PILOTS TRAINED BY AERO CLUBS

Southland Times, Issue 23828, 27 May 1939, Page 6

PILOTS TRAINED BY AERO CLUBS

Value As Emergency Reserve HIGH STANDARD OF TUITION (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 26. The value as an emergency reserve for the Air Force of pilots being trained by Aero Clubs in New Zealand was emphasized by the Chief of the Air Staff (Group-Captain H. W. L. Saunders) at the annual meeting in Wellington today of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club. The flying that pilots carried out with clubs would be of great assistance in reducing the time of training necessary on service aircraft, he said. The Air Force and Civil Reserve training that was being carried out by the clubs was wonderful work, and a high standard of tuition was being given. It was necessary that the standard be maintained, and that competent instructors be employed. If instructors were not up to standard there was only one thing to be done, and that was to get rid of them. The elementary training given pilots was of utmost importance. If the pilot was not given a good grounding it was a disability he suffered from right through his flying career. Commenting on the difficulties clubs had had in not being able to obtain sufficient instructors, Group-Captain Saunders said the Air Department had so far trained 30 instructors. He expected more would be trained in the coming year. He was certain that with experience these men would turn out good instructors. The need for instructors maintaining flying discipline was emphasized by Group-Captain Saunders. Low flying was not only a source of annoyance to the public but also a danger to inexperienced pilots. He congratulated the clubs on the work they were doing, and hoped their future would be equally successful.

PILOTS FLYING AT " OWN EXPENSE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE SOUGHT (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 26. Concern that the Government was giving no assistance to aero club pilots who flew at their own expense was expressed at a meeting of the council of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club in Wellington today. Members said that pilots who were learning to fly at their own expense were also fitting themselves to be of use in defending their country. They were deserving of support. A recommendation, was passed that the executive sub-committee should re-, quest the Government to grant a certain amount of free flying each year to pilots learning to fly at their own expense who gained their A licence. AERO CLUB OFFICERS ELECTED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 26. The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club in Wellington today:—President, Mr A. S. ’ Burgess (Western Federated); vice-presidents, Messrs A. A. McNab (Marlborough), W. H. Shephard (Otago); auditor, Mr T. Forsyth. The retiring president, Mr ODowd, did not seek re-election because of illhealth. Mr Burgess has been president of the Western Federated Aero Club since its foundation and its representative on the council of the New Zealand Aero Club for the same length of time. /