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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 1367.PDF
MAY 9. 1940 Airspeed Oxfords from an F.T.S. TRAINING in the R.A.F. Maintaining a High Standard of Efficiency in War Conditions By MAJOR F. A. de V. ROBERTSON, V.D. WHEN the Government decided to expand theRoyal Air Force two major problems werepresented to the Air Council. These were (a) to arrange for an increase in aircraft and equip- ment and (b) to arrange for an increase in personnel. A great deal of public attention has been devoted to the output of aircraft since the expansion policy started, and since the outbreak of war much interest has been shown in the Empire Training Scheme. All the time, however, training has been going on in the United Kingdom, and as it is the United Kingdom which has amassed the greatest amount of experience, the form which the Empire Training Scheme is to take is natur- ally and rightly based on the system which has been evolved in the Home country. Details, of course, will be varied to suit local conditions, but the main prin- ciples of the Home organisation will be preserved. Training Establishments There are, naturally, differences between the organi- sation of training in peace and in war. The methods of peace training in the R.A.F. have been pretty fully described in various articles in Flight in recent years. These articles were the result of personal visits to R.A.F. stations and included descriptions of Cranwell Cadet College, Halton Apprentices School, Flying Training Schools, the Central Flying School, the School of Naval Co-operation, the School of Army Co- operation, and the University Air Squadrons. They were reproduced in the Flight book, " Squadrons of the Royal Air Force." When the expansion scheme was commenced certain modifications were introduced, and when war broke out still further reforms were found desirable. The present article deals with the training scheme as it exists in war conditions. Not all of the present arrangements are likely to be continued after victory has been won and when the Service returns to At navigation schools the pupils put in many hours flyingon Avro Ansons learning their way about. a peace-time footing. War also imposes certain reticences on the chronicler. But so far as is advisable the methods of training now prevailing in the United Kingdom are here set forth. In 1936 the Royal Air Force was extensively re- organised into Commands, some of which were placed under Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief. One of the new creations was the Training Command, and its first C.-in-C. was Air Marshal Sir Charles Burnett, now Chief of the Australian Air Staff. Until recently all the initial stages of training, up to the time when a man could fly an elementary type of aeroplane, were under the Reserve Command. In the future, however, ail training establishments will come under the Training Command. This will obviously simplify the organi- sation. The present system has been largely dictated by the decision that in time of war no permanent commissions
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