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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 1371.PDF
FLIGHT Mav 9, TR (C A INI THE O NT NG R.A. IN U F. E IN D) Expansion. Direct entrymen learning their trade at one of the many schoolsin the country to-day. a pilot's cockpit, fitted with controls and instru- ments, and a hood which can be drawn over to reproduce the conditions of flying through cloud or fog. The Trainer moves on its base in response ro the pilot's manipulation of the controls. A more recent version, known as the " Visual Link," is used at the l.T.W.s After a careful course of instruction on the "Visual Trainer," it has been found that a pupil ' takes far less time to become accustomed to flying an actual aeroplane. The Second and Third Stages After a few weeks at the I.T.W. the trainees all pass on to the next stage. The pilots and the observers then separate. The pilots go to an elementary flying school managed by some aircraft company, but in time of war brought into closer touch with the Air Ministry. At this school they are taught to fly an elementary type 01 aeroplane. Both the I.T.W. and the elementary schools are under the Reserve Command. When they have been passed out by the elementary school, pilots come under the Training Command and go on to a regular R.A.F. Flying Training School. There the first stage is a con- version course, known as intermediate training, in which they are taught to be competent pilots on Service types of aircraft. Finally, they proceed to the advanced train- ing stage, which is not concerned with flying as such, but with the duties which a pilot has to perform. The men have to become expert in navigation, formation flying, and above all in the use of their weapons. During this period they all go to a gunnery and bombing school where they fire live rounds and drop practice bombs. While at the F.T.S. the pilots are sorted out as suitable for fighter, bomber, flying boat or army co-operation squadrons. A pilot's real qualities do not always show themselves in the early stages of training, and sometimes a slow starter ends up as a brilliant pilot. At the F.T.S. the pilots are given their "wings," and final recom- mendations for the grant of a commission by the King are made .Those not so recommended become sergeant pilots, but they have a chance of winning a commission later on by good work. On leaving the F.T.S. the pilots are sent to a sort of pilots' pool, where they do still more flying, and ultimately they are posted to their squadrons. The observers, after leaving the I.T.W. are sent to an Air Observers Navigation School, for navigation is their most important task. The third stage in their training is a gunnery and bombing school, for every observer has to be able to do duty as bomb-aimer or air gunner. In case of casualties in an air crew either the second pilot or the observer is capable of aiming the bombs or using the machine guns. On leaving the gunnery school final recommendations are made for some of the observers to receive commissions, while the rest become sergeants. They are then sent to their squadrons Practice at the stop butts at an armament school. and become members of air crews, who are well trained to work together as a team. We left the air gunners at the Recruiting Centre. Their course of training is rather different. Though they are to be essentially air gunners and will wear the honourable badge of that calling on their breasts, they must also be wireless operators. So they are sent first to a wireless school until they become very proficient in the mysteries of sending and receiving by Morse. In the Bomber and Coastal Commands communications are by W/T. After the wireless school the air gunners go to an I.T.W. to learn drill, etc., and then pass on to a gunnery and bombing school. They end up as sergeants, and are not considered for commissions at that stage. They may, however, earn commissions by good and gallant behaviour in the face of the enemy. In that way are air crews built up. The care now bestowed on training is in great contrast to the methods which prevailed in the last war before the influence of Col. Smith-Barry, at Gosport, made itself felt. In those days a pilot was often sent to France at the stage when now he would just be leaving the elementary school for the F.T.S., and he had to learn the rest of his busi- ness in the face of the enemy—if he lived long enough to acquire the knowledge. It is tragic to think how many young pilots were killed in those early years before they had a chance to learn what the F.T.S. now teaches them. Now the Training Command has no intention of lowering the quality of the pilots turned out, although it has already increased the quantity. The Empire
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