Originally Posted by
vecvechookattack
Staff pilots would be required to fly sorties which don't involve pilot training.
These 'non-op' tours were seen as a drain on the available operational aircrew pool hence the desire to civilianise the posts. Similarly Sim slots and Ops Officers all drained valuable bodies from the front-line.
Well that was the theory. Get in 'cheap' civilians and you could both reduce the number of pilots and navs etc and increase the bodies available to the front line - win-win.
What it overlooked was the R&R that these flying or flying associated tours gave to the front line aircrew. Now the increased operational tempo increases the desire for a bit of R&R which now can only come from a PVR and fly civvie.