PILOTS WANTED

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21363, 6 March 1941, Page 2

PILOTS WANTED

OTHER AIR CREWS CALL FOR RECRUITS A call for men who were drawn in the overseas ballot this week to take up their service with the Royal i New Zealand Air Force was made by I Wing-Commander E. G. Olsen, member for personnel on the Air Force Board, in a broadcast talk last night. Pilots, observers, mechanics and jadio operators were all wanted, he said, and in each notification form to those called in the ballot there was a form offering the alternative of service in the Air Force. These forms had to be in by March 12. Wing-Commander Olsen said that previously applicants had been deterred from entering the Air Force j because of the long delay in taking 1 up service. In the last 17 months, however, there had been a steady forging ahead in training provisions and now tnousands of trainees could be handled where the number had formerly been confined to hundreds. Men chosen could enter almost immediately on their education courses and after this be posted to their units' with little delay. In stressing the qualifications necessary for entering the Air Force, the speaker pointed out that pilots had to be between 18 and 30 years of age, and observers between 18 and 33. They had to be perfectly fit, of an alert type and have had at least two years’ secondary education or education of the same standard, particularly rn mathematics. Wireless operators and observers had to have some technical knowledge of their branch of training. The main requirements were for pilots and observers, but there were also vacancies m the other branches.