Serf, if I had a pound for every time I was told at MW that a Cpl pilot in a Gazelle could do all the same stuff just as well as a Flt Lt in a Puma/Seaking/Chinook, I would be a rich man.
You are quite right, crab. An Army Cpl in a Gazelle couldn't do the same stuff as a Flt Lt in a Puma, Seaking or Chinook. For a start, he couldn't pick up 12+ blokes at A and drop them somewhere near B and then nearly get back to the vicinity of A. He'd only be able to do a bit of Obs and Recce, AOP, FAC, low level tac flying with a bit of regard for the tactical situation and a couple of other minor tasks other than bus driving.
Oh, and he'd still be able to do Gd 2/ic, organise a BBQ, look after the baby DE officers and still get paid less than rear baggage on the Puma/Seaking/Chinook.
