Evening star., 1928-09-09
BY DON BROWN.

NEWARK K-ELIzABETH AIRPORT
THE dav before I was scheduled to
make my initial solo flight l was
taken on cross country trip, my flrst
one. We took off from the airport, l
new over the city of Elizabeth ana tnen
passed over two small towns. Follow
ing another railroad track ana ROAD
from my map, found the genera iocao ao
tion of the landing field we we're
headed for. The instructor, who had
been there before, then pointed 1t out
to me.
I made my landing, coming in at a
steep angle diagonally across row OF
trees which lined the road beside the
field. I got down with only two or
three bounces, which were due partly
to roughness in the field.
After a few minutes I was told to
take of, fly in circle about two miles
In diameter. find the field again ana
land without having 1t pointed out.
The air was so bumpy and I was fly
ing SO low I had considerable trouble
keeping on an even keel. 1t made me
slightly nervous. I did not keep my
sense of direction exactly and was not
sure when the circle was completed.
See Landing Field.
But, recognizing the shape OF the
landing field, long triangle with
tree-lined road down one side ana a
railroad track and wires on the otner'
I pushed the stick over, throttled the
motor slightly and started down. The
field looked terribly small, not much
larger than dime.
But all fields look small from the
air" I thought. Il guess / can make
It, Here goes" .,,
About 900 feet up, the field still
looked small. Then the instructor took
the stick away from me and pulled us
What are you coming down here
for?" he asked through the speaking
I blinked through my goggles as we
were fiyinR over the place / had beer
irving to land. It was the same shape
as the right field, only 1t was about
one-tenth the size.
Gave Me the Stick.
A row of small saplings had been Sc
out along a little lane. The rallroas
track was at the other side, all right
but the right landing field was nan
mile away. -,
After this landing the instructor tool
the plane off for me. few about Ior ~
minutes, making several turns aLlu iial =.
turns. ana LIl6il eosC iAS "AA
take the plane back to our port.
Spotting a tall building i'll Newark;
had no trouble in lining myself up o!
it. even though he had aimed me IN IN
wrong direction, and in few minute
was rolling back to the home neio.
The maneuvers l have learned tnu
far include taking off, not SO simpl
. matter as 1t seems. You have to keel
moving the rudder quickly and deli
catelv to prevent the torque OF Tn
propeller from twisting the plane owe
on the ground and wrecking you peIor
YOU get of. At the same time you nav
10 know how to pull the stick back WIZ
the greatest gentleneSs in order 10 max
the plane lift without climbing at 10
steep an angle.
The other maneuvers are simple an
steep turns to the right and LETT, splrs
gliding for descents, recovering irof
stalls. spins and sideslips.
There is a great deal more 10 nylnl
of course A l0-hour course In nyn
corresponds to about the first graoe !
q common school education and cover
the fundamental
Feel the Bumps"
I also learned one new thing abot
air currents. Taking of over clum
of trees on the edge of the field,
always had difficulty with bumps" iui