Letsby: by God I think I have to agree totally with you for once (sitting down)
Flight Safety is a very immotive subject to say the least.
Take our unit for instance, if any ASU in the country is going to trap a pilot into inadvertent IMC - it's us. We own a major chunk of the Uk's high ground, cumulo granite and black holes.
Our mantra is flight safety. Nothing moves in this unit without impacting on flt safety.
We have our own Safety Management System (SMS) the only one in the industry I believe (correct me if I'm wrong?). Everyone from ACPO downwards is affected.
We have compulsory CRM training for police observers.
All the pilots are shortly to become CRMI's and one of them a CRMI(E).
But one night on that rare night we employ a floater pilot, the whole system could be jeopardised because he hasn't been indoctrinated to the same level.
Twice in the past 13 yrs have we gone Inadvertent IMC and twice was it relief pilots.
We have learned from that and now have a system to minimise the problem (can't get rid completely because we do not have total control over them all!).
We have had a civvy driver here and we applied our SMS principles. This guaranteed that his flt safety levels were matched to those whose previous flying experiences (mil) were a known quantity.
I believe it is down to EDUCATION X 3.
The biggest let out clause in the event of suspect weather/route, is:
press on itis is a crime at this Unit.
If in doubt - don't go. There isn't a job out there that overides this mantra [And we are a HEMS unit too].
Without tempting providence, it seems to be working and that is why inadvertent IMC is as rare as hens teeth!
Semi - I think you have a point. In 2001, a service provider attempted to short circuit the system and appeal direct to senior police officers and the HO to reduce the entry levels, citing pilot shortages. It was rejected at the time, partly because some of us were able to intercept the request and rebrief the decision makers. Our argument was that the service providers wanted to employ low time pilots and give them the appropriate level of renumeration thus maintaining their profit margins. There was no shortage then. But now....................I'm not so sure.
If you'd have asked me 3 yrs ago to employ a civvy, I'd have told you where to go (nothing personal!) but we did employ one eventually and he beat mil guys to it. He was a very rounded pilot with oodles of common sense.
We 'managed' him more closely and brought him up to speed carefully with the assistance of the police staff who sometimes had to defer jobs on rare occasions because of his learning profile. I no longer have any qualms about hiring a civvy.
Taking someone onboard with lower than current minimums today would be hard for us because of our terrain and demands. I do, however believe that someone like a city ASU could easily 'coach' a lesser mortal if they joined their ranks with say a CPL with 500hrs in command.
In fact I'm thinking of a police pilot, right now who was hired with ZERO twin engine time.....................
But thats for me to know.
The minimums are certainly up for review, I would suggest...there is always the POM II as a fall back.