The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1930-01-09
ARMY AIR CORPS
IN NEED OF FUNDS


OIOItdSC VI ilOtos
Washington. Lack of funds for
training reserves and maintaining
proper ground facilities for the army
air corps has resulted in an acute
shortage of pilots and added extra
hazards to flying at certain army
fields, Mai. Gen. james +. Feehet an
nouneed in his annual report to the
secretary of war.
Training of both army pilots and
members of the air corps reserve mas
been severely handicapped, the air
corps chief reported adding that the
shortage of maintenance funds is re-
sulting in a condition which will leave
the air army of the national defense
unprepared for emergency purposes
unless steps are taken to correct the
situation.
Kelly Field Conditions Bad.
"Hindranees to flying have resulted,
due to the poor condition of hangers
and other equipment necessary at lily.
ing fields. for the maintenance and
protection of aircraft Maj Gen.
Fechet said This situation has be
come so acute as to be classed dan
gerous at some stations. such as Kelly
field Texas. Unless funds are made
available for temporary repairs pend
ing the permanent construction pro-
posed in the fiYe-year program. this
condition will become worse.
AT Rockwell field, California, no
space is available for the storage of
bombardment type airpanes, so II is
necessary to leave these airplanes ex-
posed to the weather day and night.
Lack of funds has prevented nee.
sssary construction 1T Fort Crockett,
Texas. for the adequate housing OF
airplanes and equipment of the attack
group stationed at that post. 1t is
contemplated increasing this group to
its authorized strength; however, this
increase will necessarily consist only
of an increase in personnel, as no
hangar space is available for an In
crease in the number of airplanes as
signed"
One Observation Squadron.
"At present only one observation
squadron is available for all the mis-
sions required in conjunction with 9th,
er troops on the Pacific coast. This
squadron is stationed at San Fran
cisco and is able to perform only a
small proportion of the missions which
should be expected.
mo air corps troops are stationed
in the vicinity of Puget sound, where
excellent facilities exist for training
with three other branches of the army
| This condition cannot be corrected
until the necessary increase in equip
ments or units becomes available.
Lack of funds prevents their assign
ment to foreign possessions, where an
! acute need exists for additional pilots
/ to operate the aircraft assigned"
"a new system of classifying re
serves according to their flying eff.
cheney has been put into effect" the
air corps chief said This system
calls for lengthy report showing the
physical. flying and professional status
of every active reserve officer. The
report also shows the amount and type
of flying engaged in by reserves each
month.
"Theee reports disclose that, al
though there are 5,954 reserves In the
air corps. only about 1900 of these
are qualified for flying service. Some
600 of this 1900 are qualified for i'm
mediate service; the remainder would
require fresher training before they
could be used in tactical units for com
bat service
Major General Fechet said that
number of long-distanee cross-countr,
flights of tactical units, particular,
bombardment pursuit and attacl
planes will be made this coming yea
TO points as far distant as Panama
The army air corps plans, he said, t
concentrate all its air forces som
time during the 1881 fiscal year TO
a maneuyer in conjunction wit
ground troops.