50,000 DOMINION AIRMEN A YEAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1940, Page 10

50,000 DOMINION AIRMEN A YEAR

TRAINING SCHEME,

Work Ahead Of Schedule

In Canada

NEW ZEALAND'S EFFORT. British Official Wireless. (Received 2 p.m.)RUGBY, June 21v The arrival in England, bf two further units of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the fact that the first batch of pilots in Canada is now standing by for overseas service gives evidence that the Empire air training scheme, which is well ahead of schedule, is going to prove of vital importance in the war.

In Canada, 111 units arc to he established, including 67 training schools. Schools for staff alone number 40,000 men, and aerodromes, of which SI units are now working, and sites have been surveyed for the remaining 30. .

Already 25,000 young Canadians have entered their applications at the recruiting stations in tho Dominion, and 5000 are being called up for preliminary training. Rccruiting for the ground staff goes on at the rate of some 300 weekly. To assist this work 71 officers and about 200 airmen of the R.A.l<\ went to Canada last February.

In Australia 8*4,000' applications have been made to join the Empire Air Force —14,000 for air crews and 70,000 for ground staffs. Of these, 3360 have been accepted for ground staffs, of whom two-thirds arc already serving. .•

The Australian War Cabinet has decided that the total of recruits to March 1943, shall he 07,473, comprising 14,300 pilots, 10,173 air crews and 27,000' ground personnel. To help with the training at the 3G schools that are to be opened, the services of oflicers and men of the R.A.F. have been obtained, and to this end the Australian Government has also enlisted 2.;0 experienced civilian pilots. Moreover, fitters are to be trained at an engineering school with a capacity for 2000 men.

In New Zealand over 4000 men have been registered for <raining, and 1100 have been accepted. By the end of 1940 New. Zealand will have facilities for the training of 000 pilots, yearly and initial training for a further 500. pilots and 1500 observers and air gunners, who will complete their training in Canada.

Thus, when the scheme is in full operation, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will produce no fewer than 20,000 pilots and 30,000 air crews every year.- .