In January the aerial work of the School was further increased. Range work (25 yards) was taken over by the wings. All synchronized guns were moved from the side of the cowling to the top, thus creating active service conditions. No. 2 squadron came into being with twelve machines, giving 30 in toto, the work being done by flights. Two machines were converted to Canadian Gothas, with the gun firing through the bottom of the fuselage. The output of pupils increased to 310, with average flying time of 5½ hours. February saw the use of a good armour-plated disappearing and running target, and cadets also fired from a cage that travelled along a cableway between two towers, but the speed was too low to be of value. The February output was 313 pupils. The instructing personnel had now increased to 60 officers (50 flying), 1 warrant officer, 60 N.C.O.’s and 250 men. March, a busy month, with 336 pupils and flying time average of 6½ hours, was a record in output and time flown. April saw the School on its own aerodrome at Beamsville, Ontario, where facilities were ahead of anything heretofore existing. Came as well a third squadron. The output was 243 pupils, all R.F.C. with 7 hours and 40 minutes flying, the record time to date. In the following month the syllabus was amended, this being the result of a visit to England by the officer in charge of Canadian training. All straight target shooting was abolished, and deflection sights were introduced so as to allow for a speed of 100 m.p.h. of an enemy machine. Small model aeroplanes were built and set up beside the targets. At these the pupil aimed, the deflection of the gun sights bringing his shots on to the target where their accuracy was of course registered. No less than 17 various practices were laid down. The improvement in ground work soon became noticeable. [Illustration: RANGE CONSTRUCTED BY AVIATION DEPARTMENT AT BEAMSVILLE.] [Illustration: SHOOTING THROUGH PROPELLER. BESIDE THE FUSELAGE. VARIOUS GUN MOUNTINGS. GROUND PRACTICE.] In May, also, the Armament School opened at Hamilton, and relieved the School of Aerial Gunnery of giving elementary instruction after pupils had already learned to fly. During June a fourth squadron was added to train observers exclusively, enabling the School to adopt the ideal principle of giving all pilot cadets synchronized gear and camera gun training, and all observer cadets instruction in Lewis and turret camera guns, the sequence being as follows:-- 1. 1 hour dual camera gun--12 pictures of silhouette taken by diving on it from behind. 2. 1 hour dual, with pictures of a target machine in the air, allowing for speed of 100 m.p.h. and necessary deflection. 3. Dual, on C.C. gear (instructor in back seat) diving at angle of 60° to 45° at silhouettes in Lake Ontario, 200 rounds or one hour. 4. Dual, 1 hour or at least 60 rounds with gun stoppages. This determines the pupil’s proficiency in clearing jambs.