As the senior officer cadre of the trade still includes the gentleman (?) who made the famous (fatuous ?) comment .. "..there will never be a shortage of Air Engineers, if any wish to leave they can.. I'll sign their papers now.." and 6 months later we started to train the first of the Australian FTRS Air Engineers......
I have no doubt in my mind that the idea of filling all type vacancies by posting Hercules Air Engineers onwards, and replacing with FTRS from the wider world has probably been discused at high level on the grounds "it worked once why should it not work again ?"
Methinks they underestimate the reaction that might take place should that line be followed, they were out of touch with the rank & file then, and things have not improved.
I wonder how big the PVR queue would become if they tried that again ....