The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-06-07

, - ,.o,,oh,Ie IA for the skilled motorist,
so far as the machine and MS controi -, =, ~ ha
the medium through which or upon "nen ~
moves are concerned. But the unreiiabilty o.
.ho human mechanism must still be reckoneo
With and that unreliability seems to be greater
In the air than 1t is upon the ground - some
times results in strange and unexpected nappen-
ings. 80
Once In a while a In the best OF nealn
and the pink of condition, who has passed WIN
high success every one of the severe tests 10
which aviation candidates are subjected. VINO mas
never tainted before in his life, Will rant "hAe
he is In the air One recent fatai ACCIDENT =.
Texas field Is supposed to have been due to tnnt
cause.
One pilot tainted and the plane fell to tne
earth, but neither he the student with him
was hurt except for a few scratches and cuts.
He said that he did not know why he tainted
All that he knew was that he suddenly lost con-
sciousness, and did not regain 1t until he was
being hauled out of the wrecked airplane. He
had never tainted before in his life.
Neither had another young fellow. to whom
everything suddenly became a blank as his ma
chine was sailing away through the blue. 1t was
still sailing along easily when presently he came
to himself again with the feeling that something
had happened to him. Looking down. he could
see that he had covered considerable distance
since the moment when he had lost consciousness
He does not know why he tainted any more than
he knows why he did not spin downward to prob
able death during those blank moments.
A British surgeon attached to the relay naval
air service. DR.. H. Graeme Anderson who has had
extensive experience at British flying stations
has recently written some interesting conclusions
concerning these somewhat obscure causes OF
airplane accidents at training schools.
In the opinion of Doctor Anderson, based upon
study and comparison Of the statements made to
him In such cases by a hundred student flyers
there is a brain fatigue not due to previous men
tai or physical strain that may yet cause serious
accidents. He thinks 1t is induced by the Impact
Of overwhelming sensations upon the mind OF
the pupil after he is in the air The flying pupil
who Is overcome by this form Of fatigue, says
Doctor Anderson. reaches the stage where he
has the power neither to reason, decide, nor act
A state Of mental inertia supervenes. This Is due
to repeated stimuli received by his brain III rapid
succession In his flight. he feels alone; a sue
cession of errors occurs in the air; he feels he
cannot manage to control the airpane; fear does
not seize him. but the enormty Of the whole
thing appalls him; he feels helpless. and a state
of brain fatigue occurs In which he in stupor.
awaits events and takes little part in the atr-
planes CONTROL
This form of brain fatigue would seem to be
largely a result of personal temperament. Doctor
Anderson thinks 1t responsible for "a fair pro-
portion of accidents" among students in the early
stages Of flying, and he adds that student avia-
tors who have suffered from 1t, II they escape
injury are likely to give up flying.
There many. many Of the unmportant ac-
cidents of which nobody takes heed. But Of
fatal accidents, Notwithstanding the concern over
them manifest in some parts Of the country, the
percentage is no greater than should be expected,
Is less than In the flying schools of some other
countries, and is not higher than 1t is in almost
any extra-haznrdous occupation. And when 1t is
remembered that this latter comparison brings
together figures representing men in the training
stage with those of skilled workers. 1t is evident
both that flying Is safer game than 1t has the
credit Of being, and that 1t will be a good plan
for the country to guard against hysteria over
the fatalities that do occur