Instead of a dedicated Refresher Flying Unit for Fixed Wing aircraft the RAF ended up with a total hotchpotch of different "solutions" and a far lower standard of training.
The JPs eventually ended up at Church Fenton as Refresher Flying Squadron (RFS). When I came off a ground tour in the 80s I worked out that I met the criteria for refresher flying.
Phoned desk officer:
DO "But you are going back onto a type you've flown before"
Me "I qualify and I would like some refreshing"
DO "Alright, but you'll have to organise it yourself, do you have any mates who are running a UAS?"!!
Me "Fine"
Contacted Jetstream Sqn at FY:
Me "Can you fit me in for a ME refresher please?"
JS "As you haven't flown the Jetstream that will be 2 weeks groundschool, plus another week refresher groundschool and 4 weeks to do the flying"
ME "I want fly it, not build it and I have two weeks max available, thanks"
Contacted RFS at Church Fenton:
Me "Can you fit me in for some refreshing please? I only have two weeks available"
RFS: "Yes, when do you want come and what do you need to do?"
I then had two separate weeks at CF, a day of groundschool and a dinghy drill next morning followed by as much flying as I could manage. Excellent way to blow away the cobwebs after a ground tour.
YS