Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-12
By JOSEPH EDGERTON,

program of the Civil Aeronautics
Authority is intended to provide a
reservoir Of partially trained flyers
from which the military services
may draw in case of national emer-
gency after the present expansion
program is completed.
For purposes Of the present pro-
gram. the Army Air Corps has set
up its own pilot procurement plan,
involving the primary training of
flying cadets in civilian flying schools
under Army supervision and the re-
duction of the time they spend In
the Air Corps Training Center from
one year to six months.
The C. A. A. program is regarded
as valuable aid to national defense
and, had it been put into operation
a year ago. possibly would have done
away with the present Air Corps
primary training plan for the COM
mercial flying schools.
Colleges Selected.
With an initial allotment of funds,
the C. A. A. in February began the
training of some 300 students in a
selected group of colleges and uni
versities. 1t is planned to extend
this program to large number of
educational institutions during the
193940 school term. Candidates for
training now are being enrolled by
the thousands and Air Corps medi-
cal officers are being called upon to
administer physical examinations.
The Importance of building up
such reserve as would be provided
through operation of the c. A. A.
program may be visualized when it
is understood that to obtain 1900
trained pilots, capable of taking their
places in its combat squadrons. the
Army Air Corps must start at least
1000 candidates in training at the
training center. To obtain these
1000 candidates, approximately
$4,000 young men must be interested
to the point of obtaining the neces-
sary recommendations and submit
ting themselves for physical exami-
nation.
Would Eliminate Dead Wood"
The c. A. A. program would take
care of a vast amount of work which
otherwise would delay any emer-
gency air defense program. 1t
would insure at once the elimination
Of candidates not physically quail
fled for Army training. 1t would
further reduce the numbers Of those
not possessed of the inherent ability
to fly. This can be done only
through actual flight training. This
would provide selected list of can
didates for emergency Air Corps
training, with virtually all the dead
wood" eliminated-a vital contribu-
ton to national security.
Already it is apparent that there
is among our college-age people a
tremendous enthusiasm over the
c. A. A. ilot-training program-an
enthusiasm which augurs we'll not
only for our air defenses but also
for civil aviation in all its phases.
The experience of Purdue Univer-
sity, Lafayette, Ind. where the first
student pilot actually took off under
the C. A. AS training program, is
interesting, in this connection. Pur-
due has had an active flying club
for several years. In 1884, it con-
structed an up-to-date flying field
on its campus. Since that time it
has trained 203 persons to fly.
Quick Action Comes.
Last January 16. Purdue received
an invitation from the c. A. A. to
participate in the national pilot
training program. An acceptance
was telegraphed within a half hour
and call was issued for student
enrollments. BY pm, January 20,
ITO applications had been received
and the rolls were closed. Seventy
five were selected on a basis of pre-
liminary medical and scholastic ex-
aminations and of this number, so
were recommended for final exami-
nation.
On February 16, just one month
after the invitation had been re-
ceived, Emmett F. Hamer of West
Liberty, Ohio, took of with Capt
L. I. Aretz from the university air.
port on the first instruction flight
Within three minutes, two more stu
dents were in the air. Six airplanes
were put into service and during the
first month, more than 500 flying
hours were logged and n students
had soloed.
The Is schools selected for the
present demonstration phase are ex-
pected to provide between IS and so
hours Of individual flying instruction
during the current semester for ap-