The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-28
Percy Stone, Training Tor
Avialisg1 Service, Tells
How TT Feels"
Finds Genuine stSeNsatiO1ps'
When Machine Starts
Messing Down.

C1Sy ~ S5kVHCp sui VI I|C0il A. Ia
Stone OF this city. who is now a cadet
in the government aviation school IN
Tennessee. has recently written home
describing his first trip through the
abr. Mr.. Stones letetr follows:
His First Air Trip.
Il feel like veteran. but I'll attempt
a short description of the initial ride
a 'joy" venture lasting but 10 min
rtes.
/ "Helmeted, goggled, sweatered and
gloyed crawled in. The belt was
btekled about my waist. as thought
ut the time as tight as it could go; the
Instructor turned to ask II I was all
Set and the adventure began. Be-
cause of the long wait, the blasted ex-
rectations and ruined hopes OF the
months gone by could hardly be-
lieve it was really ] who was about
10 go up. A blast Of air came from the
propeller, a few jolts as we bumped
along on the necessary 'taxi-ing"-and
then up.
II was disappointed. 1t was all too
much as I expected. Literature and
pictures and talks with fliers had
taken away all the thrill Of the TAX
ing Off One merely rises, with no
sensati0n save a comfortable feeling
Of having something that didn't belong
TO everyone.
Experiment Proves Speed.
Slowly we slipped away and. when a
few score feet had gone beneath us. an
realization OF speed was lost. Because
Of the perspective. we didn't seem to
be going at an. The scenery below us
gradually fading into miniature
passed from view too slowly. It
seemed incredibIe that we were tuning
up to 1400 revolutions minute and
that the speed was about IS miles an
hour. Yet knew it to be SO.
"Then / held my hand outside the
cockpit. Swish! thought the ter
rifle force Of the wind would tear my
glove off. And knew we were NOV
Ing.
"The corners didn't bother. for there
are not corners at all but graceful.
comfortable swings. Banking they
call them. and it is wonderful to be
able to see the ground without cram
ing ones neck. Smoothly we went on
sand narvelled how true to actually
the photographs from airplanes really
are. My impression was that Of a doll
world-a Lillfputian village and people
and animals and trees and roads and
rivers and ponds. It was delightful.
Wanted to Get Out.
Then had eaten dinner just few
minutes before went up, and big
hearty army dinner it was. too. And
wanted to keep 1t, to use the strength
building chemicals that were in It
But Friend Stomach. for n minute. said
no. And / was more than ready to
acquiesce. My pilot had turned the
plane nose down. Then was when
found I could have strapped myself in
bit tighter. Not that there Was any
danger or failing out. didn't ever
think OF that. But the sudden and m
expected drop was too much. l felt
the belt pressing into my stomach. and
] f6lt a vacant place where the seat
should have been The ship seemed Il
be fhr. far ahead of me and / wat
making a valiant effort to catch up
That was terrible. clenched my rs,
and grittcd my teeth. Inwardly,
cursed the instructor and all expert.
mentors with airplanes. abused tn.
army and swore at the Germans fol
ever getting me into the thing. And
wanted to get out!
Again l say. there was no fear.
knew that the performance was a
common one and realized that every.
thing was safe-that Is, everything