Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-06-14
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.,-- - .,,.or,ob,le f. for the skilled motorist-
so far as the machine and his eontfoi =. y go
The medium through which or upon ~n,en - -
roovsS are concerned But the unreliaoiiity OF
the human mechanism must sun pc ie1e -
With and that unreability seems 10 De greater
,, the air than II is upon the ground II some
tines results in strange and unexpected happen
ings-
once in a while a man In the best OF health
and the pink OF condition, who has passed VIII
high success every one OF the severe tests -
which aviation candidates are subjected VINO ha'
meyer tainted before in his life will faint while
he is in the sir. One recent fatal accident al
Texas field is supposed 10 have been due 10 mat
cause.
one pilot tainted and the plane fell TO the
earth but neither he nor the student with nm
was hurt except for few scratches and cuts
he said that he did not know why he tainted
All that he knew was that he suddenly lost con-
seriousness. and did not regain II 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 blank as his ma
chine was sailing away through the blue II was
still sailing along easily when presently ne came
70 himself again with the feeling that something
had happened 10 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
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
sirplane accidents al training schools
In the opinion OF Doctor Anderson. based upon
study and comparison OF the statements made 10
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 il is induced by the impact
CT overwhelming sensations upon the mind or
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
state OF mental inertia supervenes This is due
TO repeated stimuli received by his brain III rapid
succession in his flight He feels alone: Sue
cession Of errors occurs in the air; he feels he
cannot manage TO control the airplane; fear does
not seize him. but the enormity OF the whole
thing appalls him; he feels helpless. and state
OF brain fatigue occurs in which he in a stEpor
awaits events and takes little part in the air
planes control"
This form of brain fatigue would seem 10 be
largely result Of personal temperament Doctor
Anderson thinks IT 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 IL. If they escape
injury. are likely TO give up flying.
There are many, many Of the unimportant &C
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. aud is not higher than il Is in almost
any extra hazardous occupation And when II Is
remembered that this latter comparison brings
together figures representing men in the trimming
stage with those OF skilled workers ii is evident
both that flying is g safer game than il has the
credit Of being. and that il will be s good plan |
for the country TO guard against hysteria over
the fatalities that do occur.