Evening journal., 1918-09-11

Not everyone realizes what a long
time it takes to make a service flyer.
The average period from tho time a
British pupil enters the cadet schools
OF the royal air force TO the time he is
ready to so overseas and fly over the
enemy lines in about seven months.
That is a very considerable time, espe-
cially I'm these days OF intensive train
ing and preparation. yet the actual
training in flying is one Of the simplest
items.
The principal factor 20 consider In
teaching flying In war time is whether
II is worth while TO spend the necessary
time on a pupil. II a country is at
peace and there are plenty Of machines
available. IL may pay 10 stick 10 a man
who will undoubtedly make flyer
sooner or later, for anyone can fly II
sufficient time be given TO his instruc-
tion. But in time OF war we have neith-
er a surplus or machines available for
flying nor the eXtFa time TO spend In
training backward pupils.
The hard specialized training which
every British pilot has TO undergo
sooner or later, is not only important,
but absolutely essential.
Much has been said about dangerous
stunts" with the implication that these
are spectacular performances which
thrill the spectators. but are needlessly
risky, and think this needs little eX-
PLANTATION. It is nulte true that some
lives were lost in the earlier days In In
structing pupils In what we call
f.rrN fa
send a man overseas II he is unable 20
stunt" In Individual fighting, unless
the flyer can really do things better
than the German, he is not going To-
come out alive, and Il is no use imag-I
ining that when the crucial moment ar
riyes, stunting is going to come natu-
rally. For instance. when one machlneI
meets another, each speeds up and
goes through every kind OF maneuverI
60 obtain a good position from which
he can get" his opponent. The man
who Is going to come out alive Is the
man who can OutdO his opponent in
flying. 70 Is not a question OF getting
away from the German" II Is not mat
ter OF getting away at all, but OF get
ting into a good position so that you
can down him. lie is going to do the
same thing as you are, and unless you
are able 10 outdO him in his maneuver,
you are going TO come out beaten; and
unless you are trained TO do real stunts
(which are really not at all dangerous)
you are not going 10 be able to down
him. The danger Is not In 'stunting'
but in not being able to/"stunt"
II a flyer goes overseas and Is mol
able 20 do those things. then his life Is
not worth a cent. II he can do those
things and the time comes when he Sab
solutely face 20 face with his opponent,
the man who Will kill his opponent Is
the one who can throw his machine
about the most. and set out Of a DIM
cult position. Getting out Of the difii-
cult position saves his life, but this is
not all: the real problem is to get
into a good position so that no can
down the enemy, and the downing OF
the "Boche" Is the thing that every
flyer Is out 20 do. He is not there 70
get away, he is there to Kill his oppo-
nent.
To succeed. the flyer must he taught
properly. It may cost one or two lives
this side OF the water. but II the men
are taught thoroughly II will mean the
avoiding Of casualties on the other side,
and the causing Of many more to the
enemy.
What Is more, II the pilot does not
know how TO stunt" It VIII not only
mean the death of the pilot himself,