On a more serious note, I am surprised over the years that no one has challenged the RAFs age policy on flying training. Whilst one understands the reasons behind it, it does preclude a lot of individuals. FJ maybe not,but I would have thought older ME pilots were feasible? And not ones that have served previously.
That is where some of our old and bold from the helicopter and fast-jet fleet go, so if we took in direct entrants to fill those places, then that opportunity would go. Now that there are dwindling places on MFTS to go as an instructor as well, this problem is even more accute. So opening up to an older cadre would see us having no places for those that can’t deal with the 9g pounding on their bodies, being rattled to bits with NVGs+weight on their necks or the stress of getting shot down with a need to E&E until rescue.
Finally, it is also a question of supply and demand - even with an age cap of 26, the RAF still has many thousands of applicants for just over a hundred vacancies; so why would it want to raise the age limit to attract older persons who may not have the reach for the higher ranks or are unable to give a full Service career length?
Anyway, those older ones aren’t precluded, they should have just applied when they were younger!
The B Word
