New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-03

has an unusual quality. It's hero real
though resohttey unconventional bero-is an
aiypndr. There Is IN II the thrill Of that strange
as1C mode OF warfare cbich modern science has
Introduced lc0rfdre conducted in the clouds,
IN the east, lonely spaces Of sky and sea.
But II IS more than q mere objective noiT0-
tire The per1ls the fascination and the norel
technique Of air fighting are only the back
ground for penetrating study Of character
There is a profound and subtle irony IN the
portrait Of Gent11k, the Flyer Without a Heart
aohich suggests Bernard Shan. BIT the irony
IS more efectire than Shdic's, because At is'so
much less ostentotjous and theatrical What
rs the source Of heroism? What IS its riddle?
~ nee or twice every week ] met him at
the aviation field l wanted to learn
~ 10 fv. He had already learned He
had taken his examination at JohannisthaL
When on one occasion | mentioned something
that Pegoud had done he shrugged his Shout
ders and said indiFerently:
What is there in that? do that every day.
Just bluff"
Later, discovered that he was neither AFRO
CANT nor boastful-that Pegoud could have
learned much from him. But that fact inter
ested him very little. And with him money
making played absolutely no role.
We had gotten acquainted in peculiar way.
One dav when we were about the only specta-
tors present, because it was bad flying weather,
one Of the aviators fell Right at our feet.
was very much excited and ran to him to see
if could help in any way. But the accident
left my companion cold. With the utmost COM
L L o,,4o fh his Y,Ockpt
sketched something in it and wrote out some
geometrical formula.
When ! saw that the accident was not half
so serious as it had seemed at first to be, |
returned to where he stood.
We'll" he said. "why all that foolish excite
ment? Either the man is dead-and then it
doesn't make any difference-or he is not dead
and then some one else will come and attend
to him. For you are not physician. Or you
are?"
was enraged at his lack of feeling and told
him so. though not in offensive language
He answered:
clears in the eyes make one blind. And !
want TO see and must see-just on account Of
those foolish fellows who are always falling.
Haven't YOU noticed that the same ones always
fall? Always the same-men who would fall
down in life at anything which they undertook.
Don't you see? Pegoud has fallen only once.
One real fall and then no more have fallen
twice. The second time because ! had dissi-
pated the night before and was thick-headed.
And | can tell you that if safer and always
safer machines are demanded, it is only on &C
count of the thick heads"
"But why do you come TO the aviation field,
a., md not nj no
interested in what they do here?"
What a question? l am studying accidentt
and other involuntary descents"
What for?"
Because l want to construct regulator
which will make falls of all sorts impossible.
II is task which greatly interests me. Apart
from the fact that | need good deal of money,
it gives me an inexpressibe satisfaction to
think out TO the end what no man has ever
thought out before. Only the things that
haven't been done before repay man for busy
ing himself with them"
"Are you then of the opinion that an abso-
lutely dependable flying machine can be nader"
Il am not only of that opinion, but am also
thoroughly convinced that perfect safety can
be attained One needs only to hit upon the
right solution, out of many possible solutions.
If man was able to invent the comfortable
flying machine-a thing far, far more difficult
to invent-then he can also find way to make
the safe flying machine. Safety is not only
simpler thing than controllability. 1t should
have preceded controabity. 1t is a prior
element The flying machine will eventually
be as safe as the railroad train"
at is anything but safe so far"
And why isn't it safe? Because accidents
come without exception from slovenly construc-
ton. The best regulator cannot help when a
machine is not properly balanced, or when the
planes are brittle And if | do not satisfy my
self personally before mounting that the ap-
paratus is in good order, how can / depend
upon it that it will sustain me in my flight?
But there is a guarantee against the accidents
which ! am studyng-those which are acct
dents in the real sense of the word, and which
at present we seem powerless to prevent In
fact, there are half dozen preventives. But
| am working on plan to build machine
which needs very little driving power beyond
the power furnished by the flyer himself"
expressed some doubt as TO whether that
was possible since the apparatus must in any
case be lifted into the air and since man can
hardly do more than lift his own weight.