The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1918-10-11
DEFECTS Spell.
DEATH IN FLYING
Psychological as Well as Physio-
logical Factors Respon-
sibIe for Accidents.
SCIENTISTS EXPLAIN THEM
Some of the Qualities That Give Amer
leans Superiority In Air Over
Their Hun opponents--Ten1-
permanent is important.


Der OF fatal accidents reported from
our American military and naval ayia-
tion training camps. Considering the
risks the novice necessarily takes and
the very special physiological aud psy-
Geological factors that enter into the
science Of flying, these fatal accidents
are few In proportion to the number
are not more numerous than those on
the training fields of Great Britain
France and italy.
A perfect knowledge OF all the rules
of the game Of flying viii not save a
man who lacks confidence in himself
and Is inclined to hesitate. a half
second of indecision may be fatal. In
itiatiye, the sporting instinct and a
certain responsibility, qualities In.
herent III American youth, have been
found Of far greater value In the air
than the logical, scientific, severely
and account for the superiority Of the
allied aviators In general.
The most eminent of British scien-
lists have devoted special study to the
psychological and physiological as
poets of flying.
One authority says that good eye
sight, normal hearing, good muscle
sense" and equilibration are indIspen-
sable qualifications. But most inpor-
| tant of all is the right temperament
not m easy thing for medical board
to examine. OF the types The imagi-
native and the unimagnatiye-th the
| imaginative youth is said to make the
| better pilot II he can keep his imagi-
nation under control.
Surgical Operations Mo Bar.
I'm the British mir service previous
history Of wounds and disease IL thor-
oughly investigated. Persistent head
aches, vertigo and easily induced fa
| tigue are serious defects But some
| times even serious surgical opera
| tion lis not regarded as important.
/ Thus a doctor recently passed as fit
| for flying man who had quite large
piece missing from the frontal region
of the skull. 1t lis much more inp0r-
1 tnnt that a man should have both
arms intact than both legs. A clever
! pilot who was killed on the western
front was Lord Lucas, who had an
artificial leg.
Considerable Importance Is attached
to the respiratory system. In addition
to good, healthy lungs and vital capac~
4 fly, the would-be pilot must pass
] breath-heldiHg test. This gives an in
I dicatlon of his capacity to stand the
strain Of flying at high attitudes,
where the air is rarefied and breath
/ ing Is difficult. No mum with weak
heart can hope to pass the tests
Self-balancing is another test. The
/ candidate has to stand on one leg with
/ his eyes shut and his hands on his
hipS There is also the old test for
TO toe with eyes open and then turn
Ing round and walking back without
losing balance. The Importance of
this test can be understood, seeing
that al aviator flying In dark cloud
or in fog becomes unconscious of his
\
Is actually upside down. 1t Is essen
tial that he should not lose second
4 In recovering his balance.
The throat, nose and ear are care
fully examined. for any defects might
seriously handicap man during the
great strain that all flying imposes.
With regard to the eyes, 1t Is consid-
cred that pilots should have perfect
color vision, In order to pick out the
color or marking of hostile machines,
and in recognizing signal lights and In
judging the nature of landing grounds.
Air Sickness Rare.
A candidate who suffers from sea
sickness or train sickness would not
be rejected on those grounds alone.
Air sickness, caused by the rolling and
pitching of the airplane, Is a very rare
complaint, and sickness usually occurs
Immediately after landing.
An unstable nervous system suggest
ed by fidgety movements of the hands
feet or face, or biting the nails Is Q
poor recommendation.
Aer0-nPuT0SlS Is the name WutSl IL
sometimes given to nervous troubles
brought about by the strain OF flying
Tt has been said that an airman's life
, consists of 1long spells Of idleness
, punctuated by moments Of intense
fear" He has to endure intense cold
!, rain, wind and fog, the nerye-racking
noise OF the engine, the antiaircrafi
fire, and to loop, spin, dive or side
: slip, apparently out of control, in or
, der to deceive an opponent. An In
! teresting nerve test has been devised
in France for selecting the best types
, Of airmen for fighting. Around hi
chest Is a pneumograph, In his lef
lland d treinbler and around two fin
/ gers Of his right hand pneumatic
I '.doigtier.'' Behind the candidate /
! revolver shot is fired or magnesium
i flare is set of, and record Of th'
effect on his nerves LIS obtained b.
means OF stylafs writing On q BLACK
enea revoivang cylzTEssr.
s+.~. $500