AERO CLUBS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 7

AERO CLUBS

GOVERNMENT POLICY TRAINING OF PILOTS CREATION OF CIVIL RESERVE (Per United Press Association; WELLINGTON, May 31. The Government’s policy in relation to aero club organisations in New Zealand was outlined by the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) in a statement issued to-day. The Minister slated that the clubs were being asked to assist in the preliminary training of candidates for the Air Force, and also in a scheme to provide a civil reserve of pilots. There was no intention on the part of the Government to interfere with the activities of the clubs, but there would be a supervision of the training methods and the standards reached. “ Since their inception in 1929 and 1930 the aero clubs in New Zealand have rendered valuable service to aviation by providing flying training throughout the Dominion, and the Government is anxious that the best use should continue to be made of the facilities which have been built up,” Mr Jones said. “ It will be remembered that in 1929 the Government of the day agreed to pay a sum of £25 for each pilot trained to the A licence standard, with a limit of £SOO to each club. With some modifications this scheme has remained in force for the past seven years, during which period 582 pilots have been trained to the A licence standard. In addition to this payment 30 Government aircraft have been issued on loan to the clubs during this period to assist them in their training, and this has been an important factor in reducing the cost of instruction. IMPROVED TRAINING "The Government recently decided that the nature of the training to be given and the manner in which payment should be made required investigation. As a result of a full inquiry certain general conclusions emerged, of which the following are the more important since they form the basis of the new proposals:— “First, the A licence, which has been the standard for the subsidy in the past, is too low to be of much practical value. Individuals who obtain these licences are often precluded by the cost of further training from continuing with their flying until they reach a more advanced stage. The high cost of dual instruction also reduces the amount given, which has sometimes fallen below that normally considered desirable in the interests of safety. “ Secondly, although by subsidising clubs the State has assisted individuals to obtain their licences, it did not ask them for any form of service in return, nor did it insist on such a high medical standard as is required for service or commercial flying. “ Thirdly, the majority of the clubs ware running at a loss, and many were on the verge of exhausting their resources. “ In these circumstances, a recasting of the scheme seemed desirable. The first point to be considered was the necessitv for continuing to encourage the full number of approved clubs, of which there are now 11 distributed throughout the Dominion. The training which the Government desires to make available could be given at a central school, but any scheme of this nature would limit such training to those living in the vicinity or to those who could afford the necessary time and money to reach the central point, and this fact alone would reduce its value. Furthermore, certain of the clubs are located in regions where their presence, and the facilities which they provide, may have a defence value in times of emergency. V has, therefore, been decided to continue for the present to assist the full number of clubs, provided that they reach the required standard of efficiency, but this decision will be reviewed in the light of the experience gained during the next 12 months. “ It is intended to ask certain selected clubs to provide the initial training for those candidates for the Royal Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force who will later pass on to Wigram for their service training. The total number which these clubs will be asked to train will be 50 a year. CIVIL RESERVE OF PILOTS In addition, it is proposed to institute a now organisation to be known as a civil reserve of pilots, which will be open tc applicants who reach the required standards of education and physical fitness, and who express their willingness to serve in the R.N.Z.A.F. if called upon to do so in an emergency. In return for this undertaking, the State will pay for their initial flying instruction, which has been fixed at 40 hours, and fo two refresher courses of 10 hours each to be given in the two succeeding years. The civil reserve will also be open to pilots who have already received the necessary amount of preliminary training, but who for any reason cannot join the Territorial Air Force or the Air Force Reserve. To be eligible for free training, applicants must be between the ages of 17a and 25 years, whilst the upper age limit of the reserve has been fixed at 38. The numbers to be trained will be limited to 100 each year. It is hoped by this means to build up a reserve of pilots who, although they have flown only light aircraft, have, nevertheless, received sufficient instruction to prepare them for training on higher-powered service or civil types should the need arise. It is impossible, owing to the cost involved to continue the training beyond a total of 60 hours, but it is hoped that the individuals who are selected will do their utmost to master the various problems which arise in flying and which will form the subject of instruction both in the air and on the ground “ The general supervision of the scheme will be undertaken by Squad-ron-leader L. M. Isitt, R.N.Z.A.F.. assisted by Flight-lieutenant H. B. Burrell, who will co-ordinate the methods of training and test all pilots who are being trained under the scheme, to ensure that they reach a satisfactory standard. As a first measure towards securing greater uniformity of instructional methods two courses for aero club instructors have been held at Wigram. at which the latest methods of instruction have been demonstrated and opportunities given for practice in flying by instruments FUTURE OF CLUB FLYING ‘The future of private and club Hying in the Dominion must largely depend on a reduction in its cost, and it is hoped that during the period of the agreement, which will be for one year, all concerned will do their utmost in this direction. One of the chief factors in assessing the cost is the risk of accident to aircraft which may involve at the worst its total loss or in many cases, damage to the extent of several hundreds of pounds From an examination of the records of accidents, it is clear that a number were due to lack of experience, and. in some isolated cases, to unnecessarily low (lying, which is a breach of the Air Nagigation Regulations. It is hoped that the scheme now proposed will lead to more thorough instruction, and will bring about a stricter observance if the regulations. “There is no intention ol controlling the activities of the aero clubs, since much of their success lies in the en thusiasm and initiative of their executives and members, but to the extent that the Government pays for the instruction of certain individuals il will supervise the methods adopted and the standards reached Apart from this the clubs will be free to carry on their full activities as in the past Owing to the nature of the equipment used, flying instruction can never be very cheap, but it is hoped, nevertheless, that if full advantage is taken of types of aircraft now becoming available, an increasing number will be able to avail themselves of the opportunities of learning to fly “Full information regarding the civil reserve can be obtained from the secretary of (he nearest aero club, to whom all applications for enrolment should be sent. The final selection will, however, be made by the Air Department.”