Evening star., 1941-02-10
Curtiss Plane Plants
Have Training Schools
To Provide Personnel
Firm Plans to Expand
From 10000 to As, 900
Men in Two Years
(TWenty- first Article OF Series. }
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,


by JOSEfH y. EDOEh tON,
Star Aviation Editor.
BUFFALO, N. Y, Feb. 10.-To
make possible a personnel EXPANSION
from 10000 to As 900 employees within
approximately two years, the Curtiss
aeroplane divisions of the Curtiss-
Wright Corp have established train
ing schools that are a vital feature
of their defense effort.
The schools now in operation are
the mechanics training courses, the
Curtiss apprentice training plan
and training program for foreman
and assistant foremen.
During the last 18 months, the
mechanics courses have graduated
1900 young men and the number of
enrolleeS is increasing steadily.
The original Curtiss Aeroplane Co.
was incorporated December l, 1910,
and its 80 years of operations have
provided a nucleus of personnel and
experience considered invaluable in
the present emergency.
Special Training Needed.
It has been found that although
there are many men who have had
previous mechanical experience and
training outside the aircraft indus
try, there are comparatively few who
can be employed without some ad-
ditional schooling in the problems
peculiar to the aircraft industry.
1t is the purpose of the mechanics
training courses to provide this ad-
ditional training Only qualified ap-
plicants are accepted and they are
given a short period OF intensive
training in airplane construction.
The courses train applicants for
specific job since it is impossible
under the pressure of time to turn
out general mechanics, even though
they may have some basic mechan-
ical experience.
Applicants must be at least 18
years old and American cltl-
zens They must be high school
graduates and additional vocational
schooling is preferred. Some knowl-
edge of mechanical drawing is re-
quired and they must be able to
produce proof of mechanical ability
and inclination. All applicants must
pass a rigid physical examination.
To provide the raw material for
these courses the Curtiss company,
in common with other defense
plants, has been given Federal and
State support. Vocational schools
are operating on three-shlft basis,
with Federal support.
Nature of the Training.
The training courses vary from
time to time as to type of work,
to meet current demands of the
factory. Applicants are Instructed
in specific types of operations in
use at the time of their enrolment
and, in general, courses cover gen.
eral aircraft work, with major en-
phasis on riveting and metal fab
rication. There is no tuition or fee
required for enrolment in the
training courses. The courses are
four to six weeks, five days a week,
with sessions from 8 am. to 4:3O
pm.
Although enrolment is no guar
antee of a job in the plant, expert
ence indicates that all who COM
plete the course will be Immediately
employed. beginning at so cents per-
hour. Promotions depend on ability
and available openings.
The plan provides for three years
of apprentice training and is open
to young men actually employed by
the company as helpers. Training
is carried on in three divisions
machine shop and toolroom, panel
department. tail unit department,
cowl department and monocoque
fuselage department, and IN the
fiat metal department, punch press
department, tubular fuselage de-
partment and miscellaneous tubu-
lar structures department.
Pay Increases Provided.
The apprentice receives an auto
matte increase in pay at the end
of each 25-week period during his
apprenticeship. He is required to
attend regular classes in mechan-
ical drawing and related sciences.
Examinations are given regularly IN
classroom subjects and shop work.
From the ranks of the appren-
ticeS are to be selected future de-
partment heads, foremen and other
supervisory personnel.
There is foremen's council
which acts as a training agent for
foremen, their assistants and other
supervisory personnel. Apprentices
also attend sessions of the council.
This council has made possible the
speeding up of training for the new
factories.
The three CurtiSs factories will
build up personnel at rate of about
1000 men per month in each plant,
beginning in April and continuing
until next fall.
Not all employment, of course,
will be along mechanical lines. OF
the present $500 employees at Buff
falo about $500 are engaged in
the actual production of planes and
the other 1000 are indirectly en-
played in clerical capacities. expert
mental work, engineering and other
phases.
1t will take a year to build up
the personnel of the three plants,
according to present estimates. The
present schedule calls for total of
$4,000 employees by July l and
10000 by January l, 1912.
The greatest difficulty anticipated
will be in obtaining toolmakers and
similar highly skilled personnel
which cannot be quickly trained.
Retired toolmakers are being called