Fighting Apache?

[The Bonk]

I do not mean this to be contentious, but all I hear is QHI's banging on about 'flying the AH'! Does anyone have any news on fighting the system.....gunnery, EW/HIDAS and tactical employment?

As a non-QHI I have been waiting for ages for a career/vocation along the lines of a QHTI/proper HWI or EWI....but so far I have heard nothing but QHIs getting the promotions and all the good jobs.

Power, attitude, trim and ball in the middle (or fly accurately and lookout jim!) surely aren't the way that the Corps is going to do business.....is it? An example, numerous QHIs have picked up their commissions but the most qualified EW pilot in the Corps doesn't even get an extension.

I am still hanging in there (but the crew room all think that it is pie in the sky and QHIs will always rule the roost in the AAC)

I don't want to leave, but the thought of being a QHI bores me to tears (sorry...essential job I know....but also dull in MHO!) Whereas Spadeadam, Fighter Evasion, COMAO's etc etc....now that flicks my switch. On visits to other Services the HWI/QHTI or tactics blokey (sorry whatever he is called in the RN!) seems to have the same career/qudos as a QHI....and on the fast jet Sqns the QWI outweighs the QFI I believe? Why haven't we cottoned onto this yet and still expect our QHIs to do the whole thing (jack of all trades, master of none instantly springs to mind!)

Any news or am I just being dull.... :confused:

[ChristopherRobin]

They're incredibly short of QHIs and need more - they will need more QHTIs and EWIs, but they just don't realise it yet. How to solve this problem?

Take all the officers out of the staff jobs that have absolutely nothing to do with aviation and use them as the resource they are - pilots. Anyone can do SO2 Cake and Arse, it doesn't take a highly qualified person losing their highly perishable skills to do it.

Don't want to be a QHI? Neither did I - but after trying a year at a desk I'd even fly a gazelle, I'm that desperate. QHI? No problem matey!

But you have a very good point, Bonk, just don't expect Wallop to even care - they appear to be overwhelmed with simply getting people qualified on the system, and I think they will worry about fighting it later. My advice? Take whatever you can get m8! And be happy!

[BEagle]

First convince Bwigadier Sir Awfully-nice-but-I'd-weally-wather-be-on-a-horse that this potent assault aircraft is rather more than a 3-dimensional 'Wange-wover'! Then explain in 'vewwy simple-soldier chappie' terms why it's vital that tactical and EW expertise is applied to this modern weapon system.

Best of luck - you'll need it!!

[The Bonk]

Cheers Beags...I'm inbound to his office right now! I doubt if he would have a Scooby-Doo what I was talking about....but someone said that when he was at JHC he visted the crab QHTI course, so maybe there is hope for us 'second class citizens' that try and help keep a tactical edge on this Army Aviation business!

[ 28 November 2001: Message edited by: The Bonk ]

[ChristopherRobin]

Actually, reference my above post - I take it back, or at least I would publicy very much like to tone it down. Why?

Since posting that a few days ago, I went to a brief where DAAvn got all the Captains together to tell them on what was happening and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what was said. Tactics have actually received a huge amount of attention, judging by the BFO manual that was presented. The lack of flying was acknowledged, as was the inexperience of future and current Sqn commanders (a particular concern of mine). An invidious situation that is v hard to rectify due to the spare parts supply chain etc.

REWOs/TIs/WEOs will be on a par with Ops officers, and there will be a career structure leading to these posts other than the current situation of "QHIs and everyone else".

There will be no spec aircrew for officers and that's that. No one is more gutted than me, but I can't help but to be pleased with what else was said, despite my cynical nature.

Groundcrew are going to receive some well-deserved attention that I reckon will make it a pretty attractive job for a young soldier rather than being just a 'bowser mong'.

It actually seems like the Corps just might be growing up!

This was, I think, an example of what can be achieved when there is a bit of internal communication, and I would be interested to hear, Bonk, if you get any of this disemminated to you at your unit, because ther is more stuff which for obvious reasons I cannot go into here. Do you receive, for instance, the 'DAAvn Monthly review'? - an electronic document which could be printed off and put around the Sqns if people where arsed, which gives a cheap'n'cheerful rundown on what's going down in the corps? - No? well you should.

I learned more about what the goddam hell is going on in a couple of hours yesterday than I heard in the last 3 years.

So - AAC - Top marks for the work done so far, Sorry for being a bit harsh.
Internal communication - could do better. Nice to see it at last, let's get it down to the troops.

Oh and Beags, one point that was made that I have to agree with: although Apache is orders of magnitude more capable than anything we have had thus far, the Army still has 25 years on the RAF when it comes to helicopter anti-tank tactics.

Take your point on EW though.

[The Bonk]

Christopher Robin,

I am now in the know and have been fully informed 'off line' thanks. Okay, so I got it wrong....but how are we to know? I hate humble pie.....yuk!

I could just delete topic, but CR good example set in owning up to either being wrong or going off at at Tangent!

P.S. Are you really gay as DK from Liverpool suggests? Joke....lets not go there!

[ChristopherRobin]

???? who from where???

Well no, not wrong, just mis-informed as I was. like I say, internal communication - which has obviously started to improve - helps, doesn't it?

Just so long as they don't go too far the other way and start spin-doctoring....

Of course you realise that this means we'll be scabbling around for a few days for something to whinge about doesn't it. Whaddya say we go and take the pi$$ out of the crabs again, for old times' sake?

[The Bonk]

CR,

Only joking! Obviously Donkey Penis (DK) (Beag's nick name...not mine....but a good one!) little snipe went unnoticed by you. Over on the Christianity-More thread.

[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: The Bonk ]

[Marco]

If you lot let the "Auster Brigade" get involved in AH then shame on you. The USMC have long had expertise in this field by training people to be WTI's. It is a very extensive course and just what the AAC needs to bring it up to date. If you keep on letting the APT fraternity rule you tactically then you'll get all you deserve. Yes, I'm an ex QHI, in case you comment.