Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-19
Who Make the Best AUldtors
The Right and the Wrong Kind Of Men For Flying.
Current Opinion.

II grows more and more obvious to those
who study the aircraft situation that much OF
the trouble ascribed to machines and motors
| is due TO individuals There is distinct fy-
ing temperament, according to Aviation
| New York;, fact which should he consid-
cred by the men who pronounce themselves
"aeronautjcal engineers" as we'll as by ordi-
| nary fers. Perhaps it is misnomer TO
speak of an ordinary fier. The world needs
genuine aeronautical experts. The wrong
| kind Of man is shown by certain mistakes to
which he is prone. There are physical de-
| fects which hamper man fatally, such, tor
| instance, as defects OF vision. But the great
est handicap of all is the wrong temperament.
| The point is elaborated in the London Lam
Get by Dr. II, Graeme Anderson of the Brit
ish air service Undoubtedly, he writes,
there is a particular temperament or apti-
tude for flying and its distribution is pc
culiary interesting, whether looked at from
| its racial aspect and chronological origin or in
relation to previous health, life habits I'm
fortunately this temperament is difficult
matter to estimate cnicaly and especially
so in the examining room. The ideal aviator
| must have good judgment, he must be cour-
ageous and not upset by fear, even it con-
| scious Of the perils of his lot. He must be
cool in emergencies, able to take quick and
careful decisions and to act accordingly. His
reaction times must never be delayed-he
must be ever alert, as mental sluggishness in
flying spells disaster Whether he should be
imaginative or not is no easy matter to de-
eide; but DR.. Anderson is inclined to think
the pilot with imagination, yet able to keep
il we'll under control, makes the best pilot
/ Previous training in sports is matter OF
consequence. The yachtsman and the horse
man, with their finer sense and their truer
judgment and Lighter" hands should make
the most skllful pilots. The Germans always
selected their aviators from their cavalry un-
til recently 1t was thought that the racing
motorists would make the best pilots, but
this has no always proved to be so. Every
now and then one meets type of man with
splendid physique and apparently unshakable
courage who learns to fly, indiffe,r,entliy or
who is unable to learn to fly at all. Again
one meets the "weedy" pale type who quickly
learns to fly and turns out to be a frst-rate
pilot In estimating whether a candidate
will turn out we'll it has been found desirable
to learn much of his family history as we'll as
the history of his previous health. Tobacco
and alcohol are important items here:
"An inquiry is made into the candidates
habits, especially in relation to tobacco and
alcohol, although very little real knowledge
is gained in the examning-room. Most fly
ing men smoke a great deal and very few
are strict teetotalers. Excess in smoking
certainly leads to palptation, shortness of
breath, and in some cases double vision, and
these dangers should be explained to candi-
dates. Very few confess to excess in smok-
ing, and one records with hidden smile the
candidates statement that he smokes five
cigarettes day whilst the sunburnt condi-
ton OF the middle and index finger of his
right hand bears silent testimony to much
greater daily expenditure in tobacco Al
though I am not teetota1cr firmly believe
that to the aviator excess in alcohol will ulti-
mately beat him. Amongst pupils at flying
school it should be strictly forbidden and
candidates should be warned of its danger tc