Originally Posted by
Dominator2
BV and LJ,
I am not offering any criticism but trying to explain some misunderstandings.
YES, in 1972 we certainly did call our instructors Sir at AFTS whenever at work, on the ground or in the air. In the Mess or socially elsewhere it was first names for all (or nearly all) JOs. Once at TWU it was first names except when in the Sh1t. In those days very few had Flying Nick names. They really appeared from the USAF in the late 70s when the F15 and A10 appeared in Europe. I was lucky enough to teach in the air until 2011 and even then neither instructors nor students used such facile language as that used at the beginning of the programme.
As to the standard of instruction in the 70s and 80s. Personally my instruction in the early 70s was outstanding at Linton, Valley and TWU. It was a different era when things were done differently. The proof was in the outcome of the product. Operating a Cold War jet was a totally different proposition to operating a 5th Gen aircraft in 2020. The threat which was ever present put a totally different emphasis on Flight Safety. People were expected to take far greater risks than is acceptable today. Consequently, they viewed fast jet aviation in a totally different way. Still professional but operating in an Air Force with different expectations of it's fighting men and woman (or course no women in fast jets in that era).
Don't become too dismissive as there is always something to learn. Non of us has ownership of being right all of the time, although some may be correct for some of it!
Agree that things are very very different from Cold War training. However, there is one key difference, those of us who flew in the Cold War hoped we’d never go to war, by and large most didn’t. Today’s generation can pretty much guarantee they will. This is a war time RAF and I have a great deal of respect for anyone who elects to serve.