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Page 40
The Gossiping Pilot!
By J. K. Tennant

"WINGS" is getting a lot of publicity--free and paid. This columnist is not doing press-agenting for Paramount, so some observations on the picture are not advertising. 

Anyway, it is being whispered throughout the hangars that one flier got $250,000 for cracking-up ships--$25,000 a ship.

It seems upon consideration--due or otherwise--that this sum must have been slightly exaggerated. We know that we never got anythign but hell and condolences for those we've cracked-up; and if there are any more $25,000 floating around, we'll take a chance on tow--and then go into some quiet profession, like that of steeplejack.
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We remember our first crack-up. It was not a complete success; but, then, we were only in our student days. It takes an old, experienced pilot to really wash-out a plane. No novice can hope to make as much of a wreck of a plane as a man with 1,500 or 2,000 hours in the air.

As we remember, Fred, the only Junker pilot in America, made the statement that you couldn't fly until you had had at least four crack-ups.

Fred ought to know--he's had 'em! And at that, he's hot stuff! But a foreign test pilot has over 300 to his credit!
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But enough of crack-ups. We've all had 'em; we'll all have 'em in the future. Lindbergh made quite a point of the fact that he had busted up a plane or two, you know. He had no intention of claiming to be air-perfect.
* * *
We see that some Senator wants to train all the boy scouts to fly. Well, the Department names 16 as the age of discretion for Private Pilots; but, personally, we agree with MacMullen, of Curtiss, now somewhere in South America. Mac held out for a higher age limit at the time of the Conference, you know.
* * * 
Speaking of South America, do you remember when Jimmie Doolittle flew across the Andes with casts on both ankles. Now he's made an outside loop! Jimmie sure tries like hell to live down his name! But what's next, Jimmie? One of Springs' maneuvers read of with open mouths?
[[image: photo of man in flying gear standing in front of airplane, his hand on its propeller]]
[[caption]] Here is a new wrinkle in radio programs--a broadcast of lessons in flying. KOA, the Rocky Mountain radio station in Denver now puts them on the air. Cloyd Clevenger, World War ace and now pilot at the Alexander airport, is the instructor. Clevenger, who has a long record as test pilot and instructor, says there is much to be learned before the aviation student takes his first flight. It is this preliminary instruction he will give his radio flying class. Clevenger is assisted by gene Lindberg, feature writer for the Denver Evening News--thus permitting the broadcast to be delivered in dialog form to add to its interest. [[/caption]]

You know, they say Springs gets twenty-five cents a word for his stuff. Who says the Army was poor pay? What some other chaps who were "over there" want to know is why in hell they didn't keep diaries, too!
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Levine's famous hop with Chamberlin across the Atlantic was no more applauded than was his Paris to London flight. It took nerve, grit and daring to make it, and the American newspapers do not seem to appreciate this fact.

England, however, better versed in these things, loudly acclaims the "man who is always in wrong," and we add our praise to that of the English Press. Also, our congratulations that he lost the ride in the "meat wagon!"

They had one on the field, waiting for him.

However, Levine must have nerve--think what's coming to him from his wife! Considering this, maybe he figured it would be easy to die!

Up at Pitcairn, said to be near Philadelphia, they've got an army donkey. So far Pilot Kerr has been the proud (?) possessor, but you never can tell--someone may take it away from him someday! But at that, Kerr's a dog with the ladies!
* * *
Well, we've tried to make this feature interesting; but if you'll send in some "gossip" from your hanger, maybe we can give you more of a treat next issue. Don't forget the "gossip!"

Switch on! Get that guy out of the way, will you? Contact!
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The Gossiping Pilot will be glad to exchange bits of "hearsay" information with brother fliers throughout the country. Send him whatever notes you have that might be of interest.