The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-13
"SAFEIy FIRST" RULE
Of STUDENT ALIATORS
Picked Young Men Busy At Mineola
Learning How TO Fight German
Flyers and Take Care of
Themselves,

Mineoia, l. L.. Sept. 1l.--While hum
dreds OF thousands OF men in America
are learning how 20 jab bayonets
through German soldiers in leisurely
embryo officers of the American forces
are here today Tearing how to destroy
Boche birdmen. To Judge by their
training they will do the job both
efficiently and quickly.
Under the direct supervision Of Bert
Acosta, one of Americas most sue
eessful civilian aNiators. scores of
candidates for commissions in the
aviation section of the Army Signal
corps are being taught to extricate
themselves from the most dangerous
position imaginable while several
thousand feet from ground.
For military reasons IL is forbidden
for detail of the fighting instruction
for aviaters to be made public. Here,
however. Is an Illustration OF the
dangerous situations the aviators are
being put through:
While about 1000 feet above
ground, with the machine going near
ly straight up, let her quietly slip
backward and downward. tail FIRST.
for rs or 100 feet, then get the ma
chine under control again, go UP still
higher and try II once more.
It's quite easy--that is, it is easy
TO watch Bert Acosta or Edward Hor
terman, his first assistant, pull 1t off.
All YOU have TO do In to let the ma
chine drop backward and downward
until you feel that you have gone
far enough, then pick up speed and
make her go upward again. Simple,
OF course. II you took a fancy to
do so YOU might let her continue to
90 backward at increasing speed. all
the 2 600 feet down To earth. but you
would hardly feel like working next
day, so that is not part of the regular
course. Acosta doesn't recommend
this. as the nearest undertaker's shop
is two miles away
Another simple little test Of your
skill as an aviator is to ride up 1000
! or 10000 feet. then come down in a
spiral with the wings of the machine
almost vertical, Acosta recommends
this for nervous persons.
I Other stunts that make you want
TO hug the ground when you see them
being done are daily pulled OFF by
Acosta and Holterman TO reach the
candidates how they should handle
the machine under difficulties as
when they are being chased by two
or more enemy areopianes or being
fred upon by batteries of anti-air-
craft guns.
+! notwithstanding the apparent reck.
lessness of the flyers, each stunt
Is carried out In an absolutely scien.
FtiAe manner. fifsteaf OF counting
danger for the fun OF it" the aerial
movements are carefully planned with
the factor of safety always being
among the first things considered
Nothing Is undertaken for exhibition
purposes except to demonstrate how
TO escape death over the battlefield
To fiy around putting the machine
at all kinds OF angles and goIns
Sthreush air the -f1Iasli paIsti@ns rnay a,s.
pear silly and dangerous. Acosta said
today AS a matter of fact 1t "a
the only safe thing to do when you
are above an enemy's battlefield
Infantry officers in our training
camps are telling their men that 1g-
norance courts death in a battle with
hayonets. In the aviation service ig-
norance is certain death"
High in the ranks of the men seek
ing commissions in the aviation corps
stands Captain Cushman A. Rice, vet
eran of half a dozen wars on the
American Continent and a former
member of the general STATS of three
bri9adier generals of the American
army.
Captain Rice, The Cuban Million.
aire' made a fortune in Cuba follow.
ing his resignation an a captain OF
infantry in the regular army in 1902
He is temporarily a sergeant In the
corps of men slated TO receive com
missions Today he told how it feels
when you make your first flight In
an aeroplane.
When Mr. Holterman. who was
driving tho machine and rttyaa1F yuar.
gliding along about T,20U feet up, FOR
some unaccountable reason / felt q
strong desire to leave my seat and
walk out on one of the wings &c
learn how 1t felt out there don't
know why II was. hut | felt that de
sire SO strongly for about ten minutes
that l almost had to go.
Really you feel quite safe and Sc.
cure no matter how high you so
when wou have confidence In the mar
driving the areoplane--or when you
are driving 1t yourself. If you really
j understand running it. Everything
is new and different way up there
that you do not have time to think oil
being afraid"
Captain Rice Will he among those
whose time to go 10 France is rapidly
approaching
When l do go over shall carry
Don IA prize terrier) along with me
He is quite as fond of aeroplanes as
am, Captain Rice said
Captain Rice stands out as a man
who took the hard road to n commits
sion. although he could have had one
without working for IT, Nothwith
standing the fact that he could have
become Northumberland of in
fantry, because OF his military record
he chose TO enlist In the aviation
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