AIR DEVELOPMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 90, 13 October 1937, Page 9

AIR DEVELOPMENT

DOMINION'S NEED

TRAINING DIFFICULTIES

'The importance of aircraft development to New Zealand in peace and in war was stressed last evening at a largely-attended meeting of the recently-formed Wellington Air League, which has as its object the offering of facilities for the training in aeronautics of young men wishing to enter commercial or military aviation as pilots or engineers. : Mr. C. Batten presided. The. purpose of the league, was in the very broadest sense to further the oause of aviation in New Zealand, said 'i«r. Batten. The Air League of the British Empire, headed by the Duke of Sutherland, had achieved great things since its incorporation in 1909, its contributions to'charities connected with aviation running into many thousands. Empire Air Day. alone had yielded £12,000. The Wellington" Air j League had already written to the] British league with a view to affiliation: with that body. WORK OF AERO CLUBS. The pioneers of aviation in New Zealand were the aero clubs, and the value of their work could not be overestimated. The Government: realised that the clubs were of immense potential value to the Dominion, and the clubs loyally gave full value for * any money which the Government spent. The clubs were now, more than ever, bound up in the training of pilots, and had. a very full programme before them. For every pilot in the air, probably ten men would 'be required in other branches of aviation. Facilities for training in the engineering, constructional, 4hd repair side of aviation : had not been catered for to anything like the degree which had been offering to. those' wishing to qualify, as pilots. Among the members of the league were many young men who desired to follow that side, and the league had decided that in that resoect there was a practical work on which to concentrate. A meeting place had been the first necessity, and through the*generosity of two citizens three, months' rent had "been provided. A library was the most important requirement, in which trie public could assist by giving the cost .of a technical or reference book or a. subscription to a journal. From the modest start made by the league it was hoped to see an organisation grow that -would enable every citizen to help the air future of New Zealand, according" :"tp his; 1 ability. It was earnestly desired that the public support every phase of aviation, from helping model aero clubs to backing sojidly the Government in the measures, it was taking for air defence. New Zealand was years behind in aviation —years behind .when even, days might count in time of need. *.'. A VITAL UNflf. Mr; secretary of:the ; league, traced the. historj? of aircraft manufacturing from the early days to the present methods of mass production, and,said it affected New Zealand in two ways: commercially, in a private sense, and from the defence viewpoint. Air power today had swayed the balance of world Powers and had forced Great Britain to spend hundreds of millions of pounds on defence. Air power was'th£flsl,line of attack and the first'and.'l'aStlfiQes of effective were to stand oh'Shlrteet'alotie^;it':%6uld have to be through the medium of aviation development. Dealing with training facilities, Mr. Sharp said '■' the lack of them-.in New Zealand was definitely .detrimental. What the country needed was'-popula-tion, -young men had ; tp-go overseas to get the aircraft experience. If they went on exchange it would not be so bad. The necessary training could not be obtained in the Dominionby effort, but collectively-- they < could, work'; towards it. The rn'eeting wa3 held In the league's club rooms at 244 Lambton \Quay, and at the.cl6se:'supper-was served.