Evening star., 1942-07-05

by the Department OF Commerce, OF
which it is one DIVISION by the National
Aeronautic Association and by the Ma
tional Aviation Training Association, an
organization of f1Xed-base operators. The
Truman Committee is making studies of
the situation and it has been touched on
at hearings of other congressional bodies.
During the first active year, 1889, some
10000 new flyers were trained under
CAA auspices, while the Army was turn
ing out less than 500. To date, the
Civilian Pilot Training program has had
121 ,508 enrollees and 10000 graduates.
1t is estimated that about $4,000 of these
graduates are at present in uniform.
Until recently, at least, they consti-
tuted a large majority of all combat
pilots in both Army and Navy.
CAA War Program.
The CAA has never" pretended to give
courses in combat aviation, but has
limited itself to primary and secondary
instruction in general fight. When the
emergency arrived, it laid plans for re-
lieving the Army and Navy of pre-
combat and pre-service tuition. This
program was adopted last May 13 by
the Chief of the Nays Bureau of Aero
nautics
A War Department release OF March
IL stated that the entire pilot training
facilities of CAA would be devoted to
the war effort. and that first priority
would be allotted to students meeting
aviation cadet requirements, who would
be classified for future combat duty.
Enrolment of CAA trainees in the Air
Corps Enlisted Reserve was made COM
pulsory and still remains so.
On March 81, CAA officials submitted
a plan under which they proposed to
train $4,000 new Army flyers during the
fiscal year 42-43-25,000 for auxiliary
and 10000 for eventual combat service
This program was approved by the Air
Forces on April 81.
The War Department suddenly re-
versed itself month later when hearings
on appropriation estimates were in
progress before the Bureau of the Budget.
Approval of the April agreement was
withdrawn, and the CAA schedule of
$4,000 pilots was slashed to 1880. 1t was
announced that the Army had decided to
take over exclusive training of its combat
pilots from enlistment to battlefront,
and that after July CAA graduates
would be ineligible for fighting service.
Semi Military Functions.
Hereafter, CAA students will be trained
for one of four service or semi-military
functions. Some will have liaison or
observation pilot jobs with branches re-
quiring coordination of fight and
ground commands, such as the field
artillery, Quartermaster Corps and
Motor Transport Corps.
Some will join flying commandos max
Still others will become copilots in the
Air Service, ferrying and air transport
commands, or in the commercial airlines
now under military control. The fourth
category will be fight instructors for
Army aviation schools.
While the War Departments attitude
is that OF declining to enter in contro-
versies, its probable point of view has
been learned from other sources to be as
follows:
The colossal expansion of the national
air program made it obvious last spring
that total cleavage between combat and
auxiliary pilot training had grown i'm
perative. The latter function was as
signed to the Civil Aeronautics Admin
istration. The former was taken over in
its entirety by the Army, which proposes
to turn out not aviators merely but flying
soldiers. The point is made that at Army
fields students are not just taught to fly.
In addition, they learn drill and mill
tary courtesies and ceremonies"
Army students are taught as much in
six weeks as civilians can absorb in three
or four months. CPT trainees waste
precious hours with slow "putt-putt'
planes, of IS 70 100 horsepower, in their
primary courses; and with craft of $50
to IT'S horsepower IN secondary classes.
The Army starts its cadets with larger
and faster ships.
1t is true that some CAA facilities will
fall into idleness but the Army is max
ing full use of CPT resources that meas