BRITISH FORCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 27, 31 July 1936, Page 9

BRITISH FORCE

VOLUNTEER BASIS

800 PILOTS A YEAR

(British OOtcial Wireless.) (Received July 31, 11.20 a.m.)

RUGBY, July 30,

Ihe formation of a new volunteer reserve for the Royal Air Force ivas announced in the House of Lords today by the Secretary for Air. Lord Swinton stated that the King had approved the creation of a Royal Air Force volunteer reserve to be open only to men in civil life.

The number of pilots required annually for the volunteer reserve will be 800, and as this section is most urgent, organisation is being proceeded with at once. Pilots will receive their flying training at aerodrome centres which will be established immediately in the vicinity of important towns and areas with a large population. There will be a network of such centres throughout the country, with several in the neighbourhood of London. Ground instruction will be provided at town centres, at which lectures on theory of flight, airmanship, and other essential subjects will be given, mainly during winter evenings, when opportunities for flying are necessarily restricted. • FIVE YEARS' SERVICE. Volunteer pilots will be recruited from candidates between the age limits of 18 and 25 years. The minimum period of service will be five years. Flying instruction will be arranged to allow pilots to train at weekends, in the evenings, and at other times convenient to them. They will be encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the air in order to gain flying experience of value to the- service. In addition, volunteers will have to attend an annual flying course of fifteen days' duration. In the first instance pilots will be trained in elementary types of light aircraft, and later on service types -to enable them to operate in service squadrons in an j emergency.

Arrangements are being made for the scheme to come into effective operation early in 1937.

Lord Swinton made an appeal for the co-operation of employers, to ensure full development of an important link in the defences of the nation.