The reason behind this thread is the perceived creaping cancer of 'Army-ism', together with a hint of RN and what appears to be,
none of the familiar RAF experience-based reasoning and common sense, which is contained within some of the policies forced upon the RAF SH fleet by JHC.
eg:
Night Flying Currencies.
After countless years of flying a minimum of 1hr per 90 days night requirement which was found very minimal but satisfactory, we now find ourselves chasing a rolling 3 month currency of 4.5hrs, which has to include 3 RNF approaches. Now that may not sound much but in the last 9 weeks we have just completed 6 weeks of night flying in two 3-week night flying periods. Flogging virtually the same routes, fields and confined areas carrying the same netted USLs in order for us to maintain this OTT and in our view, unreasonable requirement. In 37yrs of flying I have never ever had to chase so many bloody ticks. This particular 'chase' not only p1ssed off the natives, it knackered the aircrew, the groundcrew and possibly more importantly, the aircraft! Despite querying the new currency requirement with JHC we were told that it will remain asis!! Why in these times of financial contraint, have these costly 'requirements' remained? This smacks of forced and unreasonable embuggerance for the sake of it. It has a heavy hint of Army inflexibillity, a small hint of RN and definitely no RAF common sense in it!
Which takes me back to the thread......
'has the RAF been stitched by JHC?' -
I believe that by virtue of its' 'Junior' status in the supposedly '
TRI-Service' emporium at JHC the voice of RAF reason no longer has the authority or effect it had in days of yore. And it is beginning to show.
Why is there no flexibillity based upon the Sqn role or Combat Status (LCR/CR) or maybe an experience 'allowance' or some other form of differentiation? Or is that too complicated? If you are LCR or if you are AH then you need more night flying. Incidentally there is nothing wrong with SNCO pilots per se but don't start that dirge again! However, with no experience 'allowance' we are all 'tarred with the same brush' and it's going to cost plenty! On normal SH Sqns which have been running very nicely and competently for 40+yrs - why change the currency requirement? I can only think it is the beligerance, intransigence and inflexibility of the of the louder voices in JHC where, if there happens to be a louder RAF voice it is out voted by the 'senior service' Joker being played!
This perception is damaging the RAF 'coalface' and discrediting JHC in RAF eyes. We don't appear to have a strong enough representation looking after our interests in JHC. Very wisely the RN have kept their 'arbiter' such that 'if it doesn't suit the RN interest' then they don't do it!! The Army has Gavan (?) which does the same thing. The RAF seemingly has buggerall! This has got to change!!
I look around at my fellow Sqn mates and I see dissatisfaction, a sense of injustice, confusion, resignation and a whole heap of cynicism. It's almost as if one hasn't got a vote anymore which is bad joo joo........
.