv. Usually four men are assigned to one machine and one instructor, who, for the first 5 to 9 hours flies Vlth the cadet in the machines having dual controls. When capable, the cadet flies alone, but Is prohibited from doing any stunts. When considered worthy of tho title of reserve military aviator, ' cadets are usually commissioned, f Personally, I have flown four hours y and expect to fly soon alone. Being sont to Routoul Field in Illinois where cold weather prohibited flying and froni' there here, where holidays interfered, inter-fered, accounts for the delay in flying since T graduated from ground school more than a month ago. I like to fly and it is quite natural now to look at the earth from an altitude al-titude of 4000 feet. Very truly yours, (Signed) HERBERT C. WADE. First Provisional Squadron, Ellington Elling-ton Field, Touston, Texas. |