The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-29
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-Tem.
permanent IL Important.

pSx u AHthI accIueutS reported from
y American military and naval ayia-
tion training camps. Considering the
risks the novice necessarily takes and
the very special physiological and psy-
Geological factors that enter into the
science Of flying, these fatal accidents
are few In proportion to the number
Of men undergoing training and they
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 will not save a
man who lacks confidence in himself
and Is inclined to hesitate. A half
second Of INDIGESTION may be fatal. In
ltiative, the sporting instinct and a
certain irresponsibility, qualities In
herent In American youth, have been
found Of far greater value In the air
than the logical, scientific, severely
disciplined character Of the Germans,
and account for the superiority OF the
allied aviators In general.
The most eminent Of British sclen-
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 Impor-
tant Of all Is the right temperament
not m easy thing for a medical board
to examine. or the types-the imagi-
native and the unimaginative-the
imaginative youth is said to make the
better pilot II he ran keep his imagi-
nation under control.
Surgical Operations No Bar.
In the British air service previous
history OF wounds and disease Is thor
oughly investigated. Persistent head
aches. vertigo and easily induced ia
tigue are serious defects. But some
times even q serious surgical opera
ti0n Is not regarded as important.
Thus . doctor recently passed as fit
for flying = man who had quite q large
piece missing from the frontal region
Of the skull. It Is much more impor-
tant that q man should have both
arms intact than both legs. A clever
pilot who vas killed on the western
front wal Lord Lucas, who had an
artificial leg.
Considerable Importance Is attached
- the respiratory system. In addition
- good. healthy lungs and vital capac-
lty. the would-be pilot must pass a
breath-holding test. This gives an in
dlcation Of his capacity to stand the
strain Of flying at high attitudes.
where the air Is rare1ed and breath
lng Il dificult- No man with a weak
hart can hope to pass the tests.
6elf-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
uobriety-walking a straight line heel
- 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 m aviator flying In a dark cloud
O. In q fog becomes unconscious Of his
position and sometimes the machine
= actually upside down. 1t is essen
tlal that be should not lose a second
ID recovering his balance.
The throat. nose and ear are care
fully examined, for any defects might
neri0uHly handicap a man during the
great strain that all flying imposes.
With regard to the eyes, It 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. I
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.
A unstable nervous system suggest
- BY ndgety movements Of the hands,
fest Or face. or biting the nails is a
poor instrumentation.
AoEorneurosls Is the name which Is
eometimes given to nervous troubles
brought about by the strain OF flying.
~ has been said that an airman's life
eonGfetD ~ Tong spells OF idleness
punctDo1ed by moments Of intense
1ooxaS He has to endure Intense gold,
mn Wind and foe. the neryesrackine
nGfoo of The engine, the antiaircraft
~ md u Icon. enin. dive ~ side.