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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 2333.PDF
AUGUST 18, 1938. FLIGHT. c Indoor activity at Upavon : Two Link Trainers in one room, an instructor. Three times a year, in January, May and the middle of September, a batch of about forty goes to the C.F.S. Usually about a quarter of the number are sergeant pilots. It is also usual for a batch to include one or two foreign officers from countries with which the R.A.F. has a close con nection, such as Egypt and Iraq. At the time of our visit there were also two naval officers at Upavon, who will doubtless go on in due course to No. 1 F.T.S. to teach naval personnel of the Fleet Air Arm to fly. Under present arrangements it is not essential that the Fleet Air Arm should have flying instructors of its own, as the R.A.F. is to remain responsible for the training of F.A.A. personnel up to the time when they take up specialised naval work ; but, none the less, it is a good thing that some of the flying instructors at No. 1 F.T.S. should be naval men. There was also one officer of the Auxiliary Air Force, from the County of Kent Squadron, undergoing training. The course at Upavon lasts for eleven weeks. In the first fortnight the C.F.S. instructors put the pupils through their flying paces, note and correct any faults which they have developed, and generally try to improve their flying. The pupils are divided into four flights, and in each of the two large hangars two flights are accommodated and work together. In each hangar one flight is equipped with Tutors and the other with more advanced types—Anson, Oxford, Hart Trainer and Fury. A panorama of Upavon aerodrome, which has seen many changes of tenants. Here the C.F.S. began its career in 1912. Later it was the home of Nos. 3 and 17 (Fighter) Squadrons. Once it belonged to the Coastal Area. A few miles away lies Netheravon, soon to be occupied by No. 1 F.T.S. The two flights exchange machines as is found convenient, for obviously none of the future instructors can be kept on Tutors all through the course. Perhaps when the light bomber squadrons have been re-equipped a larger number of Hart-type machines may be made available for the C.F.S. Apart from the sequence of instruction, the C.F.S. aims at giving each pupil experience in twin- engined types and in single-seater fighters, so that he will not only be expert in flying those types himself, but will know how to give instruction in flying them. Each pupil also does a course of eight or nine hours in the Link Trainer, so that he will know how to instruct in it. The pupil also gets from three and a half to four hours of night flying in both the front and the back seat. During their course the pupils are paired, not neces sarily officer with officer and airman with airman, and the two work together. One will sit in the Link Trainer and the other will check his work, and then they will change about. Likewise, in the afternoon the pupils fly in pairs, one acting as instructor and the other as pupil, so that they can practise what they have been taught in the morning, and again they take turns at instructing^ The pupils are also divided into two classes. After breakfast, both classes attend lectures from 08.45 to 09.25 hours. At 09.45 one class flies while the other attends another lecture. In the afternoon there is flying for all from 13.45 to 15.00. At'15.20 there is an hour's lecture for both classes together. There is no Chief Ground In structor, and the Chief Flying Instructor is responsible for the organising of the lectures. The subjects taught are theory of flight, airmanship, navigation, flight tech nical administration, equipment and meteorology. There is also a weekly discussion on Mondays on the subject of flying instruction, held by the Chief Flying Instructor, at which the pupils are encouraged to put forward any views they may hold on the subject. Sometimes quite useful suggestions are made by pupils, and the C.F.S. is always ready to adopt good ideas. There is none of the " don't-teach-your-grandrnother-to-suck-eggs" spirit about the C.F.S. Wednesdays and Saturdays are half-holidays, and every body can play games or do what he likes. Exercise is always and everywhere regarded by the R.A.F. as essen tial for a pilot as well as for an aircraftman, for without perfect physical fitness both flying and maintenance would soon suffer. There is a good golf course at Upavon for the use of all ranks. (Concluded overleaf) fc
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