Evening star., 1938-05-22

much-bruited air mail contracts, we
have never subsidized aviation. and
until the rast two years. little had
been done to match foreign military
air progress. 1t is an enduring tribute
to the dogeed determination and fore
sight of the little handful of men who
lived behind the scenes with avia-
ton, both military and commercial.
that American progress has held its
own at thu head of the procession.
NOV, a. last. the picture Is chang
ing. Two months ago. the per-
sonnel directors of the airlines met
with ARM and Navy officers here In
Washington to discuss a serious situ-
alton. With the new and larger planes
about tc come from the factories, and
the move oy the services to retain Air
Corps Reserve officers instead of re-
leasing them for commercial pilots
jobs, the transportation companies
were $50 pilots short.
Such facts as these. coupled with
similar shortages in the aircraft fac
tories of skilled mechanics, brought
the industry and the Government
sharply awake to the warnings that a
few leaders had been uttering for
years. The Navy is now offering air
cadet training with four years sub
sequent service and bonus Of 81. 500
and the Army three years and $500.
This is TIE more attractive. since the
airlines take practically IS per cent
of their pilot personnel from the serv-
ices-when they can get them.
Cleveland, in January. saw an i'm
portant event. The first National
Aeronautic Planning Conference was
held and one entire section was de-
voted to youth education. William
r. Enyart secretary Of the National
Aeronautic Association, which spon-
sored the conference. said to this
writer recently at the associations
Office here on Dupont Circle:
There is a great need for an in
tegrated national Program. We have
been working toward this end for a
long time. and since the Cleveland
conference have been taking definite
action. The first step is the organ
izing of national survey of what is
being done now and what can be
done. Some parts of the country are
doing fire job already-others prac-
tically nothing
Once We have complete informa-
tion, We are going to set up a ma
tional council drawn from leaders in
aviation, in education, in specialized
groups, in the local communities.
Through the long-range program that
will be drawn up by this council and
its technical committees. We hope to
work with the educational systems all
over the country, down to the small
est of the little red school houses.
We want to show how aiation study
builds character through the teach
ing Of application and the encourage
ment Of integrity.
HE ASSOCIATION Is now backing
legislation to establish a Federal
offce of aviation in the Bureau Of
Education. We want to see not only
hobby time activity. but also school
time. with careful interrelation Of the
two. Model building should be a first
step, which we have classed as the
elementary stage. with average age
from IL to 16 years. This is the
hobby activity; the school time should
include aviation subjects in connec-
ton with history and science and
possibly other courses. In the secon-
Diary stage, from 16 to 20 years, can
come gas model building and airport
gliding, with occupational and voca-
tional aeronautic courses in high
schools. junior colleges and vocation
schools For the advanced stage, from
20 to "a years. there should be light
plane flying and soaring. with profess
sional training in aviation engineering,
business and flight training courses in
colleges and flying schools. Through
out all of these stages, public en-
couragement and healthy competition
can be given by model flying, gliding
and soaring contests.
Already" Mr.. Eyart concluded,