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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1969.PDF
FLIGHT, 8 December 1949 735 COLLECTING A STRATOCRMER By THE EDITOR Air and Ground Training for the Crews : The Dehmel Synthetic Trainer : Flight Instructions : Loading Up and Cockpit Checks PART II IN part one of this description the preparation of Strato-cruisers for delivery was discussed. Concurrentlyduring the final few months of manufacture, air and ground crews are being trained to take over these, the largest and most elaborate civil airliners so far introduced on a British airline. It can be confidently stated that on no occasion in the past have crews known more about, been better trained to handle, or more thoroughly prepared for their new aircraft than are those now fairing over B.O.A.C. Stratocruisers. Provision for the training of the first batch of crews was one of the clauses covered in the purchase contract with Boeing. Initially, the training of both ground and air crews (ex- cluding navigators and radio operators) was carried out with the co-operation of Boeing and Pan American World Airways. Everyone who has received instruction on its courses has been full of praise for the Boeing ground school, and all who have trained with Pan American Air- ways, or, currently, are receiving instruction on that com- pany's Dehmel synthetic trainer (of which more will be said later) speak in glowing terms of their experience and of the co-operation and hospitality of their friendly rivals. The excellent relationship is mutual, for Boeing speak most highly of their B.O.A.C. colleagues. In the first place, eight B.O.A.C. crews—captain, 1st officer and flight engineer—tackled the training syllabus, which included a total of 35 hours' flying as 1st officer and captain on Stratocruisers and technical instruction on the aircraft, culminating in two written examinations. Two courses, each numbering thirty, and lasting for three weeks, passed through the Boeing ground school at about the same time. Among the first Englishmen to go to the school—where they stayed for two months—were Messrs. Jackson and Johnson of the A.R.B., who are now the examiners for B.O.A.C. The same papers—two each of four hours' duration—are taken both by pilots and flight engineers, but the accent in their answers is probably either on the engineering or operational angle, as appro- priate. In a recent course examination only one of 16 pilots failed and six of 14 flight engineers. Ground crews who have completed their course of in- struction have been gaining practical experience by work- ing, by arrangement, with Pan American Airways on their Stratocruisers which are, of course, already in service. That, then, is an outline of the training received by the first B.O.A.C. crews to be concerned with Strato- cruisers. Now, with several crews fully trained and gain- ing experience, and services about to commence, a modified scheme is in operation. A ground school has been set up over here—at Whitchurch—where pilots are undergoing three weeks' training and engineers two months'. Additionally, the Dehmel trainer operated by Pan Am. at La' Guardia, New York, plays a much greater part in aircrew training. (A.O.A. have a similar agreement with Pan Am. for the use of the trainer.) A Dehmel trainer has been ordered by B.O.A.C. from Redifon, Ltd., in this country, for installation at Filton, and this should be completed late next year. Time on this trainer will presumably be made available to other European operators in the same way as it is on the first one at La Guardia. Before a captain, already very experienced on Constella- tions on the Atlantic route, takes over a Stratocruiser service he will have the following experience: (t) ground- school course and examination; (2) 35 hours' Dehmel syn- thetic training; (3) seven to ten hours' air training (mostly circuits and bumps); (4) 120 hours' air experience gained during three flights as 1st officer and three as captain
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