The Air Corps initially required pilot candidates to complete two years of college. After January, 1942, cadets could bypass the college requirement by receiving an acceptable score on the Aviation Cadet Qualification Examination. After a physical examination, cadets were assigned to processing centers where aptitude tests determined if they would become pilots, navigators, or bombardiers. All pilot candidates were required to complete a nine to ten week preflight school involving military customs, theory of flight, and navigation. Following preflight training cadets began nine weeks of primary flight training in a PT-17 or PT-19 aircraft (PT stands for “primary trainer”)
Lloyd Reasor wrote: “...later when we were in Aviation Cadet training, [Lee] made a grade of 93% in preflight, and the best I could get was 92.2%. The average of 2,000 cadets in S. E. was 88%. He also found out about the Aviation Cadet Examining Team, who were to be in Kalamazoo, Michigan not far from Battle Creek. He suggested we see about it so we left a note on the pillow of the sergeant over us and went. It was fun. Like putting puzzles together, or driving a little car, or lining two sticks up side by side at the end of a long string. We both passed.”
With World War II approaching, President Roosevelt instructed the army to make plans to train 30,000 new pilots per year, beginning in 1941. Because of limited army facilities, the Army Air Forces Contract Flying Schools were created. These were civilian flying schools, under government contract. Wilson-Bonfils Flying School of Chickisha, Oklahoma was one of those new operations.
Pilot training at Chickisha was performed primarily with BT-13 and Fairchild PT-19 aircraft.
The school operated from 1941 to 1945. During that time the school trained over 8,000 pilots. A total of around 250,000 student pilots graduated from the Contract Flying Schools during the war. Over 13,000 pilots died in training.
In 1946, Ray Wilson and F. W. Bonfils founded Monarch Airlines in Colorado. It merged with another airline and became Frontier Air Lines.
Wilson-Bonfils Flying School, Chickasha, OK
Dear Folks,
At last I "doned" it. I now have 2 hours & 20 minutes flying time of my total of 60 hours we have to get here. Gee! but I like it. The first day my instructor gave me the works and after about 40 minutes I began pitching my cookies which sorta made a mess. I managed to hang my head outside but I had to wash the outside of the plane when I came down. I've been up twice since and haven't been sick since so I think maybe I'll make it. One of our gang has been washed out already for getting sick all the time. There has been four washed out in the week we've been here. We only have 180 cadets here too. I guess if a man makes it through he can really be proud, I am already but pride cometh before a fall. I'm not the least bit scared when I get up there. Makes no difference whether my head is up or down. Old mother earth looks might good from 6000 ft. We have no hills here to be bothered with which makes it much safer. I think Wanda is getting used to the idea. She don't seem to be nearly as worried as she thought she would be. Shucks, I'll bet in another month I could talk her into the notion of taking a ride. She's working now in a beauty shop. I don't know how long she will keep it up. She wanted me to make her work but I left it for her to decide. Living is cheap here and the people are as friendly as Crawford County. Wanda & I both like it real well. Most of the time I will get off Sat. noon until Sunday nite at 7:15. Sure is good to be with one’s wife for that time again. Other times I won't get off until 5:00 P.M. Sat. The town is giving an introductory dance and watermelon festival tonite for us new cadets. Oh but they're proud of their cadets. They also have a dance every Sat. nite which is a lively party.
We have 20 minutes drill some mornings then 2 hrs. of class on the things that make an airplane fly, etc. One hour of calestenics and then in the afternoon we fly. The schedule is changeable sometimes we fly in the morning sometimes in the afternoon. I started our rather well made a hundred on the first test. But then the instructors are nice and even the upperclassmen are nice fellows. Had my picture taken the other day if they turn out OK I might send you one. I'm getting sleepy and must have water on the brain. So I quit for this time. Tell all the folks hello for me. As yet I haven't got homesick. Wanda gets a little once in a while but she won't let on much. Yep! I love her more all the time. I may send her home for a visit when I leave here. If she'll come. You don't have to worry now ‘cause I'll keep em flying.
Driving a car can't be compared with flying a plane. It's simply grand and I do mean grand. It's worth all the wait and work. Went up the other day with the instructor of course and inspected a cloud. Went all around it and then above it. It's against regulations to go through one or we'd went in and looked out. The plane handles easy in fact the controls were too sensitive to suit me at first. The first day up the instructor made me fly it. I should be able to solo by the last of next week. Take it off and land it all by my lonesome. I hope! hope! Hope!
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