TRAINER FL-OWN 12,000 HOURS,
Flown over 12, 000 hours and never
off the ground.
That's the remarkable record of
the Link Trainer, land-bound a i r-
plane - cockpit used by Piedmont
Airline pilots for their continued
proficiency in instrument and in
"blind flying".
The Trainer, operated by Piedmont
Aviation, Inc. for the airline pilots
and instrument students is operated
by Miss Hop Hee Dunne, who has
been in charge of this phase of work
in W ins ton-Salem for three and one -
half years.
Miss Dunne has an impressive back
ground of training, having taught
at the Academy of Aeronautics in
San Francisco, instructing in Link
Trainer, Navigation a n d Meteor
ology before coming to Piedmont.
Prior to that time she was in the
weather forecasting department for
American Airlines in Chicago.
All Piedmont Airline pilots are re
quired to make regular periodic
flights in the Trainer, and in addi
tion to the airline personnel, Miss
Dunne has instrument students who
start from the beginning and learn
blind flying. The Trainer depart
ment of the fixed base operations
is also approved for ATR training.
The accompanying pictures show
the Trainer in operation, with Miss
Dunne giving a student an instru
ment problem. The trainer, look
ing like a clipped and pushed to
gether small airplane, as shown in
the top photo, is balanced by air
when the power is on, and sits on
air furnished by four bellows.
NEVER OFF GROUND
The instruments in the cockpit, in
cluding the gyro, operate by vac
uum just like on the airplanes, and
the electrical instruments operate
just like the airplane cockpit. The
Trainer is a single engine craft,
and can be given rough air, wind
drift and all simulated actual con
ditions .
In the upper right photo. Miss Dunne
is observing the progress of the
flight as the student flys his prob
lem, with the machine in the left
foreground d r a w i n g a miniature
pattern just as the ship flys. Miss
Dunne also manipulates the con
trols for the various stations in
the link and applies rough air and
other conditions.
At lower right, the instructor is
explaining the problem and airport
where the blind landing will be sim
ulated.
Charts giving compass headings,
radio bearings, and other informa
tion are used by the pilots and the
students.
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PAI PIN-UPS
Bill Mabe of Fixed Base Stockroom
No. 2 is the very proud father of a
new baby daughter, Deborah Jan,
born October 15th, and weighing
8 lbs. , 9 ozs.
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The average girl needs more beauty
than brains because the average
man can see better than he can
think.
FUND DRIVE SUCCESS
The 1953 United Fund campaign has
come to a close with a total contri
bution from Winston-Salem employ
ees of $2632.50, an increase of 26
per cent over last year. 71 per
cent of INT employees contributed
for an average of $9.40 each.
Special congratulations are due the
general office, accounting, access
ory overhaul, inspection and the
pilots who had 100 per cent parti
cipation in the drive.
This is the largest percentage of
employees contributing that we have
ever had, and we would like to thank
all solicitor s for their splendid co
operation and hard work.
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