Pontius - intrigued to know quite why you think an A2 QFI category is 'great for a free ticket from the CAA'? Yes - once there was a route for military QFIs to Civil FI with little pain save a (then) 1179, FI test and ATPL-level Air Law; however, most QFIs were too lazy to bother and this route was stopped. Rather a shame - I did it and have enjoyed instructing/examining in my spare time ever since. Interestingly, most airline recruiting 'insiders' have told me that evidence of FW instructing ability is
a definite plus; a definite minus is thinking that the world owes you a living because you used to be the ace of the base on FJ, RW or anything else. Calm, safe ex co-pilots are less of a problem to them than some other ex-mil pilots. Particularly those who drone on about 'cap badges', 'crabs', 'fish heads' or other such pointless division.
Incidentally, it was a lawyer who advised me that 'age alone' may no longer be used as a discriminator - ability is the sole criterion. I've no interest in flying odious lager-louts to Oybeetha myself, so my comments are not specific to any future aspirations I may or may not have.
PS - it wasn't 'total time' I was quoting, merely 4-jet command time.
[This message has been edited by BEagle (edited 18 April 2001).]