The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1918-08-24
LOOPS-THE-LOOP
FIRST Time UP
SERGT. GEORGE SANSBURN, COL
VILE BOY, DESCRIBES FIRST
AEROPLANE TRIP
Is Passenger in Stunt Flight and
Wishes to Transfer to Aviation
For More Thrills

The experience of going up in an
aeroplane during an exhibition stunt
flight, has given Sergt. George Il.
Sansburn, son of Mr.. and Mrs. A.
B. Sansburn of Colville, an attack of
"aeronitus" so that he wishes to be-
come transferred to the aviation sec
ton. His recent letter from Camp
Wheeler, Georgia, where he is a men,
ber Of motor truck company, de-
scribes his sensations.
"Well, Sunday" he wrote in his let
ter of August 13, "four of us went to
Americus, the Southern Field which
is about rs miles from here. Major
Hodges, who is chief of staff, gave
me a letter to the officer in charge
at the flying field. We were shown
all around through the hangers, the
motor shops, barracks and all and it
was great. But the best part is to
follow.
eve got through at 10 a. M, and
the captain told us to return about
3 p. m. and watch the ball game; af-
terward they would have some flying
stunts. Well, we went into town,
got our dinner, looked over the coun-
try and returned. AS we drove up
to the diamond, here comes lieu
tenant who said the adjutant wished
to speak to me. / was introduced
and he asked me if / had ever been
up in an aeroplane.
"'No," said, I've never been off
terra firma, but l am very anxiuos
to take ride in plane
"Then he said one of the boys was
going to make flight and do some
stunts. t 1t was necessary, he said,
for him to drive from. the front seat,
and it is also necessary to have
passenger in the rear.
"'Would you like to be the passen-
ger?'
"'Well, l should say so,' so we went
to the hangar and l was introduced
to the pilot, first lieutenant. Then
received pair Of goggles and some
instructions as to what not to touch
and what to do if l got sick. Then
we were off in a whirl.
eve went up $500 feet. Il know
because there was a barometer where
1 sat) and then he began the loop
the-loop. Oh, such thrill! can
still feel it.
"But first after we left the ground,
he started to make circle and one
wing would drop way down, would
lean over and try to balance it, but
there was no chance of that. Then
after the loop, he turned the darned
thing over sideways, just think, $500
feet up in the air, and you throw
your head up as if to look at the sky
and see the earth. Gosh! Man,
that's another thrill.
"But l see now why l got my in
struction as to what to do in case l
got sick. The pilot turned the nose
down and we started corkscrew
twist towards earth, and we dropped
just 1000 feet, nose first, spinning
around You know, you don't seem
to spin, but the earth to spin under
you. After that l had to swallow
hard to keep my dinner down, but |
succeeded. Then we looped some
more and started to land. | thought
we would plunge nose first right into
the earth, but finally he Strengthened
and landed just as fine as could be
all over, and you know l haven't had
near enough. Believe me that's
what l want to do.
cts awfully hard to get transferred
from here to the aviation, but if Col
Hodges (he's colonel now can man
age it, here goes your son for try
at it.
"It has been very hot and rainy
for the past three weeks and all the
boys from the north are feeling it
awfully. 1t takes a long time to get
half way acclimated. The way the
allies are going now, this war is going
to end before | get to France and ]
surely want to get one crack at those
Huns"