PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Fast jets flown by non-military pilots. Is it safe?
Old 7th Aug 2003, 19:07
  #25 (permalink)  
Megaton
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
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Gasax,

Firstly, I am not an RAF pilot, fast jet or otherwise, so before you think i have an axe to grind, I don't!

However, in contrast to almost all of the civilian world, all RAF pilots are selected as such. Once they have passed extremely tough selection criterion they then have to make it past officer training. If successful at Cranwell, they then have to succeed at basic flying training on the Tucano where virtually every trip is an effective chop-ride. If they do well on Tucano they might, if they're lucky, get a posting to valley to fly the Hawk. If they are sufficiently good to graduate from 19 and 208 Sqn they will then get posted to a FJ OCU. If they pass the OCU they'll get posted to a sqn...where they can and do still chop people.

Point to all this is that for someone to reach the point where they have successfully completed a tour as a fast jet pilot they have jumped through more hurdles and shown more determination than you can obviusly comprehend. They are undoubtedly pleased with themselves but I think you would be too if you'd got that far. Perhaps some exhibit more machismo than others but fast jet flying is to train men and women for combat where aggression wins.

You sound as though you've had a bitter experience but I think fast jet pilots have more intellect, skill and determination than you give them credit.

If I've bitten a rather large, baited hook then I'm more stupid than I thought. If yours was a genuine post then I suggest that you ought to find out more about the RAF FJ world before offering quite ill-informed opinions.
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