Until 1939, the
United States Army Air Corps provided all flying training with military instructor pilots. Beginning in 1939, it contracted with nine civilian flying schools to provide primary flight training. Primary training consisted of a three-month course of 65 hours of flying instruction. As the United States prepared to enter World War II by expanding its number of flying squadrons, the number of contract primary schools increased. According to the contract, the government supplied students with training aircraft, flying clothes, textbooks, and equipment. The Air Corps also put a detachment at each school to supervise training. The schools furnished instructors, training sites and facilities, aircraft maintenance, quarters, and mess halls. From the Air Corps, schools received a flat fee of $1,170 for each graduate and $18 per flying hour for students eliminated from training.
Assignments • Army Air Forces Southeast Flying Training (later, AAF Eastern Flying) Command, 26 December 1942 • Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945 – 16 June 1946
Contract Pilot Schools ;
Albany Army Airfield, Albany Georgia : 52d Flying Training Detachment : Operated by: Darr Aero-Tech Primary Flying School : Opened: October 1940, Closed: November 1944 (PT-17) : Controlled four auxiliary airfields ;
Augustine Field, Madison, Mississippi : 62d Flying Training Detachment : Was a sub-base to
Jackson Army Airbase, CFS controlled three auxiliary airfields ;
Avon Park Municipal Airport, Avon Park, Florida : 61st Flying Training Detachment : Controlled four auxiliary airfields ;
Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida : 53d Flying Training Detachment : Controlled four auxiliary airfields (Joint with Dorr Field) ;
Chester Field, McBride, Missouri : 74th Flying Training Detachment ;
Decatur Airport, Decatur, Alabama : 65th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled five auxiliary airfields ;
Douglas Airport, Douglas, Georgia : 63d Flying Training Detachment : Controlled four auxiliary airfields ;
Dorr Field, Arcadia, Florida : 54th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled four auxiliary airfields (Joint with Carlstrom Field) ;
Fletcher Field, Clarksdale, Mississippi : 69th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled two auxiliary airfields ;
Harrell Field, Camden, Arkansas : 59th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled three auxiliary airfields ;
Hawthorne School of Aeronautics, Orangeburg, South Carolina : 58th Flying Training Detachment : Also conducted Free French Air Force pilot training : Controlled seven auxiliary airfields ;
Lafayette Airport, Lafayette, Louisiana : 70th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled four auxiliary airfields ;
McKellar Field, Jackson, Tennessee : 68th Flying Training Detachment ;
Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama : 66th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled two auxiliary airfields ;
Palmer Field, Bennettsville, South Carolina : 53d Flying Training Detachment ;
Souther Field, Americus, Georgia : 56th Flying Training Detachment ;
Taylor Field, Ocala, Florida : 57th Flying Training Detachment ;
Thompson-Robbins Field, Helena, Arkansas : 59th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled five auxiliary airfields ;
Van de Graaff Field, Tuscaloosa, Alabama : 51st Flying Training Detachment : Also conducted Free French Air Force pilot training : Controlled five auxiliary airfields ;
Embry Riddle Aeronautical Institute, Union City, Tennessee : 67th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled three auxiliary airfields ;
Woodward Field, Camden, South Carolina : 64th Flying Training Detachment : Controlled two auxiliary airfields
Contract Glider Pilot Schools ;
Antigo Airport, Antigo, Wisconsin : 14th Glider Training Detachment : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-8A) : Operated by: Anderson Air Activities ;
Bates Field, Mobile Alabama : 18th Glider Training Detachment : Basic Glider Training School (TG-2, TG-4A, TG-5, TG-8A) : Operated by: Mobile Area Soaring Corp. ;
Greenville Municipal Airport, Greenville, South Carolina : 48th Glider Training Detachment : Basic/Advanced Glider Training School (TG-8A, CG-4A) : Operated by: Southern Airways, Inc. ;
Grand Forks Airport, Grand Forks, North Dakota : 24th Glider Training Detachment (TG-8A) : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School : Operated by: Jolly Flying Service ;
Kirkwood Field, Crookston, Minnesota : 33D Glider Training Detachment : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-8A) : Operated by: L. Millar-Wittig ;
Lobb Field, Rochester, Minnesota : 32d Glider Training Detachment : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A) : Operated by: Fontana School of Aeronautics ; Stillwater Airport, Stillwater, Minnesota : 34th Glider Training Detachment : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A) : Operated by: North Aviation Company ;
Monticello Field, Monticello, Minnesota : 35th Glider Training Detachment : Pre-Glider/Primary Training School (TG-6A) : Operated by: Hinck Flying Service, Inc. ==See also==