Average Pilot Training time, and Lifespan?

**Aero825** · 01-14-2011 18:02

Hi everyone!

Anyone know what the average training time for a WWI Pilot? (you'll find out soon, heh heh...

)Or the Lifespan? I've heard from 3 weeks to just 11 days! Google is a horrible place. . .

Thanks!
Hunter

**grumpybear** · 01-14-2011 19:07

I seem to remember about 14 days. About 8 to 15 hours flying.

**Aero825** · 01-15-2011 04:25

8-15 flying hours. Never thought about that stat before.

**Charlie3** · 01-15-2011 04:50

I have always had the impression it depended on the student's ability to learn. Admittedly learning to fly in those days was more about learning to feel what the plane was doing, and looking where you wanted to go, much like learning to ride a bicycle or driving a car. (only more thrilling!!) So anyone that showed any aptitude would pick it up quickly. How many times have you read that Lt. So and So was in the infantry and asked to transfer to the flying corps, and was an Ace within a month.

I would imagine it would only take a few days to learn about the limited instruments, and mechanical things, and a few flights with an instructor for him to decide if you're going to make it through your first solo flight. So a week or two sounds almost reasonable to me...Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just decide to learn to fly and be on your own in a week or so?...My how things have changed.

**LGKR** · 01-15-2011 08:58

Originally Posted by Charlie3

I have always had the impression it depended on the student's ability to learn. Admittedly learning to fly in those days was more about learning to feel what the plane was doing, and looking where you wanted to go, much like learning to ride a bicycle or driving a car. (only more thrilling!!) So anyone that showed any aptitude would pick it up quickly. How many times have you read that Lt. So and So was in the infantry and asked to transfer to the flying corps, and was an Ace within a month.

I would imagine it would only take a few days to learn about the limited instruments, and mechanical things, and a few flights with an instructor for him to decide if you're going to make it through your first solo flight. So a week or two sounds almost reasonable to me...Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just decide to learn to fly and be on your own in a week or so?...My how things have changed.

Just think if thats how we did drivers training today. 7 to 10 days training and out on the road.

**rockyr** · 01-15-2011 09:25

Three weeks start to finish, including classroom, simulators, flightless, and in air. The last week was a safe sorties per day. So, 8 hours there, plus 4 from the second week. Americans trained for four weeks.

Thus the 1/3 casualty rate in the first month of active flying.

R

**Aero825** · 01-15-2011 10:19

Thanks! That was a valuble American comment.

**csadn** · 01-15-2011 15:56

One factor worth noting: There is no such thing as an "average pilot" in combat -- seven percent of them score most of the kills, while the other 93% are quite literally cannon-fodder.

**gully_raker** · 01-15-2011 23:52

Originally Posted by Charlie3

I have always had the impression it depended on the student's ability to learn. Admittedly learning to fly in those days was more about learning to feel what the plane was doing, and looking where you wanted to go, much like learning to ride a bicycle or driving a car. (only more thrilling!!) So anyone that showed any aptitude would pick it up quickly. How many times have you read that Lt. So and So was in the infantry and asked to transfer to the flying corps, and was an Ace within a month.

I would imagine it would only take a few days to learn about the limited instruments, and mechanical things, and a few flights with an instructor for him to decide if you're going to make it through your first solo flight. So a week or two sounds almost reasonable to me...Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just decide to learn to fly and be on your own in a week or so?...My how things have changed.

G'day Charlie! Two of the biggest problems in the early days of WW1 was the trainees were not taught how to recover from a stall & were told NOT to loop. Also when they got to the front there was every chance of being allocated a type of plane they had never flown & thus did not know how it handled.
Even later when training improved & you had some basic Dogfighting training you might go from a Pup to a Camel & what a frightening change that would have been with the huge increase in the Torque of the Camels engine.

**grumpybear** · 01-16-2011 11:00

Looking in book Knights of the Air . In 1915 RNAS approved a flying school in Toronto. Cost each candidate 400 dollars for 400 minutes flying. All flying dual except exams. Exam 3 solo flights one a series of figure 8 around two posts 500 meters apart. Power off landings within 50 meters of a predetermined spot. Third climb to at least 100 meters cut engine and glide to a successful landing.