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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1539.PDF
JULY 27TH, 1944 FLIGHT 93 ASKING TOO MUCH OF ADAPTABILITY other time, yet there are probably fewer aircraft actually in the sky. Incidentally, let us, when peace does come, try to be thoroughly realistic about private and commercial flying, striking a correct balance between ludicrous optimism, which will cost the more credulous investors a great deal and may put back the clock for many years,' and undue pessimism which will discourage people to the same effect. A great deal, of course, depends on the degree of prosperity which we can expect and on such little matters as the cost of aviation fuel, but the prospects are there in fair if not fabulous degree. Whatever the developments in design, the light aircraft will never oust the car, but will be supplementary to it, and the transport aircraft will be supplementary to the steamship or train, yet few who can afford not to do so will continue to use surface transport for direct long-dis tance journeys. Even on the comparatively clear roads of wartime, motoring, treated as a mere means of getting somewhere rather than as a pastime^ can be a tedious busi- piss involving one in constant attention and labour. Given Reasonable weather (and there's the catch!) flying between A and B is a restful and easy business by comparison. But it is not particularly exciting; one cannot carry the same amount of luggage or number of friends in anything but a millionaire's private transport needing a real airfield at each end; and one just cannot say that one will leave at such a time or arrive at such a time.. In fact, private air craft, whether hired or owned, may make us less clock- conscious and give us a more celestial outlook. This will undoubtedly do our nervous systems a power of good— though the commercial traveller with a bicycle will, when the weather is bad, do better business than the traveller of an advanced sort of firm owning a few light aircraft. Good luck to him; what is a bit of business one way or the other, anyway? / As for the people, and there are many of them, who so easily visualise helicopters landing in their back gardens— they've got a long and painful think in front of them. In its present stage of development the helicopter is a most expensive beast, both to manufacture and to main tain, and the tuition time required for its mastery, even by an already competent pilot of conventional aircraft, is, I believe, in the region of twenty-five hours for any degree of tennis-court precision. INDICATOR. Technical Education Aim, Scope and Organisation of D.H. School 1 HE problem of providing a flow of new blood in the arteries of the aircraft industry is one that is not very JL easy of solution. That there will always be a reservoir of eager youth on which to draw cannot be doubted, but to ensure the continued "healthiness" and pride of place our aircraft industry now possesses, something more is needed. Aviation, in common with other industries of our modern world, tends, as time goes on, to become ever more sub-divided into specialist fields, and it is no exaggeration to say that the men engaged in aviation during the next three decades will require an increasingly specialised training for the jobs they are to do— . this training to be superimposed upon a basic " over-all " back ground training in order that each man shall have a sound knowledge of the limitations, scope and requirements of the other man's work, together with an accurate appreciation of the whole aviation picture. The De Havilland Aircraft Company realised this precept as early as 1928, and their Aeronautical Technical School was inaugurated in that year to fulfil in some measure the require ments recognised. As a complementary method of training to be carried out on different lines, the company also developed a system of apprenticeship, which has since become merged into the organisation of'the school, and evolved scholarships to open the way to the full course in aeronautical engineering. In- May, 1943, an education board comprised of senior officials from the various groups of the firm's enterprises was formed under the chairmanship of the managing director, Mr. F. T. Hearle. The purpose of the board is to consider the future needs of technical education within the companies, and to direct and develop the policy of the D.H. technical school in accordance with'its findings. It is felt by the board that industrial concerns must have, and put into practice, clear ideas of the training necessary for the youth they are engaging, and, in addition, they must have plans for making such train ing available in conjunction with local authorities. Board's Work Over a year has been spent by the education board in in vestigating the probable needs of the future, and also in com paring their own training system with the systems employed by several other first-class engineering concerns. The board has also devoted a great deal of time to exploring county educational facilities and plans, and to examining costs and statistics. The result of these investigations is the development of channels of opportunity for training, open to young people who ^ enter the aircraft, engine or airscrew divisions of the De Havil land company in Great Britain; or are seconded for training from the firm's associated companies in the Dominions. These training opportunities are set out in graphic form on two charts—which space forbids our reproducing—one applying to the aircraft division, and the other to the engine and airscrew division; but it is stated that the lay-out shown is not final as alteration may become necessary when the Government's new educational legislation starts taking effect. In the mean time, the charts illustrate a system approximating closely to the well-tried De Havilland system at present operating. Youngsters entering the company can be divided into three grades: (1) the trade apprentice, entering at about 15^ to 16J years of age for a 4J to 5 years' indenture; (2) the engineering apprentice, entering at about 17 years of age for approximately five years' training; (3) the engineering student, coming in smaller numbers into the industry from the Universities at roughly 21 years of age in order to obtain practical training. Theory and Practice The system provides that-both trade and engineering appren tices spend their first year in the school workshops and the remaining years in the factory workshops. Theoretical courses are compulsory for trade apprentices for the first two or three years, and optional thereafter; but for engineering apprentices they are rather more comprehensive and are compulsory throughout, with specialisation during the last two years. The subjects covered are, broadly, mathematics, mechanics, drawing and design, aircraft materials, structures, stressing, aerodynamics, jig and tool design, metallurgy, hydraulics, ground engineering subjects, and commercial practice. The younger trade apprentices take general subjects, including English, literature, industrial history, commercial geography, etc. More attention, however, is to be devoted to Empire history and policy, citizenship, current ideas and ideals, and to De Havilland history and aims. Intake and the selection of trainees is controlled by selection panels drawn from the school staff and the company's execu tives. It is strongly felt—and very sensibly—that every juvenile entering the organisation, whether apprenticed or not, should come under the watchful eye of the educational staff, and should have the opportunities fully explained ; moreover, the old practice of haphazardly '' picking up " a trade should be eliminated altogether. Under this progressive and excellent system of educating its employees, the De Havilland company have opened the gateway of very real opportunity for the ordinary lad from an elementary school to enter the firm and, by help from the firm itself and with his own ability and merit, eventually to hold the highest executive post. The scheme described will, undoubtedly, prove the unquali fied success that the famous technical school has done, and by initiating so excellent a system, the company has probably set the standard by which other organisations will be judged.
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