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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0159.PDF
4 February 1955 159 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm News EVIDENCE ON FLYING TRAINING SOME interesting facts and figures aboutflying training in the Royal Air Force are contained in evidence heard by theSelect Committee on Estimates and pub- lished in a Blue Book with the rather mis-leading title of Royal Air Force Non-Flying Establishments (H.M.S.O., 15s net). Asummary of the committee's report has already (December 3rd, 1954) appeared inthe columns of Flight, but the evidence on which it based its findings is now published.Some noteworthy comments are in- cluded in the section devoted to evidencetaken at No. 6 Flying Training School, Ternhill, where a study was made of theProvost/Vampire sequence as opposed to the Prentice/Harvard system. In answerto questions, A.V-M. G. D. Harvey, C.B., C.B.E., D.F.C., A.O.C. No. 23 Group,said that the new system made no differ- ence in the number of instructors required,because the establishment of instructors was cast on the same basis of four pupilsto one instructor. A further point, made by G/C. R. J. B.Burns, O.B.E., commanding officer at No. 6 F.T.S., was that the school had been com-pletely unsuccessful in persuading National Service pupils to look on the Service asa career. During a period of 14 months, only one National Service officer had ex-pressed the wish to remain in the Service. He had gone so far as to apply for a per-manent commission, although he was not eligible to do so, and in any event he hadchanged his mind, because his guardian did not wish him to stay in the Service. In explanation of this difficulty, G/C.Burns said there were two reasons. Firstly, the N.S. officer was only in the basic stageof his flying training and preferred, quite rightly, to wait until he had gone throughthe jet stage of training before making up his mind. Secondly, a large number ofN.S. officers had got places at a university, or already possessed university degreesand other professional qualifications. In other words, their careers were alreadyplanned for them. G/C. Burns was then asked to commenton the basic training of pupils in Canada. After making clear that No. 6 F.T.S. hadnot received any such pupils since Septem- ber, 1953, he went on to express the viewthat the standard of the Canadian-trained pilot did not come up to that of the British-trained man: "We found that their air- manship and their pure flying did notmatch up to our own. That was the opinion at our School." In a section devoted to evidence given byFlying Training Command, reference was made to the absence of facilities for flyingjet aircraft at Cranwell; and it was stated (February 10th, 1954) that a contract hadbeen placed for turning Cranwell into a jet airfield and that this work would be com-pleted in about two years' time. Figures worthy of note are contained inan appendix to the report by the Air Ministry in regard to the Aircrew Alloca-tion Unit. After explaining the work of this unit, and the procedure adopted in thesuspension of flying trainees, a specimen table is published of O.C.U. aircrew sus-pensions by the A.A.U. during the period January 1st, 1953 to December 31st, 1953.The figures are: total suspended, 153; re- selected for "in-line" training, 44; 2nd-pilotduties, 4; reselected for another aircrew category, 5; transferred to a ground branch(officers), 12; commission terminated and discharged, 72; reverted to trade or dis-charged (N.C.O.s), 16. References to these figures are to befound in the evidence devoted to the work of the Flying Commands, and other aspectsof training are covered in what must be one of the most detailed and comprehensivedocuments yet published on this subject. Royal Air Escort TXfHEN Princess Margaret flew from" London Airport to Gander, New- foundland, last Monday, Coastal Com-mand Shackletons provided an escort as far as 30 °W, at which point the RoyalCanadian Air Force took over. One Shackleton flew ahead of the royal air-craft, the Stratocruiser Canopus (photo- graph, p. 157), and another astern. Services Cresta ChampionshipA T St. Moritz the Services CrestaChampionship was won last week by the R.A.F., with the Army taking secondplace. F/L. Mitchell won the Trenchard Cup with an aggregate time for the threeruns of 137-2 sec. Flying College ToursS IXTY-FIVE officers and airmen willtake part JI the R.A.F. Flying College end-of-course flights. A party for Canadaand Alaska will leave in a Hastings on February 14th under the command ofG/C. P. B. Wood. On arrival in Canada the group will split, one team under G/C.Wood going to the U.S.A.F. Alaska Air Command and the ofher, under G/C. W, I. C. Innes, visiting the Royal Cana-dian Air Force. The next day, February 15th, anotherHastings will leave Manby to visit the United States. This aircraft will be flownby the Chief Instructor at the College, G/C. J. R. A. Embling, and by W/C.G. G. Petty. A number of U.S.A.F. sta- tions will be visited and the organizationand operation of the U.S. Strategic Air Command studied. A third party, in a Valetta commandedby W/C. W. J. Burnett, will make a tour of units of the Allied Air Forces in Europe. Queen's Commendation THE London Gazette has announcedthe award of the Queen's Commenda- tion for Brave Conduct to G/C. O. R.Donaldson, Sen. A/C. M. J. Giffard, L. A/C. H. S. Hopkins and L. A/C. E. K.Lynes, all of R.A.F. Station Marham. On September 20th, 1954, two 1,0001b.bombs exploded while being transported on a bomb trolley. G/C. Donaldson sawthat the bomb trolley was on fire and its driver trapped between the leading trolleyand its burning tractor. As he reached it the three airmen also arrived and G/C. Mr. George Ward (left), Undersecretary of State for Air, during his recent 11,000-mile tour of the Middle East Air Force. He is seen at Habbaniya with A.V-M. H. H. Brookes, A.O.C. Iraq, and Lt. Col. Sadiq Azzawi, CO. No. 5 Squadron, R.I.A.F. Donaldson directed work by which thetractor driver was freed and taken to safety.The airmen, the citation says, responded to the emergency most commendably, withcomplete disregard for their own safety, and not knowing the cause of the explo-sion or whether the other bombs might detonate. "Rumba Queen" Completed '"THE airlift of R.C.A.F. equipment from•*• North Luffenham to Marville in east- ern France (see Flight, January 21st) wascompleted on January 25th. As approach aids at Marville are as yet almost non-existent, the prevailing bad weather restricted flying to eight days of the 14-dayoperation; even so, the four C-119s carried a total of 375,000 lb of supplies andequipment. Kenya Squadron Returns HAVING completed six months ofoperational duty against Mau Mau in Kenya, No. 214 Squadron (S/L. K. R.Bowhill) has returned to Britain. They have been relieved by No. 49 Squadron(S/L. A. E. Newitt, D.F.C.). ReunionI T is proposed to hold the first annualdinner of No. 16 Squadron Association on February 18th at the Mapleton Res-taurant, Coventry Street, London, W.I. A general meeting of the association willbe held before dinner at 1800 hr. Tickets (£1 Is.) and further particulars fromF/L. G. O. Eades, Officers' Mess, R.A.F. Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. R.C.N. Appointments /^HANGES in the appointments of four^-'senior officers of the Royal Canadian Navy were announced recently.Cdre. S. Rayner, D.S.C., CD., R.C.N., will relinquish command of the aircraftcarrier H.M.C.S. Magnificent to take up
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