Oldest permitted age to fly, RFC

[Dragoon]

Hello good people of the forum

 

I've recently read a column in the Britain at war magazine about Hugh Trenchard.

It says he ' sought a new challenge as took to the air, learning to fly aeroplanes at the oldest permitted age'.

What was this oldest permitted age please? And also did they keep that age throughout the war?

 

Thank you in advance, and your time is appreciated

 

Chris

[topgun1918]

Trenchard got his 'ticket' on 13 August 1912 which made him 39 years old (born 3 February 1873), so perhaps the upper limit at that time was 40?  I'm not sure I've come across a reference to an upper age limit, but I presume there must have been one

 

Graeme

 

 

[Dragoon]

Thank you for your reply Graeme, I wonder where the magazine got its reference from?

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[MikeMeech]

10 hours ago, Dragoon said:

Thank you for your reply Graeme, I wonder where the magazine got its reference from?

 

Cheers

 

Chris

Hi

'Trenchard - Man of Vision' by Andrew Boyle, page 96 has:

 

"War Office doubts, like the colonel's, were confined to the question of age:  forty was the limit for qualified pilots who wished to join the Royal Flying Corps;  Trenchard was unqualified and thirty-nine."

 

Mike

[Dragoon]

Thanks mike,

So 40 was the age, i wonder if they continued with that age restriction?

 

Chris

 

[MikeMeech]

6 hours ago, Dragoon said:

Thanks mike,

So 40 was the age, i wonder if they continued with that age restriction?

 

Chris

 

Hi

 

It appears an age limit was kept, indeed probably lower during the war, judging by pilots who died during the war.  Searching through 'Airmen Died in the Great War 1914-1918' DVD-ROM of those between 40 and 50 there are 7 pilots, oldest 44.  Most of these would have been under 40 when the war started judging by the date of death, also most probably joined the RFC before the war (there is a colonel and two majors in the list) or were on the RFC reserve list.  If the upper age limit was increased during the war I would suspect there would have been more that died.  Judging by the numbers it appears that it was more likely that the upper age limit was 'lower'.  The overwhelming numbers in this 40 - 50 age group are from ground trades and I did not notice any observers in the list.

The answer to your question is probably 'yes' the age restriction was continued and may even have been lowered.

 

Mike 

[Dragoon]

Excellent Mike

Thank you for your reply, and most interesting.

 

Chris