And here we go again
No real story here......we have always known that the recent pilot redundancies will result in a farce for the MoD. At least we have kept the FRI (as the RN have put their's on hold) as sadly this is exactly where we will be again in a couple of years, more FRIs or scrabbling around to keep our experience from haemorrhaging to the airlines.
Does AMP get it yet-800 BA pilots, 400 ab initios with 400 from RAF/RN and other sources. Let's assume that the not all 400 will come from RAF/RN, but from other airlines providing BA with a ready pool of pilots - the Virgin, Monarch, Easy Jets will soon mop up the remaining RAF/RN aircrews, especially as the recent Air France airspeed blockage/stall is allegedly citing basic aircrew flying experience (rather than over reliance on automation) as a possible contributory factor-making the military training not only more cost effective for the airlines, but also aware that automation comes after many hours of rudimentary flying skills (regularly practiced).
We will always get the young kids through the door, keen as mustard, but however much the MoD attempts to run the RAF like a business it will always be out done by the more dynamic and true strategic HR planning found in the airline industry.
It will be our experience that will suffer, and in comparison to the private sector we are well and truly shooting ourselves in the feet as we erode service life that balance the pure financial incentives offered by the private sector. The 2000 hour plus, QHI/QFI/QWI/QHTI 3rd tour plus, married with working wife, couple of kids, 30-45......these are the ones that will just do a simple cost v life comparison and walk into very open (and increasingly accessible) airline arms.
The airlines managed to absorb the recession and plan for growth in a approximately 2-3 year timeframe. The MoD will be still be trying to sort it's short term, cost driven cutting activities for many years ahead. Hopefully those drawing parallels to the 1930s depression/recession are wrong, as otherwise the way Defence is going we will be in the same as 1936-which wasn't a good place, and this time we will not have the US to come to the rescue as they will be just as screwed as us.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 14th Aug 2011 at 06:50.