EARLY INSTRUMENT FLYING DOOLITTLE 341 



tion called vertigo. This, of course, explains why early-day pilots 

 flying in dense fog or clouds frequently become confused and occa- 

 sionally spun in and crashed. 



Capt. — later Col. — William C. Ocker, an early and extremely com- 

 petent Army Air Corps pilot and flight researcher, had long been 

 interested in instrument flying and in 1918 had tested the then new 

 bank-and-turn indicator. In mid-1926 he took Captain Myers' new 

 "blindfold test." His first reaction was that Captain Myers had 

 played a trick on him or, if not, that his senses had failed him. After 

 further consideration he decided that here was proof positive that 

 no normal pilot could consistently fly "blind" without instruments. 



Ocker, who had had considerable experience flying with the bank- 

 and-tum indicator — he frequently carried one, a quickly attachable 

 unit complete with venturi, in his flight baggage — believed this instru- 

 ment could correct the pilot's faulty senses. He designed a lightproof 

 "black box" which contained a bank-and-turn indicator and a mag- 

 netic compass. This box was mounted on the front of the Jones- 

 Barany chair. The pilot sealed his face against the opening in the 

 box and observed the bank-and-turn indicator and compass. With 

 this piece of equipment he could correctly identify the direction and 

 rate of his rotation. After the rotation stopped and the compass 

 settled down, he could then determine heading. 



Myers and Ocker continued their experiments, and the arrange- 

 ment of black box and revolving chair were patented and subsequently 

 used in the training of pilots. Later some pilots were to learn to 

 fly by instruments alone before they learned to fly under normal 

 visual conditions. 



In the late 1920's and early 1930's, Captain Ocker and 1st Lt. — later 

 Col. — Carl J. Crane collaborated in the study of instrument flying 

 techniques and developed, among other things, a unitary arrangement 

 of instruments which would give the pilot a maximum of useful in- 

 formation with a minimum of effort and fatigTie. They referred to 

 this as a "Flight Integrator." 



In 1932 Major Ocker and Lieutenant Crane wrote, and the Naylor 

 Printing Co. published, a book entitled: "Blmd Flight in Theoiy 

 and Practice." This book gave an excellent analysis of the problems 

 inherent in instrument flying and their solution. It was for many 

 years the standard reference book on instrument flying. 



DANIEL GUGGENHEIM FUND FOR THE PROMOTION OF AERONAUTICS 



Daniel Guggenheim was one of the great industrialists, philan- 

 thropists, and citizens of the 20th century. He was interested in 

 everything that could lead to a fuller life and a better world. One of 

 his many great contributions was the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for 



