Evening star., 1944-07-23
Yardstick Developed
10 Measure Cadets
Flying Specially
~ ths Associated Press.

~ ssAs As~oSiateA + iScD.
FORT WORTH, Tex, July PA
report by the surgeons ONCE of the
Army Air Forces Training Command
tells how . scientific yardstick has
been developed to measure the
equipment Of young Americans for
each OF the three major air-crew
specialties - pilot, navigator and
bombardier.
The result, after exhaustive re-
/ search by psychologists, is 4 group
Of tests called classification bat
terry" and the individuals score is
called his "stanine "a
A cadet may have minimum sta!
nine Of or 4 maximum stanine OF
. for each of the three specialties,
and from these tests the training
command knows in advance approx
imately what percentage Of an avia-
tion cadet class may be counted on
to graduate.
The command explains that It
takes more than 10 per cent of all
aviation cadets to I'LL the pilot quota
and that approximately IS per cent
OF all applicants desire this type
OF training. The remaining per-
centage fills navigator and bonn
bardier quotas.
Qualifying Scores.
Qualifying stanine scores are set
with quotas in mind. To be pilot
trainee, an applicant must have a
stanine Of s or better, navigator Z
or above. Because he also will re-
ceive navigation training. the would
be bombardier needs = dual stanine
minimum-6 as bombardier and S
rs navigator. If more trainees were
needed in any of the three classifi-
cations, stanines can be lowered.
Training command psychologists
say methods of selection used from
1928 to 1889 couldn't be applied when
thousands of flyers were needed
overnight. A requirement for two
years Of college had to be dropped
for tests which could discern quail
tiles Of applicants with less formal
education.
Through l942 the training COM
mand used its aviation cadet quail
flying examination" as a substitute
for the discarded college education
requirement, and those who scored
high In this single pencil-and- paper
test were IN the majority on sradu-
alton day.
Waste In Eliminate
However. there was still the waste
In eliminations during training, and
additional tests were needed.
A group OF psychologists went to
work, interviewed seasoned flyers,
instructors and flight surgeons,
studied the courses of training, and
talked to typical cadets.
They learned that pilots must be
especially alert, able to pay atten-
tion to many things ut one time,
act quickly with sound judgment,
put plans they see and hear into
meaningful patterns. and be cool
and relaxed In the face Of danger.
They found navigators and bonn
hardiers also needed the same tall
ents, but additionally navigators
must be skilled with figures and
bomhardiers need unusual finger
dexterity.
Report on Tests.
The result:
As demonstration 5,2l5 pilot
trainees were followed in elemen-
tary training. OF each 100 men
with stanines Of ., 95 came through
successfully, whereas only 81 of the
100 low-stanine cadets survived the
course. . OF the Ais receiving q
stanine score OF or more, 3,22l
q Of 10 made good. The 1.100
low scorers produced only $50 Is of
1o) primary graduates.
Referring to those who don't
qualify for any of the three spe-
cialties, the surgeons report says:
III Willie Hairtrigger's chances of
success as = pilot, bombardier or
navigator are low, and his chances
for success As 4 combat crew men,
Der are high, we praise the Lord
and pass Willie into 4 belly turret.
Better A good gunner now than an
eliminated homhar rider latAr"