Washouts or collateral damage of the War Department

The War Training Service and reductions

Many facets of the Glider Pilot Program were glossed over and /or generalized during the war and it has continued to the current day. These generalization led to many myths about the glider pilots becoming the leading narrative of their history.

A prime example of this is the qualifications requirements of the pilots and the washout rate. This again has two facets. The washout rate during training and the glider pilots being power pilot washouts. The facts are much more nuanced.

The Civilian Aeronautics Administration was tasked, by Congress, to train glider and power pilots in about 1942/1943. The cost was to be borne by trainee in some cases (nothing is EVER consistent so this is an entire chapter of its occurred in Congress over the CAA program. In the case of those chosen as glider pilots it was the trainee in some cases that bore the cost.