The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-10
College Park Aviation Grounds Are
Now Deserted as the Weather is
Too Cold Tor
Flying.
: WINTER {
CAMP
THE
Soldiers Experimenting With Aero
planes Become Experts at
Repairs and Making
Improvements.

= - ~ INC III CITY UttJ lOAClY HILL pu
turb of Washington, whsts the army |
aviation school has been busy during |
the days of Indian summer, i, tlraped !
II mourning
The pretty girls who have been tax
ing such deep interest, Of purely
scientific character, no doubt, in
aviation, are disconsolate.
In southern city, public interest in
aviation has suddenly sprung to fever
heat, and the papers are eagerly scan
ned every day for the latest news OF
the sons of Mars who tempt fate by
trying, like the gent told of in myth
ology, to fly in the face of the sun.
At least, they seem at times to be
going UP to the very ultimate limit
that their planes and engines will
take them, and it fills the sweet young
things, who motor and walk and drive
to the aviation field, with thrills and
tremors lest something dreadful may
occur. It's all the worse, too, that,
only two of the officers are married.
The others are totally unprotected;
but they could have tender official
guardians almost at a moments no.
tice if they would but say the word.
AS matter of fact, nothing dread
full ever does occur out at the army
aviation school, The army, indeed, has
been peculiarly fortunate and it seems
in flying machine than to walk the
earth and chance various and divers
sorts of misadventures.
Although the war department has
been unsuccessful in getting more Of
ficers for this work, it is very much
interested in this new branch of the
service, and General Wood is plan
ming to enlarge the school. One new
plane has been ordered and there is a
prospect that half dozen officers,
now on special detail, may be assigned
4 to this work after the first Of the
year.
Captain Charles de Forest Chandler,
the commander of the flying division,
/ is a man Of much experience in this
1 kind of work, and he also has great
good judgment and self possession.
He made many ascensions in balloons
in the days when that type of air craft
/ was the only one with possibilities
i developed. Since the aeroplanes have
1 become practicable he has made per-
haps $50 flights in them. Captain
Chandler keeps in training by taking
plenty of outd.ror exercise and by Civ
ing careful attention to his diet He
eats light breakfast and takes Just
i one-half cup of coffee, filing the cup
(, with hot water and using cream and
sugar to suit his taste. Il have to be
careful of my nerves." the Captain
explains on this score. He usually
drives to the field in his motor car,
and here, too, he requires steady
nerves and GOODNESS, for the country
roads are not all of the best.
When the captain takes fight he
dresses warmly, putting on leather
cap which fits closely down over the
ears, a leathern waistcoat and coat
also of leather, with gloves to keep
his hands warm. He was asked by one
of the visitors if he found it cold up
in the air, and he replied:
The temperature Is not much diff
ferent, but if you would sit on the
earth and let wind blow on you with
force of forty to sixty miles an hour
you would find it cold enough
Some OF the others in the
camp have made more flights
than Captain Chandler = Captain
Paul Beck, for instance - and
the story of flying is no longer the
novelty with them that it once was
Yet it always has its surprises ant
even its dangers, as we'll. When the
air conditions seem, from the ground
to be almost ideal. one may find tina,
there are unexpected currents ano
counter currents several hundred fee
up in the air: and having passed them
there may be found again the mos
ideal calmness or steadiness of ali
currents, making flying not only de
lightful but measureably safe.
Aviation is unquestionable popular
A score OF cities. at least, were ambi
tious to be selected as the scene o
the winter aviation maneuvers. Prob
ably thousand officers in the arm.
would like to be attached to tn,
school. The war department will no
assign any officer to the school unles
he has first volunteered for the sci
vice, and probably 200 have alread,
volunteered. The fact that abolt 100
officers are detached on special ser
vice has deferred the department from
assigning any more officers to tn
school, but it is believed now that /
may be possible to assign half dozel
more to the winter camp. There i
enough money on hand to buy fly,
or six more machines and the grea
activity being r|own by foreign GOV
ernments in the study Of aviation ha
caused this government to realize tina