Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-04
GERMAN filters TAUGHT
ON RATS IN A LAKE
school For Pilots OF Zeppclins Far
From ShOre-Away From
PryinE Eyes.

following article a Daily Mail CORE
spondent gives a description of the
| training of a Zeppelin pilot:
Along the shores of Lake Constance.
OH the German side. there are numer-
Gus small Islands, all Of them OF n re-
markable similarity In shape. They
are huge floating RATS. each OF which
| carries Zeppelin shed.
Here. far out from the shore and
away from prying eyes. dwells a busy
colony OF human beings. These are
the pilots and the crews of the Zep-
pelins-skilled mechanics. whose duty
it is to overhaul the huge craft and
to keep them airworthy. There are
also hundred-odd housewives whose
nimble fingers busily stitch at and
fashion the envelopes: night and day
they ply their needles In order that
their beloved fatherland may not lack
the necessary material. Lastly, there
are the youths who are being instruct
ed I'm the gentle art Of flying.
These latter are for the most part
the oldest sons of the noblest German
families. their ages ranging from eigh-
lated to an officer in the air service
Is considered a very great honor in
Germany. The air service Is even
thought more desirable than the crack
regiments. such as the Deaths Head
HusSars or the Prussian Guards, the
kaiser's bodyguard.
where Pliers Are Trained.
"At Decentralization the air sta
tion is named after the nearest large
town OH land-the would-be airmen
must undergo a course Of long and de-
tailed instruction. 1t matters not
or the army wing. Friedrichshafen is
the central training school for both.
The naval wing is by far the larger
and sees far more active service than
does that of the army.
After completing his training course
at Friedrichshafen the young pilot Is
sent to Helgoland, Tondern, Borkum.
Leipsic. Brussels, one of the other
large Zeppelin centers. there to carry
on carry on his profession Of death
and destruction. From three to four
months is the time allowed to train
an efficient Zeppelin pilot. During that
period he Is supposed to have gained a
thorough knowledge Of the handling
Of the craft. of tho working of the
engine. Of tho main principles Of aero
states, wireless. gunnery and the
theory Of flight.
For the first three weeks he attends
series Of lectures: there are the con-
struction. the assembling. fabric manu-
featuring, navigation and meteorologi-
cal classes. He must personally make
up portion OF fabric, take to pieces
and reassemble an engine, box and
steer course by compass. At the end
of each month an examination Is held,
and at the end of the course comes
final examination. In which the candi-
date must secure 20 per cent of tho
total number of marks allowed or he
Will be asked to resign. Needless to
state the average German youth is too
keen on his subject to submit to this
indignity.
Having passed this final examina-
ton the sublieutenart is permitted,
with great rejoicing in his heart, to
take part in his first flight. Several of
the older types OF Zeppelin are re-
served for this purpose. The 'quirks,'
as they would be called in our own
service. are taken up In patches Of Ave
under the vigilant eve OF an expert