ce Navat AVIATION Pernt} ite minal raat Pe Det MALU Cra NavAer 00-75R-3 RESTRICTED‘opay’s fresh caught naval aviator with his shiny braid and glistening wings is the same breed of buzzard that has been coming off the line for wo generations. He has a fighting spirit and he approaches his flying with knowledge and confidence. But for flying the gadget aircraft of 1950 he is hetter prepared than ever before in the history of naval aviation. It is no mere coincidence that the youthful cadets, midshipmen and student officers are receiving super: lative flight training. ‘The syllabus as it operates now combines the careful, unburried training of prewar years and the innovations of the wartime program when corners had to be cut. With economy a must for the armed forces, efficiency in the training com: mand saves cash yet produces topnotch fighters Most oldtimers know by now that all basic train- ing—from primary through tactics and_ instrument ing— is done in sNJ's. But a look of surprise is forthcoming when they learn that every designated naval aviator, regardless of whether he will eventually fly single or multi-engined aircraft, has at least six Restricted PVETY TIGHT STUDENT MAKES AT LEAST SIX LANDINGS ABOARD USS COT; MERE SHE STEAMS PAST FORT BARRANCAS ON WAY HOME NOVEMBER 1949 No. 299 actual carrier landings to his credit on the USS Cabot What used to be the Operational Training Com mand is now Advanced Training. Every pilot is quali fied in type before he receives his wings. In this respect it somewhat resembles prewar practice but the syllabus is much more thorough. Carrier landings are made on a ship whose only duty is training pilots. Pedy, [350 p2v and pos pilots pile up hours in their big jobs until they are reasonably familiar with their airgoing factories, Fleet squadrons no longer have to com pletely indoctrinate green newcomers. Geography, in addition to type of activity, separates the men from the boys. All of basic is at Pensacola, while Advanced i at Corpus Christi. During the post- war letdown Primary was at and advanced single engine was at Jacksonville. For a short time advanced multi-engine was the only tratn- ing at Corpus. Now the two commands are groaning under a peak load. It is expected, however, that the hump will be smoothed out by next summer. ‘orpus Christi for awhile