The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19

rifles and machine guns from aero
planes.
Iiydro-Aeroplnnes ALSO.
Hydro-aeroplanes- machines that
viii alight upon, skim over and fly
from water As well as land-are also
proposed as part OF the armys equip
inant. So far these vehicles have been
adopted only by the navy
The five centres of aviation" dc.
Acrihed are not to be called schools.
because they VIII be points for the
concentration Of squadrons as well as
TOR the instruction OF officers and
mechanicinns. No new land and few
new buildings VIII have 10 be acquired
for them
our existing army posts will supply
all OF their needs eXcep- those of tho
eastern centre. which will proba bly,
Occupy me College Park field. near
Washington. already equipped as an
aviation school for the army
This. the first OF the series of
aviation centres" is now being taken
possession of by ten military aviators
lately moved north from the temper
airy winter school at Augusta. Ga. The
scnoo! IS in command of Captain Chas
de H. Chandler, the arny's chief avla-
tor, who has also won honors as a
one captain and seven lieutenants Of
regulars, as wen as one lieutenant
colonel of the Ohio National Guard
The accompa nying photographs show
these aviators ar work at College
Park. az well as the most modern ma
chimes lately installed there.
our Measre Equipment.
The army now has only SIX aero
planes in use, out General Alien tells
me that he has six more ordered.
and hopes TO have four others. making
total OF sixteen by July !. The
Wright, Burgess Wright and Curtiss
machines already working were bought
at an average cost of S5.l00 apiece.
but the new machines will be much
more powerful and Will have an aver
age cost of at least 1000 more each.
The last five contracted for will he
known as wcight-carrying military
acroplanes." They carry two aviators,
and before they will be accepted they
must prove by trial flights that they
can ascend 1000 feet in ten minutes
while carrying a weight of $50 pounds,
in addition to four hours supply of
fuel that their planes will insure a
safe gliding angle in case the engine
stops, and that they can alight upon
or arise from plowed fields. The speed
of these heavy machines. with the
weight mentioned, must test UP 10
forty five miles an hour
More than mica minute speed, or
sixty-fve miles an hour, must be at
tanned by class of light scouting
aeroplanca." for which the general has
has had specified tons drawn. These
VIII carry only ono aviator each
Must BE Physically Perfect.
Physical perfection is demanded by
l.
lance to the College Park aviation
school. or who Wi apply for training
nj the four other schools projected.
and militia need apply, and before
they can be admitted these must un-
dergo a rigorous physical examination,
proving beyond a doubt that their eye
sight is normal. without glasses: that
they can estimate distances accurate
)y; that they are not color blind for
red, green or violet; that their ears
are sharp as their eyes; that their
wind is good their lungs and hearts
perfectly sound. and that they have
no diseases Of the nervous system or
disgcstive apparatus.
You will be surprised as well as
amused at some Of the tests prescrib-
ed for these candidates. Here, for OK
ample, are some devised 10 detect dis
eased conditions of the internal err:
'Iiave the candidate stand with
knees, heels and toes touching Have
the candidate, walk forward. backward
and in circle. Have the candidate
should be made with the eyes open and
,hen closed on both feet and then on