Left 1 OC
I am with you on this one.
My only whinge is the unfairness of the system, as pertaining to FC's (but that is NOT their fault)
Those of us who are 'professional full time aircrew' (for want of a better term) have all spent a MINIMUM of 1 years flying training. We have ALL done at least 2 recognised survival courses, and at the end of that, the guys STILL do not get their respective brevets until they have successfully completed their OCU etc. That is OK, and although I don't particularly agree with the need to complete an OCU before hand, if thats the rules - fine.
Where things fall down is that the FC's DO NOT spend at least 12 months at a flying school, they DO NOT complete 2 survival courses, but they DO get their brevets on completion of the SCC. That is wrong, and it is this that causes so much ill feeling (I know they subsequently do a sort of survival course, but hey so what!)
The other thing that gets peoples goat, is that when these FC's leave the fleet and go off back to a hole, they still RETAIN their flying pay! (well a lot do, maybe not all) We all know the case of the Fg Off FC who joined the fleet many years ago, who is now a Gp capt, and has yet to lose his Fg Pay!!
I have nothing against the FC world - the majority of them are great blokes and girls, and I had no qualms about flying with them. Their 'problem' is that someone high up is 'looking after' them too well, and it is causing a lot of ill feeling amongst the 'professional' aircrew No offence meant.
Kind regards
The Swinging Monkey