Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1917-11-14
AVIATION SERVICE.
Young Edgefeld Aviation Writes
Very Interesting Letter
From Dayton, Aviation
Training Camp.

The people of Edgefeld county
have read in the county papers
number of interesting letters about
the life, schedules, etc., in various
branches of the service. Perhaps it
will be interesting to hear some
thing from the aviation branch.
First we were sent to ground
schools applicants from forts
Oglethorge and Mcpherson train
ing camps to the one in Atlanta at
the Georgia school of Technology.
Here we had eight weeks of inter-
esting but hard theory work. This
period was more than most of US
would have cared to tackle had it
not been for the anticipation of the
practical part to follow. At last
tho, when most of us had scraped
by on examinations we we're hustled
with the usual army expediency to
the Wilbur Wright Aviation Field
which is about ten miles from Day
ton, Ohio. This field contains about
5000 acres and is as level as floor.
The Wright brothers did their first
experimenting here. The hangar
they used is still standing. For the
first few days after our arrival we
watched the great birds' passing
overhead until we had "cricks" in
necks.
After about five days which /
suppose was given us to let the nov
city of our new surroundings wear
off we were assigned to flying in
structors. My instructor was MIR.
Manning from Mississippi who is,by
the way, related to the governor of
our state. His cordial manner at.
once forms a fellowship between
him and his students. This is very
important, in fact, almost essential
for the success of aeroplane instruc-
ton. Combined with this be has a
playful streak which was very eyi-
dent when he gave me my Initial
ride. I got several thrills on that
trip which were quite novel and
unexpected. Besides a dizzy spiral,
he made several nose dives. These
last give the novice the sensation,
many times magnifed, of tobog-
gan ride, or leap into cold
water.
The average time that student
stays under instruction is 500 min
utes. After 495 minutes Mr.. Man
ming abandoned me and | made the
first round of the field alone. With
the front seat empty and the rear one
rather lightly loaded, the ship rose
like balloon. When l had COM
pleted the four mile circuit she had
an altitude of about 1900 feet, or
about three times the usual height
for that distance. I throttled down
for the landing over the regular
landmarks but owing TO the height
I landed fully quarter of a mile
from the spot designated by my in!
structor. l lit without wrecking
the ship tho, thank goodness, and
that day ] was registered as solo
flyer.
After from ten to twenty hours
of solo work the students stands
his Reserve Military Aviator's test.
In this test he must land in GER
tain area, describe figure lights and
spirals, and make two cross-country
flights. Several amusing incidents
have occurred when men on cross
country flights got lost and were
forced to light to get their location.
When one of them landed he found
that he was located on top of half
finished house over in Indiana. The
R. Nj. A. test is the last barrier in
the way of commission and is fur
thermore the graduating point of
this school. Advanced flying schools
are located elsewhere in this country
and abroad.
1t is certainly a privilege to be
associated with so large a body of
men of the type who compose the
cadet body. Since the requirements
are the same they are on par with
the personnel of the o. r. G.. train
ing camps. In fact many of them
were transferred from training
camps to this branch. Altogether,
our surroundings are all that could
be wished were it not for reveille
at 4.45.
E. P. Gaines.