Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-11-10
AIR CORPS REPORT
ASKS MORE FLYERS
Shortage Due to Inadequate
Methods Retards Progress,
FouIois Says.

Continued shortage Of flying person
mel because Of inadequate methods for
increasing strength OF the corps is him
dering the Army Air Corps In carrying
out its national defense program, &C
cording to the annual report Of Maj.
Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois. chief Of the
corps. submitted today to the Secretary
of War.
During the past two years flying per-
sonnet has increased so slowly that II
the present pace is maintained, Gen.
Foulois said. the corps will not reach
It's authorized strength for many years.
He recommended provisions to accept
candidates from civil life for commits
sion In the Air Corps of the Regular
Army after training at the Air Corps
schools. Practically all graduates OF
the Air Corps Training Center he said,
ARE excellent material for the Regular
Army"
Method Called Impra ctical.
At present, he said, the only method
by which Air Corps strength may De
increased Is by voluntary transfer OF
officers commissioned in other branches.
This method, Gen. Foulois declared rs
not practical.
The Air Corps, he said. is 1896 officers
under strength Since passage OF the
Air Corps act authorizing the fve-year
service development program, ne sald.
the commissioned strength OF the All
Corps has increased from 884 10 i.lo4;
a total Of $40, or an average annual
gain of less than So officers. During
the last two fiscal years the increase
has been only 81.
The Air Corps Reserve showed an IN.
crease of 2Os officers for the last fiscal
wear, due to the many graduates from
the Air Corps Training Center and TO
the fact that no Regular Army exaiiii-
nations we're authorized. The average
number Of Air Corps Reserve officers on
extended active duty during the nscal
year averaged 271 per month.
Gen. Foulois said an analytical study
OF personality and performance tests OF
flvlng cadets accepted for Air Corps
training shows "a continuing state OF
tenseness and apprehensiveness is the
common cause of failure to progress IN
flying training.
Composite Test Urged.
As a result he recommended that an
airplane flight as a passenger be IN
cluded as requirement of the original
examination to determine reaction OF
the applicant to actual flying. He also
urged adoption Of composite test. 10
include neuropsychic elements disclosed
by the examinations. These methods,
he believes, should materially reduce
the number Of cadets now eliminated at
training centers within month or two
after reporting"
Gen. Foulois finds need for small
rescue planes" to augment the aerial
ambulance service of the corps, Such
planes would be used to rescue injured
at or near the scenes of crashes where
the larger ambulance planes could not
find landing space. rs well as for opera
ton with ground troops in regions where
landing space is at premium.
Plans for the coming six months in
clude creation of six new active
squadrons.
Training Crippled.
The economy program instituted by
Congress has greatly crippled training
Of the regular Air Corps. The alloca--
ton OF flying hours, he said, is not
sufficient to enable tactical units TO
comply with even minimum require
ments for proper training. AS a re-
suit the training of the Air Corps, he
said. is below the standard desired
In his report Gen. Foulois dealt at
some length with new combat plane
types developed or under experiment
for Air Corps use, stressing the increase
of speed and efficiency of number OF
types. The performance and safety OF
ali types of aircraft have been greatly
increased. he reported. New types OF
armament have been produced and val
liable new equipment developed. Con-
siderable success" has attended develop
ment of radio aids to fog flying and
blind landing New equipment has been
devised for high altitude photography.