Effect on Recruiting
Hello all,
I'd just like to add my comments to Flipster and Beagle's concerns about the effects on recruiting.
They are concerned that only 10 hours of flying will turn people off the UASs and on to the URNU/OTC/TA etc. I don't believe this to be the case.
Firstly, the reduction in flying hours is not as dramatic as first appears. 10 hours a year is more than most old-system ground branch generally did anyway. Yes, there are a few keenies who bag all the STC trips going, but these will still be around. Also, if the pilot chaps divide their course evenly over the three years it amounts to 20 hours a year, which is a mere 10 flying hours less.
The cut in flying does not therefore seem that significant.
Also, the UAS seems to mainly recruit two types of people: Those who have done Cadets etc and are looking to pursue a career once they grad, or people who see the opportunity at Freshers' Fayre and decide to give it a shot. Neither types are being put off by the changes. The ex-cadet types still want what flying there is and prefer the RAF culture over the Trench-digging and the off-to-bed-early of the OTC and the URNU. The guys who find out about the UAS from Freshers' Fayres haven't got a clue what EFT is anyway, and get sold on the UAS by the Sports and AT as much as the flying. We still have the edge over the other services.
In-fact, we are finding that as the entry criteria for Pilots (specifically anthropometric and medical) is no longer a player, many more undergrads are eligible to join. We therefore have a much larger pool from which to cream off the top candidates. This can be only a good thing for the UASs.
Dave.