PN,
Bugger, you beat me to it with a very well written post
.
Having SNCO pilots - good luck but I cannot ever see it happening. If it does come in, then it spells the end of SNCO rear crew. Why then have the same rank grade doing 2 dispirate roles on the ac and what is then to stop the RAF doctrine of down delegation and have JNCO (or SAC ) NCA and SNCO pilots instead ?
Just a thought.
PS Any NCA reading this and thinking about applying, my advice is DO IT, It was the best thing I ever did in my RAF career. As for the line about you have to be a good operator to be the leader - cr@p.