Originally Posted by
Lima Juliet
We haven’t got enough flying to go around for the Regulars as it is, so why would you want heaps of Reservists coming back to earn 3-4 times as much per day and take the flying
Lima Juliet - I'm rather fascinated by your statement above and I'm left wondering what Service background has led you to form this opinion. Perhaps I may offer a 'hypothetical' set of circumstances that might allow you to reconsider:-
- Imagine an RAF fleet that from a Manning* perspective, is completely and utterly broken.
- Imagine a fleet that through a combination of poor management, poor support and poor planning over a 10 year period, has reached the point where the 'rot' has well and truly taken hold.
- Imagine a fleet where peacetime duties result in a routine 60hr working week, often surging to beyond 80hrs per week.
- Imagine a fleet where the 1st tourist JPs (many of whom have spent over 8 years stagnating in a failed training system), are already plotting their escape plan, and no longer chat about QFI/QWI options at the end of their 1st tour; rather, discuss the merits of budget vs established airline.
- Imagine a fleet that continues to routinely haemorrhage the 'experienced' aircrew who no longer feel able to put up with the unjust day-to-day working demands.
- Imagine a fleet that has reduced beyond critical mass; that can no longer train sufficient people to make up for the exodus, having prioritised the training of foreign aircrew ahead of their own.
- Imagine a fleet that has no end in sight to the 'pain', where the only certainty being that things will get a lot worse, before they get any better.
- Imagine a fleet where the hierarchy seem focussed on hiding reality, prioritising their own career ambitions over what should otherwise be considered rather simple manning and welfare decisions.
If these hypothetical circumstances were ever to exist, I'm sure there might be a very good case to bring back
'heaps of Reservists', especially if they were highly capable aviators, with 1000's of hrs on type, having previously held extensive supervisory and instructional qualifications.
But
I'm afraid that if you're expecting these aircrew to work in a high risk, demanding environment for a post tax monetary reward equating to approx £100 per day ( £9 per hour), then it is you who has been smoking the 'Devil's Lettuce'.
The MOD has at it's disposal, a tool to plug systemic Manning shortfalls across a wide variety of ground and airborne disciplines; it's called the 'financial lever'. Until the MOD is able to pay a 'fair day's wage, for a fair day's work' , then they will continue to suffer significant manpower shortfalls.
As a far wiser poster mentioned above, it all comes down to a very simple concept.
'No Bucks, no Buck Rogers'.
* NB - Official Manning position - 'it's all fine, there's nothing to see here, move along'.
* PS - I'm sure the comments above might be apt for a number of different current aircraft types.