The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-07-05

gets into n tail spin accidentally. or no may
Intentionally tnke his machine into one. before
he has had the usual instruction. out Of the spirit
OF adventure, or even the kiddish desire 20 con-
vince himself OF his daring or exhibit Il 90 his
fellow students. But, whatever the cause, Il IA
the opinion OF flying field ayiators that getting
into n tail spin, purposely or accidentally. without
being able TO manage Il properly. Il the cause OF
a large proportion Of fatal accidents at the ny.
Ing fields.
The same peryerse. unconscious influence Of
the mind over the muscles which forces the
bicycle learner straight toward the object he Is
trying 10 avoid Il responsible for many OF the
fatal accidents due 10 collisions. Even the most
expert OF flyers may be unable TO avert n serious
accident when he sees approaching him . plane
driven by a cadet who II doing his level best TO
keep his machine out Of the others way. How
serious and ever present Is this danger In flying
fields Is proved by Capt. Vernon Castles death.
In flying there are certain blind angles In
which collisions are possible through no fault Of
the driver OF either plane. The sections of space
covered by the wings OF his ship are invisible to
the pilot, and n such a section comedies with
the space concealed from the eyes OF another
pilot approaching from below or at one side, a
sudden crush II likely 10 be the nnt that either
knows Of the other plane. This blind angle"
may be the cause OF an occasional serious acct.
dent, but ~aviators do not think that such collisions
are. OF frequent occurrence.
aaAnAh' 49, N-AR A1'a 49,
dents, but, aviators say, should never oner any
serious difficulty 10 n man who has learned how
TO manage his plane. II he Is In a region where
Il Is possible for him to come down safely. And
for engine trouble there are as many possible and
legitimate causes as there are reasons for an
automobile 90 balk.
In a few cases a broken propeller has caused
a pilot 10 make a forced landing, with injury to
his plane. but. up to the present tlUe. never with
serious result 20 himself. The accompanying pic
ture shows what happened to n pilot when his
propeller weakened. cracked and broke over the
grounds Of a high school In the enyirons OF Hous-
ton. Tex. He brought his ship down with some
damage 10 Il. but none to himself. and greatly 20
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 a bird may
have got entangled in Its blades. Cadets no for
hidden to chase birds because OF the possibility
OF such a result and the sure smashing OF the
propeller. Nevertheless, they do II sometimes,
when the instinct OF the chase IL strong In their
blood. And Il would be quite possible for a bird
to ny against his propeller, TO the undolng OF both
bird and propeller. and the pilot 20 be Ignorant
OF what had happened.
The men who by hard work and steady prac.
tee have earned the right TO the title OF bird,
men" believe that with both students and skilled
aviators one cause OF fatal accidents il the fail.
ure OF the nervous system 10 respond Immediately
ana accurately 10 the command or the brain
Anything which causes nervous fatigue may bring
about that physical state-dissipation, nerve
strain. physical WEAKNESS, lack OF sleep. The
flyer must be 20 alert. his grasp upon every stu,
alton which may confront him 10 instant, and HI,
action 10 meet and control II 80 prompt that the
fraction OF a 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 IN,
action Of the brain In an emergency, or the fash
ing OF In commands along the nerves. or the In,
slant obedience OF the motor nerves may send
him crashing 10 the earth. The cadets befon,
they have become what they call "lnstlnctiy,
flyers" are especially liable to this danger, al
though even those who are skilled in the air mr.,
not free from lis menace. Birdmen who ar,
skilled 10 one. or another, or several forms o.
athletics say that In nothing else have they fell
20 much the necessity OF this Instant and com
plete response Of the nerves to the demand upor
them.
The cadets quickly discover. so they say. tina
lack OF plenty Of sleep soon results In a physica