Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for Air the number of officers and men whose duties do not normally take them in the air, and the number of qualified pilots and observers whose duties normally take them in the air and are now actively so employed?
Captain GUESTOfficers and men whose duties do not. normally take them in the air include, in the first place, officers belonging to the stores, chaplains, and medical branches, and these number 550. In addition, there are a certain number, about 70, of officers on the general list who are medically unfit for full flying duties. With regard to the airmen, there are 24,535 whose duties do not normally take them in the air, but a considerable number of these have to go up for the testing of engines, wireless operations, and other duties. The num- 1237W ber of qualified pilots and observers, whose duties do normally take them into the air, comprise not only pilots and observers employed with Service squadrons, but also officers employed as instructors in flying training schools, and other instructional establishments. There arc also those whose duties include the inspection of stations, or the testing of new devices like cameras, wireless apparatus, bombs, etc., all of which necessitate their going into the air. These, in addition to the pilots, account for practically all the officers on the general list, who, as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend on 27th February last, number nearly 2,200, exclusive of the ex-naval warrant officers referred to therein.