Industry, research organizations, and government are competing for the small number of men with aeronautical training who graduate each year. In this race, government is most often the loser, for the salaries paid by private industry and research organizations far outstrip federal Civil Service pay. The average B.A. or B.S. with a scientific background commands a starting salary of at least $350 in industry today. Private research pays approximately the same.

Government jobs are with the armed services and with civilian organizations like the National Advisory Committee. on Aeronautics, which maintains huge laboratories throughout the country. The services employ many civilians in their research programs. The Air Force's Cambridge Research Center, located in Boston, is presently involved in research of the most fundamental nature. Also, civilian engineers are employed at air bases to repair and service planes.

The large difference in pay levels between men who have gone to college for only four years and those who have done graduate work comes between the Master's degree and the Ph.D. Aircraft companies in many cases recommend that graduates come directly into industry instead of pursuing advanced studies if their goal is eventually in administration.

Administration

Most of the administrative positions in aeronautics are now filled by men who rose through the engineering ranks, in many cases through engineering sales.

The air transport business, on the contrary, does no require technical training for executive positions. If graduates are willing to start out behind the ticket counter or in other equally trivial jobs, they can work up to positions of responsibility.

With the exception of only one or two major lines, airline training programs are not nearly so complete as those in airplane manufacturing. American Airlines is a notable exception, having a rigorous two-year program for executive training.

Airlines Stable

The airlines, on the other hand, do not suffer from the one great disadvantage of the aircraft industry, that of a comparative insecurity based on a fluctuating national defense budge. It is not uncommon to see half of one company's engineering staff hired by another because the second organization has been awarded a large government contract and the first had a contract discontinued.

This defect has been largely remedied in the past few years. Company sizes have been largely uniform, with various operation sub-contracted to other organizations if especially large order are received.

In spite of the boost provided by a swollen war economy, the nation's aircraft industries are more stable now than over before. The demand for scientific talent should continue indefinitely