There was, indeed, a re-introduction of NCO pilots in the mid 60s. It was a short term measure, presumably because of recruiting pressures. Tony Stafford and ????? Jones spring to mind from Valley/Tern Hill days. 'Nobby' Clark was still operating as a QHI at Valley and we had another M/Plt come through on SAR training. He had been on piston engine Whirlwinds some years previously - his computer-out flying was noticeably smoother than computer-in and his rotor rev control was immaculate!!!
The last days of the previous era of NCO pilots was the usual RAF nonsense in (as it then was) Transport Command. We had two M/Plts at Dishforth, one was a double A cat on Bevs AND Hastings and the other on Hastings. 'On High' dictated that its nice shiny aircraft could not be captained by lowly NCOs and, in order to preserve this stupidity, there was introduced the category of 'Training Captain' - not a 'proper' Captain, you see!!!
Eventually both these high quality professionals were forced to go to the Rupert factory to do the knife and fork course and told that they would NOT fail!!
So much of my flying time was in the company of these proper professionals although Skilli was in elevated mode at Boscombe! I've flown with at least three of these 'retreads' in both their primary and commissioned versions - surprisingly their later elevation did nothing to change their skills - either as pilots or people.
My advanced flying training was done at Thorney in the mid 50s and there was almost a preponderance of NCO pilots there - a lot of brass eagles on left breast pocket flaps!!! they had been there ... and a lot of them showed the scars - literally. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
