RESERVE OF PILOTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22365, 12 September 1934, Page 18

RESERVE OF PILOTS

AIR MINISTRY’S SCHEME ENTRY UNDER NEW SYSTEM. (From Quit Own Correspondent.i LONDON, August 4, Plane for building up a bigger reserve of pilots for the Royal Air Force to accompany the expansion of- the force have been .announced by the Air Ministry. The system of direct entry to the reserve from civil life will be placed on a new and broader basis, and there will be 40 appointments as airmen-pilots open to young men between IS and 25 years of age who have had a good education either at a public or secondary scdiool. It is emphasised that this is only a first step, and further openings will be announced as i-equiremente necessitate. An important part of the new scheme is that entrants will in’future be accepted for service in the first instance only as “ airnicn-pilots.” In practice they will take the rank of sergeant-pilot, and after three years, during which they will do about 100 hours’ flying, and will be eligible to obtain a “certificate of proficiency ” in their service duties, they will be considered for the grant of commissions in the reserve. Selection for commissions will be made on a strictly competitive basis, and those pilots who have shown the greatest keenness and ability will be chosen. UNIVERSITY PILOTS. The only candidates who will be eligible for appointment direct to commissions in the reserve will be university men who have already served in one of the university squadrons maintained at Oxford and Cambridge and have obtained their flying experience and certificate of proficiency. There will be no entrance examination, but candidates will be required to furnish a good academic record and will attend an interview. Those selected will begin their training in September at one of the reserve flying schools at Bristol, Brough, Humble, and Hatfield. There are now about 1000 reserve pilots attached to these schools. The initial course will consist of a fortnight’s instruction on the ground, followed by 50 hours’ flying, which, while dependent on the weather, does not normally o’ccupy more than seven weeks. Those who cannot take the full course continuously may bo allowed to break it at the end of the fortnight's ground instruetjon or after one month of flying instruction.

OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIL PILOTS

In addition to the 40 appointments mentioned, applications for entry as airmanpilot are invited from civil pilots up to the age of 28 who have not less than 25 hours’ flying experience and can pass a qualifying test as a pilot. Accepted candidates of this class will not be given the course of initial training, and will be required to perform only the normal annual flying training of a reserve pilot. This consists of a minimum of 20 hours’ flying, and the, period of training, which should if possible be a continuous one, does not normally exceed 20 days. The pay and allowances of airman-pilots during training amount to 16s 6d a day until qualified as a pilot, and thereafter to 17s 6d a day. When so qualified they also receive reserve pay and flying reserve pay amounting to £23 10s a year. Copies of the Air Ministry pamphlet 56, containing the full particulars and application forms, can be obtained from the Secretary, Air Ministry, 5.7 (c), Adastral House, London.