The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-09-21


and which gives the supporting sur
face OF an aerOplane. To the iayman
the full import of such a realization
cannot be understood in it's full force.
Briefly it meant that the cloth which
alone held me in the air had begun to
rip Oh that side. and | knew that ut
the tremendous speed at which ! was
going it would take only one good
grip of the wind under such small
opening to tear the entire fabric from
front to rear. whip it of the frame
and leave me absolutely unsupported
on that side to go crashing below
All this flashed acres; my mind in
an instant. and made. up my mind
to turn about and try to get back to
the aviation field
l came down in as easy curves as l
could because | did not want to nut
any extra strain on the torn fabric,
and kept my eye glued on that VI
brating piece of cloth. fascinated. held
spellbound by the problem of whether
1t would continue to vibrate without
tearing until got down another one
hundred feet or so to cOmpara tive
safety. or whether it was merely wait
ing until the last moment to give
final shrieking rip as though in fend-
ish desire to tantalize me with false
hope as long as possible.
know that cold sweat stood out all
over my body. and it was only by in
stinct that ! worked the controls of
my machine. for my entire mind was
focused on that little tapping shred
and all my thoughts revolved about
that one question Of whether It would
hold long enough to let me get little
closer and have chance for safety
in the fall if the rip did come.
Blessing Of Something to Do.
As look back on It. believe /
never even noticed the jofting Of the
wheels when at last ! touched The
ground. Dumbly and by instinct again
! had shut off the power on landing.
bringing the machine to full stop.
sat in my seat as my mechanics
came running up. and with my eyes
still glued fascinated to the spot where
] had seen the tapping cloth ! waited
for them. When one of my men came
near shouted to him to go over there
and see what was hanging to the
plane
II do not see anything" he said
isn't there shred of the cloth
hanging there?' asked
He ducked under the plane and soou
came up. holding in his hand little
piece of string four or five inches long
1T wasn't piece of CLOTH" he said.
1T was just bit Of string thar got
caught in bolt here"
Do not get the idea from what I
have said that an aviator Is more or
less constantly engaged in fighting
fear when he is in flight. AS II rule.
q man in an aerOplane is far TOO busy
to think much of fear. especially when
he Is taking part in some meet There
are pylons or turning posts to be
rounded. grand stands and Enclosures
to be avoided. outlines of ships to
to land in for accuracy and all such
details that keep Il mans mind fully
occupied. The earth is near and flash
es by at the rate of Il mile minute.
and, more than likely. there are other
machines in the air at the same time.
and the rules of the road must he
followed or there will be disqualitic:,-
tion If not total smashup. 50 th..
aviator is too fully occupied in guild
ing his machine according to the rules
to think much about the danger he is
in. yet. oddly enough. it is in this very
competitive form of flying tina, he is
In most peril. In working by himself
he is least in danger. yet be is likely
to be more In fear. for he has more
time to think of his peril and NO, s..
much to occupy his mind and So quie.
his nerves.
Panic From Nothing to D,
Before had gone very far into aero
planning had an experience in the air
which Illustrates the point that the
many things man has to do wh.i>.
flying and think about for safety's
sake as Il rule operate to keep his
mind away from fear.
had been well up In my Bleriot
several times and had felt very little
nervousness when Il friend IN England
invited me to accompany him and Il
party of guests on balloon trip As
hn h.,,, 4
tried to feel some Of the thrills that |
had felt in my good Bleriot. But they
did not come. There was no merry
humming of the motor. no stiEging
rush Of the wind. no sense Of great
power overcoming nature. nothing to
give me the idea that ! was doing
some of the work and that skill aud
courage were necessary to success.
II seemed that we were only hung
suspended by tiny thread aud that
all Of us were on edge. waiting for the
thread to snap and the whole outfit to
60 crashing below to the far distant
earth and to destruction.
could not get out Of my mind this
sense of suspended fate-of helpless
waiting for something awful to hap
pen. | had never experienced i in
my Bleriot. There all was action.
Muscles. mind. nerves were constant. =
occupied with the glorious battle.
found myself looking at the rope,
that suspended the car. They were all
too thin and weak. 1t seemed to me.
for the weight of such a party. felt
my nerves going fast | felt the need
pf sighting something. Of working 2
gers. of directing the thing. Of doing
something or other that would give m.