Air Pilotage Duties (Inter-War)

[PeteT]

Can anyone advise me on the following:

When an officer was posted to the squadron for "Air Pilotage Duties" (inter-war), what was their role?

Regards

PeteT

[paulmcmillan]

Manual of Air Pilotage [Air publication 1234]. description. Show more. Object details. Category: Books; Related period: Interwar (content); Creator

Their is a AP for it

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Pete

Air Pilotage = Air Navigation, so he was the Squadron Navigation Officer

Malcolm

[PeteT]

Thanks, as always, for the feedback. As a follow up, would a pilot, having undertaken an air pilotage course, take on those duties, or would it have to be an observer (1929 / 1930 era)

[Steve Brew]

Hey Pete,

I have two pilots who undertook Air Pilotage courses at Calshot (1926 and 1928) while they were already on 41 Sqn, and then returned to the unit to become the sqn's Air Pilotage Officer. Both went on to become Flight Commanders and definitely remained as pilots, neither was ever an Observer or Navigator.

I also have a third officer who was posted from 41 Sqn to 45 (B) Sqn as Air Pilotage Officer in early 1932. I have no record of him having done an Air Pilotage course prior to this posting (though I presume he must have done so), and he was not (AFAIK) an Air Pilotage Officer on 41 Sqn. That said, he also definitely remained a pilot, too.

Hope that helps?
Steve

[bvs]

Pre WW2 navigation on large aircraft was usually the remit of the 2nd Pilot.
Proper Navigation Training for 'Navigators' (Air Observers until 1942/3) came along in 1937 when it became an official full time trade.
Between the wars some air gunners (who were usually volunteer ground tradesmen) took an interest in navigation and became Volunteer Observers.

Edit to add that in the first couple of years of WW2 the RAF was woefully short of navigators and the 2nd pilot was often still responsible for navigation on multi crew aircraft.

[PeteT]

Thanks again for the feedback

Regards

PeteT