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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0517.PDF
AUGUST 30, 1923 re~^>< AIRCRAFT APPRENTICES FOR THE ROYALAIR FORCE THE Air Ministry states that the decision of the Governmentto increase the strength of the Royal Air Force for Home Defence purposes necessitates the engagement of aircraftapprentices, who will be trained as skilled craftsmen, in largely increased numbers. For the entry in January next approximately 950 boys of agood class will be required. The selection to fill these vacancies will be made on the results of two competitive examinations,which are conducted respectively by the Civil Service Com- missioners and by the Air Ministry in conjunction with thelocal educational authorities throughout the country. Candidates must be physically fit and be between 15 and 16|at the time of entry, although in the case of the Air Ministry examination the upper age limit is, under certain conditions,extended to 17 years. The syllabus, which is the same in both examinations,consists of mathematics, experimental science, English and a general paper, and has been designed to be suitable for boysstill at school and following a normal course of instruction. The closing date for entries for the Civil Service examinationis August 30. This examination will be conducted by the Commissioners at the following centres : London, Birmingham,Belfast, Chatham, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Portsmouth. Applications to sit this examination should be made at onceto tha Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Burlington Gardens, London, W. 1. The entry fee is 5s. The Air Ministry examination is confined to boys nominatedby the local education authorities of the country and by the governing bodies of certain approved schools and associations.The closing date for entry is October 2. For this examination there is no entry fee. Boys who are still at school, who wish to compete in tlieAir Ministry examination, should make application to their headmasters with a view to securing a nomination from theEducational Authorities responsible for the school. In the case of boys who have left school, application may be madeto the Advisory Committee for Juvenile Employment in the area, while Boy" Scouts can apply to the authorities of the BoyScout Association, and Territorial Cadets to the officer commanding their unit. When appointed as aircraft apprentices boys are given threeyears' training in a skilled trade and general education by civilian schoolmasters during this period up to the standard ofa good technical school. The principal trades open to boys, who are invited ia advance to indicate their preference, arccarpenter-rigger, fitter, coppersmith, wireless operator, mechanic, electrician, instrument maker and draughtsman.In assigning boys to the various trades every endeavour is made to give effect to each boy's individual preference, thewishes of the boys in this respect being considered in the order of their position on the examination list. During the period of training there is careful supervision ofhealth and general welfare, medical attendance, religious instruction from the chaplains of several denominations, andrecreation facilities. Six weeks' annual leave is granted. Pay is given, under existing regulations, at Is. 6d. a dayuntil the age of 18 and then at 35. a day until the course is completed. At the end of the course the aircraft apprenticemust sit a passing-out examination for promotion to the rank of leading aircraftsman, with pay varying from 5s. Id. to55. 6d. per day. The above rates may be subject to revision in the immediate future. Those boys who do not qualify forthe highest grade will be appointed as aircraftsmen with slightly lower commencing rates of pay. A certain number of the leading apprentices are sent oncompletion of their course to the Royal Air Force Cadet College for training as commissioned officers. Others are.given an advanced course, and are eventually appointed N.C.Os. with the rank of Corporal. There is also a'reasonablechance of selection for a further number to qualify later in. flying to become airmen pilots, and generally there is anopportunity for promotion to the senior N.C.O. and warrant officer ranks and later to commissioned rank. Headmasters and others interested in the scheme canobtain copies of the regulations for entry (A.P. 134) on application to the Secretary, Air Ministry, Kingsway, W.C. 2. m » * m The Blackburn " Swift '' Gives a Demonstration ON Monday of this week a demonstration was given by ' Mr. R. W. Kenworthy, on a Blackburn "Swift" torpedo- plane with Napier " Lion" engine, of torpedo-dropping. The demonstrations, which were witnessed by representatives of the Air Ministry, of the Navy, and of several foreign powers, were entirely successful, the dummy torpedo being launched at a speed of about 120 knots. -3 o ft k [d rf oom 05 I 00 C-» fts" op CO CD 00 <X o> m O -H 00 05 CO IC CD 05 T-. 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