Airtanker reservist pilots

[cessnapete]

BEagle

I'm sure you know that there are RAF AT co-pilots who have successfully converted to type with about 200 hours total time, straight off their King Air wings course.
They have been role trained for both Transport and AAR over the first year or two of their Squadron careers.

The A330 will be an easier a/c to operate in these roles due to its state of the art electronics and handling, over the present 'clockwork cockpit'.

The biggest problem seems to be keeping role recency and flying hours up in the present circumstances on the AT/AAR fleet. Only two main destinations, and much unserviceability, requiring local base flying, and empty aircraft European crew training flights for recency.

Civilian A330 pilots would normally get at least 600 hours a year airline time to multiple destinations..
AirTanker are going to have to work with Military crews some at present getting less than half that yearly experience.

Any 'civilian' Air Tanker crews would have to operate to JAA rules with ATPL licences and crewed separately from the military flying. An expensive set up compared to the RAF, as civilian salaries for these types would have be well in excess of £65000 for a Capt. to tempt pilots from an airline.

A joint crewing with RAF crews studying and obtaining the civilian licences in RAF time to operate the A330, would probably mean RAF career retention problems!!