RESERVE OF AIR PILOTS SCHEME

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1937, Page 5

RESERVE OF AIR PILOTS SCHEME

The Government’s new ■ scheme for the formation of , a civil reserve of air pilots was formulated with the object of providing increased opportunity for learning to fly, and of the building up of a reserve of pilots who will be available, to supplement the Air Force in times of national emergency.

The reserve will consist of two sections, one formed of those who are . already pilots with some 60 hours’ flying experience, and who have reached a certain standard of ground instruction. The other section will be Termed by training as pilots those who have had little or no previous flying experience. Nine of the latter will be trained by the Auckland Aero Club at either Mangere Aerodrome or Waikato Airport. The expense of this training will be met by the Government and will consist of 40 hours’, training in the air over a period of six months and two annual refresher courses of 10 flying hours each.

Applicants for enrolment must:—(l) Be natural born British subjects, and the sons of parents both of whom are c-r were at the time of decease British subjects. (2) Be between the ages of 17£ an<|'^ l 5 years at the time of entry into Section 1. (3) Have obtained the school certificate or produce evidence of a satisfactory standard of knowledge. Physics (or elementary science) and mathematics are essential subjects for flying training, and evidence of proficiency in these subjects is required. Applicants must be medically fit in accordance with the standard prescribed for “B” License (commercial) pilots and those selected by the board will require to produce a certificate of general medical fitness signed by a medical officer approved by the Defence Department. Every pupil or pilot enrolled in the civil reserve of pilots will undertake the liability to serve in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in time of national emergency.

A pilot of the civil reserve, provided he fulfills the conditions of entry laid down in the regulations applicable to such commissions. is eligible, should he so desire, for appointment to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the reserve (pilots’ section) of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Royal Air Force.