The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-11-13

NJ the United States, Uncle Sam has
" enrolled at present over 5000 re-
serve hiers whose training expenses
Tar exceed, per man, the cost in any other
branch Of service. For the privileges extended
the reserve fier, the value of the training he
gets the good times he has, all that Uncle Sam
requires in return is an intelligent, industrious
young man between the ages of twenty and
twenty-seven who has had at least two years
college education and who has the markings of
6ier in him.
In an exclusive interview the writer had for
this article with Captain Frank NJ. Hawks, Just
returned from a spectacular tour of Europe
in his speedy LOckheed-Vega the Texaco 13,
Hawks declared there an urgent need for
more and better trained pilots in this country.
The finer designing of planes, he said, and
the necessary continued study of aeronautical
science generally, particularly with respect to
training of airmen, holds the future of avia-
ton in this country.
Hawks firmly believes in the coming of high
speed planes for commercial use, for passenger
transportation over the airways. In speed he
says, is the future of flying. In fact he believes
In it for all future transportation, land, water
and air.
'The day is coming" he said when we shall
ride in planes that travel 200 miles an hour
trains that move at 100 m. p. h. and we will
drive automobiles over express highways
at 60 and 20 miles an hour. Does that sound
impossible? Then excuse it as the idle dream
of a speed demon who likes to sit back in
easy chair and visualize through the smoke
rings of his cigar new speed pictures of to-
morrow"
The glider, Captain Hawks recommends as
one of the best means of training for the BROTH
erhood of aeroplane pilots.
primarily says Captain Hawks, "the glider
hoe oil
it offers very safe and inexpensive means to
student aviators for instruction. The novice in
flying gets a keener technique and better knowl-
edge of aerodynamics. In the first few tender
hours of flying he can learn great deal more
with glider than with a pOwerdrven plane.
He is not depending upon the motor but is learn
ing currents of air, the action of the controls;
he is depending more upon real flying as it is
taught to us than by sheer horsepower. Every
landing that he makes is a forced landing be-
cause he has motor. SO his judgment in ap-
preaching fields, and landing marks is keener.
'"The novice receives the thrill of his life on
his first glider flight, though it's duration may be
only half minute; he gains a decided feeling
of power later when aoft for fifteen minutes,
alone. l have observed many skeptcs make
their first glider flight and have seen them
change in a snap of the fingers from doubling
Thomases to boosters. 1 have seen many con-
iempoTdIIeS WHO Thought tHey udu enjoyed all
the thrills and sport of aviation through power
driven airplanes turn to gliders like children
TO new toy. There's just much skill re-
quired and just as much thrill and fun enjoyed
in gliding in speeding through the air at
double express train PAGES"
The object of the flight of the Texaco Eaget
in which Captain Hawks was towed from San
Diego to New York last year by J. D. ("DukeD
Jerngin, Jr., who flew the Waco Texaco Z, was
fn ctr lot into in oil yhi IN, hro
is cheap and safe stepping stone to powered
machines, provided, of course, that proper in
struction is first given the student Obviously
student will move Immediately from compile
ton of a course in gliding to flying ship such
the Hawks speed plane with it's engine of
than 400 horsepower and a demonstrated
speed of 270 miles an hour
But here again, Captain Hawks has ideas: If
a kicker" motor of two cylinders is developed
to drive elders efficiently and safely. new in
termedate and valuable step in aviation will
have been accomplished Says Hawks further:
Il have made a few observations which have
convinced me that the socalled primary glider
with its skeleton fuselage, inefficient wings and
controls, has place in the picture of Amer
lean gliding activities. / would rather see young
men start their glider work with the secondary
or utility type Of glider.
Il am opposed to the automatic launching
device which spring tension snaps the glider
into the air with such violence that it is not
only unnatural but extremely dangerous to even
an experienced pilot. l believe that gliders and
soarers must be taken seriously by either those
experienced in flying or by students. 1t is real
art not simple to accomplish as it seems. and
cannot be taken lightly. Gliding. in my opinion,
is safe If properly supervised and instruction
is thorough"
If gliders remain only gliders they will still
impart the fundamentals of flying, and from
them the student may step to a fedgng air.
plane and meet the horses that drive it. Here
again, progress is obviously gradual, but sure.
Out of such mill it is easy to visualize the
emergence of new crop of aviators who might
well provide considerable slipstream to veteran
fiers Of today
At Mitchell field, Long Island, one of the army