The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-20

fore the first nail was driven into the
aerodrome. But those who will be
admitted Will have to prove UP to GER
tain standards of eligibility. includ-
Ing skill a t swimming and other quail
gcations to be later decided. All of
the Annapolis cadets are already wild
TO try their wings. but no such busi-
ness will be allowed to take their
minds off their books
Learning the New Art.
AS soon as student at the new
echool qualities s hydro-aviator the
TACT Will be entered upon his record
In the Navy Department flles Having
mastered the handling, care and main
tenance OF tte hyhro-aeroplane. he
must finally qualify as a pilot. accord
ing to the rules OF the International
federation. aforementioned. In other
words, in the presence OF committee
OF the Aero Club of America he must
cut a figure eight five times around
two flags flown from buoys. 1900
rect apart, and then land within $50
teet or an established mark. lie must
do all of this twice over. making tor
turns in all and two landings. When
Lieutenant Ellyson was qualifying hs
made his first landing directly along
side the mark-a white Nag buoved
by a bottle-and his second landing
within ten feet OF It, This official
TEST also requires the student avia-
tor to ascend above nifty meters
'apout 100 feeD, and when Ellyson
was qualifying In this part of the
test he made double the required al
titude.
onoer favorable weather conditions
green student can finish his course
at the new school and qualify as an
a'iator In about month, Captain
Chambers tells me.
Lie preservers are worn by the
student hydro-aeronauts In the two
nearest views, showing Mr.. Curtiss
and Lieutenant Eilyson in the Trind
you will note that first one and then
inc other has the control wheel.
Ihese snapshots illustrate one OF tho
novel features of this hydro aeronIapa
the shift control" The lever sun.
porting the wheel can be thrust over
at any time thus enabling the in
structor to hand the control over to
ms Pupil at any time, or the student
aviator to hand 1t back to the teach
er should an emergency arise. This ia
vast Improvement upon the old Cur
uss machine. wherein instructor and
pupil had to sit tandem fashion-one
III front of the other-using the same
control The Wright machine at The
new flying academy has not vet hear
h'ted with water-gear. but an i'm
proved hydroplane will soon he
adapted to 1t.
Fine for HnISing Trains.
Thai the Rriad is not ONLY yaluah,o
!or war purposes and pleasure flights
nut Tor making trains was demon
strated the other day TO Cantaip
Chambers, who has flown in the ma.
chihe With both Mr.. Curtiss and Lieu
tenant E.llyson. He became so deeply
d osoroed In the new machine that
he forgot the time. and on ,oolxIn,
at his watch found that he could ne,
set 10 the railroad station in time
even II the best horse on the place
should do its utmost But Ellvson
happened to have his good aereal steed
In harness. and bidding the captain
mount 1T alongside of him. whizzed
MN several miles through space and
put MN down OH the depot platform
IN plenty OF time to buy his ticket
and check his baggage.
How would these hydro-aeron,o
captain. '"e
Principally for scoutins-for oh.
serving and reporting movements Of
the enemy's fleet at distance We
are now investigating how far wo
can get up and how far we can see
which will depend largely upon tbs
In wartime each machine would
an aviator and an observer. the
latter using the wireless to continual
~ report the movements of the an
envy back to the base ship
Alter having been launched from
ueoh' the machines might fly over the
water and then over land 70 another
ooas OF wafer or over an enemy's fort,
or feet a 5 the case may be. We
may develop our machines to also de-
lFer counter attacks on hostile aero
planes by use of explosives or other
means"
VIII our naval aviators he trained
10 throw bombs upon ships?"
Perhaps. But the results so far 81
throwing bombs from aeroplanes have
oeen much more spectacular than
practical. In my own opinion this
method of attack will never be put 20
practical use for the simple reason
that 1T is much easier to protect ships
from bombs overhead than from mines
and torpedoes underneath
we are developing a wireless an
paratus for the hydro eroplanes and
hope soon to get II down to total
weight OF ATTY pounds. The antennae
so far experimental with in aero
planes, has trailed out behind the kites
tall but we are nwo testing a much
more convenient device
Headpteces on both aviator and OBJ.
server will be connected so that they
can talk to each other during flights
something which Is now impossible,
owing to the pounding OF the engine
The observers headpiece will also hs
y1lit.ssslta pN.. sss tys