The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-08-04
By BAsILM. MANLY.

MINEoLA, N. Y, Aug. SITS
easier to learn to fly warplane than
to learn to run an automobile!
That's what learned at Mineola,
the eagles aerie-the nesting place
of the great American bird, king of
the skies.
For Uncle Sans Mineola aviation
field is the school where the eagles
young are taught to swoop over the
fields of France, carrying terror to
German vultures.
Easier to learn to fly than to learn
to run an auto! How long did 1t take
you, or your neighbor, to gain the
confidence of his machine? Well, at
Mineloa mere boys become expert pi-
lots, ready for the finishing touches
of Instruction in war combat, in four
hours!
Most autoists stay out of the down
town congestion for four weeks, to
say nothing of four days. And as for
auto mastery in four hours-unheard
of!
That boy is one of our best gradu-
ate airmen."
followed the gesture Of my officer
guide to figure in khaki.
Then like a jolt in the ribs came
from the officer:
HE learned in four hours. He is
ready for France"
had turned my gaze back to the
sky. Things had seemed interesting
there. Half a dozen huge planes were
clrclng, passing and repassing. l had
been thinking collision was about
! due.
| Dut-"Became a star air pilot in
four hours." studied the bOy-yes,
boy, apparently about 20, slim, cool,
no swagger, just plain American boy.
had made mistake cranlng my
neck upward. After that kept my
eyes closer to the ground.
And the most important thing 1
learned at Mineola was that the men,
the soul of the eagles, were more
worth watching than the air, the ele-
ment they conquered. or the planes,
their wings.
Just tell me-" l said to the officer
plotting me past the hangers, tents
and barracks, how they do it."
He matched my surprise. why"
with shrug, they learn to fly alone
in two hours. If they can't fly alone
in ten hours they leave, so they won't
waste our time. After 20 hours of
actual flying thew are ready to be-
come officers-Or cast-offs. They
must have passed all the test stunts
-cross-country flights, triangular
flights, accurate landings on fixed
marks, and so on.
Then, as officers, after little
time at an advance school, here or in
France, learning to handle fast ma
chimes, aerial gunnery and bomb
dropping, they are ready for their
first air battle"
The remarkable Curtiss JIM ma
chine, greatest training airplane in
the world, adopted by the British, is
responsible. 1t is a dual control ma
chine-just as if an automobile had
two steering wheels, two gear shift
levers two fuel controls, so the in
structor could at any time check or
correct the learner without Interior
ing with him.
There are two seats, one directly
behind the other. In front Of each is
complete set of controls, interlock-
ed. The pupil climbs into the front
seat. He keeps his hands and feet on
the controls to learn the "feel of II"
The instructor, in the rear manipu-
lates them. ,
An auto steering wheel, turning
from left to right for sidewise direc-
ton, and swinging backward for up
midtown direction, steering bar on
the floor operated with the feet like
steering bar of your old sled, and the
engine throttle.-these are the con-
trolls.
The second time up for his 3O-min-
ute lesson the pupil does the flying
and II he makes a false move the in
structor's hand checks him. The
fourth or fifth time up the Instructor
doesn't expect to do much checking.
He's there for safety only.
And Safety First" is the motto al!
over the aerIe. One broken strand OF
wire out Of woven cord of 20
strands means repairs. Every ma
chine is thoroughly overhauled be-
Fore avery fight.