AIR EXPANSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 151, 29 June 1939, Page 11

AIR EXPANSION.

NEW ZEALAND PLANS

Flying Schools At Wigram

And Blenheim.

START AT BEGINNING OF 1940.

(By Telegraph.—Pnrllnmentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

Considerable l'eorganisation and expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force was announced to-day by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. This wqs the result of a statement made by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood, in the House of Commons, announcing agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom Governments concerning the establishment of the aircraft industry and extension of flying in New Zealand. Mr. Jones said that the flying training school at Wigram would be in-ert-used substantially in size to provide for the training of 140 pilots a year as against the contemplated output of 80 annually under the earlier expansion programme. To provide for this it would be necessary to purchase some additional land required in the building area and to add additional hangars, instructional buildings and accommodation for officers and airmen. The Air Force station at present under conntruction at Blenheim would be converted to a flying training school capable of an output of 140 pilots a year, making the flying training school at Blenheim equal in capacity to the flying school at Wigram. The proposal involved the purchase of additional land, erection of tour hangars instead of two, and the provision of technical accommodation and further accommodation for officers and men. "Further expansion of the programme of the Royal New Zealand Air Force will mean that young men selected for short service commissions will, in future, instead of going straight to England, receive their first eight months' training in New Zealand, and it is hoped to commence on the first stage of the expanded training scheme at the beginning of 1940," nclfieri the Minister.