Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24
Man Power Shortage
Is Seen Botf|eneck
To Air Defense
Difficulty Encountered
In Securing Volunteers
For Pilot Training
Rx JOSEPH S. EpGERToN.

Increasing indications that short
age of man power for military pilot
training may develop into one Of
the most serious bottlenecks OF the
national air defense program are
disturbing military and defense
leaders as the American aviation in
dustry begins to swing into the
mass production aircraft program.
Flying cadets must be volunteers.
No way has yet been found to turn
an unwilling man into pilot-even
the utmost enthusiasm frequently is
not sufficient. There are scarce
" enough volunteers available TO-
day, and with flying cadet quotas
increasing all the time difficulty is
being encountered in many parts OF
the country in meeting them.
The whipping up of enthusiasm
among Americas young men for
military flying as a means Of in
creasing the number of volunteers,
required in the tens of thousands,
may become one of the major ma
tional defense efforts during coming
months.
The Army and Navy are making
heroic efforts to increase pilot train
ing facilities and are doing wonders
In overcoming the successive bot
tlenecks" created by lack of in
structors, insufficient numbers of
training airplanes and lack Of air.
ports. But the paramount neces-
sity-an unfailing, plentiful sup
ply of the basic raw material for
Transformation into finished pilots
has not yet been met.
Air Corps Goal Is 1900.
The Army Air Corps now has set
up goal of 10000 pilots year
this rate to be achieved by the end
of the current fiscal year, June 80,
194l. 1t is a heroic task, in view of
the fact that the best possible
schedules do not anticipate rate
of more than 1000 year before
next spring. To accomplish the
training of 10000 pilots year it
is estimated that at least $4,000 fly
ing cadets must be procured. since
approximately half of those who
start training fail to graduate and
are washed out" during their nine
months of training.
In the Navy the situation is less
acute only because the Nays air
program is not as great as that of
its sister service. Rear Admiral John
H. Towers, chief of the Navy Bureau
of Aeronautics, has testified that
four years will be required to train
$4,000 pilots, including the 5000 now
in the service. New naval training
facilities are expected to produce
about $50 pilots month when
established. He placed the total
number of aircraft required for
training purposes at 1890, of which
only $50 we're on hand at the end
of the last fiscal year.
1,400 Cadets Needed.
Only two years ago the Army Air
Corps was satisfied when between
$50 and 275 flying cadets entered
training every three months. If the
Air Corps is to maintain its present
schedules, however, no fewer than
1,400 flying cadets must enter train
ing on November 80 and by next
February an average of 1888 men
must be enrolled as cadets each five
weeks.
From S. to go per cent of those
who actually start training will COM
plete their courses and receive re-
serve commissions in the Army Air
Corps, on the basis of years of ex-
perience. Today, however, only
about 40 per cent of the candidates
for military aviation training &C
tually are being enrolled as flying
cadets, a, majority of them lacking
in educational, physical or phys
Geological requirements.
For months the Army has been
working hard to keep up its pilot
training quotas but some of the
corps areas have fallen behind, no
tably the 1st and I'd, comprising
New England, New York and New
Jersey.
The reasons for the dearth of ap-
phcants are somewhat obscure, in
view of the number of young men
in the United States presumably
eligible for training. The Federal
Office of Education has reported to
the Army that there now are an
estimated 1,843,000 men with the
required two years of college educa-
ton who are available to take ex-
aminations for flying cadet training.
Marriage Is Bar.
The Air Corps estimates, however,
show that IS per cent of these men
are married and must be crossed of
the list at once because of existing
regulations. Another Is per cent
must be eliminated because of physi-
cal defects and others because they
are conscientious DIRECTORS, have
criminal records or for other rea-
sons.
After these immediate disqualifl-
cations, it is estimated that about
$4,000 men will be left with the
proper educational qualifications. 1t
Is estimated, however, that not more
than Is per cent of this number
will be able to Jump all the hurdles
In the way of enrolment as flying
cadets, leaving 10000 men to be
drawn on for pilot material. The
final willingness" - then
stands in the way and, so far, it
has kept down the totals to
dangerously low level.
The Office of Education however