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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1834.PDF
FLIGHT International, 17 October 1963 641 TRAINED IN SCOTLAND . . Two students typical of many sent to Perth by overseas airlines: left, Powis Spencer from Ghana Airways and, right, Inderjeet Singh Sekhon from Malayan Airways reational facilities. The combination of just the right amount of discipline, working and living together as a community of young people, and some of the most beautiful countryside in the British Isles undoubtedly does much to make up for the absence of com pulsory extra-curricula studies. Flying training is now given almost exclusively on Cessnas. Basic dual and initial solo flying are performed on either the Chip munk or the Cessna 150. The latter aircraft are also equipped with shoulder harnesses and may be spun; and, unlike some comparable American machines, the 150 has plenty of elevator for demonstrat ing the stall, as well as powerful flaps. Before making the conversion to twin-engined flying, students carry out interim flying on the larger Cessna 175. The venerable Consul and Rapide have at last been retired, and all twin flying is now performed on the Cessna 310. Although the 310 is not the most docile of twins, it is con sidered a very good training machine by Bob Critchley, the CFI, mainly because of its high performance, but also because the awkward trim-changes do tsach a student awareness of such things at an early stage. Everyone—pupils and instructors—seemed agreed that Perth was a good area for learning to fly. One Malayan remarked that the monsoon will be easy after some of the weather his course had experienced. In general the weather seems to be either very clear or very bad, and the hilly countryside makes a pilot terrain- clearance conscious right from his first solo. Two Hiller UH-12Cs have recently been added to the school fleet, and the first course of students, three pilot officers of the Ghana Air Force, began their helicopter training on September 30. Articles (e.g., in Flight, October 14, 1960) have already described the facilities of AST, and the school publishes a very excellent brochure and prospectus which they send to anyone requiring detailed information on courses and fees. In order to gain an overall picture of the school's character I spoke to a number of the students to find out how they came to be there and what they now felt of their chosen careers. Although I picked them quite at random it is significant that five of the six I spoke to came from outside the United Kingdom. (In fact, it is not unusual for there to be students from over 30 countries under training at Perth at the same time.) Language difficulties, frequently a serious problem in the past, have been largely overcome now that a "language laboratory" has been comnussioned. From a knowledge of basic English, a student can be quickly taught an adequate working knowledge of the technical English that will enable him to make a start on a particular course. The laboratory consists of sound-proof cubicles, each with a tape recorder. One tutor then monitors the progress of a number of students who are kept constantly occupied recording answers to Questions. Typical of many overseas students to whom I spoke was Powis Spencer, from Accra. He left school at 17 with passes in the West African School Certificate and joined Ghana Airways as a clerk. Two years ago the airline sent him to Perth to study for the main tenance engineer's licences; he made good progress, and completed the course before reaching the age of 21, which is the minimum for holding this licence. Ghana Airways then decided he should Undergo a flying course, and he recently went solo in a Chipmunk a fter six hours' dual; now he hopes to have the commercial licence and instrument rating by August 1964. Such a preliminary engin eering background to a commercial licence is not common amongst students, but it should open up good opportunities in Ghana Airways for Powis Spencer and is a further example of the value in having maintenance and flying schools under the same roof. Another student who had also made very good progress was Inderjeet Singh Sekhon from Kuala Lumpur, who is being spon sored in his training for a CPL and IR by Malayan Airways. Sekhon first began flying privately with a flying club while working for the Malayan railways, where he became station master at Kuala Lumpur. Sekhon is one of a group of five trainee captains that Malayan Airways have sent to Perth; and, weather permitting, he hopes to complete the course in November. After two years or so flying as a second officer on scheduled services, Sekhon hopes to come back to Perth for the technical examinations leading to an airline transport pilots' licence. In spite of the present world-wide surplus of commercial pilots, the high quality training services of AST will undoubtedly remain in big demand for a very long time. At the moment, AST and the College of Air Training at Hamble are the only establishments with full MoA approval for commercial pilot training, and between them will be well able and qualified to handle the majority of the 200 new pilots per year which the Hamilton Committee has estimated will be needed in the future. N. F. G. H. A hundred and ninety-one students from 35 countries " VM./' -'-- ^W<" tsm *SMfc-# : I.WJI **fc ' *> ' .4Mb. Jfel R t ^1™^ 'If • SHU! *AL /!
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