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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0909.PDF
AUGUST 23, 1913. BRITISH NAVAL AND BELOW we reproduce in full a memorandum issued by the Govern ment as a white paper, dated August, 1913, which is in continuation of that presented to Parliament in April, 1912, and contains a statement of the progress made by the Royal Flying Corps during the first year of its existence. The previous memorandum was published in FLIGHT for April 20th, 1912, p. 346. General, 1. The scheme for the organisation of the Royal Flying Corps was communicated to Parliament in a parliamentary paper dated April nth, 1912 [Cd. 6067]. 2. Apart from a few alterations in detail, the development of the Royal Flying Corps has been carried out on the lines recommended in that scheme. 3. The Royal Flying Corps now comprises— The Central Flying School. The Military Wing. The Naval Wing. A Reserve. There is also the separate establishment of the Royal Aircraft Factory. 4. Considerable progress has been made. The Central Flying School has been established on Salisbury Plain, and two classes of flyers have already completed their course of training. The Naval Wing has established aeroplane stations on the coast and arrange ments are being made for the establishment in the near future of additional aeroplane and airship stations ; a cruiser is also being fitted out for aeroplane work with the Naval Wing, and has com menced her duties. Four aeroplane squadrons of the Military Wing out of a total establishment of seven squadrons have been formed, in addition to the Military Airship Squadron. A Reserve of the Royal Flying Corps has been established. The Royal Aircraft Factory has assumed the additional duties assigned to it, and lists of privately owned aeroplanes which could be utilized in time of war have been compiled. Further, arrangements have been made for landing facilities for the Royal Flying Corps at four private aero dromes ; airships and aeroplanes have taken a prominent part in the army manoeuvres, and experiments have been made in various methods of aerial warfare. 5. The number of flyers in the Royal Flying Corps who have received the certificate of the Royal Aero Club, compared with the number twelve months ago, is shown below :— May, 1912. May, 1913. Central Flying School o 9 Naval Wing ... . . ... ... n 57 Military Wing . 21 134 Royal Aircraft Factory ... ... 2 4 1st Reserve o 12 2nd Reserve ... ... ... ... o 2 Total 34 218* 6. The work of the various component parts of the Royal Flying Corps has been co-ordinated by the Air Committee (see paras. 61, 62), during the past year. 7. It has been found necessary by the Admiralty to establish an Air Department to deal with matters connected with the administra tion of the Naval Air Service. At the War Office a Departmental Air Committee and the various existing branches have hitherto dealt with the work connected with the Royal Flying Corps, but steps are being taken to organise a special branch for the conduct of all War Office work in connection with aerial services. Within the last year it has been necessary to add officers and clerks for aviation work in the War Office. Conditions of Service. 8. The conditions of service in the Royal Flying Corps and its reserves are practically the same as those recommended in the original scheme. The Admiralty have decided to enter the personnel for the naval portion of the Reserve (other than officers and men of the Royal Navy) in the Royal Naval Reserve. The conditions of entry and service are being based broadly on the same lines as those laid down for entry into the Reserve of the Military Wing. 9. All members have accepted the obligation to serve in any branch of the Royal Flying Corps in time of war. 10. Civilian probationers as well as officers of the Army or Navy are awarded ^75 for expenses, if they have obtained their Royal Aero Club Certificate under private tuition. So far, eight civilians have joined the Military Wing and its reserve, and one has joined the Naval Wing, three more being under training for the latter at the present time. Reserve of Aeroplanes. 11. A first list of aeroplanes has been produced, showing that * Of these, 33 officers have passed the highest test for the Naval Wing and 68 for the Military Wing. [AMU MILITARY AVIATION. there are 99 privately-owned machines in the United Kingdom, of which 60 could be made of some use for war purposes. This list will be revised every six months, on April 1st and October 1st. THE CENTRAL FLYING SCHOOL. Situation. 12. A suitable site for the Central Flying School has been found at Upavon, on Salisbury Plain. 13. The desirability of establishing an Annexe of the Central Flying School at some place on the coast within easy flying distance, where the sea portion of the elementary training in machines, capable of alighting on and rising from land or water, can be given, is under consideration. Progress in Training. 14. Three courses a year are held. It has been found desirable to reduce the leDgth of each course to 13 weeks, in order to allow of sufficient intervals between them in which to overhaul the machines and grant leave of absence to the officers and men on the staff. The first course of instruction was completed before the end of 1912. 15. The intervals between the courses further afford a margin, which enables any particular course to be extended by a week or ten days in special circumstances. Up to the present time the opinion that all seasons of the year are likely to provide equal periods of time during which flight is possible has been borne out. 16. Owing to the lack of accommodation at the Central Flying School, it is necessary for the present, in order to relieve the pres sure, to carry out a certain amount of the elementary training at the two wings. 17. In order to maintain a universal standard of merit throughout all the branches of the Royal Flying Corps, it is considered desirable that the examination of all candidates should take place at the Central Flying School, under the supervision of the Commandant. 18. There are, however, certain tests which it is necessary for every candidate to undergo during some period of his training, and the repetition of these tests during the examination would only entail a waste of valuable time. 19. The Air Committee have recommended that all candidates presenting themselves for examination at the Central Flying School should be furnished with a certificate, stating that they have com pleted the tests referred to in the preceding paragraph and that a syllabus, showing the standard of attainment expected during the examination proper, should be prepared by the Commandant of the Central Flying School and circulated, through the usual official channels, to all branches of the Royal Flying Corps. 20. Instruction has been given in the following subjects :—Flying, General Principles of Mechanics and construction of engines and aeroplanes, Meteorology, Observation lrom the Air, Navigation and steering when flying by compass, Crosscountry flights, Signalling by all methods, and Types of Warships. In addition, the construc tion and erection of aeroplanes is studied, and the stripping, assembling, and tuning-up of internal combustion engines is taught. 21. As regards the standard to be attained by graduates at the school, the pilot's certificate of the Royal Aero Club, with the addition of a standard of technical knowledge in the care and main tenance of aeroplanes and their engines, has been adopted as a qualification for a Second Class Flyer's certificate, and the tests to be carried out before a first class certificate is granted have recently been considered by the Air Committee at the request of the War Office. 22. The standard aimed at, in addition to flying, is that an officer, on completion of his course, shall be capable in all respects of keeping an aeroplane and its engine in thoroughly good order and condition. Euildings. 23. The temporary buildings referred to in the previous report were erected with great expedition, and some were completed by June 21st, 1912. The barracks were completed on August 17th, 1912, and the power station and the motors in the workshops were available by November 25th, 1912. The temporary buildings will shortly be replaced by more permanent ones. 24. The permanent buildings first to be erected are the quarters for the officers and men on the staff, who have to spend the whole year at the School, and for all married non-commissioned officers and men, as well as messes for all officers and men. Transport. 25. It was mentioned in the previous Report that complete war transport for two flights of aeroplanes, that is to say, 24 vehicles of various kinds and 28 drivers, would be provided for the Central Flying School. Some of these vehicles have been provided, and most of the others are on order. 935
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