Vol. 418 No. 1
15 Tomás MacGiolla asked the Minister for Defence if it is intended to appoint former NCOs who have been commissioned as officers as pilots in the Air Corps; the number expected to be appointed; if he has given any consideration to the appointment of NCOs as pilots; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
17 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Defence if having regard to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 19 on 19 June 1991 regarding training NCOs for pilot duties, he will outline the outcome of the examination; the last time NCOs in the Air Corps undertook such duties; the numbers involved; the number of officers in the Air Corps, by rank, who undertake flying duties; the number of officers who, at 30 September 1991, have requested permission to retire or resign early; the number who have been granted such permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
41 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Defence if his examination of the case to train NCOs as pilots in the Air Corps is complete; and if so, if he will give details of the outcome.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 17 and 41 together.
The position is that 24 non-commissioned officers who are due to complete a potential officers course in May 1992 have been given the opportunity of applying to become trainee pilots in the Air Corps following their commissioning as officers. Two of these NCOs have applied for flying training.
In 1943, from a class of 31 trainees, 20 sergeant pilots were qualified to fly but by 1950 all of these had left the Air Corps. That was the last occasion on which NCOs were given pilot status. The question of training NCO's for pilots duties is under consideration.
A break-down by rank of the current number of pilot officers in the Air Corps is as follows: Brigadier-General 1; Colonel 1; Lieutenant-Colonel 6; Commandant 12; Captain 35; Lieutenant 27 and Second Lieutenant 5. This makes a total of 87.
In 1991, seven pilot officers submitted applications for early retirement. Four of these applications were subsequently withdrawn, two applications were granted and the remaining application was refused.
