Chapter 16
Flying Instructor...
Although not aware of it at the time I had often been at the wrong end of what I later considered to be poor instructor techniques. My inability to land properly in the early stages of flying was an example of this. So, I made a determination that I would never be guilty of letting down a student for this reason. I like to think that I was successful in this respect.
The Instructors course at CFS was in my view, first class. I had always thought that being trained in the States was to receive the best possible flying training. This was not so. Many of the American Instructors although excellent ‘seat of the pants' flyers were not thoroughly trained pilots let alone instructors, and with hindsight I am sure we had missed out on the professional RAF standard. Some examples of what I mean in this respect would be that, many of our instructors were not too comfortable when night flying. I only knew of one who would attempt even a Roll at night. Some had no idea of how to control an aircraft on a Air to Ground gunnery attack, they would fire off having the target in their sights but with massive amounts of Yaw on, this we knew from our ground school training was useless. There was little attempt at Pre-flight briefing and occasionally some really bad tempered interference with our instruction, I had been lucky in this respect, I had had mostly patient instructors. One must point out here that this school was not truly representative of the main American training establishments where, I am sure, the standards must have been excellent. This was a wartime expedient and as such worked well. Anyway, any problems I may have had were certainly put right at 'BRIZE', and Little Rissington. Always a well constructed Pre-flight briefing, certain knowledge of who had control of the aircraft at all times and a thorough Post-Flight Summary. The course was six months using a Harvard as the main trainer but I also flew a Prentice, Mosquito, Meteor, Athena, Spitfire and Lancaster for Type flying. At the end of the course I felt really well equipped to carry out my job of teaching flying. I passed the course with a B1. Category. Anyone getting the lower B.2 had to re-cat within three months to the higher category or leave instructing.
After a short stay at Ternhill where I commenced my Instructing I was posted to Syerston in Nottinghamshire. Although an RAF station, the students were mainly Naval Midshipmen, being trained for the Fleet Air Arm. In the latter period some RAF Navigators and Engineers retraining to Pilots, these were unkindly known as 'Retreads'.
We had our first married quarter which had just been built and was fully furnished with all new equipment; I recall the problems of unpacking all the new furniture and above all the many kitchen pots and pans all covered in protective grease. Madeleine's mother had come to assist us in settling in!! I found my work very rewarding. And I was fully engrossed in it. It was pure magic to see young chaps progress from never having been in an airplane to going solo, and eventually getting their wings.
Some months after I had started at Syerston, it was decided that there would be a 'Standardisation Flight' within the station to ensure the standards set at CFS were maintained. This was to be a two week course, run by a Flt.Lt. C.J…. and Flt.Lt. R…….. Both A.2. category instructors. Guess who was to be 'Joed' as one of its first guinea pigs? - Me! This was hardly logical since I had recently left CFS and was therefore up to date with its latest techniques, but the old timers, many of whom had been instructing for years, were very reluctant to have their professional standards tested. So I had been 'Volunteered'... At the end of the two week course we were invited to make comments. Mine were mostly criticisms. It was all very friendly but I thought I might have blotted my copy book. However I was due for leave which I duly took, so imagine my surprise on my return, to learn that I was seconded to Flt J…. as a 'Trapper'. I protested that I only held a B1 Cat. And lacked a lot of experience compared with those I would be about to fly with and more importantly judge. I was told not to worry on that account and that I was expected to Re-Cat to A2 within a few months. This I did and some months later managed to get an A.1.The problem with obtaining the latter is that you have to convince someone holding that category that you are as good as he is. That was not easy. However, having obtained my new category I found that I was very confident now about the job and began to enjoy it even more. I used to do a lot of the final handling tests of the Midshipmen and also of the 'Retreads'
One amusing incident I recall from the many of those days was...The night Sgt C……. put into action his plan to take his wife up in a Prentice to see the station by night. Now, at the end of the main runway there was an old wartime bunker and it was used frequently by students and instructors during long periods of circuits and landings, they used to nip out of the aircraft, having advised Air Traffic Control, that they were clear of the ‘Peri-track ‘ and have a leak!!...Well the plan was that Mrs. Carlisle would wait behind this bunker all kitted up in flying gear and at some stage Carlisle's student would nip out and she would take his place in the aircraft, do a couple of circuits and return to effect the exchange back.....Now the best laid plans----What in fact happened was that another aircraft stopped and it's student got out, came to the bunker and was happily having his leak when he realised he was not alone!!....However thinking the other GUY was another student he continued with his enjoyment and just entered into a conversation on how the cold affected his ability to find his willy beneath all his flying clothing....Needless to say Mrs. C……. never said a word. But she did eventually get her trip, and did enjoy the sights.
Towards the end of my stay I was recommended for a commission and my Boss, C…. J…., was to go ahead of me to see the Air Vice Marshall. J…. was seeking a Permanent Commission. When I went in, expecting all sorts of quizzing, I was surprised to hear the big man, who was a very scraggy individual with a hat that looked as though it had been his when he was a Warrant Officer, say, "I understand from Flt.Lt. J…. that you are responsible for the standardisation training of other Instructors, many of whom are Officers and also that your Instructor category is higher than theirs" "Yes Sir" ..."Can you think of any other organisation that would put you in that invidious position". "No Sir". "Nor can I. Go off and get your commission". And on this occasion I did.