THE ‘TIMES" PRIZE-WINNING COLUMN
From
ALMAR FARM
In Transylvania
BY CAL CARPENTER
(This is the second of three
columns telling a story about
my primary flying instructor
when I was an Army Flying
Cadet in 1942. The original story
was published in AIR FORCE
magazine under the title, “Is
Your Safety Belt Fastened?”
The reason for the title will be
obvious when you’ve read this
column.)
—☆—
It seemed the Army requir
ed something called “Pre
cision Flying,” and that was
drummed into us every time
we got near the airplane. If
we failed to enter the down
wind leg for landing at ex
actly forty-five degrees to the
wind-sock direction, if we
lost or gained 20 feet in our
pylon eight maneuvers; if
we recovered from a spin 10
degrees off the point speci
fied, we were not flying with
precision.
Billy Lynam, in the front
cockpit, would put both arms
outside and pound the fuselage
in open handed agony. He’d
yell into the gosport tube and
stick his speaking horn out in
to the slipstream. Since this
horn was connected to ear
pieces in our helmets, the re
sulting roar of air would near
ly blow our ears off. He’s slap
ti.e dual control stick violently
from side to side, rocking the
airplane widly and banging
our knees painfully, and then
he’d make us do it over again.
In the air he was an iras
cible as Donald Duck, but on
the ground he was soft spok
en. courteous, every inch the
Southern gentleman — with
the possible exception of his
spicy language. He once ex
plained his air manners as
his “instruction technique.”
“I’ve taught, a lot'of people
to fly, and I’ve never hgd a
man hurt or a cadet washed
out either,” he said.
That was good enough for
us. The washout rate in pri
mary flving school was some
thing better than 35 percent.
We were willing to put up with
his “technique” if it would
keep u« from that final, fear
some ride in the “Mavtag Mes
serechmitt” with the Army
lieutenant assigned to the base
When you think of prescrip
tions, think of VARNER'S, adv
Old shock absorbers
are tough on your
steering, your tires
and themtoS your
stomach.
So get them replaced.
At any Big A service
station or
New*
H
AMERICAN PARTS
Look for the sigri^ i
of the Big Red A.
" • ■ ' ^ MU
■*•:**•
to pass final judgment on those
who were up for elimination
from training.
billy Lynam was a kind
hearted man beneath all that
in-flight isaseibiUt.v. But in
this, too, he had his own
somewhat unorthodox way.
At the end of our first week
of training he offered a pre
seription for fledgling fa
tigue:
"Go out Saturday night and
get a drink,” he said. “You’re
all tensed up from working
hard all week. A good drink
will relax you! A little hang
over on Sunday will make you
fly better on Monday!”
He even assisted in the
administration of the pre
scription. All five of us were
loaded into his convertible
that Friday afternoon and
taken on a tour of the dives
nrt‘ide town. He even pro
vided the Scotch. I don’t
think he followed his own ad
vice, but he shepherded the
group around like a hen with
five chicks — to mix a me
taphor—and brought us back
to the ba«e in a not-too-de
plorable state. I think we all
had big heads that Sunday,
end I. for one, felt more
limp than relaxed the follow
ing Monday.
T soloed first (the private
ticket murt have helped some,
after all). Following a few
circuits of the field one morn
ing. he stopped the airplane
a* the far e^d and got out. “Go
kill vourself alone,” he said
grouchilv. “I’m tired of your
trying to kill me.”
I taxied back and took off,
blit he stood there at the end
of the field, a lonely looking
little figure in coveralls and.
dangling parachute, until I’d
made the enstomijry three
takeoffs and landings.
Throughout the two-month
primary training period, he
worked us unmercifully. We
were allowed no time to enjoy
living. Every minute aloft with
him we worked; ar.d when we
were solo, we worked in prep
aration for our next flight with
him. Sometimes, as a reward
for good performance, he
would take over and show us
what precision aerobatics were
really l:ke — eight-point slow
rolls, or pylon eights with
Lawmakers'
Addresses
Are Listed
The mailing addresses of
lawmakers representing West
ern North Carolina are publish
ed here for your convenience.
U. S. Sen. Sam J. Ervin, Jr.,
(D), Senate Office Building,
Washington, D. C. 20510; U. S.
Sen. B. Everett Jordan (D),
Senate Office Building, Wash
ington, D. C. 20510; and U. S.
Rep. Roy A. Taylor (D), House
Office Building, Washington,
D. C. 20515.
State Senators, Lamar Gudger
(D), 189 Kimberly Ave., Ashe
ville, 28804; I. C. Crawford
(D), 10 Hampshire Cir., Ashe
ville, 2C<04; Carl D. Killian
(D), Cullowhee 28723; Zeb D.
Alley (D), Waynesville 28786;
Clyde M. Norton (D), Box 477,
Old Fort 28762; David T.
Flaherty (R), 803 Hospital
Avenue, Lenoir 28645.
State Representatives Her
schel S. Harkins (D), Box 7266,
Asheville 28807; John S. Stev
ens (D), 8 Pine Tree Road,
Asheville 2R804; Claude De
Bruhl (D), Box 480, Candler
28715; Charles H. Taylor (R),
Box 66, Brevard 28712; Liston
B. Ramsey (D), Marshall 28753;
Ernest B. Messer (D), 15 Forest
View Circle, Canton 28716; Er
win W. Patton (D), West Main
Street, Franklin 28734.
Also, Reps. J. T. Mayfield
(R), 322 Kendale Court, East
Flat ’Rock, 28726; Hugh Beam
(D), 204 Crescent Drive, Marion
snap rolls between the plyons
at 500 feet!
Billy Layman expected a
certain basic responsibility
on the part of his students
and sometimes checked on it
the hard way. We were
climbing out one cool Septem
ber morning, some 2,000 feet
above the red clay and
scrub pines of southern Geor
gia, when I faintly heard his
voice through the gosport but
couldn’t make out what he was
saying. The gosport was bad
enough at cruise, but in that
open cockpit, with the engine
at climb power, you could
hardly hear yourself think,
much less listen to the in
structor.
I shook my head and pointed
to my ear. Billy Lynam yelled
something again. Again I shook
my head. He tried a third time,
and still I shook my head. He
suddenly took the controls, lev
eled our momentarily, and roll
ed the Stearman over on its
back! I dangled for a moment
on my safety belt and then he
rolled us right side up again.
He cut the throttle briefly
and yelled: “I was asking if
you had your safety belt fast
ened!”
(To be continued next week.)
Best Campaign Ever
Workers who participated
In the 1972 United Fund Cam
paign in Transylvania will
Nave a “Victory” dinner on
Monday night, January 24th,
in the Brevard College Cafe
teria at 7:00 o’clock.
According to Earle John
son, the President, it will be
a dutch treat affair, and a
large crowd is expected.
The dinner will honor the
workers and the donors who
made the current campaign
the best ever in Transylvania
county.
The goal was $55,266, and
more than $58,000 has been
28752; James E. Holshouser,
Jr. (R), Westbrook Extension,
Boone 28607; R. A. Jones (D),
122 Woodland Ave., Forest
City 28043; and William M.
Fulton (R), 207 Myrtle Street,
Morganton 28655.
Tuesday Nights
m
Speed Reading Course To Be
Offered At Brevard College
A speed reading course, de
signed to accelerate reading
rates by refining information, is
being offered at Brevard Col
lege on Tuesday evening, 7:00
pledged or given.
The annual meeting of the
United Fund will follow the
dinner.
At that time, officers for
the Executive Board will be
elected, as well as 13 mem
bers for the Class of 1973.
The price of the dinner will
be $3.00 per person.
to 9:30 p.m., from February 1st
through March 7, 1972.
The course will be conducted
by Dr. James Douglas Tyson,
Visiting Professor of Special
Education at the college.
Fee for the course is $30, pay
able in advance at the first
meeting on February 1st.
The class will be limited to
18 persons. Those interested
are advised to contact the col
lege immediately to insure a
place in the class.
ETOWAH VALLEY GOLF CLUB
DINING ROOM & LOUNGE
For a dinner and evening that is distinctively
different, relax and dine in a charming
atmosphere overlooking beautiful Etowah
Valley Golf Course. FEATURING PRIME
STEAKS AND SEAFOOD.
Toss your own Salad from 17 Ingredients.
Champagne with your meal, compliments of the dub.
Thurs. is Family Night featuring a spaghetti
dinner with a delicious homemade meat
sauce^^
By Popular Demand Now Open Every
Evening Except SUNDAYS and TUES
DAYS 5:00 - 11:00 p.m.
ON US 64 AT ETOWAH, N. C.
BETWEEN HENDERSONVILLE * BREVARD
Phone 104/8917022 or 693-9154
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