Originally Posted by
xray one
It was all subjective (or bollox). We had a number of A2s who, by all accounts, could patter like liquid gold - but weren't allowed to teach formation or low level but still assessed as Above Average.
Indeed so. On my CFS course as a JP student QFI we had 4 FJ pilots, one a Saudi. We had endured a formation flying phase brief that was so dismal and generally stumbly that we thought it was a spoof. Sadly not. It was followed the next morning by the brief for the first formation trip for the 3 Brit FJ pilots that was distinctly amateur, vague in parts and actually confusing even though (like the phase brief) it was delivered by a CFS Waterfront QFI. At the end we were still not quite sure what we were supposed to be doing, but we had spent a good 30 mins on the domestics. The Jag mate asked a question, to which the other F4 man replied "Don't worry, we'll sort it out in the brief." Cue the bemused look from the lead staff QFI.
We had a separate 5-min brief afterwards, just the 3 of us students, during which we agreed some of the basics. We were clearly not competent to teach, but each of us had more experience of formation than the three staff put together. It came as no surprise when I arrived at my BFTS job to find I was not allowed to lead a formation until I had jumped through all the hoops and been signed off by someone whose awareness when leading did not extend much past his own wingman.