Apologies suppose I am stating the obvious.
It isn't just the size of the industry it is a point I made earlier, in the US dual qualified pilots / Engineers seems to be encouraged. Where as my experience of holding dual qualifications in the UK has generally been quite negative.
In my previous contract I was speaking to a Engineer who was cleared for test flying a citation, although he was only cleared for system / avionics tests, it was still the case his company had helped him obtain the flying experience and gain the approvals from the FAA to do this. He was from a pure civil trained flight background and flight hours less than 2000.
That would never happen in the UK.
Even Michael Alsbury of the tragic Space Ship Two incident was an Aero Graduate with a Civil Flight training background, and not a trace of military fast jet experience.
So it just highlights the contrast in attitude between the UK and the US.