AIR FORGE TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1941, Page 8

AIR FORGE TRAINING

ROTARIAN'S IMPRESSIONS

An account of his impressions of the system of Air Force training in operation in New Zealand was given to the Rotary Club today by Mr. C. E. Wheeler, who said that people did not realise the extent and thoroughness of the course which Dominion airmen had to undergo before they qualified. The speaker said he was allowed the privilege of staying at one or two of the stations and seeing how the work was done. He detailed the course followed by the flying personnel when undergoing their ground training at Levin, and the training of the ground staff at Harewood, prior to their transfer ,to Rongotai to complete their training. Everywhere, he said, there was Sa remarkable blending of theory and practice, one' keeping step with the bther,

Mr. Wheeler said he was given the

opportunity of flying under actual ser-

vice conditions, and spoke of the coni trast with the ordinary commercial flying. A particularly important feature of a pilot's training was the Link trainer, which reproduced actual flying conditions on the grounds. Because of their independent mode of Hiving, he said, New Zealanders were regarded as first-class airmen, and the contribution the Dominion was making jto the Empire's air strength was very real.