Michael Joe Cosgrave
Ceist:41 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Defence the developments, if any, in relation to pilot training in the Air Corps; and the plans, if any, he has to deal with the crisis. [17936/98]
Written Answers. - Air Corps Training.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:85 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Defence the developments, if any, in relation to pilot training in the Air Corps; and the plans, if any, he has to deal with the crisis. [17935/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 85 together.
There are at present a total of 88 flying officers in the Air Corps. Eleven Air Corps cadets were recently recruited. There are also a total of ten senior cadets in their second year of training who are due to be commissioned as fully trained flying officers in 1999.
The ongoing training of cadets combined with the introduction of the service commitment scheme for Air Corps pilots which was introduced in 1997, is designed to help alleviate the difficulties in regard to pilot numbers which have arisen due to the unprecedented level of retirements from the Air Corps in the past year. The question of training non-commissioned personnel as pilots will be further examined in the context of implementing the recommendations of the Price Waterhouse report. It is open to non-commissioned personnel to apply for Air Corps cadetships and a number of such personnel have been commissioned in the past having successfully completed cadetships.