The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-03-04
washington Die
Civil Pilots Eagerly
Await Army Assignments
Rapidly Expanding Air Force Will Be in Need
of 100000 Aviators; Good Future in
SkyWays Seen in Time OF Peace.
BY BAUKHAGE
Netg, ANALYST and Commentator.

they receive no pay as flying ca
diets do. and they have to furnish
part of their own uniforms Many |
gave up jobs to take the training or
are hesitating to take jobs because
they expect to be called. Some OF |
them have been expecting" long
time and their morale has sunk to
the depths. have talked with many
of them and they have my sympathy
for they are so anxious to spread
their wings, so anxious to serve their
country and SO weary with waiting.
OF course, some have been able to
get into the air force, but not many
have, and the brass hats Of the army
incline to look down their noses at
anyone not army-trained.
Army Fliers Experts
OF course, there is no denying that
flying training plane and flying
combat plane are two quite different
things AS one air force officer, who
really is sympathetic with the CAA
program, said to me.
Remember that man who has
spent fifteen to twenty hours in the
air is not combat pilot. You might
be able to take off from field in a
60-horse-power crate and land all
/ right but that doesn't mean you can
| handle a 25-ton, four-engine job with
/ its 200 instruments and spend per-
haps IL to ID hours in the air with
out seeing anything but those 200
instruments.
''Of course, you'll get along faster
the first days in school il your moth
er has taught you your ABC's."
That is the attitude of the profess
sional. 1t Is hard to take and lot
Of people in the army and out think
| it is somewhat cavalier. They think
that If 1t hadn't been for leaning
very heavily on tradition, a lot OF
these boys who have their "ABC's'
would be showing their stuff right
now instead of breaking their hearts
waiting They feel 1t Is pretty hope
less. They are wrong there. It
won't be long now. But II is easy
to understand how that fine enthusi-
asm can fade when the effort, the
time and the sacrifice of civilian
plans seem to be passed over with
little more than shrug.
II is to be hoped that shortly after
this appears in print, the boys will
be on Uncle Sans payroll. They
have friends in Washington who are
working for them. Then, even II
they have to mark time little long
er, they will feel that their Uncle
believes they are worth their salt.
Burma Air Road
II is easy to see the reason why
these and a lot of other boys viii
be needed in the air now. We are
going to open Burma road of tht
air. Supplies are going to China b,
that route now but it is only 6
J trickle. We have the transpor
: planes and many more of them vii
soon be in service. And what the
: air traffic will bear is not to BIZ
sneezed at.
An airplane that can carry five
tons, or ten tons. can make rur
in a couple of hours which woule
take two weeks on the ground. @
,, course, moving freight by air ism
the most economical way but none,
; doesn't matter in war And it mus
, be remembered that in peace time
: 1t Is cheaper to ship by water thar
!, by rail. But where would Americ;
be If it weren't for the railways
After the war, it will be the SAM
with the Always, which are beinl
! blazed by bombers and will be fol
, lowed by freight and passenge
planes in happier day.
Every time our bombers take of
! something is learned that can b
$ turned to peace-time profit, And S
0 far, we have not begun our bombing
: in Europe. One observer who know
! aviation said to me just after Casa
i blanca
n "All we have done over German
and France so far is really exper
Il mental. 1t is really testing. i
e few sporadic daylight raids. TIL
e bombings by the American air fore
G are Insignificant compared to wha
c will be done when we get under way
G And remember: we've got goo
e weather coming up"
e And so the * thousand" boy
l. who have learned to hy-most {
r them-will soon have their chance
i One of the enthusiastic supporter
$ of the civilian pilot training pro
! gram said to me:
Don't worry. Unless the war stop
: suddenly, the army will soon be say
6 ing: Can you fly? All right, here
G your plane, get in And when peac
n comes, civilian demand is going