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TRAINING OUR AIR
SCOUTS
By J. R. WEISS
T H E United States is sadly in
need of fliers. The turning
out of aeroplanes is a matter
of no very serious
moment. The machines
themselves can be
supplied at any time. It is
trained hands to control
them that army and navy officers
are seeking most anxiously.
Military machines owned by
Uncle Sam are not numerous.
Still the old gentleman has one
hundred in service now as
against one
dozen a year
ago. That's
progress, isn't
it ? Several
hundred more
have been or­
dered and will
be in our
hangars soon;
it looks as
though they
may be ready
What is the
The Mounting of a Lewis Gun
The aviators at Mineola, Long Island, are instructed thoroughly in
the art of annihilating their possible opponents by a hail of machine
gun fire. Note the arc of metal upon which the weapon is mounted.
This gives a wide radius of fire.
before their pilots are.
situation with reference
to meeting all the demands for trained
aviators? The Federal authorities have
had for some time aviation schools to the
number of four or five. These are at
Miami, Florida, San Diego, California,
Mineola, Long Island, New York, and
Omaha, Nebraska. Others are being
opened up. or are soon to open. Particularly
satisfactory work has been going
on at Miami, at San Diego, and the less
known but quite important school at
Mineola. The threat of war with
Mexico was responsible originally for the
starting of this last school. This menace
made imperative an increase in the num­
ber of our military aviators, and a substantial
increase, too.
During these more troubled days with
Mexico, aero companies of the
New York militia assembled
at Mineola for instruction.
Later most of these men were
sent home, and regularly enlisted
men in the Federal service
took their
places. At the
present t i m e,
there is a demand
for one
thousand men
who can handle
an aeroplane
in flight.
This does not
mean m e n
skilled in battling
the ele­
ments, or capable
of maki
n g sustained
flights u n d e r
extra hazardous
conditions, or able to engage the
enemy's aircraft with guns, or to outwit
them by skillful maneuvering. Plain
aviators—in the same class as the average
car driver is in the automobile world
—that is the cry. Yet. though the requirements
seem simple, the number of
men capable of meeting the demand is
woefully small. In the L T nited States
there have altogether been developed
only about 650 aviators who have been
licensed to fly—and a flying license has
not meant great ability, either.
Manufacturers of aeroplanes are
doing their part in encouraging flying.
Two constructing companies at least
specialize in building sporting types.
S6S