The AEF

[hoey5o]

Why will the Airforce not let experienced professional pilots from the outside help out in the AEfs ?
A friend of mine spent 3 years in a UAS completed the syllabus and greatly impressed with his flying. Was then sponsored to become an instructor in civy world teaching flying scholarship cadets and to cut along story short has been flying jets with BA now for over 5 years.
With around 4000hrs (1000hrs piston) he wanted to offer his services to the local AEF.
The squadron boss is utterley dismayed as he is short of pilots and considers this guy (along with the RAF) to more than tick all the boxes.
The problem ? He is in civy world and did not get airforce wings.
The airforce have even said they would take him without wings if he could be full time. Give up BA ?
Why do the Airforce prefer student pilots with 200hrs (if that) to fly in the AEF, just because they are "fulltime" ?

[FFP]

Don't know where you get 200hrs from.

It's 500hrs P1 with Wings (Any service I think but could be wrong)

[Triple Hooked]

From what you say he sounds like the lord Allah himself in the cockpit - with the blessed touch of Jesus on the controls.

He may be the best pilot in the world. But we don't let just anyone near military aircraft, on military bases, in close proximity to young people who the military have resposibility for, (the Cadets).

Has he ever been security cleared?

There is a process involved here - let him use it.

[Hummingfrog]

This must be a wind up by h5o. What does he think AEFs are for? They are certainly not for pilots who think that they have a right to join just because they have some experience.

I do not know of any AEF that has a shortage of applicants from the services. My AEF has a waiting list and most of us are VERY experienced ex military pilots from many different roles not 200hr wishful thinkers.

The AEFs are there to encourage cadets to be interested in the RAF either as a career or as a supporter from civilian life. The cadets are inquisitive and want to know what your experiences have been within the RAF. How will a civvy answer that?

AEF pilots give up their free time to try and infuse cadets with the love of flying that all of us have. There is nothing more rewarding than taking a nervous cadet on his first flight and returning him/her to the ground no longer nervous and with a big grin on their face, looking forward to their next flight. It is not a club for "posers"

HF

(the only full time member is the Boss)