AIR TRAINING PLAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 4 December 1940, Page 8

AIR TRAINING PLAN

TRAINING PERIOD SHORTENED | INCREASIN' . OUTPUT OTTAWA. 22nd October. | The output of pilots, observers and airgunners under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada, is being considerably ncreased by a further reduction in the training per-; iod for air crews.at the advanced train-j ing schools under the plan, recently j announced. While originally the plan was laid down to turn out approximately 22.000 airmen annually when the | plan reached its full scale operations, i Major Power. Minister for Air. said that as result of the recent acceleration j over 30.000 airmen of the three types; will be turned out in a year. AMPLE TRAINING FACILITIES The training period at the advanced j training schools here was first schedu- j led to be 16 weeks Cor each student. It was cut to 14 weeks and now it is being fv.rther reduced to allow longer postgraduate training overseas. This further acceleration in the Air Training Plan now being worked nut had been made possible because Canada now has ample training facilities, elementary schools and plane., to handle a larger number of men than originally planned. Also, the additional “operational training” to be given in Britain fits into this stepped up scheme. It is felt that additional training in Britain under exact war flying condij tions will better fit graduates of the I Air Training Plan than a longer trainj ing period of “theoretical” flying in j Canada would have done. The Minister explained that more Canadian recruits can now be taken in and trained and. more Australian and New Zealand pilots, who have taken their elementary training at home, can be given their advanced training here. With more men to be taken into the Canadian elementary training schools, all of which are carried on by civilian training companies, additional barrack buildings and other accommodations will have to be provided. There is no shortage of planes for the elementary stages, while the planes for the more advanced training peried are constantly being delivered. STRENGTIIENING DEFENCES Major Power also stated that Canada's air defences, on both coasts, are constantly being strengthened. Canada’s first fighting squadron which went overseas some months ago and consequently depleted the coast air! defences, ha's now been replaced, he said. The United States-Canadian joint defence board had looked over the Pacific coast air defences, but he said he could not say what decisions about them had been arrived at. The Minister reported that the sug- ( gestion for the establishment of Air Cadet Corps had taken hold very well across the Dominion in recent weeks, and organisation of corps in many; parts of the country is going ahead! rapidly.