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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 1524.PDF
476 MAY 23, 1940 ground subjects, as well as some knowledge of the history and traditions of the Air Force. On completion of this course, he is selected for training either as a pilot, air observer or air gunner. The course lasts four weeks. " His next move, if selected to be a pilot, is then to an Elementary Flying Training School. Here he has his first actual flying training, which includes instrument flying and elementary navigation as well as further in- struction in ground subjects. He is here for a period of eight weeks, and in that time should get in fifty hours. " These schools will be chiefly flying clubs, conducted by civilians, as this proves to be the most efficient method for this elementary training. The flying clubs have most excellent instructors throughout. In these schools the. pupils fly for the most part Fleets and Tiger Moths. If, after fifty hours of flying, the R.C.A.F. inspector considers that any pupil is not likely to make a good pilot, then", naturally, this instruction will be discontinued, and the pupil may be enlisted in another category. ~ " If, on the other hand, he is accepted as a good pilot prospect, the pupil's next step is to a Service Flying Training School, which at the moment, in this district, is Camp Borden, where he will do a further fifty hours of flying at an intermediate squadron on service type single-engine and twin-engine machines, such as Har- vards and Ansons. During this period a great deal of time is spent on instrument flying, air navigation and night flying, and on successful completion of this course he is awarded his pilot's wings. Advanced Training '' The next step is what we call advanced training in the advanced squadron of the same Service Flying Training School, and the purpose of this training is to prepare pilots for employment in fighter, bomber, and army co-operation squadrons. The syllabus now becomes much more complicated, and of course much more interesting. It includes night flying, bombing, air gunnery, navigation, reconnaissance, and photography, and the ground subjects appropriate to the type of unit for which the pilots are being trained. In this school it is planned to give the pilots an additional fifty hours flying, thus bringing their total flying time to approxi- mately 150 hours. " So after 150 hours of training the recruit is sent over- seas to join a Group Pool as a fighter or bomber pilot. The only exception is in regard to certain special cases that are chosen for army co-operation work who receive further training such as at the moment we are carrying on at Ottawa. " One hundred and fifty hours of flying is a great deal. But when these pilots go abroad they will receive further training in a Group Pool prior to being posted to squad- rons on active service. It is anticipated that it will be possible to give each pilot at least fifty hours more flying before being posted, thus bringing his total to about 200 hours before being called upon to take part in active service operations. " In the last war the average flying time of a pilot who reported to a squadron in France was twenty-five hours, some, in the earlier stages of the war, having as little as ten to fifteen hours to their credit. I know in my own case I was night flying at the mouth of the Thames, with only fifteen hours' flying, looking for Zepps, which, thank God, never came my way! My senior officer, who was the only other person on this duty with me, was a real flying veteran—he had at least forty hours' solo to his credit. In fact, my total flying time at the end of the war was only, roughly, 400 hours, and my case was exactly the same as the other pilots. "It is obvious, therefore, that these boys, with 200 hours' flying experience before they go into battle, will be well and perfectly trained. No stone is being left unturned to see that our Air Force is superior to any enemy. '' I have been talking only about the pilot who proceeds overseas, but what so many people are inclined to forget is that this war is closer to home than the last war. Our front already lies at our coastlines. Many of our pilots are serving in war conditions on our two coasts to-day, particularly, of course, our Atlantic coast. The convoys that you hear of constantly leaving successfully, and arriving successfully, are in danger from the second they leave port. The Royal Canadian Air Force, in co-operation with the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy, is carrying out a magnificent job in escorting these ships far out to sea. " This flying is of the most hazardous type. It requires great skill and precision. The weather conditions are the worst. Suffice it to say that these operations have been carried out without a hitch. Many of our pilots have gone to this work—home defence. But, in this war, home defence is apt at any moment to mean direct contact with the enemy. "As regards the air observers' training and the air gunners' training: the air observer, after finishing his first course of four weeks at the Initial Training School, goes to an air observers' school for a course of twelve weeks, where he is given full instruction in navigation, reconnaissance, and photography, including, roughly, thirty hours' flying. And the same applies to the other categories. "I have now described to you what happens to the young man who joins up, hoping to be selected for com- missioned rank in the Force. The second category I mentioned is that of the man who, being proficient in a trade, and particularly in wireless or mechanics, or with good clerical experience, applies to enlist. In his case he must have either suitable educational qualifica- tions or special technical training. When he applies he is trade-tested by a very capable staff who test him for rigger, fitter, signals, clerk, metal worker, and so on. If successful in passing these tests he then goes to a Recruit Depot, where he is outfitted in his uniform, given lectures and a certain amount of drill. Enormous Numbers " After this, which is not a long time, if his mechanical qualifications justify it, he is sent directly to a squadron or a technical training centre. If his tests or examina- tions call for further technical training, in this particular district just now, he would be sent to St. Thomas, where we have some seven hundred aircraftmen who will, as soon as they qualify, be posted to the various stations. "As an example of another type of man needed, at Guelph they have started a cooking school for chefs in the R.C.A.F. Sixteen chefs from Trenton, Camp Borden and St. Thomas are there at the moment being trained in food values and calories and how to plan meals. " You can see, Gentlemen, from what I have just said that at the moment we are very much employed in instructing and training instructors and trainers, who will in their turn be responsible for the education of all pupils who will be enrolled in this air training project. This is very necessary because of the gigantic proportions of the scheme which, at its peak, will be turning out some 7,000 pilots, and 12,000 air observers, air gunners and other trained personnel each year. And in addition to this there will be a home establishment entirely apart from the pupils themselves, which will possibly exceed 33,000."
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