OBSTINATE AEROPLANES

Evening Star, Issue 18667, 23 June 1924, Page 1

OBSTINATE AEROPLANES

Aeroplanes are like horses to handle (Oliver ,Stewart, asserts in an article in tin; ‘ Daily Mail Some of them arc obstinate and self-willed, and unto oeuvre in their own leisurely way, no matter how they may be urged to hurry; others arc sensitive, and a. touch of tho pilot's fingers on the control stick makes them roll over on to a wing tip or lurch into a vertical dive in a flash. With a pilot who possesses “ fine hands,” sensitive aeroplanes arc by far the -safer in forced landings. The obstinate aeroplane is stable, and tries to think for itself instead of letting the pilot do all tho thinking; and though this is useful in clouds and fogs, in an emergency it is a serious drawback. Getting on a friendly footing (if it may bo so put) with an aeroplane is a. peculiarly fascinating branch of the pilot’s art. Quaint little tricks, such as a desire to point- its nose up to heaven on a right-hand turn, may be. discovered in one aeroplane; another may refuse pointblank to loop unless it is treated with the

greatest gentleness; it sulks if any attempt is made 'to force it round too suddenly. Tho wise pilot finds out the fads and fancies of lus aeroplane and then humors them. Ho has to be ready always to receive these indications, of character, and instructors say you can tell if a man will make a good pilot the first, time he puts his hand to a control stick. If he grips il like a " l.ry-your-strength ” machine he will never be brilliant, hut if his grip has the tight firmness of the expert batsman ),o is of the right stuff, and may in time become a star pilot.