The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-01
AMERICAN BIRDMEN IN
ITALY HIGHLY TRAINED
Many Problems, Often and Remote,
Must eB Solved.

AliICl lNdH t'CdpihhS 'NA'''t b
camp, Italy, June l.-(Correspond-
cree of The Associated Press -
The day of an aviator under instruc-
tor is long one in this camp
where. thanks to the abounding
courtesies of the Italian navy de
partment there are plenty OF ma
chimes. The hours OF student are
not at all taken up with the soaring
through the heavens. personally
conducted by crack pilot instruct
or who varies the monotony by
sharp dives after lake ducks which,
when caught on the wires, are
harded over to the Italian mechanics
as an incentive TO increase their ct
hciency.
The official list of the studies
which are sometimes crowded into
the day OF student include IN
struction in Blue Jackets Manual,
such as navy regulations what the
navy is, what a fellow may do to
get ahead. and so forth. Secondly,
there is the vital subject OF motors,
unGer which head comes the theory
and practice Of motors, how to re-
pair them. how they are made, their
various parts. the different kinds
used in different machines and how
TO handle them when in the air, and
many other points.
Theory OF Aeroplanes.
The theory of airp!anes comes
third in the list, how and why
machine stavs in the air, the angles
of fitting the different wing sec
tcus. and how to make airplanes
and the kinds of woods and fabrics
necessary.
The fourth study is radio or wire
less with practice in sending at least
fifteen words a minute as an OBJ
servation officer. Next comes naEl-
cation. with elementary ground
work in the handling OF ships. but
particularly in the handling OF both
air and seaplanes with respect to
dating courses. On top OF this the
student gets infantry drill on the
davs when the wind makes practice
fiying dangerous, or is permitted TO
plav baseball in place OF setting-uP
exercises, to keep i'll good physical
trim.
While r,ost Of the students have
already passed ground work tram
ing and examinations either m
France or the United States, this
camp is considered an excellent
place not only for learning the
practical handling of foreign ma
chimes. but also for brushing up the
element Of the official list of studies.
They have plenty of time on RAINY
days for such studies and for dis-
cussing fine points OF practice and
theory among themselves.
The use Of special instruments
such as inclinometers. those regis
tering altitude and the like. and the
time when such instruments viii
fail to register. when fellow must
90 by feel all open Up wide helds
20. discussion. 1t IS in these dis
cussions. with the more experienced
men about. such as a warrant OF
ficer, who has grown up IN the steam
navy and knows sea conditions, that
the students get much valuable IL
formation on how TO act under given
circumstances.
A Puzzling Question. /
What would you do if a bird
struck YOU in the face and broke
your goggles p is one of the pu1-
zling questions sometimes put.
While this accident has never oc-
Cured so far as any Of the men
know. some maintain !: comes with
in the range of possibility.
How are you going to tel # a
submarine is enemy or ally = IS an
other question that frequently comes
up for discussion. When the long
cav is done, after supper, the men
arc free TO swap yarns among them
selves or with the English-speaking
Italian pilots who have seen active
duty around Venice and in other
ports OF the Italian seas. Some
times they "tum on the music IN
.he omen air and entertain the WI