ARMY AIR FORCES PILOT TRAINING

Approximate Time Table Flying School Course Length, Flying Hours, and Types of Aircraft

	PRIMARY			BASIC			ADVANCED
Time	Course Length	Flying Hours	Aircraft Used	Course Length	Flying Hours	Aircraft Used	Course Length	Flying Hours	Aircraft Used
Jan 1943	9 weeks	60	PT-13 PT-17 PT-19	9 weeks	70	BT-13s some AT-6s in 1943	9 weeks	Probably 70 SE	AT-6 P-40
								70 TE	AT-6 AT-9 AT-10 AT-17 P-322 (P-38) UC-78
Mar/May 1944 14 Mar 1944 is date all phases went from 9 to 10 weeks	10 weeks	60	PT-13 PT-17 PT-19 PT-27	10 weeks	70^*	For SE BT-13 some AT-6s in late 1944	10 weeks	70 SE	AT-6 P-40 P-39
						For TE AT-17 or AT-10		70 TE^**	AT-9 AT-10 AT-17 UC-78 TB-25

This table shows the type of pilot training program Dick Baer (more than likely) experienced between early 1943 and most of 1944. Flying single-engine and twin-engine aircraft, he received around 200 hours of flight training in about 29 weeks.

Civilian flying schools, under government contract, provided a considerable part of the flying training effort undertaken during W.W.II by the Army Air Forces. To the flying cadets, the contract schools were just another training assignment. Although the flight instructors were civilian contractors, the cadets still experienced the discipline and drudgery of military life. Reveille and retreat were still held at the "base" flagpole.

Dick finished one flying school at Pecos, Texas in late June 1944, which was apparently for advanced training. Then, went on to Yuma, Arizona for additional training.

According to www.aerofiles.com, Pecos AAF, TX was a pilot advanced flight training school with satellites: High #A-1, Hermosa #A-2, Toyah #A-4, Crystal #A-5, Butte #A-7. The whole operation was declared surplus on November 15, 1945.

Footnotes:

* Three separate courses of basic instr were established in May 44: one for students going to adv SE tng, one a combined SE and 2-engine program, and one for 2-engine tng (this was discontinued in Sep 44). In Apr 45, a revised curriculum for standard SE basic course was issued; it was used until after VJ Day.

** New curriculum in Mar 44 for TE Advanced training.

General Glossary:

AAF	Army Air Forces, or Army Air Field
ADC	Aerospace Defense Command
AFRES	Air Force Reserve
ANG	Air National Guard
AT	advanced trainer
ATC	Air Training Command
BC	basic combat
BMS	base management system
BT	basic trainer
CONAC	Continental Air Command
ETO	European Theater of Operations
FAR	Fighter-Attack-Reconnaissance
FDTRC	Flying Division Training Command
FIP	Flight Indoctrination Program
FSP	Flight Screening Program
FTAF	Flying Training Air Force
FY	fiscal year
GAF	German Air Force
IAW	in accordance with
IFS	instrument flight simulator
IMC	interim message change
INTCP	interceptor
LATR	Light aircraft training for ROTC
ME	multi-engine
NASA	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
OTS	Officer Training School
PA	Piper Aircraft
PFT	program flying training
PIP	Pilot Indoctrination Program
PT	primary trainer
QIP	quality improvement program
ROTC	Reserve Officer Training Corps
SAC	Strategic Air Command
SE	single-engine
TAC	Tactical Air Command
SUPT	specialized undergraduate pilot training
TB	bomber modified for training
TE	twin-engine
TRIM	Time-Related Instruction Management
TTB	Tanker-Transport-Bomber
UC	utility cargo
UPT	undergraduate pilot training
USAFA	United States Air Force Academy
VJ	Victory over Japan