Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-09
HOW AVIATORS ARE
TRAINED FOR ARMY
Daily Flying Periods at Begin.
ming Are Twenty Minutes;
Five Months to Win
Commission.

SuiNdSps &hdy WIN Va th~
busiest centers of activity just now
in connection with the training of men
for service in the United States army,
Is the aviation field at Ashburn, about
twelve miles southwest OF the central
part of the city. At this station fifty
five men are being taught how to
manipulate army bi-planes. Nine in
structors have been detailed on this
work. Twenty-eight machines, each
of l00-horse-power, are in use.
The aviation field is plot one mile
square, as smooth and level as table
top, and with no trees or other OBJ
structions to handicap the flyers. At
present no living quarters for the men
in training have been erected, but
they are being planned and will be
built soon. For the time being the
aviation students are finding homes
at lodgeding houses and in private
residences in the neighborhood.
Nearly all of those who are fitting
themselves at Ashburn for commits
sions in the aviation section of the
signal corps Of the Central depart
ntent, United States army, are from
Chicago. All are within the age limit
of 21 to 81 years. Captain ]. c. Nor
row, who is member of the aviation
section of the signal corps, and is
chief aeronautical officer Of the Cen,
trail department, says that the men are
of a uniformly fine type, that they
relish their work and have shown a
splendid patriotic spirit IN applying
for enlistment, as many of them have
left positions with big business con-
Germs or have foregone finishing col
lege work.
In charge of the Chicago station
are: Captain Arthur Christis and two
assistants, Captain Ralph Royce and
Captain r. S. Brown. All are officers
in the aviation section OF the signal
corps, United States army.
Course Of Instruction.
The men who are under training at
Ashburn are given about six hours o;
instruction in flying, divided into les
sons Of about twenty minutes at q
time, before they are allowed to oper-
ate a machine alone. Instructors 60
with them at first, as they fly over the
training field, and tell the novices
how to steer and otherwise manage
the big bi-planes. The student-avia-
tor sits in front, his instructor close
behind him. There are two sets OF
controls on each airplane and if the
unframed man handles his levers
wrongly, the skilled hand of the in
structor corrects the error at once by
using the auxiliary controls.
After the student has had his full
hix hours of experimental training, in
the short periods, he is turned loose"
as the aviators say, to finish his aerial
education unaccompanied by an in
structor. ..
The men have shown great recep-
tivity and have soon been able to take
care of themselves, according to Cap
tain Morrow. He explained that the
daily flying periods were made brief
because experience had taught that
as much, or more, could be learned
in them by the student as could be
learned in longer periods and because
it had been learned that in other ways
the short period accomplished more.
Qualifications for Commission.
The term necessary for study and
practice before the student is ready
for his commission averages about
FIVE months. The greater number Of
those now at the Chicago training
station have already had about two
months schooling. The things in
which they will have to make good"
before they can be accepted in the
reserve are:
Climb out Of field. 1000 feet square and
attain an altitude Of 500 feet, keeping all
parts of the. machine inside the square
during the climb
Glide at normal angle with motor shut
off. spiral to right and left. and change
direction OF gliding.
Cut off motor at 1000 feet altitude and
land within 200 feet of designated point
Land over an imaginary obstacle ten feet
high and come to rest within 1900 feet Of
it.
Make cross-county, triangular flight of
at q minimum altitude of $500 feet
Make straight away cross-county flight
Of thirty miles landing at a specified spot
both outward and return trips to be at a
height Of 1880 feet.
Fly forty-five minutes at a height OF
1000 feet.
If the candidate for a commission
can pass all these tests he will be ac-
cepted, provided all other qualifca-
tions, physical and mental, be met.
All candidates must weigh not more
than 100 pounds, must be Of good
moral character and must have a COL
lege education.