A NEW SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 263, 7 November 1939, Page 5

A NEW SCHEME.

EXPANSION OF R.A.F.

TECHNICAL BRANCH BEING

FORMED.

CHANCE FOR . »KIIXBI> MEW.

The Air Council have approved th< formation of a technical branch of tht Royal Air Force, distinct from tht general duties branch, which I*B in th< past supplied small numbers of officer: for various technical duties. Formerly officers possessed of engineering K\, ow letlze were encouraged, after a period o service as pilots, to tate special course* at Royal Air Force depots, after the-suc cesflful completion of which they were posted to stations as engineer officers The technical work of armament ant signals was executed by commissioner warrant officers, who had acquired specialised knowledge while serving ir their trades. . The recent expansion of the Air Force coupled with the great increase of complex technical equipment, ha* made it difficult for an officer to combine the duties of a first-rate pilot with those 01 a. skilled technician. Hence, the new scheme will provide the Air Force w '*h officers, already possessed of high technical qualifications before their entry into the service, who will devote theii whole time to technical duties. In the future, as at present, there will be a number of posts, in the rank squadron leader and below, for commissioned warrant officers; but the higher positions will he filled by officers entered for continuous employment in technical duties. The new commission \yill, in general, be granted to (a) university graduates in engineering or natural science who have completed a wholetime course at a recognised university; (b) engineering students who have, •fter school, gained at least three years' practical experience at good engineering works, and have continued their technical pfluration up to the standard of a second class honours degree, or gained

an equivalent diploma from a technical college, or qualified for membership of a professional institution; (c) engineers who have acquired theoretical knowledge up to the standard of a university degree, and have subsequently obtained experience in a good engineering works. Ability to fly as a pilot will not be an essential condition for entry into the technical branch, but in the selection of new entrants previous flying experience in university air squadrons or in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve will be taken into account. Technical officers, who comply with the medical standards, will be encouraged to- fly as pilots and to reach at least the standard of civil A license pilots; a proportion of these officers will be trained on service types and kept in flying practice. In the early days of the Royal Air Force the pilots were very largely officers, and the technical duties performed by airmen. Recently the proportion of airmen pilots has greatly increased, and the technical side is about to be reinforced with qualified technical officers. In view ofj the fact that such a large proportion of the ranks is filled with skilled technical tradesmen, it is appropriate that the Royal Air Force should form a branch of officers for whole-time technical I duties, as is done in the other two services.—"Engineering."