Contractair advertise for flying instructors

[Lost For Words]

Saw an interesting ad in last week's Flight (12-18Feb) . .Contractair looking for QFI's to be employed at "Various UK locations". They seemed particularly keen on Ex-military qualifications and this is the first time I've seen an ad like this. Normally its the MOD looking for Sim trainers with loads of experience and offering a spectacularly disappointing salary.. .Can anyone enlighten me as to who Contractair is and what sort of jobs they have to offer?. .Otherwise, I may just have to apply for curiosity value!. .Thanks.

[Meeb]

I am also curious about this. My guess it is probably for the basic training outfit currently run by Huntings. Last time these posts were advertised it was also a disappointing salary!

[Luke SkyToddler]

I haven't seen the advert but I would be surprised if JEFTS had to resort to advertising in Flight to get their staff - you can't even send them a CV normally, and on the very rare occasion when a job has come up it's tended to be word of mouth recommendations or they'll invite someone they want to apply.

There are also quite a few instructors (such as myself), with a high-ish amount of time instructing RAF cadets, who are floating about on the job market at the moment following the demise of the RAF Flying Scholarship scheme. I know for a fact that there were no vacancies at JEFTS as of a few weeks ago, and in the current employment climate I can't imagine vast numbers of pilots have moved on since then.

[Meeb]

Luke, you should check Flight more often! Huntings used to advertise regularly for instructors for Barkston Heath around 2/3 years ago. The salary back then was a few grand less than a 509 instructor could earn but they did take on the odd civvie. Having instructed cadets is not the experience they look for, you need a Cat B background, or the civvie equivilant which was the old 509 commercial flying instructor ticket.

[ 22 February 2002: Message edited by: Meeb ]</p>

[DB6]

Meeb, Luke's right and I can't say for sure but don't think it's JEFTS. More likely to be VT Aerospace (UAS) or another competitor for the same contract.

[Skytrucker]

Interestingly I was at a meeting last year when the machinery was put into place to contract out all Military Flying Training including OCU Conversion to Type. They even promoted a hairy old Sqn Ldr QFI to Wg Co just to oversee the programme. Could be that this is the fruits of his labours. It would make sense given the timings and the fact that the OCU at a secret airbase in Wiltshire has folded. I doubt very much if the UAS world is involved in this tranch because of the recent upheaval with the new aircraft and switch to civvy rules flying must have created a fairly longish term contract to see it all in. The plans 7 years ago crossing some fairly high level mahogany were for a huge reduction in the uniformed manning levels for the RAF in any case, probably down by 20,000 on current levels. Again all this ties in. Might be plenty of instructing jobs for those guys fortunate enough to have the ability to achieve the standards required by the RAF instructional fraternity, good look to them. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[clear prop!!!]

<a href="http://www.contractair.net/public/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.contractair.net/public/index.html</a> for anyone who is interested. Not much info on web site but you can apply on-line.

Good luck