I've been a civvy all my career, not even in the ATC as a kid. I started with the world's favourite airline as a youngster and Im still there. Light aircraft flying for 30+ years and lots of club instructing over many years. Some display flying though nothing grand and lots of aerobatics though not competion, never appealed to me, not enough time to practice and I don't think I would have been good enough anyway. I've flown light a/c with lots of civvies and quite a few ex RAF pilots.
My advice to anyone wanting a PPL?
Find yourself an ex RAF instructor.
Want to learn aeros and other advanced manouvers?
Find yourself an ex RAF instructor.
You MAY find a civvy instructor who's just as experienced and just as good, but the chances are pretty slim. Most club instructors are low hours, low experience and hours building to get a flying job. There are some fine exceptions who've always been instructors and if you get someone who works as a commercial pilot, not just instructing, you'll probably be alright but it's roulette. If you get an instructor who's RAF Central Flying School trained, then you're almost guaranteed to get a good instructor. I've flown light aircraft with lots of them and they have got a certain quality, no question about it.
Want to train to be a competition aerobatic pilot?
That's different. You need to learn what's required for compettions. Find yourself someone who does well in competitons and it doesn't matter if he's ex RAF or a PPL.
Too many civvy pilots have got chips on their shoulders about ex-RAF pilots, even more if they've flown the fast stuff, and some PPLs who fly old aircraft or competition aeros have got even bigger chips than some airline colleagues I could mention.
Aileron Roll is right about the days when all airline pilots were ex RAF being over. They went years ago when the wartime pilots retired.
Zlin
There's more civvy warbird pilots at Duxford than there used to be but you're overstating it. I don't know too much about the Fighter Collection but the Old Flying Machine Company still has mainly ex-mil pilots. I know four of them aren't, but two of those were taught to fly by their ex-mil fathers. Flying Lawyer doesn't fly with the OFMC any more and he may not "frequent the place" like he used to but he still owns a warbird with Ray Hanna so I doubt if he's as out of touch as you think.
Shuttleworth all Test Pilots? I don't think that's true. eg I don't think Sir John Allison was. FL will probably know because they're friends.
If you can get an ex RAF instructor, you won't go wrong.
Civvy is a gamble. Ex Raf is a racing certainty.
That's my tuppence for what it's worth.
