Originally Posted by
jayteeto
I was an instructor in the 90s and I’ve returned for an FTRS post now. Things are different, not better or worse, just different. Firstly and most important, the students coming through now are the highest aptitude scorers, meaning input average standard is higher. We don’t concentrate so much on low level flying, massively reducing the risk. The aircraft are higher spec and more reliable. That increases required management skills but reduces the need for handling skills. We have reduced the drinking culture, that matters!
I repeat, it’s different nowadays, you cannot compare
Well said jayteeto, couldn't agree more.
The calibre of student pilots has never been so consistently high. Had the bar been set this high when I joined, I would never have made it and nor would the majority of my contemporaries. They are asked to do so much with so few hours yet the vast majority cope very well and move on to fly some of the most advanced and capable aircraft in the world. They still drink, but less regularly yet still seem to have a great time, they visit the gym more than the bar and have outside interests which we didn't seem to have back in the day. But most importantly, imo, they are taught from Day 1 that the RAF is now a place where we stick our hand up when we make a mistake so that others may learn, without fear of undue punishment. The unwritten culture when I was taught to fly was "do what you have to do, just don't get caught". I understand that tuc & Chug have major issues with the hierarchy, but down at the coal face, it is a much, much better place than it was from a safety perspective.