8. Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Air what steps are being taken to provide a more advanced type of aircraft to bridge the training gap between the Chipmunks and the operational jets which volunteer reserve pilots will be required to fly, if mobilised.
§ Mr. A. HendersonPilots of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve called up for three months' training will fly Harvards and Spitfires before going on to Vampires. For normal training purposes it is hoped shortly to introduce into Reserve Flying Schools the Prentice, which will provide more advanced training than the Chipmunk. Those Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve pilots, however, who have not had three months' training and who have only been able to train on Chipmunks would, on mobilisation, receive further training as necessary before flying operational jet aircraft.
Mr. Orr-EwingIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman satisfied that he has sufficient aircraft to train sufficient pilots for this Reserve, because we may not have time to convert these pilots whose 1928 only experience is on Chipmunks into operational pilots in an emergency?
§ Mr. HendersonIt is not only a question of aircraft but of training capacity generally. As the hon. Member knows, we have authority to ask for up to 1,000 R.A.F. V.R. pilots to undergo three months' training this year. Frankly, however, our capacity would not permit of us taking the whole 1,000 at one time. We have to stagger them at about 150 for each period.