FLEET AIR ARM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19364, 30 June 1937, Page 15

FLEET AIR ARM

NAVY MAY CONTROL DUAL SYSTEM TO END LONDON, April -1. In naval circles, coulidenoo is expressed that, lor tlio Jirst time siuco 11)18, Llic navy will soon regain practically full control of the Hoot air arm, now administered jointly by the Air Ministry and the Admiralty, It is known that the mattor ban been under consideration by the Cabinet since early in tho year, and there aro persistent roports that the Admiralty has mado good its case. On the other hand, information from other well-informed sources points to tho possibility of ;i, compromise being

adopted. In place of the prosent proportion of seven naval pilots to three R.A.F. ollicers, the operating personnel of the Fleet Air Arm —pilots, observers, and telegraphist machine-gunners—will be 100 per cent naval, according to Mr. 11. ('. Bywater, the naval correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph. Naval ratings of the petty officer grade will be eligible for training and service as pilots, and it is hoped that this will enable the present shortage of pilots to be made good. Under the existing system, the whole of the maintenance personnel, such as titters, riggers, and armourers, is supplied by tho Royal Air Force, but these will be gradually superseded in part by naval ratings specially trainod in those duties. Ju time, therefore, the Royal Air Force ranks and ratings may disappear almost entirely from the fleet. In ouc important respect, it is stated.'there will be no departure from

the existing system. Tho Air Ministry will stall bo solely responsible for tho supply of all aircraft and equipment for tho Fleet Air Arm. Rectifying Anomaly The Navy has always had complete control of its air arm when at sea, and all R.A.F. personnel embarked in warships arc subject to naval discipline. But when aircraft and personnel, including naval officer pilots, are landed, they pass automatically under R.A.F. administration. This anomaly is likely to be rectified by setting aside certain aerodromes and training centres for the exclusive use of tho fleet air arm and placing thorn under naval command. The factor which is understood to hftvo hastened tho Government's decision is the impending huge expansion of the fleet air arm. Five big aircraft carriers are n6w building -or about to be ordered, and a total of 111,000 tons is due to bo In sefviee by

1910. Their aggregate capacity will be about i»o0 machines, while at least 275 othors will be borno in older carriers and catapult ships. Thus, a-few years hence, the navy should have about 625 aircraft afloat, compared with its present figure .of 217. It follows, therefore, that the existing number of pilots and obsefvers must be almost trebled, an 'expgfagiou which cannot be achieved, it is stated, under the prevailing system of dual control.