The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-07-04
LIFE AT SEAPLANE
TRAINING CAMP

American Seaplane Training Camp,
Italy, May 30 Correspondence OF
the Associated Press)-A flying day
on the beach here, with the roaring
of the engines of dozens of sea-
planes overhead, on the water, start
ing out or returning, with cries of
command in two or three languages,
presents a stirring picture.
Life and death hang in the balance
every instant. Those in command
are far more apprehensive than they
care to show. "You can't make ONE
lettes without breaking eggs" they
explain, as they watch a machine be-
ginning to nose too soon preparatory
to making a landing.
Look at him, he's sure to cut in on
that other fellow and bump him." one
eXclaims. To the unintiated the two
aviators who are trying to make a
landing near the home beach seem to
have hundreds of yards of space in
which to manoeuvre but the officers
know they have but little space. AS
the two machines are travelling at
85 to 90 miles an hour on their nose
dive, the matter of a possible colli-
sion is soon settled, and favorably.
Both hit the water safely on their
tailS-the proper way-and race
across the lake snorting like thou
sand seahorses, gradually turn, and
come home.
So soon as the camp commander in
charge of the Beach saw the two
machines take the water safely, his
mind turned to other matters. There
is special instructor who sits with
a chart before him with the name of
ever student flying this day upon it.
and he records merit or demerit marks
there for every good or bad move the
fliers make, and this will be submit
ted to the commander later and prop
er observations made to the aviators.
"You must be careful in this bus
mess not to discourage the fellows,"I
explained one of the officers. "Their
nerves are their courage, their flying
ability, and if you take away their
courage, their confidence, you may
spoil a good aviator"
Look out there, you'll break those
WINGS" called the American COM
mander as two seaplanes came
shooing up the beach, too close to-
gether for comfort. The helpers in
the water seized them and dragged
them in to a safe landing. "That's
one of the troubles with having too
many machines about" explained the
"When seaplane
starts in for the beach the aviator
cuts off the power and then he can't
steer it any longer. When the wind
is unfavorable or the water is rough,
they have to make several trials
sometimes before they can get in
head on"
There are men here from Little
Rock, Arkansas, Chicago, Boston
everywhere. "It's pretty dull place
here" said one. "When do you think
they will send us to the front?"
Have YOU heard if we are going
on the Italians or the French front?
asked another.
81 wish you'd tell the people at
home to write us often" put in a
rosy checked ensign of twenty.
Somehow, seems to take a month
and more for us to get letters. Tell
them, too, we can't write much from
here because our letter are censored,
and we don't like to have somebody
we see every day censor our mail and
read our private letters.
Most of them were eager to get on
the front and into the fighting.
"That's real sport" explained. One
man has been lost at this camp so far,
but his death hasn't frightened any
of the others. They figured out that
perhaps he cut off his power too soon
before nosing. Anyway, they don't
intend the same accident shall hap
pen to them before the end of the
war.
"Then," said one with a laugh,
"we're going to shake fighting and
take up the safer, passenger-carrying
end of the business"