Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: Reports on’ [‎139r] (277/431)

(iv)
(v).
small Lufthansa v//T set. on tne Sherpur aerodrome Is st,i
stored in the D/F station and has not been used.
Seeger, a derman clerk from the Legation, has been giving
instruction to Afgnar. Air Force personnel in 'Che use of th
D/F equipment on tne Sherpur aerodrome, and it was reports
that th. D/F station was to carry out a test with Berlin on
20th 0cto be r. Ine ar ran g; ments fell through, and though
fur tne r attempts may 03 made, it is considered that tne
power generated by the small diesel engine does not
sufficient power for communicating witn Berlin.
give
(h) Army Co-op w rati;
Oil.
(i i 1 . 1 i o c 11 an -. o u s •
(i)
(ii)
Th... British pilot instructor reports that he nas oe.-n allow-
od to give lectures to BO Afghan pilots on general aviation
subjects, and found that they were keen and interested.
totes for tne. lectures are submitt d to trie Gomm 3 -*dant for
approval before tne lectures take place. He nas also made
various suggestions for improving discipline and general
administration 9 but has found tn^t tnougn one or two of his
suggestions have been adopted, no action has been tak..n
the remainder.
Thor, have been no further developments regarding the Kabul
Defence Scheme referred to in the lust quarterly report.
The British pilot instructor has however been asked' to
submit a scheme for tne defence of the Sherpur aerodrome
which involves tne us. of 16 pairs of Lewis light automatic!
taken from obsolete Russian aircraft formerly owned by the
Afgnan Air Force.
3. Romeo Squadrons .
(s ) FI.yinn Hours .
Pilots of tns Romeo squadron are giv:n short local training
flights on Sundays and Widne.sdays irv eacn week, each pilot being
allowed to fly for 20 rninut s every In d-ys.
(b) Operations . - Nil.
(c) Standard of Flyi a? efficiency .
There has been no improvement in thu general
the quarter, but pilots flying Romeo aircraft are
regained some coaiiidei^ce in tii-ir aircraft*
standard during
S'-id to have
(d) Accidents.
(e) Maintenance.
Mil.
(i) There is no change to report. Only 4 Romeo aircraft are
c ,p .ble of long distance flights, althougn 7 aircraft in ail
cn be used for flights of tv/o hours duration by using
Patrol from th^ir gravity tanks.
(ii) Mo progress has been made > in effecting welding repairs -nd
it is considered th: t :*otiling can be done to repair Romeo
aircrait until an Afghan 7 /elder has been despatched to
India for training.
General .
Afghan pilots still dislike Romeo aircraft, and consider th^t
lik/^bul/ Ur ‘ d2 ^ P0V,£r0d f0r U3e 1X1 pl - CS3 wlth "
(f)
Qj CD