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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0153.PDF
FLIGHT c January 18, 1940 An exhilarating aero- batic impression se- cured from the back cockpit of a Biicker Jungmann two-seater trainer of the type which is so popular in Germany. TRAINING GERMAN PILOTS Preliminary Instruction at a School for the Luftwaffe By "KISMET" THE following brief account of how pilots weregiven their " ab initio " training at a big Ger-man flying school is based upon the writer's own experience when flying in Germany during March, 1938. It will of necessity have to be a series of personal impressions, rather than a detailed syllabus, and allow- ance must be made for the fact that the writer had already been flying for some time, and was given rather more advanced instruction than the absolute beginner. Perhaps the best way will be just to go through a typical day's programme, with such explanations as may serve to make clear the fundamental differences be- tween the methods in vogue over here, and those practised by the Luftwaffe. First, then, it should be noted that German manufac- turers often run their own flying schools, under the control of the German Air Ministry. In England I can only think of two such instances at the moment. The advantages are fairly obvious: ease of maintenance by the factory itself, all spare parts ready on the shelf, and a chance for the designers to see daily how their machines are standing up to it. Secondly, the pupils' hours of tuition can be interspersed with visits to the works to see exactly how the aircraft are made and why they fly in such and such a manner. The weather at the time was ideal, and we were out on the tarmac by 9.00 hours, after having helped to wheel the instructional machines out of the flight sheds (not hangars, please), which were really part of the factory itself, and opened directly on to the aerodrome. Although a civilian visitor, I had first of all to don a service type parachute, the wearing of which was com- pulsory to all, both instructors and pupils, while engaged upon any sort of flying carried out from the aerodrome. No passenger services were being operated from that par- ticular place, and no joy-rides were being given, so I can- not say how passengers not under tuition would be treated. The biggest surprise, however, was the complete absence of any system of telephone communication between the instructor and the instructed. This took a lot of getting used to, and I cannot help thinking that telephones would have been a great advantage; in front of me now is the maker's catalogue, and there is no mention there of tele- phone lines being fitted, or even being supplied on demand. My English flying helmet, therefore, caused a certain amount of laughter on account of its no doubt novel " fittings." When the engine had been warmed up, I tested both magnetos by means of a single four-way switch, and then taxied out in obedience to pointing fingers. As soon as we were moving the ease of ground control with a tail-wheel, instead of the skids to which I was accustomed, became (Left) Bucker trainers, exemplified by this Jungmeister, aredeservedly famous for their pleasant handling qualities.
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