The Bismarck tribune., 1931-05-29
BY JOHN A. MACREADY

xAAAlCA IIlOSU llOIcu dVldLUES.
BY JOHN A. MACREADY
To the young man VINO is willing to
devote several years to training, just
as he would to training for the law,
medicine, or for an engineering ca
reer, aviation offers many brilliant
opportunities. But to the young man
who expects to step into a highly paid
position after few hours of flying
experimentation going through one
OF the many "hurry-up' courses for
pilots now being offered by many
aviation schools, disappointment is
due.
When the firm with which I am
associated announced the purchase OF
three airplanes for use in its sales de-
partment We were flooded with appli-
cations for positions as pilots. In a
few weeks we were beseiged by more
than $50 men, all claiming to be first
class pilots. Study of the applica-
tions submitted revealed the fact that
in most cases the men had had less
than 100 hours of flying experience.
These young men had tried to enter
aviation by what might be called the
side door route. Instead Of learning
their profession thoroughly from
every angle, they had merely learned
to solo" a plane. Aside from that
they knew very little little about avi-
alton. Aerodynamics and airplane
maintenance, assembly, meteorology,
use OF instruments, blind flying aero
battles necessary to teach pilots to
think quickly and clearly, night fly
ing, cross-country flying, use of wire-
less telephones-all these elements in
a good aviator's equipment were lack
ing. Yet they expected to be given
the responsibility of plotting airplanes
costing upward of $4,000, and to be
responsible for the lives OF passengers.
Jobs Of Many Kinds
The growth of air transport serv-
ices will create demand for trained
men in different types of work The
men who make the most rapid prog
ress in aviation will of course be
men who are skilled pilots. But there
are many other opportunities.
In the big transport companies
there are, and in the future there will
be more. opportunities for executives
who know flying, but whose duties
will be the management Of the vari-
Gus departments. Transport COM
panies are developing organizations
of passenger agents similar to the
railroad passenger organizations.
Trained business men, rather than
mere pilots, will enjoy the greatest
success in positions of this kind.
There are the regular accounting,
record keeping, financial and operat-
ing departments. all of which will
offer excellent opportunities for young
men as air transport companies grow.
Air transport companies will employ
large staffs Of lawyers, claim experts,
insurance specialists, meteOrologists,
engineers, advertising men, statesmen,
publicity men, executives in charge
OF airport operations, maintenance Of
planes, management Of airport hotels,
restaurants, express and freight ter
minals, and fill various other jobs.
Flying Statesmen
Even now many airplane manufac-
turers have openings for statesmen
and sales executives. These men
must know their product. They must
be capable OF demonstrating planes
to prospective buyers, and perhaps in
the future will be called upon to
teach flying to their customers.
There are more than so different
positions, each calling for specialized
training and ability in aviation. With
this vast field open for the right sort
Of young men it is a great mistake
to look upon the acquisition of pi-
lots license as the goal for ambitious
men anxious to get into aviation.
That Is merely the beginning.
And now for word about the
growth and increasing popularity Of
flying.
The vests intense and growing in
terest in aviation in all its phases Is
shown by the growth in membership
of its numerous flying clubs. There
is scarcely community of any size
that cannot boast of some sort of q
club or organization devoted to flying.
In practically every town Of 5000 or
more population q group Of people
have banded together to study avi-
alton, to learn to fly, to promote an
airport, or encourage the growth of
various aviation enterprises.
OF the various clubs the National
Aeronautical association Is the largest.
Each local branch Of this organiza-
ton must have Is members. each
member paying dues of SIS year.
Clubs Own Planes
There are many private clubs, COM
posed of groups of people, all inter-
ested in flying, in learning to fly. or
in some phase of aviation. Usually
they band together, purchase plane,
hire a good instructor, and divide the
costs among themselves. Eleven Of