East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-09-27
U. S. AIR FIGHTERS
ARE GROWING WINGS
FLEDGLINGs FROM AMERICA
FAST LEARNING TO SOAR
IN FRANCE.
Early Birdman catches His coffee
and Rolls at $3.50 and Then Rus
ties Until 10 O'Clock at Night.


| Omitted Press staff Correspondent.J
i AMERICAN FIELD HEADQUAR-
| TIERS. France. Sept. 27.-(By mail)
Tucked away in the obscurlty Of
| France where even the war news fill
ters through several days late. Uncle
Sans flegdling air-flghters are be-
ginning to sprout their wings.
You will find them in two big
French aerodrom es-men OF the ar
my and navy and Americans Of the
French Foreign Legion who have
temporarily expatrloted themselves
to learn flying.
Tho early bird-man catches his
coffee and rolls at 4:3O a. m. and
from that time on until 10 O'Clock a.
night-in good weater-his hazard
Gus day is crowded with lectures and
study.
Pest Time Not Used.
| The daily schedule calls for three
hours rest between noon and three
O'Clock. Sometimes a fellow gets
chance to sleep in this period but
more often he spends it propped up
| In his cot studying the why's and the
| wherefores of the spiral spin.
Uncle Sam'sown aviation field
isn't an aviation field at all just now.
Engineers are working there putting
| barracks and hangers or buildings,
the necessary railroad spurs with the
aid OF a band of complacent Germau
| prisoners. Pretty soon now, II the
| officials and the people at home
come through with the material this
field will be one of the greatest ayI-
alton bases in the world. But the
| flyers can't wait so they're learning
with the French.
one Class HAS Graduated.
Take the army and navy mems
school These men were picked be-
cause OF their unusual qualifications
and sont over here TO France TO
study dying with experienced French
air-flshters Already one class OF
navy men has graduated from the
preliminary course OF flying ana
passed on to the second course
where they will learn to handle the
big machines which drop bombs and
the fleet little craft which do the
fighting.
Mingling with the American sol
dlers and sailors are other Americans
In blue uniforms. the uniform Of the
Foreign Legion, who flocked over
here. confident of learning somehow,
somewhere, the flying game more
quickly than they could at home.
They viii ibe ready with the rest,
when thetime comes to fly before
the American trenches and stiflc the
enemy guns.
Rich mans heir and poor mans
son. and the college athletic hero OF
season ago are mingled together.
taking the same course. living under
the same discipline.
Double Control Used.
The new student goes up in
plane with a double set OF control
levers said a young lieutenant the
son Of a former mayor OF New
York. IF the student makes mis-
take, the French pilot sitting hehinl !
him, gives a hand signal for the stu
dent to let go of everything. Then !
the pilot works the plane with his |
own levers and If itisn't too late he |
can prevent accidents. The double |
control lever saves a lot of fellows |
from-getting hurt"
But people will get hurt despite |
the control system. Students at this |
school can point out two spots on |
their flying field where two Ameri- |
can naval flyers fell to their death |
while learning. And farther down the
field, behind big hangar there is q
pile of three or four junked aero
planes, broken in minor flying acci- /
dents.
French officers admire the Ameri-
can sense OF discipline. Here Is an
that the whole camp will !
The pilot instructed his
student to steer a straight course no
matter what lay ahead because a
green pupil is liable to upset his ma
chine by attempting to turn The pu-
1ll obeyed and crashed into tree.
Both occupants of the machine had
light injuries but the instructor was
iatisfied he had man of nerve.