AIR FORCE TRAINING AT NEW PLYMOUTH

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 307, 29 December 1939, Page 8

AIR FORCE TRAINING AT NEW PLYMOUTH

Efficient Methods NOTHING LEFT TO CHANCE IN EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS The principal aim v£ the No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School of the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Bell Block Aerodrome, New Plymouth, is to teach pilots the first principles of how to manage their machines in the air. With characteristic air force thoroughness the organisation of flying at the school is smooth, and there is nothing left to chance. The trainees are each required to finish 50 hours’ flying in 48 , working days. The schoolis a self-contained unit, and, although it takes the trainees through only what is termed an elementary flying course, its work is characterised by thoroughness. At present the school has 36 pupils, with an equipment of 20 machines. The trainees are divided into two "flights,” between which the 20 machines are •equally divided, and for convenience fhe “flights” occupy opposite sides of the huge hangar. Two machines of each “flight” are iheld in reserve so that if any of the [machines is use has to be grounded for any adjustments the flying may still be carried on without interruption. The flying instruction is directed by a chief instructor, who at this school •is Flight Lieutenant E. Rawnsley, formerly instructor to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club. Under him are two flight commanders, each of whom has several flying instructors under him, *and they undertake the actual training of the pupils. Progress of Pupils. Full records are kept of all the training progress of the pupils, and by means of graphs it can be seen at a glance the exact amount of flying that any pupil has done at any time and whether dual or solo. At short intervals each pupil’s work is checked up by the instructor, and after every 15 hours’ flying the work is checked up by the flight commander. Similarly the log books of his pupils also show the daily progress made in every action in the training course. The daily routine begins with breakfast at 6.30 a.m., and flying starts at 7.30 and goes on till 10, when there is a short interval for tea. The training is then continued from 10.30 till noon, when the machines are refuelled in readiness for the afternoon flying, which is carried on from 1.30 till 4 o’clock. Lectures Part of Work. All the trainees are not, of course, in the air at the same time, as the training course includes an amount of theory work which has to be done by a series of lectures on subjects relating to flying, and while one “flight,” or section, is in the air the other section is in the lecture room. The scope of the air exercises In. eludes carrying out accurately and confidently all normal aircraft manoeuvres —namely, to land consistently and well the loop, half-roll and slow roll; and tc carry out forced landings satisfactorily It also involves flying by instruments alone, and a novel device attached to some of the machines is a hood over the cockpit in which the pupil sits, so that all land sight is blotted out, and he must fly by his instruments. This provides the training necessary to fit the airmen for blind flying. He must be able to climb, fly level, turn, and glide by instruments alone. The pupil also has to understand air navigation and be able to steer a steady compass course and turn accurately on to another given course. Map-reading is another essential, while the pupil must also carry out cross-country flying in a flight of not less than 50 miles in each direction make a landing at a strange aerodrome and return to his base. All the theorj for such a flight has to be worked oul by the student before the flight and be checked over by the instructor. important Ground Work. An important section of every flying school is the maintenance of the machines and the ground staff is just as keen on the work as are the pupil pilots. Many of them are from aero club workshops, and they are taking a great pride in their work, realising how much depends upon them in successfully carrying out the work of training pilots. The course is a two months’ one, and from it the pilots proceed to other schools for intermediate and advanced training, until they are ready for whatever service to which they may be drafted. An ambulance unit is kept in readiness during the whole time flying operations are in progress, and there is also a fire-fighting unit ready at all times in case of emergency, the latter having to do a daily ten-mile run to ensure its efficiency for a sudden call.