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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0942.PDF
940 FLIGHT International, 14 June 1962 TRAINING GAF PILOTS... Before referring to the third training stream, which comes to Landsberg, something might be said about its satellite Kaufbeuren and the 28 RAF instructors there. The squadron is No 3 (Nos 1 and 2 are at Landsberg) and the QFls commute daily over a distance of 20 miles. As at the main base, there are two shifts, so that an instructor works either all though the morning or all through the afternoon, the day starting at 0615hr and ending at 1830hr. This system allows clearly defined periods for family duties and recreation. We drove out to Kaufbeuren on a foggy morning, with Wg Cdr Chopping and Sqn Ldr Lofting, through wooded country that contains the remarkable Czech refugee town of Neugablonz, built by the refugees, who produce wood and glass ware with consum mate and ingenious craftsmanship. The airfield at Kaufbeuren is on a hill adjoining the town, and its close vicinity causes some friction with the townspeople, who object to the noisiness of the Harvards. Every effort is made to minimize this noise level, either by taking off away from the town, or by turning as soon as possible after take-off: the runway is long enough for the Harvards to need only a portion of it. Other disadvantages under which the Kaufbeuren detachment have to work are those likely to be encountered by any small lodger unit. The only working accommodation provided for the Air Force instructors and students is a couple of rooms in a small building, while at the dispersal there is one wooden hut, used by groundcrew. Nevertheless, a happy atmosphere was evident at the airfield and the RAF instructors seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their work, despite the lack of office space for duties like filling in forms (US variety) about pupils, whose characteristics are analysed with microscopic thoroughness. Kaufbeuren seemed a clear ex ample of how difficult circumstances often help to raise morale. Students at Kaufbeuren, where there are three flights (one of which rotates to Mengen, about 70 miles to the west), do 60hr general handling—or "contact proficiency," as it is called in a survival of American terminology. Of this total only 17hr is solo flying, a much lower proportion than a comparable RAF student would do. (This is one marked difference between the British and German training systems.) The rest of the training—to a total of U2hr—is made up as follows: navigation, 8hr (no solo); formation, ". . . ahead was the magnificent panorama of the Bavarian Alps, was diving into these mountains . . ." When we ci /f ;-4. •r
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