AIR PILOTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 10

AIR PILOTS.

DOMINION NEEDS.

NEW STATE PLAN.

REQUEST TO AERO CLUBS. CO-OPERATION IK TRAINING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Aero club organisations in New Zealand are to be asked to assist the Government in the preliminary training of candidates for the Air Force, and also in a scheme to provide a civil reserve of pilots. In making this announcement to-day the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, said there waa no intention on the part of the Government to interfere with the activities of the clubs, but there would be a supervision *of the training methods and the standards reached. The Minister said the total number of candidates for which the eleven aero clubs in New Zealand would be asked to provide initial training for entry in the Jioyal Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force would be 50 "a year. In addition, the numbers to be trained for a civil reserve of pilot* would be limited to 100 each year.

"Since their inception in 1929 and 1930 the aero clubs in New Zealand have rendered valuable service to aviation by providing flying training throughout the Dominion, and the Government is anxious that the best use should continue to be made of the facilities which havo been built up," said Mr. Jones. "It will be remembered that in 1929 the Government of the day agreed to pay a sum of £25 for each pilot trained to the A license standard, with a limit of £500 to each club. With some modifications this scheme has remained in force for the past seven years, during which period 582 pilots have been trained to the A license standard. In addition to this payment thirty Government aircraft have been issued on loan to the clubs during this period to assist them in their training, and this has been an important factor in reducing the cost of instruction. Full Inquiry Held. "The Government recently decided that the nature of the training to be given and the manner .in which payment should be made required investigation. As a result of full inquiry certain general conclusions emerged, of which the following are the more important since they form the basis of the new proposals:— I / "Firstly, the A license, which has been the standard for the subsidy in the .past, is too low to be of much practical value. Individuals who obtain these 'licenses are often precluded by the cost of further training from continuing with their flying until they reach a more advanced stage.. The high cost of dual instruction also reduces the amount given, which has sometimes fallen below that normally considered desirable in the interests of safety. "Secondly, although by subsidising clubs the State has assisted individuals to obtain their licenses, it did not ask them for any form of service in return, nor did it insist on such a high medical standard as is required for service or commercial flying. "Thirdly, the majority of the clubs were running at a loss, and many were on the verge of. exhausting their . resources. "In these circumstances, a recasting of the scheme seemed desirable. The first point to be considered was the necessity for continuing to encourage the full number of approved clubs, of which there are now eleven distributed throughout the Dominion. The training which the Government, desires to make available could be given at a central school, but any scheme of this nature would limit such training to those living in the vicinity or to those who could afford the necessary time and money to reach the central point, and this fact alone would reduce its value. Furthermore, certain of the clubs are located iu regions where their presence, and the facilities which they provide, may have a defence value in times of emergency. It has, therefore, been decided to continue for the present to assist the full number of clubs, provided that they reach the required standard of efficiency; but this decision will be reviewed in the light of the experience gained during the next twelve months. "It is intended to ask certain selected clubs to provide the initial training for those candidates for the Royal Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force who 1 will later pass on to Wigrain for their service training. Civil Reserve of Pilots. "In addition, it is proposed to institute a new organisation to be known as a Civil Reserve of Pilots, which will be; open to applicants who reach the required standards of education and physical fitness, and who express their willingness to serve in the R.N.Z.A.F. If called upon to do so in an emergency. In return for this undertaking, the State will pay for their initial flying instruction, which has been fixed at 40 hours, and for two refresher courses of 10 j hours each to be given in the two suc- ' ceeding years. The Civil Reserve will also be open to pilots who have already received the necessary amount of- preliminary training, but who for any reason cannot join the Territorial Air Force or the Air Force Reserve. To be eligible for free training applicants /.must be between the ages of 17J and . 26 years, whilst the upper age limit of lithe .reserve has-been fixed at 38."

"It is hoped by this means to build up a reserve of pilots who, although they have only flown light aircraft have, nevertheless, received sufficient instruction to prepare them for training on higher-powered service or civil types should the need arise. It is impossible, owing to the cost involved, to continue the training beyond a total of 60 hours, but it is hoped that the individuals who are selected will do their utmost to master the various problems which artee in flying and which will form the sub- j ject of instruction both in the air and on the ground. "The general supervision of the scheme will be undertaken bv SquadronLeader L. M. Isitt, R.N.Z.A'.F., assisted by Flight-Lieutenant H. B. Burrell, who will co-ordinate the methods of training and test all pilots who are being trained under the scheme to ensure that they reach a satisfactory standard. As a first measure towards securing greater uniformity of instructional methods two courses for aero club instructors have been held at Wigra-m, at which the latest methods of instruction have been demonstrated and opportunities given for practice in flying by instruments. Future of Club Flying. "The future of private and club flying in the Dominion must largely depend on a reduction in its cost, and it is hoped that during the period of the agreement, which will be for one year, all concerned will do their utmost in this direction. One of the chief factors in assessing the cost is the risk of accident to aircraft, which may involve at the worst its. total loss, or, in many cases, damage to the extent of several hundreds of pound's. From an examination of the records of accidents, it is clear that a number were due to lack of experience, and, in some isolated cases, to unnecessarily low flying,, which is a breach of the Air Navigation Regulations. It is hoped that the scheme now proposed will lead to | more thorough instruction, and will bring about a stricter observance of the regulations. "There is no intention of controlling the activities of the aero clubs, since much of their success lies in the enthusiasm and initiative of their executives and members, but to the extent that the Government pays for the instruction of certain individuals it will supervise the methods adopted and the standards reached. Apart from this the clubs will be free to carry ori their full activities as in the past. Owing to the nature of the equipment used, flying instruction can never be very cheap, but it is hoped nevertheles*, that if full advantage is taken of types of aircraft now becoming available, an increasing number will be able to avail themselves of the opportunities of learning to fly. "Full information regarding the Civil Reserve can be obtained from the secretary of the nearest aero club, to whom all applications for enrolment should be sent. The final selection will however, be made by the Air Depart-