Evening star., 1951-09-23
Navy, Air Force Unite
AGAINST Senate Move
To Trim Flying Pay
By John A. Giles


Joined forces in an effort to con-
vince Congress that Senate-passed
restrictions on flight pay would
be harmful, and the Air Force
estimated yesterday it would lose
10000 pilots if the legislation were
finally adopted.
An Air Force spokesman. in re-
ply to a reporters question. said
many pilots would have to stop
flying because of insufficient air
craft and bases if the required fly
ing time were stepped up from
100 to 240 hours annually.
To qualify for flight pay now,
Air Force pilots must fly 100 hours
annually, with 35 hours during
the first six months. Twenty hours
of the total must be instrument
flight time and Is hours at night.
Requirements Cut by Navy.
The Navy has just reduced its
flying proficiency requirement.
from 100 hours to 80 hours an
nually. A spokesman said the ac-
ton was because OF "budgetary
requirements
Senator Douglas, Democrat, OF
Illinois introduced an amendment
to the $50 billion 1852 military
appropriation bill to reduce the
f1ight-pay allowances. He said 1t
was ridiculous" to pay flight
pay to any one not engaged in
combat missions and added that
for desk officers this is a gravy
train" He estimated a saving
of S1O0 million.
The Senate agreed with him
and the matter is now before
House-Senate conferees on the
money bill. Both Air Secretary
Finletter and Gen. Hoyt S. VAN
denberg, air chief Of staff, have
written letters to the confereeS
defending the f1ght-pay regula-
tions and the Navy has Joined
them.
Extra incentive or hazard pay
for flying always has been a con-
troversial subject on Capitol Hill.
Congress put it on fiat monthly
rate for each rank and grade
in 1949 ranging from $50 for
privates, to S100 for second lieu +
tenants. $210 for colonies ard $3.50
for generals and equivalent Navy
ranks. Previously the flyers re-
ceived an additional so per cent
of total pay and it increased with F.
grade, longevity and foreign Serv-
ice.
Air Force Orders Suspensions. /
The Air Force, which will have
52,400 pilots and 1900 navigators,
bombardiers and observers this
fiscal year, has strict regulation
on the subject and during the last
fiscal year suspended 26 of its
flying personnel for failure to fly
sufficient time to be proficient. 1t
suspended an additional 500 Off
GERS and men, thus taking away
their extra flight pay. for other
reasons including fear of flying,
lack of incentive, and flying viola
tionS.
OF the 80 Navy hours, Is must
be night flying and 20 hours in
diyidual flying as co-pilot, dual
pilot and special crew" The latter
does not apply, of course, to
fighter pilots who operate single
seat aircraft.
Should this minimum not be
reached, good reason must be
shown or an individual may be
ordered before board of DISPOSE
ton for possible reclassification,"
the Navy said. Asked what good
reason" could be given, a spokes-
man said it could be a physical
reason or because the man was
ION duty where he was not given
an opportunity to fly"
The Navy now has 14.924 flying
personnel and the Marine Corps
$3.50 who presently qualify for
flight pay. During the last year
II pilots were removed from
flight status for lack of general
aeronautic ability, A for medi-
cal reasons and IA at their own
request.
Expansion Possibility Stressed.
Both services maintain that the
Douglas amendment would have
the opposite effect to economy.
BY keeping up their filing pro-
flciency, they say, officers as
signed to desk jobs are capable of
going directly into combat.
They say they would be in
capable of rapid expansion in
event of an atomic attack under
the Douglas plan since they would
not be able to replace the combat
attrition in the early months of
war
Refresher courses for pilots tied
to desk Jobs would require 125
hours flight time over a period of
three months, they maintain.
Further, it is said, morale would
be seriously damaged by the with