Waddington airshow
Having just been to one of UK's largest airshows, I feel I must comment on a couple of things. I felt the Airshow was really good concerning the flying display and organisation. Top notch. In this day and age of op commitments and lack of resources, the guys really pulled it out of the bag. Absolutely no complaints there. The one thing I have a bag on about is the standard of some of the personnel who attended. I feel that witnessing RAF aircrew walking around the general public with flying suit sleeves rolled up, wearing any description of sunglasses and having hands in pockets puts across a negative image of our Air Force. Very American. I feel that the public expects a higher standard of our armed forces when on public display. Something that the younger members seem to have no idea about. The trouble is I also witnessed ranks above Sqn Ldr who had no regard for there own turn out. Flying suits that had just been removed from there packing from flying clothing which looked like a bag of crisps. I'm not asking for Pirbright standards but basic military bearing in the public eye is not being overly facist!
When at an airshow, we all like to wear a grow bag with lots of badges but I feel it sets a bad example to the public when we look a bag of ****e. I even had to reprimand a couple of Cranditz types who felt it necessary to wear a flying suit with more badges on than Tom Cruise that last saw an iron in 1982. To add insult to injury, they were openly smoking and showing 'public displays of affection'. Who is their Flt commander?
I was in civvies for the event but when I suggested that they might not be putting across an altogether good impression in front of the civvies, I got a rebuke of 'wind your neck in civpop, we are FJ pilots'. Even when I revealed my identity, they showed little understanding of the RAF rank system! Now those that know me would agree that I'm not a bull5hit merchant and I'm not the smartest person in a flying suit but, on the rare occasions we present ourselves to the public, we need to ensure that we don't look like a bunch of plane spotters!
As a postscript, I chatted to a few of the army types and felt that they’re bearing and turn out to be exemplary. I spoke to a corporal pilot and his persona displayed nothing short of utmost professionalism. These people actually walked around the show with their berets on and saluted commissioned officers! Even in front of the plebeians! This is what the civvies want. If we want to ensure we have an air force, we have to appear to be different from the masses.
AMC@JHC