Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-08
Lack OF Trainees
For Military Aviation
Is Defense Weak Link
Army Having Difficulty
On Quotes; Mon College
Candidates Stand Out
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON


Speeding up of warplane produc-
ton for the United States Army
and Navy is apt to leave both serv'
ices, particularly the Army, facing
a lack of pilots, which may be traced
back to an already existing shortage
Of candidates for pilot training.
Candidates by the tens of thou
sands must offer themselves for
military fight training to meet even
current requirements, in view of the
fact that only small fraction of
all volunteers can meet the rigid
physical, mental and psychological
requirements.
1t is reported that some of the
Army corps areas now are filling
their flying cadet quotas only with
difficulty. When the quotas are in
creased, in accordance with plans
already in preparation for the next
few months, actual shortages may
be expected in several of the corps
areas if not in all of them.
Perhaps Weakest Link.
The Aviation Writer'S Association,
of which the writer is a member,
has conducted a survey throughout
the country informally. AS re-
suit it has become apparent that a
lack of candidates for military avia-
ton training today constitutes what
Is perhaps the weakest link in the
American air defense program.
1.-THE draft will serve to fill all
other branches of the Army" it was
pointed out in an informal report
TO members of the A. w. A., "but a
draft cannot make man fly if he
doesn't want to fly. Behind the
shortage of candidates for training
are numerous psychological, eco
nomic and political factors infiu-
enced by a lack of proper advertis-
ing"
1t was pointed out that the re-
suits of the first years operation
of the civil pilot training program
of the Civil Aeronautics Authority
in terms of producing candidates
for the Air Corps have not been
encouraging.
IL ll(AOG NC llOhCNCl ,
that none of the enrollees in the
c. P. T. P. last year was under any
compulsion to continue with mill
tary training, in spite of which more
than l out of 10 voluntarily ap-
piled for continued training with a
view to entering one or other of the
services.
Now Pledged to Seek Service.
This year for the first time, how
ever, enrollees for Federal civil pilot
training have been required to sign
pledges to apply for military train
ing following completion of the
civilian course If they are able to
meet the minimum requirements for
military service. This is expected
to result in a very substantial in
crease in the number of candidates
for military training during 1e41
and subsequent years.
Whether this source of raw or
partly trained pilot material will
prove sufficient to meet the ire
mendously expanded requirements
Of the military services. however, is
still problematical. No possible
source of material for military flight
training can be overlooked. AS an
urgent national defense matter
American youth must be interested
in a larger scale in military avia-
ton, 1t is pointed out by members
of the A. w. A.
Some solution to the entire prob
lem must be found" it is stated in
the A. w. A. report. Eventually,
as this association has commended
for months, the Army will go long
way toward solving its pilot prob
lem by allowing non commissioned
officers to learn to fly, but until
that time some stop-gap must be
found"
Members of the association who
have been studying the civil pilot
training program in various parts
of the country also have advocated
an increase in the amount of non
college training. At present about
IS per cent of the training is con-
fined to college and university stu
dents.
"Best Pilots Nom Collegiate"
George Haddaway, editor o.
Southern Flight, recently made 6
survey for the A. w. A. of IA civilian
pilot training units in Texas. HI
reported, in part: First of all,
found that the non-college unit
were turning out the best pilots
This fact was substantiated by thu
instructors, the inspectors and BY
personally checking into the writ
ten work. Consequently I hav'
come to the conclusion that higher
education as we know it in Americs