Evening star., 1939-07-16

AboUe: Students at Uork under
c. A. A. program at Pomona COL
lege, Los Angeles, Calf.
Wide World Photo.
Right: Edgar Conn of Purdue
University in cockpit of training
plane. A. P. Photo.
= Encouraged by an unexpectedly sue
cessful trial training program conducted
in 13 selected colleges and universities,
which already has had marked effect In
stimulating the private flying phases of
American aviation, the Civil Aeronautics
Authority is deep in plans for the train
ing of $1,000 students during the current
fiscal year as bulwark to civil aeronau-
tics and national defense reservoir
Active training is to begin in approxi-
mately 500 colleges and universities short
ly after the opening of the fall term and
will continue until next June 80 as the
first phase of systematic program ex-
tending over f1ve-year period
Major results of the program are ex-
pected to be the creation Of vast reser-
voir of partially trained physically sound
pilots upon which the Army and Navy
can draw in case of emergency; the great
stimulation of private flying; the develop
ment Of safer, cheaper, more efficient
priyate-owner type aircraft and the es-
tablishment of production methods
OF manufacturing such aircraft.
President Roosevelt on June 27 ap-
proved an act providing for the five-year
civil pilot training program. The act
authorizes the appropriation of $5,675 900
for the current fiscal year and not to ex-
ceed $7,OOO,000 year during the final
years of the program. The initial appro-
prlation, approved by the Budget Bureau.
is slated for appropriation as a deficiency
item
1t is estimated that the Civil Aeronau-
tics Authority will be able to train pilots
at a cost of not exceeding 1925 per man,
OF which each student will pay not to ex-
ceed $40 as laboratory fee. 1t is esti-
mated that 100000 will be spent during
the coming year to aid approved schools
IN conducting ground courses; $25O,O0O
for research work and $3.50 900 for super
vision and inspection work by personnel
OF the Authority.
Five Per Cent Not Students.
The law provides that at least S per
cent OF the students selected for training
shall be selected from applicants other
than college students. These applicants
however, must have qualifications equiva-
lent to at least two years of college train
ing. The age limit is between 18 and Is
years.
Robert H. Hinckley, chairman of the
Clvll Aeronautics Authority, has pre-
dlcted that civil aviation in the United
States will increase in size Importance
and service to the country's economic
needs more in the next IL years than
1t has since Col. Charles A. Lindbergh
flew the Atlantic II years ago and started
the tremendous aviation boom which
reached its climax in 1929
Under the terms of a $lO0 900 allot-
ment made by President Roosevelt last
winter from National Youth Administ-a-
ton funds, the C. A. A. is conducting a
laboratory program involving the
training of $50 students in 13 selected
colleges and universities. Although the
program started very late and the first
students did not get into the air until
early spring, the trial program has been
successful beyond all anticipation and
is being continued in some phases
through the summer.
OF the $50 students who started train
ing, 324 have "soloed," or progressed to
the point of making flights unaccom-
panied by their instructors The re-
manning six are at the University of
Washington, which began its work later
than the other participating schools, and
there is every indication these six also
will solo, making 100 per cent record
OF students reaching the crucial solo
stage. Twelve Of the 13 colleges, there
fore, have soloed their full allotments of
students. All of the 800 students start
ing continued through the solo stage:
there were no requirements.
OF the 800 students selected for train
ing, 243 already have qualified for and
obtained their private pilots certificates
from the Civil Aeronautics Authority
the logical goal of the program. Since
the training is being continued into the
summer to make up for the late start, it
is estimated that at least 80 per cent,
OF possibly as many as 300 of the stu
dents will be federally certifcated as
private pilots before they are through
Five of the 13 colleges already have
completed the 100 per cent certincation
Of their students Is private pilots }