blacksheep . . . .you are spot on with your comments. The continuing and on going malaise in our industry is being fuelled by the complete indifference to us shown by our licensing authority. The pilots would not put up with it ( nor any one else in the industry I suspect )yet we still soldier on. I take you point about the service qualifications, when I left the RAF in 1977 I thought I had left the bull!!!! behind, oh dear, sadly not. I too am not inclined to spend a fortune taking exams, including trips to and from the Middle East, just to bust a gut for a qualification I already have. S*d 'em . . .