Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II

[Danny42C]

Selections for PNB.

Fareastdriver,

Thanks for the possible explanation! Amazingly, no one at the time, or in the years since, has ever offered that as a cause for the failure of the Oil Temperature Gauge to react (the more I think about it, the more probable, I would say).

Danny.
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DFCP (and Taphappy),

Knowing nothing about it, I'm in way over my head in the matter of the PACT Courses. There was no such thing in my day; acceptance (provided you had School Cert) seemed to rest on the whim of the Selection Board after a ten-minute interview.

I never realised that the PACT Courses lasted as long as 3-6 months, and were, as you say, "to give accelerated schooling to those who did not have School Cert". You can do a lot in that time with motivated students.

As for "Aptitude Tests", I am wholly sceptical. To my simple mind, there is only one way to find out who is suitable for a pilot and who not - put 'em in an aircraft and see!

Now on the "Officers and Gentlemen" aspect, I'm with you all the way. It was certainly a factor in the selection for commissioing at our "wings" stage in the US. I make no argument for or against it, it just is so. It has always been so. It may well have played a major part in the selections in your cases.

Danny.
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