The sun., 1918-10-27


and possessed OF extraordinary qualih-
cations. The stringent demands Of the
army examining board for pilots foS-.
tered the belief that pilot must possess
more. than the average mental and physi-
cal requirements--that flying was only
for the favored few. There were spe-
cial age limitations. Men must be
young: in the army 20 TO 30, preferably
below 25 and in the navy, IS TO 20,
preferably below 90.
Well, the theorists didn't know II all.
Some older men were highly successful
In the air, and health did not always
count, One OF the notable cases is that
OF Lieut.. Godfrey Cabot. of the U. S.
N r. F., who took up flying when
beyond the life meridian, This man OF
past so has become one of the most
successful fllers of the Naval Reserve
and has had a remarkable career patrol
ling the New England coast, besides
giving lessons to pilot recruits.
| Then there Is the late Lieut. Guyne-
mer. who stands out as perhaps the
greatest fighting flier up TO the time
OF his death This man was repeatedly
rejected because OF his health-he was
consumptive and could not stand the
nerve tests-was a nerve wreck, almost
lie was only able 10 get commission
because of inside friends who won the
day for him.
Also there il Lieut.. Benedict, one of
| the first instructors in our school, who
was turned down fiat on account of his
| eyes when he applied for a commission
| In the United States Air Service. They
| told him he probably never would be
| able to make n successful landing. lie
had not told them that he for some
| time had been an exhibition hier and
had done all sorts of stunts and had
Handed hundreds of times without
trouble. They would not take him,
/ however. and finally he went to Canada,
made n splendid record with the Royal
Air Forces and Is now flying overseas
| Flying requires no superhuman
powers or abilities Anybody can fly,
| except the poor fellows who get sck
! riding in a trolley or steam car. The
few cannot stand any kind of motion
and of course could not fly. Yes, any
body can hy--if he has the price, and
some day the planes will be comparaby
as cheap as the tin lizzies of the auto
| world though the air Is no place for
| the car sick or the jag festive.
What about the terrifying sensations
| Of flying? There amt no such bird. II
is just like sitting down in comfort
able rocking chair and then lifting II
off the ground, and one Is just as COM
Portable as If on earth. He may look
around or down to the ground quite az
enjoyably as II in an auto. Why one
of our men on his first flight actually
was not sure that he had Topped the
loop aloft until friend below assured
him that It really had been done. Every
one Is thrilled on the first flight, but II
Is the exultation of a new experience
a new accomplishment-and not fright.
But airplanes of the future are not
to be confined to the individual or fam
lily types, but there will be excursion
passenger planes. and probably regular
service between cities. With the devel-
opment OF large machines under the
stimulus OF war conditions We are build
ing Capronis and Handley-Page ma
chimes able TO carry loads Of bombs, and
the other day one carried a piano from
London to Paris. 1t Is only necessary
to replace the bomb space with seat.
for passengers II ought 10 be possible
after the war for business man L
take plane for Washington. luncl
there. dine in Pittsburg after meeting
the steel board and get back to New