PILOTS FOR ROYAL AIR FORCE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 10

PILOTS FOR ROYAL AIR FORCE

Trained Men Sent From New Zealand

VALUE TO DOMINION Annual Sterling Payment Of £374,000 Trained pilots sent from New Zealand to serve with the Royal Air Force at the rate of 220 a year under the expanded aviation scheme announced on Thursday by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, will be worth £374,000 sterling annually to the Government. It was explained yesterday by Mr. Jones, in discussing further details of the scheme, that New Zealand would receive £l7OO sterling for each trained pilot sent to England, instead of the allowance of £1550 ruling up to the present.

“The maximum number of pilots we will send overseas when we get the whole of our arrangements ready will be 220 a year,” Mr. Jones said. “The second flying training school at Blenheim will be functioning fully by September next year. By December next year we will have sent 150 pilots to England, and thereafter we will send them at the rate of 220 a year. “We will train 140 pilots a year at both Blenheim and Wigram. ■ A total of 220 of these 280 youiig men after eight months’ training will go to the Old Country, and the rest will be further trained for our own requirements in New Zealand. Till, of course, we get both Wigram and Blenheim fully developed, we cannot increase to the maximum.”

The Minister explained that the Government was already obtaining instructors from England, and these officers would take a share of the work of training .the young fliers under the expanded scheme. The Government was also offering engagements to some of the members of the Royal Air Force who, in company with New Zealanders sent to England for the purpose, would fly to the Dominion the 30 Vickers Wellington long-range bombers on order.

The vacancy caufced by the early departure for England of Group-Captain L. M. Isitt, Air Board member for personnel, will be tilled by the temporary appointment of Squadron Leader E. G. Olson, till recently officer commanding the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Hobsonville. Squadron Leader Olson has already arrived in Wellington.

Short Service Commissions

Applications are invited from young men for short service commissions in the Royal Air Force , and appointment to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Reserve (Pilots’ Section).

Those candidates selected for short service commissions will undertake their initial training in New Zealand and will serve for five years on the active list and five years on the reserve Candidates appointed to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Reserve (Pilots’ Section), will be required to undergo an initial period of approximately eight months’ continuous training before being posted to the reserve. Adequate pay and allowances are provided while undergoing training.