Paul,
Commercial Reality Check Guys !
30 per cent of professional pilots throughout the world are unemployed with little to no chance of finding work in the medium term. 17 % of professional pilots are furloughed with little to no chance of significant numbers returning to work in the short to medium term. Those remaining at work are braced for further job losses and deep cuts to their terms and conditions of employment. While a 11 hour working day is a long duty period its not exceptional and 12 1/2 hours is a regular typical flying duty in the civilian sector. If your only flying 140 hours per annum you have it easy. 100 flying hours per 28 days is the summer target for the airlines and these hours are spread through deep nights, very early starts, late starts with time zone disturbances thrown in. You report 12 QFIs to 12 student QFIs and 22 students. That divides up to less than 3 students per instructor which seems very reasonable and manageable. If students are not flying often enough and your concerned about continuity and safety, then as the QFI you do not send them solo and if the course foot print over runs so be it. If your concerned about flight planning software and other dispatch issues deal with them your not flying much you have all the time in the world to resolve these problems. While the report highlights domestic problems within your Squadron these concerns should have been managed domestically in house using the established chain of command. This report should not have been published in an open forum and it borders on mutiny if it has been published by a military officer. It certainly brings the service into disrepute. Frequent shift changes not getting home when you expect to get home bluntly "thats life in a blue suit" please be thankful that your on salary right now, that your flying a wonderful aeroplane with a ready supply of talented highly motivated and aptitude selected students. Your the QFI you know what the problems are fix those that you can, recruit colleagues to fix those that you cant and when you have done all that you possibly put the kettle on have a cup of tea and chill out. Seriously enjoy being on salary.
Genuine question - do you know what an average “day in the life of” a military pilot/QFI is? I ask, as I sincerely hope you do, before posting what I have quoted above from you.
Do you suggest that because “thats life in a blue suit” people should just shut up and not report their flight safety concerns using their companies safety management system?! I’d like to think your company promotes honest and open reporting. I am in violent agreement that this should not have ended in an open forum, although I see no evidence of the mutiny you claim, just some instructors that care about their students, who want to see the system work. A lot of the points/suggestions you raise aren’t being addressed, hence the report in the first place.
By the way, about a third of the QFI’s don’t wear a blue suit. Do you know much about Ascent? (That's another genuine question).
Regarding the “reality check”. We (in the military) are well aware of the pandemics effect on the industry. I am grateful for a job, when a lot of friends don’t have one. I go back to the point i made earlier. Do you expect people to shut up and get on with it simply because there aren’t many jobs around? Really not sure what point you are trying to make by bringing job market to this argument.
Sounds like sour grapes to me.