AERO CLUBS SEEK MORE MACHINES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 45, 17 November 1936, Page 6

AERO CLUBS SEEK MORE MACHINES

Increased Subsidy For Pilots ADVOCACY OF UNIFIED CONTROL OF FLYING “While being grateful for small mercies in the shape of four new machines, this number is entirely inadequate to cope with the large number of pupils offering at the present time,” says the annual report of the New Zealand Aero Club, to be presented to the annual meeting on November 27, referring to the decision of the Government to buy four Miles Hawk trainers for issue on loan to aero clubs. “By the time these machines arrive it will be two years since the clubs received any new machines, and in some cases it will be four years since some of the clubs received any new machines or any additional machines. It is most unfortunate that clubs, and the Government, have not been in a position to keep abreast with the advancement in aviation and training by the suppliy of sufficient machines for this purpose, because we feel that the country is definitely suffering.” Expressing the hope that visits by and reports from overseas experts will enable the Government to define a policy for the progress of aviation, the report says that there is an opportunity to use the facilities of aero clubs in training pilots and ground engineers, not only for defence, but also for commercial flying. “We contend that our ground organisation, experience, and personnel is capable of training as efficiently as any other school the very line type of youth offering as pilots to-day, and we express the hope that some scheme may be evolved whereby the clubs or the Government will be enabled to give advanced training to the pick of these pilots, enabling them to take up immediate duties with commercial aviation, or be drafted into the Air Force for the defence of our shores," says the report. Subsidy for Pilots and Engineers. The report, advocates larger subsidy grants for pupil training, emphasising the value of a. good reserve of welltrained pilots for both defence and commercial flying. “The matter of Government assistance to clubs training pilots within the military age for both defence and commercial purposes is recognised by the Government, and we are grateful for the amount of £5OOO voted this year, which is an increase of £5OO, and is presumably to cover the additional club which was admitted during the year,” says the report. “We made representations for an increased subsidy of £lO,OOO, which would have enabled us to put on extra instructors, if we had the machines, and cope with all the very desirable material offering for training. We hope that the Government will bring us more into line with other Dominions, further recognise the work which is being done, and subsidise us accordingly. These suggestions, and representations, are made not with the idea of getting money for nothing, but to increase the facilities for training a greater number of pilots for this fastest and newest form of transport, and mobile means of defence which the clubs can assist, and even become of greater value with th.it development.” The report also suggests the payment of subsidy for ground engineers who obtain their certificates as trainees, or really apprentices, of aero clubs. “The qualified ground engineer is just as important. as the pilot,” says the report, “and clubs have not lost sight of this important fact in their organisation. They are training these young men and sending them out into the field of civil aviation as fast as possible. We sin cerely trust the matter of assistance in this connection will also be considered dn the near future.” Air Ministry Control. Advocating Air Ministry control of flying, the report savs: “The urgent need for unified control iu aviation in the interests of both economy and efficiency and for the future welfare of both civil and military aviation cannot be stressed too strongly. The lack of unified control has undoubtedly allowed both civil and defence aviation to drift along in the present haphazard manner from which the utmost value is not being obtained. The aero clubs will be pleased to co-operate in any connection, and to place at the disposal of the Government the experience gained over the last eight or nine years of actual control and operation of aviation in their particular sphere. It is hoped that the Government will give recognition to the clubs in this connection.” Regarding insurance cover the report says: “Although no great progress has been made, it is felt that something satisfactory should eventuate at an early date. This would be in keeping and in common with the contracts, which are being issued in other parts of the world. It is felt that the question of exemption of public aerodromes from local rating and land tax should be favourably considered by the Government, and representations in this direction are being considered.” Acknowledgment is made in the report of the assistance given pilots by the circulation of daily weather reports by the Government, and praise Is bestowed on the Public Works Department and the Surveyor-General for the preparation of comprehens/ive flying maps of the North and. South Islands. The report congratulates the flying companies on the successful establishment of airlines. It mentions that the annual meeting will be asked to consider the question of establishing some decoration of honour for outstanding flights or other distinguished services to aviation.