§ Sir F. SYKESasked the Secretary of State for Air the maximum age at which regular officers of the Royal Air Force are permitted to qualify as pilots; the maximum age at which any regular officer has so qualified during the past three years; and the estimated cost of training regular officers for pilot qualification?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to the first part of the question is that no maximum age is laid down, for the 981W reasons explained in my answer to the hon. and gallant Member for South-wark Central (Colonel Day) on 21st April. The answer to the second part is 49 years. The officer in question learnt to fly at his own request at his unit, where he was employed on technical 982W duties, at no additional cost beyond petrol, oil and ordinary wear and tear. As regards the last part, no exact costed figure for the training of a Service pilot is available, but as a rough estimate the cost may be taken as in the neighbourhood of £2,000.