The Twin City star., 1918-12-07
AL RHDy

MSxGNN mechanics are more neceSr
5.aS&&N.Q sary to the efficient working
lkNH$SMA of the air service battle
8QGHlGB squadrons at the front than
are the pilots and observers
themselves. This statement, while
perhaps a little broad, Is not at all
untrue. without efficient mechanics
the pilots wings would soon be clipped
and there would be few, If any, ships
available with which they could take
the air.
When this country entered the great
conflict 1t is no exaggeration to say
that there were no more than one
thousandth of the mechanics needed to
make the repairs necessary to keep a
great air fleet in the air. To take from
the airplane industries the few me-
chanics who did know airplane work
would have been simply a case of rob
bing Peter to pay Paul." inasmuch as
the mechanics In the factories are VI
tally necessary for production. A new
industry has therefore sprung up In
this country, and that industry Is Or
ganized under the name Of "Air Serv-
Ice Mechanics Schools"
There are two such schools In oper-
alton, one at st. Paul, Minn.. and the
other at Kelly Field, South San An
tonic. Tex. These schools are In ef-
feet factories, the product being high
grade airplane mechanics and the raw
material from which they are made,
garage men. carpenters, blacksmiths,
metal workers, tailOrs, etc. The two
schools are conducted on identicarly
the same basis and produce all the
&radesmen that are needed for the aero
service squadrons. The trades taught
are the following:
Airplane mechanicians, blacksmiths.
cabinet makers, carpenters, chauffeurs,
coppersmiths, electricians, fabric work
ers, instrument repair men, magnetic
repair men, metal workers, motOrcy-
clists, motor mechanicians, propeller
makers, vulcanizers, welders.
a First Tests.
A students life from the moment
of entering the air service to the time
when he finds himself competent air
plane mechanic in q service squadron
Mt the front Is something like this: He
is first inducted or drafted, assigned
to the air service, and ordered to one
OF the mechanics schools. Upon his
arrival he Is trade-tested by a technl-
cal board formed for that purpose and
classified as possible motor mechani-
clan, an airplane mechanician (air-
plane mechanlcians do the rigging of
all airplanes), a fabric worker, an elec-
trlcian. or any one Of the trades which
are required. The trade test board
uses mans past record as basis
Cor determining his probable ability.
II he has been garage man and has
specialized on the upkeep Of trucks,
he will probably be trained as chauf-
feur. If he has specialized more or
less on magnetic work, he will probably
be trained on ignition with particular
reference to that very delicate me-
chanism, the Liberty ignition system.
The trade test finished, the man Is
assigned to his squadron at the school
and to his cot and is made thorough
Iy comfortable. The next day. In oil
probability, his real work will begin
when he is assigned to his class In
whatever trade he Is to be trained.
The largest number Of mechanics re-
quired in squadrons are riggers, SO the
typical case in mind will probably be
rigger. This man has probably
never seen an airplane except at the
country circus, and then only at dis
tance, so ne Is In new and strange
world. The first day or two he with
the rest Of his class will so over an
airplane minutely and learn the gen.
eral makeup of an airplane. Soon he
will know the difference between a
wing and fuselage and how the vari-
Ous wires are stretched when the ma
chine is In flight. Then he will learn
how to take the airplane apart and
how to reassemble and realign II, and