By the end of the first week I had been instructed on the previously mentioned exercises plus, overshoot procedure, instruments, stalling ,and spinning. I had previously been instructed on spins at Cambridge, and as I have said my instructor had been a WW 1 R.F.C pilot, who told me at the time no one knew how to correct a spin and the only thing they could do if they got in to a spin ,was pray. As he taught me how to develop a spin and recover I was quite at ease when repeating the exercise at Ponca . To cause a spin we just throttled back, pulled back the stick, and rammed on full rudder. to recover , stick full forward, and apply opposite rudder.
While we were on the primary course, two advanced students took off in an A.T 6 on a night flying exercise, and didn't return. At first light we searched for them and found the crashed A.T 6 about 3 miles from the end of the runway,both pupils dead. It was later found that the fuel change over control was half way between tank 1 and tank 2. The preflight drill was to start up on tank 1, test mags, and full revs. Then taxy out on tank 2 as a test, then switch back to 1 for take off. Obviously they had taken off with just enough fuel in the carburettor to get airborne, when the engine cut out. We were all very careful when performing pre flight checks after that.The cadets were buried in Ponca City and the graves are still carefully maintained.
By the end of the first week I had had about eight hours flying tuition, and four "under the hood" on the Link trainer.
We were all issued with a Hussif, does any one know if it is still standard issue?