Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-15
BY Joe Van Denburg.


runs through the motions necessary to
guide the plane. A few minutes of this
and you're off.
Once in the air over Washington's
northwest area suburbs-which pass al
most unnoticed, one is so engrossed in
the planes movements-the instructor
runs through some simple maneuvers to
demonstrate the use of the controls.
The student, at the other set, follows
through" on the motions. The little
plane buzzes along serenely. Then
comes the big surprise.
20. K," says the instructor, Now you
fly ii"
The anguished cry of who, me?" al
most breaks out. But you start in. The
planes effortless passage through the
air becomes a great deal less so.
The nose bobs up and down-han-
ding the stick is not so easy. The
wings dip and the nose swings back
and forth. Down beneath is beauti-
full view of the Potomac River, but
you're too busy to notice 1t.
A lot of misconceptions about flying
movement of the controls is necessary.
Unlike driving a car, where the steer
ing wheel is held in the direction of the
turn, a planes controls are used to
set up the desired direction. Then they
are neutralized, and the plane continues
in the turn until commencement is
made to bring it out.
Despite the problems Of familiariza-
ion-or perhaps because of them-the
first hours instruction ends all too soon.
Following the instructors directions you
guide the plane along a weaving course
back toward the airport.
Rockville floats by underneath, and
there's the field.
We'll, how do you like it," the an
structor asks when the planes motor is
cut off Usually the answer is:
Swell. How soon can we fly again2"
Fitting the instruction into normal
work-week is easy. Jump on a Friend
ship Heights streetcar after work, ride
to the end of the line and change to a
Rockville bus which takes Is minutes
to the field. The travel time Is a good
opportunity to study the booklet of air
regulations set up by the Civil Aero
nautics Administration. You'll have to
pass short written exam on the regu-
lations before you'll be permitted to
solo.
The second and third lessons go along
more smoothly than the first. Co.
ordination of controls is easier. You
begin to get the feel" of the thing and
cease making motions mechanically.
Especially, you realize that you're fly
ing more "by the seat of your pants"
and beginning to enjoy the sights
The cleaning tower of the Bethesda
Medical Center soon becomes familiar
Landmark. You spot Silver Spring in
the distance. CHANGING down in a turn
you realize you're looking down the
gorge of the Potomac's Great Falls.
Then, on an afternoon which had
seemed peaceful, your instructor says:
To-day Wen try a few spins"
The word spin" used to be an omi-
nous one, but, as he explains, modern
private planes are almost impossible to
spin now. But under CAA regulations
every student must go through few of
them to learn the knack of recovering
normal flight. So you buckle on para
chutes required when any acrobatic
type of flying is undertaken and take
off.
Out west of Rockville the Mont
gomery farmland looks like plaid
blanket. But as you go into your first
spinning fall it begins to look more and
more like a salad on top of a whirling
photograph. Suddenly everything is
stabilized and you dive out into level
flight. Then up again to safe altitude
and you try it ;. stall the plane slowly