مجموعة ٥/٧٣ "سلاح الجو الأفغاني: تقارير" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٣] (٤٣١/٢٠٦)

1,(contd)
2
(g) Stocks of aviation spirit on the Sherpur and Khwaja Hawash airfields
in Kabul have been reduced slightly during th: quarter, as a result of
increased expenditure on flying training, No aviation petrol has been
despatched from Kabul to the provinces,
(h) Squadron-Leader B.F. King, A.F.C,, R.A.F., arrived in Kabul onAst
October, and took over the duties of Pilot Instructor to the Afghan ..ir
Force from Squadron-Leader E.D. T 'igginton, H.A.F., whose one year contract
had expired. The Air Commandant and Squadron Commanders continue to^rely
f on the British Instructors for advice and guidance in Air Force training
f and administrative matters,
(i) Appendix "a” to cnis report gives the number and condition of
aircraft, and tee number of trained or partly trained pilots in the
Afgnan Air Force on'lota November, 1943,
2. Hind Squadrons .
(a) Flying a ours.
Up to the beginning of October Afghan pilots wore
allowed to carry out short training flights in the vicinity of Kabul of
25 t 3 45 minutes per pilot p-r week. During October and the first half
of November pilots were given training in cross country flying, the flights
being of l-- hours duration. This form ;f training was introduced by the
British pilot instructor, but an accident on 15th November, resulting in
th: death of a pilot and obs . rver and the total loss of a Hind aircraft,
has caused a cessation of the experiment, and flying training has again
been limited to 45 minutes per pilot per week.
(b) Operations, - Nil. One Hind aircraft is believed to have carried
out a reconnaissance in the Southern Province on 9th
and 10th November. This aircraft landed at Ghazni on 9th November, and
after spending the night there ieturned to Kabul on 10th November.
(c) Standard of Flying; Efficiency.
No change to report. The new British
I pilot instructor states that from what he has seen of Afghan pilots since
! his arrival, about half of them .ave reached a reasonable standard of
flying efficiency as compared with present day standards in England, but
I tne remaining half are below standard or are bad pilots.
(d) Accidents.
(i) A Hind aircraft was damaged when landing in Kabul in September,
but is repairable.
(ii) On 9m November a nind aircraft crasaod in tne Logar valley 25
miles South of Kabul and became a total loss. The Afgnan pilot and
observer were killed. The' accident was due to low flying contrary to
orders, and the aircraft ran into a small hill. Afgnan officers in tne
salvage party found that the local innabitants in the Musai area of the
Logar valley were unfriendly and uniffsipful, even to the extent of
refusing to supply them with food and accommodation.
(e) Maintenance.
The Hind spares position has improved and the arrival
of Mr. H. Pearson, Messrs Rolls Royce mechanic, from England, has result
ed in more attention being paid to the care and maintenance of engines.
(f)
Photographic Section
quarter.
There
have been no.developments
during the
(g) U/T Section
(i) The V/T lorry has remained in store.
(ii) The equipment of the D/F Station at Sherpur has been taken over
from the German Legation, but has not been put into operation, or have
any further tests between Kabul-, Herat and Berlin taken place. There is
an Air Force officer at Herat in cnarge of the W/T and D/F _station there,
but so far as is known nis sole duties are tne care and maintenance of
; _: ’: A 71 a nd B /F i :• r i pme nt.