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Old 21st Jul 2012, 23:40
  #39 (permalink)  
Lima Juliet
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 4,336
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These days it takes 103 weeks to train a FJ Pilot to the input standard for a FJ OCU. For a WSOp Linguist it takes 95 weeks (including the 72 week language school), 40 weeks for a Multi-Eng Crewman and 65 weeks for a Rotary-Wing Crewman - all graduate as WSOps and go direct to OCU after these times.

So in aircrew trg time, the Pilots take 30-40 weeks longer than most WSOps and even WSOp Linguists who have to complete a 72 week Defence Language School course as part of their 95 weeks.

As Biggus said earlier, it takes longer to train "front end" crew than "rear end" crew - sadly the "front end" navs are now drying up and I suspect that at some point in the future we will relearn the exceptional value of a 2-man crew in a high-end threat saturated combat environment. But for now we are going back towards single seat ops on our FJ fleets for the foreseeable future.

LJ
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