Air Transport Auxiliary Agreement

(COPY) BRITISH AIR COMMISSION 1785, Massachusetts Ave. Washington, D.C. Telephone - Hobart 9000 January 24, 1942. Dear Miss Cochran, The understanding between us, as stated herein, has been arrived at after dis- cussions or correspondence with representatives of your State Department, General Arnold of the United States Army Air Corps, General Olds of the United States Ferry Command and Hon. Robert Hinckley of your Civil Aeronautics Authority, and is the result of various conversations with you. Please confirm this understanding by endorsement on the duplicate original hereof in the space provided below for that purpose. 1. At our suggestion you have agreed to proceed to organize a group of American women pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) under the terms of an agreement of service, copy of which is attached hereto. Approximately 40 women will be originally chosen by you for flight tests somewhere in Canada, and those selected by us after flight test will be transferred to England for their conversion training and subsequent assignment to pilot pools. It is anticipated that approximately 25 pilots will be initially selected to form the unit, and that if during the first three months the plan works out well from our standpoint, you will be asked to select additional pilots to increase such American unit. 2. The American women members of ATA are to be under your command for discipline and welfare subject to the jurisdiction of 0.0., A.T.A. For unified operations they may be divided among pilot pools throughout Great Britain, and while a pilot is a member of any particular pool for all operational purposes, she will be subject to the orders of the head of that pool. In all matters relating to discipline and promotion as a unit, your recommendation is to be final subject to your senior officers; that is to say the officer in charge of all women members of the ATA organization and C.O.,A.T.A. 3. It has been intimated that you may be requested by the authorities of your Govern-- ment to organize and supervise training centres for American women pilots. This would synchronize with the general plans for adding to the American women's unit of the ATA in case such trainees are not needed at the time by your own armed services in any affiliated or auxiliary way. Therefore, we would be glad to see you follow up this prospect or program while at the same time organizing and commanding the American women's unit of the ATA. We realiss that this would require your presence part time and from time tentime in America, and at your request we will endeavour to arrange priority for ocean air travel to meet this situation. You are to have the right to nominate the person who shall be your Deputy, with the approval of C.O., A.T.A. 4. In the event that any of the American armed services should decide to organize a women's auxiliary flying unit, we will at your request release you to help organize or to take charge of such unit. 5. You will undertake to sign the standard form of agreement, but in view of the requirements of paragraph 3 of this letter it is understood that you agree to offer your services without remuneration. The contract therefore should include a rider to this effect and that it may be necessary, as indicated in paragraph 4 above, to termin- ate such contract before its due expiration. Yours very truly Miss Jacqueline Cochran, (Signed) A.H. Self. of 435, East 52nd Street, Director General. New York City. British Air Commission. I confirm the above this ..... day of January, 1942.