Evening star., 1941-01-09
Roscoe Turner Urqes
Increase in Funds
To Train Flyers
Civil Pilot Program
Of A. A. Described
As Worlds Greatest

Characterizing tbs civil pilot
training program of the Civil
Aeronautics Authority as "the
worlds greatest" officers Of the
National Aviation Training Associ-
alton, through Col. Roscoe Turner,
noted racing pilot and vice presi-
dent Of the association, said today
that appropriations for the pro-
gram should be increased, not de-
creased.
Budget estimates submitted to
Congress yesterday include only
$18,00O,0O0 for the pilot-training
program, as compared with $37,-
100000 for the current fiscal year.
Col. Turner flew here yesterday
to plead for increased training
funds and to advocate strict limi-
tation of trainees to prospective
military flyers.
At the same time, Assistant Sec
retary Of Commerce Robert H.
Hinckley announced officially that
the number of primary pilots in
training would have to be reduced
from the current $4,000 to 10000
and advanced trainees from 5000
to about 5000.
Pledges Required.
President Roosevelt, at a press
conference Tuesday said the Army
and Navy have indicated that not
many of the civilian pilot trainees
are interested in becoming military
pilots. 1t was pointed out, however,
that before being accepted for civil
ian pilot training, every student is
required to sign a pledge to apply
for military flight training If able
to qualify at the end of his civil
training course. All students, more
over, must meet military physical
requirements to be accepted for civil
training under the program.
THE whole question of policy lies
in how closely this training is re-
lated to the armed forces" Mr..
Hinckley said. up to last July, 1t
was built upon civilian philosophy,
as a part of the development of
civil aviation. The details have
been cleared with the armed forces,
Although the viewpoint has been
shifted materially since last July
we have had to work on a civilian
basis, which means as a sideline to
each students normal college life.
tEunto g
trainees already have volunteered
and been accepted by the armed
forces. Almost as important, more
than 500 flight instructors trained
in this program have left it to go to
Army schools, the armed forces or
the airlines.
It am not worried about the atti-
tude of American youth, once the
policy is clear. All we have to do is
to set down plainly the relationship
desired, however close, between this
program and the armed forces, and
our students will meet the challenge.
If direct relationship is the need
then our trainees should be placed
in some definite status related to
the armed forces before we begin
their training. That is a point of
policy beyond the power of this
department"
Ready to Fill Needs.
Col. Turner said he was cer-
tain a closer cooperation between
the instructors in the civil program
and the Army and Navy would pro-
duce suitable military pilots.
"If the Army and Navy will just
tell us what they want, we'll give
it to them" he said.
AS an operator of one of several
hundred flying schools participating
in the civil program, Col. Turner
saw the "disintegration of millions
of dollars worth of property in train
ing planes, air fields and hangers
if the slash in the budget Is not re-
stored in the appropriation.
1t was through civil aviation that
Germany developed its present air
personnel, Col. Turner declared,
calling for an expansion rather than
curtailment of the G. A. A. program
Col. Turner was in Washington
with William Ong, president Of the
training association, and Leslie Bow
man, another vice president. Col.
Turner's school is in Indianapolis.