Pheasnt
The military have been doing TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) for years. If you work late into the evening (say 2030hrs) then you won't be expected to pitch in for 0730hrs met brief. Likewise if you work a Saturday or Sunday, you may well be told not to report for duty on a Monday. Yes, they could order you to work 7 days a week - but if this happened week in, week out, without a very good reason we would not have much of a military left!!!
My BBMF time was a secondary duty (and a bloody good one as well!); it was commented on in my annual report just like the Mess Sec, OIC Underwater Basket Weaving and the Wednesday afternoon Station Golf Team players. I was not required for duty when I flew - ie. I was not sat in the QRA shed or instructing some poor sod in a Tornado. The only full-time aircrew on the BBMF at that time was the OC and a FTRS OpsO - the rest of us all gave our time for
free. I was not paid for flying on the BBMF, I was not posted onto their strength and I was being paid for my primary duty as a Tornado instructor. The ground crew were full time (some Regular some Reserve). I seem to remember that we cost ~10-20% of the cost of the Reds and flew about 200% more air displays (this may be different now).
Anyway, back to the thread. It was a great shame about the Sea Fury - even with hindsight it was really bad luck and the pilot did a good job of putting her down as gently as he could on unlocked gear. I absolutely refute the previous poster's comments about the professionalism of the RNHF. I hope that the Fury is back up before too long (I did meet the CAA surveying team and they thought she was repairable - happy days!
).
LJ