AIR PILOTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20991, 19 December 1939, Page 2

AIR PILOTS

AMERICAN RESERVE CHEAP COURSE OF TRAINING (Times Air Mail Service) LONDON, November 8 The United States will soon have a big reserve of young civil air pilots, trained by the Government. The training scheme began this month and applies to colleges and schools. Students are now being selected, writes the Air Correspondent of the Evening Standard. All that the students pay is 20 dollars (approximately £5 at present rates), half the cost of ground lectures—the Civil Aeronautics authority pay the rest. Air schools near the colleges that fulfil certain minimum equipment conditions are being selected to carry out the training. The scheme differs from that of the British Civil Air Guard. Only American students from 18 to 25 can be trained. The C.A.G. took people up to he age of 50, and a great number of them are now not to be used in the R.A.F. If the U.S.A. became involved in war, Ine first reserve of trained pilots would be at hand, while if the country keeps at peace the young pilots will be absorbed in the exerexpanding air transport business. Ground Course There was shortage of trained ■*B” license pilots in Great Britain before the war started. The average C.A.G. pupil was given his “A” license after an average of ten hours’ tuition, consisting of a few lectures and some intensive flying with an instructor. Under the American scheme the students must first undergo a 72hours’ ground course covering modern flying technique and equipment. Next there is the preliminary flying course, during which each pupil must have a minimum of eight hours’ dual instruction in the air. In this section alone the syllabus requires that the student should receive twice as much flying knowledge as the average qualified C.A.G. acquired. The second flying stage is started by a solo flight. Three hours solo flying follows. The final stage entails .an minimum of 15 hours’ solo flying and eight hours of dual instruction. At the end of this stage the pupil has flown across country, has been through various flying tests, and has made a variety of emergency landings. All this training must not be rushed. It must take a full year, according to Government requirements.