Originally Posted by Axial Flo
It would be a grave mistake not to target the PAS guys in their early/mid forties as well. They are just as likely to PVR as the CS Sqn Ldrs, taking their professional aviator experience with them.
If they (the PAS) go, we lose a large chunk of the deputy Flt Cdrs, FI's, QFI's, QWI's etc - in other words many of the people on the Sqns that enable the task to get done because their time is not devoted to being promoted.
Sadly, I think you'll find that PMA wouldn't be too worried about loosing a few PAS aircrew. The assumption seems to be that, if you're already PAS, you're bound to have swapped to the new AFPS05 and therefore have already got the biggest retention incentive available - flying, more pay,
and a whopping big pension when you finally retire! Loosing a few of the current crop of PAS would reduce the huge pension burden and free up a few PAS slots for younger aircrew approaching their IRD.
I suspect that the people they are planning to target with a new FRI are those that have stayed on the old pension scheme (and are perhaps therefore planning to leave before age 55) and who possess the skills they need to keep.
What are the skills they need? My guess is mainly, but not exclusively, pilots and those with strong leadership and management ability (mainly sqn ldrs and those with potential for even higher rank).
One thing's for sure though - with all the stealth cuts (JPA) and budget squeezes that I see and hear about, they must be pretty desperate if they really are considering throwing money at the problem!