ne by holding his stick well back and wondering why the nose does
not come up. The pathetic thing is that so many hundred men have
thought their salvation was to hold the stick back.

The only possible thing to do in this case is to break the pocket. Put
the stick forward to neutral, or even farther if need be, and opposite
rudder. The machine will come out in three-quarters of a turn with
practice, into a straight-nose dive. Then ease the stick back, and
this time the nose comes up and the machine flies on its course.
Instructors who have taught their pupils this before they let them go
solo have saved many, many lives.

It is reasonable to say that there are no fatal accidents except those
from a spin, but, like all general statements, that is open to
contradiction. A nose-high side-slip may be fatal, but generally the
pilot pulls himself out of it. There may have been men killed in
landing accidents, but one seldom hears of them. Men have been killed
trying to loop off the ground, and Vernon Castle was killed doing an
Immelmann turn at fifty feet to avoid another machine. These are the
exceptions. The common or garden variety of accident is from a spin.
The spin once conquered, the air is conquered.

One hears about stunting, and the accidents which result from taking
chances in the air. There may be two opinions about whether for the
flying of the future it should be necessary to loop, to roll, to half
roll, and stall turn, or even to spin. As to looping and rolling, the
question of the type of machine to be flown will determine that
largely. There are many machines which cannot be looped. The large
naval flying-boats, for instance, describe a circle two thousand feet
in diameter for each turnover--it is almost obvious that not much
stunting is done on these boats. A small scout or sporting plane can
loop and come out higher than it went in.

There is certain value in practising such maneuvers if the machine
will permit it. In battle they are, of course, essential. In peace,
however, they may be valuable for the very fact that it accustoms a
pilot to unexpected changes in the air. He gets used to the idea that
he can pull himself out of any position, given air enough, and he will
never be afraid. He becomes orientated on his back, does not lose his
head, and simply waits with confidence for his machine to come around.
This means that if he is suddenly overturned by accident, or for a
minute or two loses control,