TRAINING AIRMEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 254, 24 September 1940, Page 2

TRAINING AIRMEN

DOMINION’S ORGANISATION

EXCEPTIONAL STANDARD

“If you saw these young men studying, as I see them, nig'nt alter night, you would have no fear of the ultimate outcome, of this war. We had about 700 taking the educational courses prior to their entry to ground training schools of the Royal New Zealand Air Force at the beginning of the year, and on September 9 there were 3000.” Thus stated Mr E. Caradus, director of educational services to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, in referring to the pre-service education being given to New Zealanders wishing to enter the Air Force, in an address at the weekly meeting of the Palmerston North Rotary Club yesterday. Mr Caradus outlined the development of the scheme and mentioned that the syllabus of the courses had been adopted in Australia. For two years before the present war, said Mr Caradus, ho was educational adviser to the Air Department. He visited all the aero club 6, went flying and generally gained a knowledge of problems of the air. When war broke out the University Entrance Examination was laid down as the qualification necessary for entry to the Air Force for service with an air crew, but this was criticised as class distinction. That, however, was wrong, for the syllabus was such that an entrant had to he fairly well educated so that he could absorb the subjects in the time set apart. At the ground training school, for instance, a pilot had to undertake study in mathematics, air navigation, signalling, law, discipline and administration, hygiene and sanitation, armaments and antigas measures. At the elementary training school he studied airmanship, _ air frames, theory of flight, aero engines, parachutes, signalling, navigation and armament, and later, at an intermediate course, the whole syllabus was gone through again, while in an advanced course the whole was reviewed with the addition of meteorology, photography and reconnaissance. MORE MEN NEEDED.

As time progressed it became obvious that the Air Force would not obtain the number of men required with a University entrance qualification, proceeded the speaker, and another scheme was adopted. The former scheme not only limited the numbers, but also showed that the Air Foreo was missing the very best of men who did not have this qualification. Accordingly, a syllabus of study (for men passed as fit) was drawn up, omitting nothing essential, but leaving all “frills.” On January 14 there was no headquarters staff for this organisation, which was placed mainly through secondary schools. On January 15 the staff arrived,' on January 19 900 assignments of work were sent out, and on January 29 there were between 700 and 800 young men undertaking the studies. In Palmerston North these studies were being conducted in a class at the Boys’ High School under Messrs J. A. Colquhoun and O. Doel. Where groups could not be established tho studies were directed by correspondence and signalling instruction was undertaken by means of radio broadcasting. ; “Every man joining an air crew has to go through the classes, even if lie is up to the standard educationally,” said Mr Caradus. “At the close of the course they are tested. Those who are up to the standard go on for ground' training; those who are not have a further two months’ study. The position at present is that 90 per cent, have been found up to standard at the first test, and at the close of the two months’ extra work nine out of every ten in the remaining 10 per cent, have passed the second test. There has been only one per cent, unable to get through. “We have received a wonderful amount of assistance from the schools. There are 61 classes in New Zealand at present, and 1300 to 1400 young men taking the correspondence courses. Nearly 200 Post and Telegraph Department instructors, from one end of New Zealand to the other, are taking classes with over 2000 members, and the trainees here reach a Morse speed of eight or ten words a minute before they enter the ground training school.” The chair was occupied by tho president, Mr H. L. Cunninghame. The speaker was introduced by Mr J. Murray and Mr K. G. Chamberlain moved a vote of thanks for the address, this being carried with acclamation. The visitors were Messrs Colquhoun, Doel, and E. Hastilow (all of Palmerston North) and R. K. Ornand (Oamaru).