AIR DEFENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1937, Page 4

AIR DEFENCE

NEW ZEALAND PROPOSALS. (Per Ministerial Favour.) WELLINGTON, March 16. The Government, in pursuance of its policy of providing an Air Force capable, in conjunction with the other Services, of playing an effective part in the defence of the Dominion, is now considering the proposals submitted by Wing-Commander the Hon. R. A.. Cocnrane, A.F.C., R.A.F., the officer appointed to advise the Government on air defence, stated the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones). A preliminary report dealing with the suggested duties and strength of the Royal New Zealand Air Force has already been submitted, and has been approved as a br.sis for a fuller investigation into the organisation and administration of the proposed force. Although soine ■ points still remain to be settled, it is now possible to give a genearl idea o the lines along which development will take place, and to indicate the nature of the requirements in pilots and mechanics over the next two yeais. The Government has, firstly, decided that the duties of the AJr and the special nature of me problems which it will be called upon to face, necessitate a headquarter organisation, which can devote its entire attention to these matters. An AnBoard will, therefore, be set up to control the Royal New Zealand Air Force, fud it is proposed to seek the necessary legislative powers during the forthcoming session. In the meantime an Air Force Headquarters will be formed in Wellington on April 1, and the names of the officers filling the chief appointments will be announced shortly. It can be sfotec, however, that Civil Aviation will be represented on the Board, which . wil thus be in a position to co-ordinate those matters which are common to Service and Civil flying. The programme of Air Force development which is novz being pioceeded with contemplates the foirnal tion of two new operational squadrons, which will be equipped with the latest type of aircraft. It will be necessary to prepare and equip new defence aerodromes for these squadrons, and surveys of suitable localities are proceeding .A final selection will be made as soon as the necessary information is available, so that the work of providing the accommodation can be started without delay. This, it is estimated, z will take from 18 months to two years to complete. Hobsonville, which in the past has filled the dual role of operational station and repair base, will now be organised as a, repair centre, and will be enlarged as necessary to meet the needs of the Air Force as these grow., Wigram will bo developed as a flying 'school to train.pilots for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the Reserve and the Royal Air Force,' under the various schemes referred to below. As a first step to introducing the new organisation, it is proposed to concentrate on the formation of the flying training school at Wigram with tho object of starting the first course early in May. A considerable extension of facilities will bo necessary to provide the full requirements of a flying training school, but in the meantime arrangements are being made to adapt a number of temporary buildings which alrea'dy exist. The aerodrome itself has, recently been greatly ”■ improved, and, being situated in the Canterbury Plains, is well suited to flying training. The school vzill provide the full course of flying and ground instruction required by Service pilots, and. will commence ■ by training approximately 50 pilots a year. The New .Zealand Air Force, which is organised in Territorial Squadrons consisting of pilots only, will continue for the present on these lines, but it is hoped hat in the future it may bo possible to increase the organisation to include airmen and ultimately aircraft.

RESERVE PILOTS. Apart from the permanent and territorial units of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, it is proposed to build up a Reserve of trained pilots, who will be obtained from two sources; firstly, from amongst those who have already' completed a Short Service Commission in one of the Air Forces cf tho Empire, and, secondly, by the direct enlistment and training in New Z' alalid of personnel ' vzith no previous flying experience. This latter method of entry will be looked to for the majority of pilots. Suitable candidates will bo given an eight months’ course of flying training, and will then pass direct to the Reserve, wffiere their only liability in peace time will bo a fortnight’s refresher training each year. " The Reserve is intended to meet two needs; firstly, it wfill provide a pool of pilots capable in the event of attack of taking their places in Air Force units, and, secondly, it will provide a source of rocruitment for the growing needs of civil aviation.

For those who wish to obtain more extensive experience of flying, Short Service Commisisons are offered in the Royal Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. By an agreement with tho British Air Ministry, a number of Short Service Commissions in the Royal Air Force —for the present to be limited to 40 a year—will bo offered to New Zealand candidates. The length of the Commlsison is at present fixed at four years, including the initial period under training. Two methods of entry will be available. In the first, candidates will be selected in Now Zealand and their passages paid to the United Kingdom, where they will report to tho Air Ministry and be posted to a suitable unit tor training. In the second scheme, candidates will be- selected and also trained in flic Dominion, and will then be- given passages to the United Kingdom, where they will join a Royal Air Force squadron. These tw r o schemes will in future provide the only means by which applicants con join the Royal Air Force, and they will replace the arrangements at present in force by Y.hich those who wish to join must find their own way to the United Kingdom and. on arrival, have no certainty that they will ho selected. A request for applications to fill twenty vacancies under fliese two schemes will shortly be issued.

Tho Royal New Zealand Air Force will itself rt quirc sonic 7b additional, pilots during the next two .'ears. 'I iiese will bo obtained partly from those who ’lave comj.-ieted a short Service Commission in tho Royal Air Force, partlj "r mi camlidat-s wku will be entered aiwet I'i'cni civil lifo and trained at Wigram. and partly by selection from within tho ranks of the Royal New Z- aland Air Force. Commissions will normally bo offered for a limited pci i-iij with the deal objects of Imilding

fm- Service and civil u “. “ ti ’T 8 -nd oJ ensuring-tliat those. “L, ™ o are awarded permanent cXlsJcns can bo ottered a «roer wMch provides m°S l c n onnnlsslons shall be ottered to selected officers who have complet-'-ri n Short Service Commission, / oulXsmay be made wher-e speMMist qualifications are required. It s also hoped to provide opportunities for those who can onlr devote then -nave time to flying, and negotiations arc’now proceeding with the Aero Clubs regarding the details ol - * scheme which it is proposed shall le.-d to the formation of a Civil Reserve of Pilots. A further announcement ■will be made in the near future. It will, therefore, be seen that a number of opportunities are now open to those interested in flying, either as a piofession or as an adjunct to other work. In general, applicants must be between tho ages of 17i and 25 years, they must be physically fit, and must be able to give proof of a sound educational standard. No previous experience of flying is necessary, but applicants witn a knowledge of navigation, wireless telegraphy, or mechanical engineering will find ample scope for its employment in the servicee or in civil aviation, and will be especially valuable. The expansion in the general flying activities in the Dominion will also call for a considerable increase in the numbers of skilled mechanics necessary to maintain the aircraft and to undertake tho many technical operations necessary in Service flying. It is intended that wherever possible suitable New Zealand candidates shall be enlisted, and if not aready trained shall bo given instruction in the trades required. In some instances this training will be given in the Dominion, but where no facilities existj the training may bo undertaken eitherj in the United Kingdom or in Austra-

lia, where organised technical courses arc already available. Airmen will also be required to fill vacancies in the semi-skilled. and unskilled 'branches of’the Service, but wherever possible opportunities will be afforded to such men to learn a trade and Io work (heir way up into the more- skilled branches of the Force. The requirements will be advertised in the Press throughout, the Dominion from time to time.

Branches of the Reserve which will lie. open to airmen will also be set up. Ono section for wireless operators and a. second section for air gunners will l)c. organised this year, and details .will be issued during the next few months.

Fuller information regarding the various parts of the scheme which has been outlined above will be issued from Umo Io time. Requests tor applications to till vacancies will be ad-v-rtised in the leading newspapers

(bi(jigiioul. (lie Dominion, and intendir; ■'riplicaniare asked not to write to 'ln- Department except in answer to those advertisements. The lull scheme will require three y< o.’.s fo” it*' completion, but al the end of that period New Zealand will have an important adjunct to its de-fc-nco forces, and ;; resetve of tiuined pilots and mechanics which will prove of the- utmost value in meeting the growing needs of civil aviation.