RADICAL CHANGES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 63, 12 September 1938, Page 10

RADICAL CHANGES

COMMAND AND CRAFT

THE AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE

FIRST STEP TAKEN

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, September 3. . Almost complete reorganisation .of the higher command of the Royal Australian Air Force has been authorised by the Commonwealth Government as the first step in applying the recommendations of the report of Air Marshal Sir Edward Ellington, of the Royal Air Force, who recently spent a month in Australia investigating the condition, of the Australian force. The changes will probably involve a reconstruction of the Air Board and « reshuffle of duties in the higher ranks. An English Air Force officer is to take command of the Australian force. The present Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Williams, is to go to London under the new exchange system for Air Force officers suggested by Sir Edward Ellington. He will be offered an appropriate command in England which will enable him to gain experience in the latest training and administrative methods. Sir Edward Ellington has been commissioned to make certain inquiries in England touching on the selection of an officer of high distinction for the R.A.A.F. command. The policy of exchanging high officers, the Government believes, will mean that the higher officers of the R.A.A.F. will always have a thorough knowledge of modern aerial developments. Reorganisation . will extend to the lower ranks of the service and it is probable that changes will be made in commands of several of the Air Force stations and squadrons. CONSTRUCTION PLAN CHANGED. Another important change as a result of the Ellington report will be a. recasting of* the plans for the manufacture of R.A.A.F. aeroplanes in Mel*, bourne by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. The type decided on was an American machine adapted for Australian use and for the emt ployment of British equipment. Forty "of these Wirraways, as the modified type has been called, are in process of manufacture, and this order will be completed, but an order for 60 or 70 machines intended to be placed early next year will be cancelled in favour of later types of fast fighting machines.- The only consideration which will influence the Government to extend the Wirraway order will be alterations and improvements to make this type of aeroplane a fast fighting machine. Sir Edward Ellington, in his report, expressed the opinion that the Wirraway was not suitable as" a fighter because of its comparatively low speed. Sir Edward Ellington, in his -report, stated that a number of the R.A.A.F. • flying accidents • were due to disobedience or bad flying discipline, and he recommended improvement in flying discipline as the first and most important reform. The accident irate was definitely worse than in Britain,while before 1935 it was considerably better. He recommended an improvement in training given to recruits after the completion of the flying training school course and urged that. . the conditions of service, of t permanent officers should be* improved. All: service squadrons, .he said, were below, strength and deficient in flight commanders and . non-commissioned officers. CIVILIAN FLYING. Other conclusions reached by Sir Edward Ellington are:—Advanced training and air navigation instruction cannot be put on a*proper basis until" a new station has been formed. • The training organisation should be completed at an early stage of .he present expansion programme. The maintenance of aircraft is, efficient. The best way of meeting the widespread demand for facilities for civilian training is by a scheme on the lines of the Volunteer Air Force in the United Kingdom. It would be a great mistake -to attempt to operate more civil air services than can be operated with safety or to work over routes before they are equipped with the latest aids to safety. This applies particularly to night services. Meteorological and wireless direction-finding services are inadequate.