flipster, how right you are!
Before UASs became adventure playground outfits, they were commanded by RAF aircrew and all officers were either RAF aircrew QFIs or FTRS aircrew QFIs. Training was always geared towards teaching students to fly and to aspire to a career in the RAF. But their degrees came first.
Then some idiot decided to grade UAS students. Totally absurd. Students, not being completely stupid, realised that continuity was essential if they were going to be graded fast-jet. So harboured their flying allocation until Easter and Summer Camp and used the term-time training nights for light relief.
Then things deteriorated still further with the current University Air Cadets scheme which is an utter travesty. One, maybe 2 RAF QFIs per UAS? Who supervises the students on Training Nights?
I know I'm out of touch, but the UAS methods of the 1980s beat the current nonsense into a cocked hat. And in the overall scheme of things, it cost SFA! In addition to providing excellent training for students, UASs gave novice QFIs an excellent opportunity to develop and practise their instructional skills. The RAF even owned and operated proper military training aircraft rather than renting them from some bank.
It seems that UASs fly around 33% of the hours they did 6 years or so ago. I know that students now have opportunities to do more adventurous training etc, but perhaps the devil alcohol makes more time for idle hands, now that there's so little flying?
Last edited by BEagle; 29th Oct 2009 at 08:07.