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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0210.PDF
220 FLIGHT, 14 February 1958 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns.The names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. No Shortage of Commercial Pilots? SEVERAL references have appeared in Flight recently suggest-ing that there is at present, and will exist for the immediate future, a critical shortage of commercial pilots and calling forsome form of Government financial assistance in the training of the ab initio student. May I hasten to assure the writers that in my personal experi-ence there appears neither to be a critical shortage of such pilots at the present time, nor indeed does there appear to be any causefor alarm and despondency in the immediate future. I have recently successfully completed the technical examina-tions for this licence at the Ministry of Transport and Civil Avia- tion, and during each of my three attempts there were at least125 other such candidates. I was informed at the Ministry that in November last there was a record entry of 150-odd entrants.Granted not all candidates are successful, and that many drop by the wayside as it were, but I understand at least 25 per centof all candidates are indeed successful, which gives an average of 32 newly qualified commercial pilots each month, or in roundfigures approximately 400 pilots newly qualified seeking employ- ment each year. Can anyone honestly prove to me that even with normal staffwastages, and the requirements of the State airlines and the private air charter companies, with their 10 per cent increased passengertraffic annually, the 400 new pilots who are available on the market each year can possibly be absorbed? Far from there being a shortage of such pilots, we can see at themoment a real danger of many of these highly qualified, and expensively trained people being placed on the market with littleor no prospect of obtaining suitable employment. Finally, there is the question of finding the right type of airlinepilot. By far the greater majority of pilots flying today are keen types, who fly because of their particular love for the pure scienceof flying. Many have suffered great hardships in financing their own flying training. Many have sold their cars and personalpossessions, and have even borrowed money, so that they may qualify to earn their livelihood in the manner which they dearlylove. Many of us have come across the type who, although he may own a fast car and other expensive items of equipment, isnot prepared to sacrifice these luxuries in order that he may be trained as a pilot. But let the State pay for his training, and hewill jump at the opportunity of earning a substantial livelihood. Quite seriously, are these, then, the types which it is proposedto encourage to become our future airline captains, the type of man who will take up flying purely as a means to an end? I thinkpersonally that as long as there are machines to be flown there will always be the men who, through pure love of flying, will beprepared to finance their own flying training in order to qualify. Plymouth, Devon. M. P. ANDERSON. Society of Aircraft HistoriansR ECENT correspondence mentions that the offer of a roomwhere meetings could be held to further the interest in his- torical research might lead to the formation of a suitable society.We at the Kronfeld Club feel that we could offer the use of our premises for such a purpose and would be pleased to hear fromanyone interested in this matter. 74 (Basement) Eccleston Square, . HUGO TROTTER,London, S.W.I. Hon. Secretary, the Kronfeld Club. Naming the VC.10 AS pre-vision as much as precision is required by the aircraft• constructor in the present confused state of the industry, might one suggest that it would be both alliterative and appropriate to christen the magnificent VC.10 the Vickers Vision? Cheltenham, Glos. G. A. HINTON. Poetic Pilot's Licence Two, four, six, eight,Who do we just hate, hate, hate? All together, shout with meCurses on the MINISTREE. Airplane owners, let's uniteLet's all have a nice big fight But, before the big affray,Let us curse M.T.C.A. Two, four, six-eight-ten,Join the angry young air-men, Raise your voices loud on high—We don't like the Ministrigh. As a matter of fact, and here's the rub,We don't like the Aero Club Those deadbeats just don't know a thingBut us—why, we hate everything. We hate Air Traffic, they're a bindWe hate control of any kind We hate the airlines, large and small—We don't like anything at all. Take some clay and model sinisterSomething looking like the Minister, Then we'll stick the pins in deep—That should fix his beauty sleep. Away, away with moderationLet's have violence, conflagration, Join with us in anarchy,—Let's blow up the Ministry. Flying? Why, we know it all, ,__. Red-hot pilots on the ball ^^—Look, we prove in this here letter The fewer eyes you've got the better! Silly ole M.T.C.A.Nasty men, you go away We can fly without policeLeave us free—to prang in peace. Thames Ditton, Surrey. BYRONICUS. IN BRIEF The collection and study of aerial propaganda leaflets is the purpose of a body recently formed under the title of the Psywar Society. The hon. secretary is Capt. P. H. Robbs, 8 Ridgeway Road, Barton Seagrave, Kettering. His own collection numbers some 5,000 different specimens from almost every battle area from 1914 to the present day, and he would like to hear from readers similarly interested. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb.Feb. Feb. 14. Plymouth Aero Club: Dinner Dance. 18. R.Ae.S.: Section Lecture: "Aeroelastic Problems Associated with High Speeds and High Temperature," by E. G. Broad- bent. 19. Royal Meteorological Society: Papers and discussion; Air flow over Ridges (G. A. Corby and J. S. Sawyer), and Lee Waves (C. E. Wellington and J. Portnall). 19. Kronfeld Club: "North Wales, The Soaring Pilot's Para- dise," by W. Crease 19. Royal Society of Arts: "Rocket Propulsion," by J. E. P. Dunning, M.A., F.R.Ae.S. 20. R.Ae.S.: Main Lecture, at Halton: First Trenchard Memorial Lecture, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Dermot Boyle. 21. Institute of Navigation: "Air Search and Rescue Prob- lems," by A. Cdre. R. T. Gething. R.Ae.S.: Guided Flight Section: "Guided Flight Trials," by R. W. Boswelt. 26. R.Ae.S.: Presidential Address by Sir George Edwards. 26. British Institution of Radio Engineers: "Deetra: A Long Range Navigation Aid," by C. Powell. 27. Aerodrome Owners Association: Annual General Meeting. 25. Mar. 1. British Interplanetary Society: "Guidance and Control of Long-range Vehicles," by Prof. G. A. Whitfield. Mar. 5. R.Ae.S.: Eleventh Louis Bleriot Lecture, in Paris: "The Future of Aeronautical Research," by Prof. W. J. Duncan. Mar. 7. Helicopter Association: "Some Ways of Obtaining an Integrated Aircraft," by Dr. D. Kuchemann. R.Ae.S. Branch Lectures (to Feb. 27):— Feb. 17. Henlow, Junior Members Lecture Competition. Feb. 19. Christchurch, "Aircraft Carriers," by A. J. Simms; Leicester, "Activities of the Production Engineering Assoc," by R. Tilsley; Southampton, Branch Prize Papers. Feb. 20. Bristol, "Sale of Civil Aircraft," by R. White-Smith; Halton, Main Lecture (see above); Isle of Wight, "Modern Methods of Air-Sea Rescue," by Lt-Cdr. J. S. Sproule. Feb. 21. Birming- ham, Branch President's Night. Feb. 26. Hatfield, "Fairey Delta 2," by R. L. Lickley and L. P. Twiss; Preston, "Problems Associated with Non-Metallic Materials in Aircraft," by N. J. L. Megson and E. W. Russell. Feb. 27. Bristol, "Servicing of Civil Aircraft," by I. Gregory; Cambridge, "Some Aspects of Aircraft Production," by H. Povey; Yeovil, Third Henson and Stringfellow Memorial Lecture by S. G. Hooker.
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