The Nome nugget., 1941-06-20

working under the same rules; in fact, the same rulemakers were making the rules.
 In the early months we had some unlucky breaks. There were a few accidents in the pilot train ing program, and a few accidents on the airlines. We checked and double-checked everything we knew to check. But the prophets of disaster set up a great out cry, and in very short order we were being investigated by both Houses of Congress.
 am convinced now that the industry itself, after it had had a reasonable period to look us over and measure our intentions by our acts, was relieved of most of its misgivings. At least 1 have been so informed by a very com forting number of leaders in all phases of aviation, including some of the most active oppon- ents of the Reorganization Or derS. We are not going to get complacent about it, but l want to say here that l appreciate the general fairness and the sport mans attitude which this indus try has shown to us the past year. We have tried to deserve it, and we will keep on trying.
 This seems a proper time, as the fiscal year hears it's close, to review briefly what has been ac- complished by the Civil Aero nautics Administration since last Juiv.
 Last summer, as most of you know, we faced 800 percent in crease in cur funds for civilian pilot training. You will remem- Ger, also, that in some quarters this was called too much. It was said a large program would be unsafe, and that it could not con- tribute substantial help to the air services.
 Most of you know what happen ed. This record-brcaking pro- gram is coming through, substan tially on schedule. More than 900 training centers are operating to- day. Eighty percent of the col leges are giving regular academic credit fer the ground work, which means that aviation is now recognized part of the average curriculum. This program produc es private pilots at the rate of more than 5000 per month, and turns out 750 secondary trainees per month. Today these boys are volunteering in the Army and Navy ar services at the rate of ever 800 per month. At the last check-up, our gram was sup plying p percent of all the flying cadets recruited by the Army from all sources, and 27 percent of those going into Naval avia- ton.
 You know, also, that it is only large-scale incubator of flight instructors the country has; and of course you know that because it is so far-fung, it has done more to bring aviation intimately into the daily lives of millions of Americans than any other force.
 If you want to know how the military people feel about it at this time, 1 can do no better than to quote part of what Brig. Gen. Davenport Johnson of the Air Corps said to an appropriations committee less than two weeks ago. q quote)
 The OPT Program is unques- tionably assisting the Air Corps in the execution of it's current eX pansion program. By far the most important factor in this connec- tion is the training of flying in- structors for the civil contract schools that are being utilized by the Army in the initial phase of instruction. The present expan- sion to 30,000 pilot production rate per annum will require the acquisition of at least 1000 addi- tional qualified civil instructors by our civil contract schools. The scarcity of qualified instructors is matter of serious concern. The numbers of American pilots