§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the original reasons for the introduction of flying pay to the Royal Air Force; if those reasons still apply ; and if he will state the numbers in each rank and in each aircrew category who receive such payment with 742W the daily rates of payment made for each rank.
§ Mr. WellbelovedFlying pay in its present form was originally introduced in order to encourage sufficient men possessing the requisite personal qualities and physical fitness to volunteer for a flying career in the Royal Air Force. This still applies.
All the numbers and most of the payments requested are given in the following tables. The records are not, however, kept in a form which shows, separately for the categories of pilot, navigator, air electronic operator and air engineer, how many flight-lieutenants and flying officers receive how much flying pay. Flight lieutenant rates range between £3 .51 and £5 .90 ; flying officer rates between £3 .04 and £3 .32.
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Officers Aircrew Category Daily Rate £ Air Commodore Group Captain Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer Acting Pilot Officer Pilots 1.89 54 — — — — — — — 2.43 — 154 — — — — — — 3.32 — — 400 — — — — — 3.51 — — — 910 — — — — — — — — — 1,958 — — — — — — — — — 124 — — 2.78 — — — — — — 95 — 2.78 — — — — — — — 2 Navigators 1.89 4 — — — — — — — 2.43 — 42 — — — — — — 3.32 — — 140 — — — — — 3.51 — — — 425 — — — — — — — — — 1,268 — — — — — — — — — 95 — — 2.78 — — — — — — 23 — Air Electronic Operators 3.32 — — 7 — — — — — 3.51 — — — 90 — — — — — — — — — 220 — — — — — — — — — 39 — — Air Engineers 3.51 — — — 10 — — — — — — — — — 34 — — — — — — — — — 5 — — Air Loadmasters 2.78 — — — — 1 — — — 2.16 — — — — 16 7 — — Flying Instructional Pay 0.90 — — — — 28 75 11 59 Aeromedical Pay 1.28 — — — 1 10 — — — 58 196 547 1,436 3,535 345 129 61 Total Officers … …6,307
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WARRANT OFFICERS AND NCOs Categories … … … … … Daily Rates £ Numbers Pilots … … … … … 2.43 36 Navigators … … … … … 2.43 37 Air Electronic Operators … … … … … 2.16 197 1.74 123 1.47 154 Air Signallers … … … … … 2.16 34 1.74 12 Air Engineers … … … … … 2.16 123 1.74 63 1.47 51 Air Loadmasters … … … … … 1.47 133 1.22 117 0.90 85 Crew Pay … … … … … 0.66 124 Flying Instructional Pay … … … … … 0.90 82 0.66 18 Total … … … … 1,389