It seems to me that the RAF have a major crisis on their hands. They need to cut numbers to satisfy Government spending, however because they have no long term planning and work from one financial year to the next, the solution is obvious. Get rid of the surplus of ME pilots now, not by redundancy but by natural wasteage and lack of recruitment. This policy will work however the result will leave an RAF with no experience and ultimately no capability. There are RIs and FIs on my Sqn who have many qualifications,(TACAT, QFI, SF, AAR) but are not being offered assimilated and as such will be leaving at the earliest opportunity. Even those that have been offered PA are leaving. Can the RAF afford to lose these individuals without a serious effect on future capabilities. This does not look good for the future, when I swap into the Captains seat It would be nice to have an experienced set of training staff rather than the guy who was on the course a year ahead of me. Personally, I think the best course for Cos coming up on a Captains board just now is to go CFS and get out of the so called front line. At least while all this upheaval is ongoing.