The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-01-17
Li11dy'S Own Story
WE
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passed down to us by the old cadets
of six months experience. Some
one remarked that less than 40 per
cent of us could expect to finish the
primary training at Brooks and
that probably half of those would
be washed out at Kelly.
BY bed check that night we had
already begun to feel the appre-
hension which is part of flying
cadets life from his first day at
Brooks until he has received his
pilots wings at Kelly.
Our actual flying training was
to begin on the first Of April. Two
weeks were required to become
organized and learn the prelimi-
nary duties of cadet During
these two weeks we were inocu-
lated against typhoid and small
pox at the hospital. taught the
rudiments of cadet etiquette, given
fatigue duty. required to police the
grounds surrounding our barracks.
inspected daily, and instructed and
given examinations in five sub
jects In our spare time we were
allowed to look around the post or
take the bus to San Antonio. pro-
vided, however. that we were back
in bed not later than 10 o'clock on
Sunday, Monday. Tuesday. Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday. nights.
At all other times we could stay
out as late as we desired.
Spare Moments
When we did have a few spare
l.. &c., flrFaN ~
were usually spent in trying to
"chizzle" hop from one of the
instructors on the line.
Early one morning we were al
lowed to take the training ships
out and push them to the line for
the old cadets to fly. But when
one Of the planes nosed over after
eight husky rockies heaVed up on
the 150-pound tail. it was decided
to put us to work moving hydro
gen cylinders for balloon ascen-
sion.
AS the first of April approached
we were looking forward to the
start of actual flying with great
anticipation. Coupled with this
was the anxiety of waiting for the
returns from our examination
papers, the failure Of any two OF
which would be sufficient cause
for their owner to be washed out
from the courses.
On ''B Stage"
The flying instruction was car
ried on from two stages or diff,
ferent sections of the field. l was
assigned to B stage, which was
about a half mile out in the field
from the cadet barracks. Each in
structor had about six cadets as
signed to him, and early in the
morning on the first day of April
our instruction commenced. l was
assigned to Sergeant Winston. to
gether with five other cadets. We
pushed his instruction plane out
from the hangar to the line. Ser
geant Winston picked out one OF
US. told him to get into the rear
cockpit and was off The rest OF
us walked over TO Il stage, watch
ing for tarantulas along the road
on the way.
In 1924. the Curtiss Jenny was
still used by the army for train
ing plane, although the 9O-hOrSe-
power Curtiss Ox-5 engines had
been replaced by 50-horsepower
| Hispano- Suizas. The more modern
types of planes for training were
still in the experimental stage. The
Jennies had been designed during
| the war and they were becoming
| obsolete, but it is doubtful whether
a better training ship will ever be
| built, although undoubtedly the new.
est type is much safer. Jennies
were underpowered; they were some
what tricky and they splintered
| badly when they crashed hard; but
when a cadet learned to fly one OF
| them-well, he was just about cap
able of flying anything on wings