Chicken Leg,
If I may correct you on one point, also:
Contrary to what has been said, I haven't seen many of the pilots from the first Op Sqn leave.
7 of the original Sqn have left or are in the process of leaving, either runnning out their service or via PVR. Three Officers and 4 WO1s. This is over a third (7/19) of 656 Sqn, at full strength. Even more worrying is that there are only five of the original 19 currently filling front line seats, including 2 QHIs - only two remain in 656 Sqn itself! Of all the others:
- 4 have been promoted and/or posted to desk jobs
- 2 have gone on QHI course (necessary, I grant you)
- 1 posted to AMTAT (equally appropriate)
pouring ab initio pilots out of CTR will not replace the experience lost from that lot!
AHV