Al Titude
Couldn't agree more mate. Holding is ridiculous and needs addressing. We join the RAF to fly and not hang around in trg. The point I'm trying to make however, is that the company has a bottom line and has to use it's assets to best measure. If the only way to increase profit is by this scheme then fine.
As I'm sure you know, they'll have performance indicators to meet under the contract. If they don't, they get a slap and may be sacked. If they do then all is well for them.
Our problem is that of the budget. Flying Training gets £X million per year. When it's gone it's gone. Overspend has to be sourced from elsewhere. And nobody has the excess.
Now if somebody were to make a proper leadership decision and look for where to cut and where to add addition value then I would cetainly vote for giving cash to the FTSs'. It might make my job on the front-line a damned sight easier than always being stretched and give me a fully manned squuadron.
Fully manned sqn = less cr@p from wife from being away/in work too much = I might stay in the RAF even when life outside gets better
(the Sangiovese equation)
Now how to work the budgets better.
Answer, lead the accountants rather than be led, understand what they do, and pester the TLB holder. And when the cuts come to increase Operational Readiness, don't complain.