FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0397.PDF
MARCH 25TH, 1948 FLIGHT 33* THOUGHTS ON TRAINING Inadequate Incentive : Loose Ends and Lack of Information GREAT pains have been taken by the Air Ministry to .make known their manpower requirements, both inquantity and quality, and the points made in their energetic recruiting campaign cannot have failed to register. Almost every week some new scheme or method of train- ing is publicised, and newspapers generally have given generous support in spite of being handicapped by space considerations due to a miserly ration of paper. Although much has been dene in the last year, results have not been very encouraging, and, far from relaxing, the cam- paign must be stepped-up in tempo. There are at the present time a great many loose ends Ho tie up in the flying training scheme alone. It is most difficult for the ordinary man to co-ordinate the various schemes and to understand the overall plan. How, for instance, are the training schemes employed at the three All-Through Schools, at Cranwell and at the other F.T.S.s integrated ? More important to possible recruits is the question of what future is in store, what chances are there of a commission, and is the R.A.F. really offering a career or just employment for a fairly long period ? For those with technical interests, the question of the new training aircraft specifications is important. Are three-seaters wanted, and what is to be the function of the proposed turbo-airscrew trainers ? In spite of many assurances, made in the usual rhetorical terms, it is obvious that the possibility of finding oneself with no employment at about 35 years of age, is still a great deterrent to the average recruit. Something more than an increased gratuity is required. In addition, all the games, leave and skeet-shooting will not be sufficient to persuade a cadet that life in the R.A.F. is pleasant if the food and living conditions are poor and there is nothing to do in his spare time. A man does not want to stay in camp on his free evenings, but the habit of selecting, for training, stations situated out '' in the sticks '' gives him no alternative. Transport is almost non-existent and the nearest town is often twenty miles away. .'••_'~~'\ Guaranteed Career Necessary Considering possible weaknesses in the '' All-Through '' training scheme, the first point that needs thinking about is the engagement. Under present rules it seems that any young man interested in flying can volunteer for pilot- training, and, if successful medically and academically, he can then undergo a free course of flying instruction up to a very advanced standard. After a period of about eighteen ^tenths, on completion, he is at liberty to say " thank you Very much," and go home. The temptation to do this must, on occasions, be considerable—for several reasons: the lack of a guaranteed career, as already mentioned and the rather remote possibility of obtaining a commission, have considerable influence on a cadet's decision to sign-on. To make matters worse, so far as one can make out, an excellent competitive spirit is fostered during training with a view to spurring-on cadets in their efforts to com- plete the syllabus and pass out with high marks; but there the course of events is abruptly interrupted. No "pep" talks on squadron life, wartime operations and records, or the latest military aircraft, are given, and the cadet has no idea where he is heading or what will happen to him until a posting to his new unit comes through. Visits to or from squadrons to meet pilots or crews, hear ' of their work, and examine their aircraft and talks on opera- tions by wartime aircrew, could do a great deal towards building up enthusiasm, handing on experience and lore, and thus giving an aim and incentive beyond the comple- tion of the training course. More general considerations are also likely to have their effect; for instance, the unsettled state of the coiSntry and the uninviting prospects, in or out of uniform, which are offered in the next few years, are reflected in the increasing and more active interest in the possibilities of emigration. A sound and thorough pilot's training is quite an asset to a young emigrant. Again, while no one fights with more courage and determination in time ot war than an Englishman, few races are less anxious to become involved in a war in times of peace. Some people think there must be another war, and flying-training, which starts off in much the same way in the R.A.F. as it would at a flying club, quite suddenly and quickly assumes a much more sombre and serious aspect. Some definite and co-ordinated statement on the new training aircraft and their use would help to clear the air for quite a number of people. Is the Prentice in fact to become the one and only primary trainer in use in the R.A.F. ? If so, let it be intelligently introduced to the Service and the interested public as soon as possible. It does no good to the reputation of an aircraft, be it good or bad, to be launched with such a remark—not infre- quently heard— as "Well, we have got to have some- thing to replace the Tiger Moth." The New Trainers The American Harvard, which is a very good and well- liked trainer, is also to be replaced by the Balliol or Athena, or both. An early statement as to which, and, more par- ticularly at the present time, with what engines, would not be out of place. If only a few of these trainers are to be built with turbo-airscrews and handed out to special units for experience, as is generally believed, Service people want to know this, and then there can be -no disappointment when less exciting Merlin-powered versions are delivered. While dealing with the subject of the trainers themselves, the three-seat layout must be mentioned. A frank admis- sion of fault is more likely to bring credit than otherwise. Therefore, if opinions have changed in the last three or four years, and the three-seat layout is no longer considered ideal, let people know that as well. If not, a convincing case should be put forward by the three-seat exponents. The present widespread criticism of the specification does nothing to enhance the authority of the people who ordered, built or supplied the aircraft. Many flying instructors will state that the third seat in a trainer is of some value for giving a first flight of air experience, for some navigation exercises, and for a first explanation of certain procedures. An additional unfore- seen advantage is its use for a junior instructor who wishes or is recommended to study the technique of a more ex- perienced one. The belief is, however, that these minor advantages are heavily outweighed by the adverse effect the provision of a third seat has had on the size, weight and performance of the machine. Not everyone agrees with the one pupil, one instructor, one airfield plan to avoid interruptions in training which underlies the All-Through Scheme. The enforced wartime practice of posting volunteers to a whole series of units during their training period was quite obviously undesir- able; but it is probable that at least one change of environ- ment in eighteen months would be beneficial, both from the morale and flying points of view; and one or even two changes of instructor during that period is more likely to be an advantage than to upset a pupil's progress. No single instructor can be perfect, and each one is bound to have small idiosyncrasies and weaknesses. In practice it must be admitted that the one-instructor postulate seldom holds out, because of postings, sickness, etc., among instructors. It is too early to expect the whole scheme of aircrew training to be a precise and orderly process, but in many instances the continuing existence of weaknesses is having an adverse effect on the all-important voluntary enlistment.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
