Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07
AIR STUDENTS DUE
FOR FIRST FLIGHTS
Ground Classes Probably
viii Make Debut AIoft Some
Time This Week.

Aviation students composing the Dis
trict of Columbia Air Legion, after
many weeks of study in ground classes
will get their first experience in han
ding a plane probably beginning this
week. The organization, which is
unique among American flying schools
is run by the students themselves and
has no paid officers except a secretary
and instructor.
The students have leased landing
field on the Windham estate near Four
Corners, Md, which they are leveling
and preparing for flying operations
themselves. They will receive their
flying instruction in Lincoln Page
biplane. which was flown here Few
DAYS ago by the Legion instructor, Lieut..
Walter A. Brooke. This plane is to be
ACQUIRED by the students, each holding
q small interest in the machine.
$50 in League.
Lieut. Brooke, who also is naval
Aviation Reserve instructor at the
Naval Air Station, Anacostia, has put
two classes of Legion members through
ground school, at their headquarters,
room I'll, International Building, 1919
F street The third class, now number
ing 35 students, began its ground studies
during the past week and is still open
for additional enrollments.
The Air Legion now comprises l5O
members. Its plan of operations has
been approved by officials of the Bu-
reau of Aeronautics of the Department
of Commerce and 10 employees OF the
department are members Of the Legion
All of these students are In training
as commercial pilots and are expected
to continue as members OF the Legion
sH4A- IaxVf he nnYan p
ment of Commerce.
The Lincoln Page training plane,
which is being housed at the Naval
Air Station pending completion of the
Four Corners field, is equipped with
dual control for student instruction and
is powered with a 100 horsepower
XX-6 motor. The ship has a wing
span of 28.8 feet and the plane is %
feet long. It has top speed Of los
miles an hour and landing speed OF
only IS miles an hour A 42-gallon
fuel tank permits cruising range OF
500 miles.
Lieut. Brooke is planning to launch
the embryo aviatorS on their aerial ca
reers with 10-minute hops" apiece,
which for many of them will be their
first experience of the kind.
81 don't expect they will learn a
thing about flying on this first fight,
Lieut. Brooke said. They will be too
interested in looking around and en-
.joying the sensation. On their second
flights, however, expect to have them
begin to buckle down to the job of
learning to fly. Each student is to
have a half-hour lesson at a time
until he is able to fly well enough to
qualify for his pilots license"
Lieut.. Brooke has had considerable
experience as an aviation instructor.
He enlisted in the Navy in 1917, and
after a ground course in flying was
sent to the Massachusetts, Institute Of
Technology for further training and
then went to flying school. He served
at many of the Navy flying schools
during the war, finally becoming In
Structor at Pensacola, Fla, and later
at Hampton, Va. He now is executive
officer and instructor of Naval Reserve
Squadron VN6R at AnacoStia.
Knows Motors.
Lieut.. Brooke served in tho bureau Of
aeronauticS, Department of Commerce,
for a year as an aviation engine in
Spector, and as result Of this service
has become familiar with all types Of
aviation motors and planes.
He conducts a class at the Naval Air
Station each Wednesday night and
classes at the Air Legion headquarters
on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The public is invited to his Legion lee
lures, and membership in the Legion
is open to any person who can pass
the necessary physical examination to
qualify as pilot.
The Legion headquarters are in charge
of Edward L. Brimley, secretary. 9th
er officers of the Legion, themselves
students, who serve without pay, are
c. D. Suppes. president; G. A. Gilman,
vice president, and M. G. Dooley,
treasurer.