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| {{Infobox ride
| | #REDIRECT [[Flight Tutor (1)]] |
| | name = Flight Tutor
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| | othernames = Aerotrainer, Orientator
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| | type = Rotating ride
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| | parksection = East, central
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| | built = 1931
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| | opened = 1931
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| | closed = 1931 (Sales company went out of business)
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| | manufacturer = Springfield Welding and Supply Company<br />Air Craft Appliance Co.
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| | designer = W. E. Hoffman
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| | height = 20 ft. (6.1 m)
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| | vehicletype = Airplane
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| | numvehicles = 1
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| | numriders = 1
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| | inversions = Varies
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| }}
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| The first '''Flight Tutor''' (sometimes called an '''Aerotrainer''' or '''Orientator''')<ref>"New Concern to Make 'Orientator' to Teach Flying Without Planes." ''Springfield News-Sun (Springfield, Ohio). 9 June 1929. Pg. 23. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107108977/new-concern-to-make-orientator-to/</ref> was one of two devices at Olentangy Park that was designed after flight simulators used by the U.S. Flying Service at the time.<ref name="invention">"Circus Thrillers: Army's 'Green' Flyers Get Stunt Training Near the Ground." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 6 October 1929. Pg. F9.</ref><ref name="teacher">"On the Rialto: Flight Teacher." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 3 April 1931. Pg. 22A.</ref><ref>"Sunday Only." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 11 April 1931. Pg. 8.</ref><ref name="new">"New Flight Machine." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 17 April 1931. Pg. 2B.</ref><ref name="another">"Another Tutor Picked For Park." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 19 April 1931. Pg. 60.</ref><ref>"Dressed Up: Features Added to Airplane Which Goes Nowhere." ''The Dayton Herald (Dayton, Ohio).'' 23 April 1929. Pg. 2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107108176/dressed-up-features-added-to-airplane/</ref><ref>"Mechanical Flight Tutor Recent Development At Field 'Real Instructor'". ''Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio). 28 April 1929. Pg. 4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107108369/mechanical-flight-tutor-recent/</ref>
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| The Flight Tutor, a unique addition to Olentangy Park, was unveiled on the park's Easter Sunday opening in 1931. It marked a significant milestone as the first of its kind to be permanently installed, having previously been a temporary attraction at only four other locations.<ref name="feature">"Flying to Be Park Feature." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 5 April 1931. Pg. 10D.</ref><ref>"Leviathans Play at Olentangy." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 20 April 1931. Pg. 10A.</ref><ref>"On the Rialto." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 24 April 1931. Pg. 20A.</ref>
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| Invented by Wright Field aeronautical and mechanical engineer W. E. Hoffman in 1929,<ref>"How to Fly Without Flying." ''The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania).'' Photo. 29 June 1929. Pg. 12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107109257/flight-tutor-photo-and-details/</ref> it looked like a wingless plane with a fuselage body, with rudder, elevator, and aileron control surfaces, mounted on a steel<ref>"Flight Tutor Gives Student 'Safe' Thrills." ''Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona).'' 8 September 1929. Pg. 26. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107109482/flight-tutor-gives-student-safe/</ref> double-tripod frame 20 feet (6.1 meters) tall.<ref name="invention" /> The propeller in front was controlled by a 15-horsepower electric motor, and a circle of fins behind it blew air onto the rider to simulate an airspeed of 70-150 mph (113-241 kph).<ref>"New Concern to Make 'Orientator' to Teach Flying Without Planes." ''Springfield News-Sun (Springfield, Ohio).'' 9 June 1929. Pg. 23. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107108977/new-concern-to-make-orientator-to/</ref> Stairs led up to a nearby platform where riders could board the ride using a gangplank held by one of the two ride operators. Riders would get strapped in and control the plane with realistic controls to loop, spin, roll, dive, and stall without risk.<ref name="teacher" /><ref>"First Sunday at the Biggest Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 5 April 1931. Pg. 62.</ref><ref name="feature" /><ref>"Western Band." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 8 April 1931. Pg. 16A.</ref><ref>"Another Sunday At Olentangy Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 13 April 1931. Pg. 12A.</ref><ref name="shifting1">Raper, Tod. "Shifting Scenes." The Columbus Dispatch. 15 April 1931. Pg. 2B.</ref><ref name="another" /> The inventor claimed a half hour in the tutor was equal to three hours in the air.<ref>"How to Fly Without Flying." News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania). Photo. 29 June 1929. Pg. 12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107109257/flight-tutor-photo-and-details/
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| </ref>
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| It was installed near the entrance to the [[Red Devil]], south of the [[Midway]].<ref>"Flying to Be Park Feature." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 7 April 1931. Pg. 14A.</ref><ref name="shifting1" /><ref>"That Busy Place, Olentangy." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 10 May 1931. Pg. 56.</ref> Its success led to a [[Flight Tutor (Second)|second version]] of the ride being installed further north.<ref name="new" /><ref name="another" /> The rides were manufactured by the Springfield Welding and Supply Company and Air Craft Appliance Company (both in Springfield, Ohio) and sold through the Aircraft Appliance Sales Corporation (in Delaware). <ref>"Entertaining the Multitude." ''Springfield News-Sun (Springfield, Ohio).'' 13 April 1931. Pg. 12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107183824/entertaining-the-multitude/</ref> The Army Flying Corps later found it obsolete, which had little if any practical value<ref>"Air Corps in Need of More Ship Pilots." ''The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana).'' 13 November 1932. Pg. 7. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107184439/air-corps-in-need-of-more-ship-pilots/</ref> and the sales company went out of business in 1932, so this ride was only at the park for one season.<ref name="feature" /><ref>"AIRCRAFT APPLIANCE SALES CORPORATION." ''Open Corporates.'' https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_oh/145885</ref>
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| == See Also ==
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| * [[Flight Tutor (Second)|Second Flight Tutor]]
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| == References ==
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| <references />
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| {{Park Sections}}
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| {{Rides}}
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| [[Category:Rides]]
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| [[Category:Rotating Rides]]
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| [[Category:Added in 1931]]
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| [[Category:Closed in 1931]]
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| <metadesc>The first Flight Tutor was one of two devices at Olentangy Park that was designed after flight simulators used by the U.S. Flying Service at the time.</metadesc>
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