Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-09
AIR CORPS is YET
FAR BEHIND SET STANDARD
In 81 Years Development Has Increased In
Heavy Ratio-Five-Year Program
Is Well Under Way.

Though the Army Air Corps steadily
is increasing in size and has increased
from approximately 10 per cent of the
strength of the Regular Army q few
years ago to Is per cent today, the five
year Air Corps program, designed to
bring the air service up to peace-time
standard, still is far from completion.
Even though Congress approp-iates
up to the full limits of the schedule set
up by the act, the program will not be
completed until June 80, 1882, though
the five-year program was launched in
1926. No funds we're made available
during the first fiscal year, and it was
not until July l, 1927, that work actually
was begun on the development of the
Air Corps under the terms of the act
In the 81 years since the first appro-
priations were made for military avia-
ton, the funds allotted for this purpose
have increased from $4,000 to $32,-
$50, 059, the amount carried for purely
Air Corps activities in the 1880 bill.
The first allotment for military avia-
ton was made in 1898, amounting to
$4,000, in two installments. 1t was not
until October l, 1908, that another al
lotment was made, $25, 900 being granted
at that time. In 1909 only $4,000 was
allotted.
In 1910 the Army had one airplane
and $3.50 was allotted for its maintenance
and operation. Lieut.. (now Brig. GEM
BENJAMIN D. Foulois, the Army's only
pilot in that year, paid $500 out OF his
own pocket to keep the lone plane going.
In 1912 Congress appropriated S125,-
600 for military aviation and from then
on aeronautical activities have been on
the increase.
When the five-year program is COM
pleted the Air Corps is scheduled to
have 1850 flying officers, $50 reserve Of
flcers on extended active duty and
$4,000 enlisted man. The program calls
for 450 pursuit planes, 1876 bombardment
planes, 412 observation planes, 95 attack
planes, 70 amphibian planes, SO trans
port planes, 479 training type planes
and 10 planes of all types in reserve,
or a total Of 1892 planes of all types in
active service and reserve.
Though the law provides that the
chief of the Air Corps and at least
two of the three assistant chiefs and
so per cent of the officers of each grade
shall be flying officers, the provisions
of the law in this respect today are far
exceeded in the service
Mai. Gen. James z. Fechet chief of
the corps, and all three brigadiers are
rated as airplane pilots. Of the
2 airShip pilots. There are only 10
officers in the entire Air Corps on a
Notifying status. Of whom are cap
tains, first heutenants and second
heutenants.
The Air Corps today relies upon a
continuous system of education and
training to keep its personnel at the
peak of efficiency, an important factor
in this system being the Air Corps
schools. There are schools for officers,
enlisted men, pilots, mechanics, photog-
raphers, radio operators. parachute rig
gers and others in the personnel Of
this growing branch of the country's
defense system.
In addition to the school training
given all officers and men there is q
large amount of actual field training
undergone by the Air Corps troops
at tactical stations and during maneu-
vers in the field.
The basic Air Corps School is the
flying school, which is divided into
primary schools at Brooks Field, San
Antonio, Tex, and March Field, River
side, Calf and the advanced school at
Kelly Field, San Antonio. Tex. great
West Point of the air, which will COM
bine the two types of schools, is being
constructed at Randolph Field, San
Antonio, which has become the train
ing center of the entire Air Corps.
Air Corps officers Of field grade at