TEACHING OF FLYING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18079, 2 May 1922, Page 9

TEACHING OF FLYING

OLD AND NEW METHODS.

THE INSTRUCTOR'S ROLE

FEWER MACHINES DAMAGED

In a paper nn "Methods of Instruction in Aeroplane Flying " before the Royal Aeronautical Society in London recently, Sfjuadron-Leador C. F. A. Portal, D.5.0., M.C., of tho R.A.F. Cadet College, CranweTl, contrasted the methods of teaching in use in tho early days of flying with the Gosport System " which was introduced toward tho end of 1916 and i s now the official method in tho Royal Air Force. There were, ho said, under tho old regime- two different systems in use. The more advanced schools had dual control aeroplanes, with the instructor sitting in the pilot's seat and tho pupil behind him. During tho first flights tho pupil had his hand on tho controls and followed the movements of tho instructor. Under tho other method tho pupil received a Rood deal of verbal instruction on the ground, but was from tho first alone in tho aeroplane.

Toward the end of 1916 tho " Gosport System " was adopted, which has remained virtually unaltered. To enable pupil and pilot to communicate freely in tlie air a telephone is installed, by means of which each movement can be explained and every fault corrected. Tho basis of tho system is a clear explanation from tho instructor through iho telephone of the precise effect of every movement of the controls immediately followed by the movement itself as an illustration. In this way flying is taught by progressive stages, each control being taken separately in order, and then in various combinations. Tho pupil is then given entire control being told to keep the top of tho engine, cowl level with tho horizon, tho wing tips love) with ono another, and tho nose pointing to some distant landmark. Instead of having tho control lever snatched from his hand whenever he made a mistake, h'l would hear his instructor speaking calmly to him and telling him what wall wrong and what to do. Generally after a quarter of an hour the pupil is able not only to keep his course on a level keel, but to return to it after tho pilot had disturbed it by a sudden movement of tho controls. After anything from 7 to 20 hours " dual " flying, tho pupil is sent tip alone with plentv of confidence. He almost always takes off well and lands passably, and sometimes ho " spins " and ' loops " on bis first flight. Accidents, tho speaker said, wero now comparatively rare. Where ono 1315 pupil would break at least two aeroplanes completely, besides smashing half-a-dozen under carriages, at the present time the average was about eleven pnpils trained for ono areoplane and four under-carriages wrecked. In the case of a batch of pupils with no previous experience of flying the average timo spent in dual control with each pupil, up to the timo of his first solo flight, was 15h. 55m. In tho caso of another batch all of whom had flown as passengers for 8 to 10 hours before training began this average was only lOh. 40m.