AIRCRAFTMAN TRAINING COURSE

New pilots to No.401 Squadron are not considered operational and cleared to fly with the squadron in active combat duties until they have completed the following training course consisting of four sections. Until such time, they are considered to have the rank of Aircraftman.

1. Ground Operations

• Demonstrate a successful start of a Hurricane engine requiring no more than three attempts
  
• Taxi to the designated end of the runway as requested by the instructor
  

2. Basic Flight Operations

• Execute take-off without straying from the runway
  
• Enter and maintain two complete circuits of the airfield at an altitude and rotation direction as requested by the instructor
  
• Climb to 18,000 ft
  
• Return to the airfield, and enter a landing pattern as requested by the instructor
  
• Execute landing without straying from the runway
  
• Taxi to a safe position and shut off the engine
  

3. Advanced Flight Operations

• At an altitude of 10,000 ft enter into a stalled spin and recover
  
• Fly in formation with the instructor, maintaining close contact through three course changes
  
• Execute a 'thatch weave' manoever in which a wing pair breaks apart in a wide circle, overlapping each other in order to pick up targets on each other's six o'clock
  

4. Aircraft Gunnery

• Successfully attack and destroy three barrage balloons
  
• Successfully strafe three ground targets
  
• Successfully place tracer rounds into your instructor's aircraft during a mock dogfight
  

Completion of the above tasks places the pilot on operational status and gives them the rank of Leading Aircraftman.