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Old 15th Dec 2020, 14:14
  #16 (permalink)  
LS8C1
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 48
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Typhoon first tour: expect 500 hours.

You won't come out of the OCU fully combat ready so will be on a work up straight away. Typhoon is a true jack of all trades now so lots of different weapons and skill sets to be learned. It will be busy.
In a three year first tour expect to go to OP SHADER twice for around 2-3 months at a time. Go to the Falklands once or twice for a couple of months at a time. Do an Eastern European Air policing det for a few months. Do an overseas exercise a year (Red / Green Flag / Middle Eastern equivalent).
Whilst in the UK you will be always working toward your next qualification, whether that be pairs lead / 4s lead etc. By the end of 3 years most Junior Pilots will attain a pairs lead with the qualification of being able to instruct Combat Ready work up serials for new guys straight out of the OCU.
You'll sit QRA once or twice a month between sims and live flying.

In Summary, my recently expired 3 year first tour consisted of 11 detachments equating to around 450 days away.
The best and most rewarding flying is done when overseas. In the UK you will be busy working up for your next qual and sitting Q / remaining current for Q. This can be frustrating as all the priority for spare parts etc goes to high priority overseas Exercises / Ops and as a result a lot of training will be done in the sim. Opportunities to take leave will be limited and very much have to fit in with the Squadron's OP / Exercise / QRA plot.
There is a lot of bureaucracy when it comes to online courses etc but you can easily get all these done on your QRA shifts. The same can be said for secondary duties.

Caveat many overseas operations have been curtailed recently due COVID.
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