DOMINION AIR FORCE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20845, 1 July 1939, Page 9

DOMINION AIR FORCE

PILOTS FOR HOME 150 BY END OF NEXT YEAR MONEY VALUE TO GOVERNMENT (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Friday Discussing further details of the expanded Air Force training scheme, the 'Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, said the scheme will be worth £374,000 annually to the Government. It was explained by (Mr Jones that New Zealand would receive £I7OO for each trained pilot sent to England instead of the allowance of £1550 ruling up to the present. ‘‘The maximum number of pilots we will send overseas when we get the whole of our arrangements ready will be '220 a year,” Mr Jones said. “The second flying training school at Blenheim will be functioning fully by September next year. 'By December next year we will have sent JSO pilots to England and thereafter we will send them at the rate of 220 a year. “We will train 140 pilots a year at both Blenheim and Wigram,” he added. “A total of 220 of these 280 young men a'fter eight months’ training will go to the Old 'Country and the rest will be further trained for our own requirements in New Zealand. Until, of course, we get both Wigram and Blenheim fully developed, we cannot increa-se to the maximum." English Instructors The Minister explained that the Government was already obtaining instructors from England and these officers would take a share of the work of training the young fliers under the expanded scheme. The Government was also ottering engagements to some of the members of the Royal Air iForce who, in company with New Zealanders sent to England for the purpose, would fly to the Dominion the 30 Vickers ‘Wellington long-range bombers on order.

The vacancy caused by the early departure for England of GroupCaptain L. M. Isitt, Air Board member for the personnel, will be filled by the temporary appointment of SquadronLeader E. G. Olsen, until recently officer commanding the Royal New r Zealand Air 'Force base at 'Hotosonville. Squadron-Leader Olsen has already arrived in Wellington.

CANDIDATES SOUGHT

TWO 'CLASSES FOR TRAINING Applications are again being invited by the Air 'Department for short service commissions in the Royal Air Force and in the pilots’ section of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Reserve. In both cases candidates are required to be between the ages of 17i and 2'B and to have been educated up to the standard o'f the school certificate or the university entrance examinations. Candidates for appointment to short service commissions will undertake eight months of initial training in New Zealand before proceeding overseas to complete a further live years’ service in the Royal Air Force. On the completion of this service they will spend five years in the reserve. Return passage to New Zealand and a gratuity of £4OO is paid on the completion of the active service period. Candidates appointed to the pilots’ section of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Reserve undergo approximately eight months’ continuous training before being posted to the reserve. The full cost is 'borne by the State, and adequate pay and allowances are provided while undergoing training.