So, the RAF is going to be palmed off with the lower spec model again.
It shouldn't really surprise me, but I had hoped for more.
I don't know why a few of you maintain this holier than thou attitude. I readily admit I have no idea about AAR, but given that the civvies would seemingly not be doing it, what difference does it make? And why are you so insistent that it would forever be out of the civvies' learning ability? Were you born with some special insight into AAR, or was it taught to you? Why would it be so impossible for civvy pilots to do the AAR course, hypothetically? Some might not be up to it, granted, but to make the statement that none of them would be capable is ridiculous. I fly with plenty of ex-military pilots, and their quality and capacities are as variable as the rest. Being RAF is not as much of a guarantee of ability as a few of you would like to believe. I'm not one of those military pilot haters at all, like so many airline management pilots are - I have plenty of respect for you all, having started down that route myself, but you really need to lose that superiority complex as it will stuff you after you leave the service.