Marble Hill press., 1918-06-13

gets into tail SPA accidentally or hs may
Intentionally take l.s machine into ono. t.f5rr
J." ha> bad The usual Instruction ou' ~ IN. srirtt
- adventure. " ever the kldII,h J.-lrr a. co...
vince himself - ils daring or ,,hHa' u 70 his
Fellow >irH'H's ls' whatever the cause - i
ih" oii..n u! dying r~ld a,ators that getting
into 'H.. spin ru1'us'y or accidentally without
h'in. ah." 90 manage D. properly. j. the cause u
% large proportion y fatal accidents OF the ny.
ins fields
The same p"ry.-~,. unconscious iufucnsc ~
the mind over u" muscles which forces the
bicycle learner straight toward ~" object hc Is
UHlus io avoid j. responsible for many ~ the
fatal accidents due 20 collisions Even The most
expert - nyer may D. unable 10 aver n serious
accident when he sc,s approaching him n plane
driven hy a cadet who is doing his level best 90
Keep his machin" out - the Others way How
serious and ever present t. this danger in n,nr
heids is proved by Capt. vernon Castles death
In dying there are certain blind angles In
which collisions are possible through M fault ~
the driver Of either plane. The sections ~ space
covered 10y the wings of his ship are invisible TO
the pilot. and II such n section COMEDIES with
the space concealed from the eyes ui another
pilot approaching from below or at one side
sudden crash Is likely 20 - tho nrst that either
knows OF the other plane. This blind angie"
may be the cause Of an occasional serious acct
dent. hut ayiatorS do not think that such collisions
are OF frequent occurrence.
Engine trouble causes many unimportani acct.
dents. but nviators say. should never orfcr any
serious difficulty 10 n man who has learned how
TO manage his plane II he Is In region where
II Is possible for him To- come down safely Aud
FOR engine trouble there are as many possible and
legitimate causes as there are reasons for an
automobile 90 halk
In few cases broken propeller has caused
n pilot to make forced landing with injury TO
ilHup nm n ha Iu,. txt.h
serious result 10 himself The accompanying pic
turr shows what happened TO a pilot when his
propeller weakened. cracked and broke over the
grounds OF hlgh school In the cnvironS uf Hous
ton. Tex. He brought his ship down with some
damage 70 II. but TO himself and greatly TO
the delight OF the Inhabitants Of the region.
Various causes may result in the breaking Of
the propeller Il may have been injured In some
previous nose dive 10 the ground: or bird may
have got entnnglcd in its blades. Cadets are for
hidden TO chase birds because Of the possibility
OF such n result aud the sure smashing OF the
propeller. Nevertheless. they do IL sometimes
when the instinct OF the chase is strong In their
blood. And II would be quite possible for q bird
10 fly against his propeller To the undolng OF both
bird and propeller, and the pilot TO be ignorant
OF what had happened.
The men who By hard work and steady prac-
tice have earned the right TO the title Of bird.
men" believe that with both students and skilled
aviators one canse Of fatal accidents Is the fail
ure Of the nervous system TO respond Immediately
and accurately TO the command Of the brain
Anything which causes nervous fatigue may bring
about that physical stnte-dissipation nerve
strain. physical weariness lack OF sleep The
flyer must be so alert his grasp upon every stu
alton which may confront him so instant and his
action TO meet and control II so prompt that the
fraction OF n second In the movement Of his hand
upon the controls Of his machine may mean the
difference between life and death.
And anything which slows by ever no little the
action of the brain in an emergency. or the fash
Ing Of Its commands along the nerves or the In
slant obedience Of the motor nerves may send
him crushing to the earth. The cadets before
they have become what they call 'Fnstinctive
flyers" are especially liable 10 this danger al.
though even those who skilled In the mir are
lot free from Its menace Birimen who are
'killed In one. or another. or several forms Of
thletics say that In nothing else have they felt
10 much the necessity OF this instant and COM
'lete response Of the nerves to the demand upon
hem
The cadets quickly discover. they say. that
ack Of plenty Of sleep soon results 10 . physical