It is possible to rise in an ordinary land machine with too little power to make a turn or climb fast, and as a result get a bad fall. Owing to the fact that there is a suction between the water and the pontoon it requires more power actually to leave the water than to fly once the plane is in the air. This fact prevents a hydro taking flight with too little reserve flying ability, and once in the air the operator may be sure of a considerable reserve of power to enable him to fly strongly and safely under all conditions. PART VI THE CURTISS PUPILS AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE CURTISS AEROPLANE AND MOTOR BY AUGUSTUS POST CHAPTER I PUPILS All great masters have been represented by pupils who have done honour to their teacher and have achieved personal success in a large measure. Mr. Curtiss is no exception to this rule, for he has taught more than a hundred pupils. There have been representatives of all classes and all nationalities. The list includes all trades and professions, from horse trainers to bankers. And in all these have been pupils from thirteen nationalities including Russians, Germans, French, Canadians, Scotch, Irish, English, Japanese, Indians, Cubans, Mexican, Spaniards, and Greeks. Instruction has been given in all languages, including the sign language. Some nationalities are naturally a little harder than others to instruct, largely because of national characteristics of thought, and also for the reason that in a southern climate those native to it are often unaccustomed to the rapid action necessary at times in flying. Negroes have not yet as a class taken to aviation, but there is one Chinaman in California, Tom Gun, who has been successful as an aviator. But conspicuous among the list of pupils is the number of Army and Navy officers of our own, as well as of foreign countries, that have graduated from the Curtiss School. Hydroaeroplane operation has also been taught to a number of pupils both at Hammondsport, N. Y., and at San Diego, California, where the training camps are located. The life that the pupils lead at these schools is most interesting and healthful. The students get up early, sometimes at four in the morning, when it is just light enough to see and when the air is usually calm and the best conditions for learning to fly exist. Pupils are outdoors practically all day, flying, or working on the machines when any thing breaks or goes wrong. Many pupils have engaged in exhibition flying after completing their course of instruction, and among the large number of very excellent aviators that have followed in Mr. Curtiss' wing beats (for you can hardly say foot steps) have been some of the foremost aviators in the world and men whose fame and exploits are household words to-day. A partial list of some of these men at present active in the field is here given: