of green fields to lure
him, and his great object is to avoid one in which the grass is long,
for that would bring his machine to a stop so suddenly as to turn it
over; or one of rough surface likely to break the under-carriage. Now is
perfect eyesight and a cool head indispensable. He sees and decides upon
a field and, knowing his job, he sticks to that field with no change
of mind to confuse him. It is none too large, and gliding just over the
trees and head on to the wind he skilfully "stalls" his machine; that
is, the speed having decreased sufficiently to avoid such a manoeuvre
resulting in ascent, he, by means of the Elevator, gives the Aeroplane
as large an angle of incidence as possible, and the undersides of the
planes meeting the air at such a large angle act as an air-brake, and
the Aeroplane, skimming over the ground, lessens its speed and finally
stops just at the farther end of the field.

Then, after driving the Aeroplane up to and under the lee of the hedge,
he stops the engine, and quickly lashing the joy-stick fast in order
to prevent the wind from blowing the controlling surfaces about and
possibly damaging them, he hurriedly alights. Now running to the tail he
lifts it up on to his shoulder, for the wind has become rough indeed and
there is danger of the Aeroplane becoming unmanageable. By this action
he decreases the angle at which the planes are inclined to the wind and
so minimizes the latter's effect upon them. Then to the Observer, "Hurry
up, old fellow, and try to find some rope, wire, or anything with which
to picket the machine. The wind is rising and I shan't be able to hold
the 'bus steady for long. Don't forget the wire-cutters. They're in the
tool kit." And the Observer rushes off in frantic haste, before long
triumphantly returning with a long length of wire from a neighbouring
fence. Blocking up the tail with some debris at hand, they soon succeed,
with the aid of the wire, in stoutly picketing the Aeroplane to the
roots of the high hedge in front of it; done with much care, too,
so that the wire shall not fray the fabric or set up dangerous
bending-stresses in the woodwork. Their work is not done yet, for the
Observer remarking, "I don't like the look of this thick weather and
rather fear a heavy rain-storm," the Pilot replies, "Well, it's a
fearful bore, but the first rule of our game is never to take an
unnecessary risk, so out with the engine and body covers."

Working with a will