Pilot retention.......Fact or Fiction

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Lets do a bit of "baldrick" research here and try and establish if there is actually a problem in this area. The scuttlebut on the new "electric herc" sqn is that post Sep 11, no surprises there!!, the civvy market has pretty well dried up and I know of only one pilot who was going to a comfy seat in a shiney jet but has since been knocked back. He has, funny old thing - but he also has bills to pay, had a change of heart and is now staying but he freely admits he would be off tomorrow if the oppertunity should knock. . .. .If like me you can look at your sqn "boards" and come up with figures like "just short of 40 captains of whom several are left/right seat qual'd"...just over 30 co's and just under 30 ALM's you have to wonder if there is an actuall problem out there at all. Especially as with over 50 pax you need 2 ALM's on Albert it's not hard to work out where the limiting factor is at my coal face. Or is the current retention solving measure sympamatic of most service decisions? ie :- simply a couple of years to late?. .. .So if your are disillusioned at listening to the two winged master race continually harp on about how their 30/40/50k is going to clear the mortgage or buy a new fanny magnet etc etc whilst you have to sit there feeling, once again, betrayed by your superiors start appending rough figures to this new topic. Who knows with enough good gen I may take "flaps" advice and put pen to paper.. .. .Nice to see some Post Office bosses taking the decision to decline their 10% pay award in recognition of the poor performance of the company.....wonder if any of our lords and masters are considering the same?. .. .Happy Herc Mate. .. .all spelling mistakes are alcohol induced. . . . <small>[ 06 March 2002, 14:29: Message edited by: Always_broken_in_wilts ]</small>

[Chicken Leg]

Chips and shoulders or what? . .. .How long and how much does it cost to train an ALM compared to a member of "Two Winged Master Race"? Answer that and you'll realise why they are so keen to keep us. The civvy market will pick up soon enough, everyone excepts that, and when it does plenty will exercise their right to leave. And why not. If pilots think that they can get a better life elsewhere then why do the non pilot types get so excited about it. The Army, Navy, Air Force, its only a job. I show as much loyalty as I recieve..............in other words, not much.

[The Gorilla]

Chicken. .Absolutely right!. .It's just a job!! and as my employment solicitor said late last year. As difficult as it is for us to leave, so it is just as difficult for the MOD to get rid of us.. .. .As I am saying to every one here, don't get mad - get even. If it suits Pilots to leave, fine. I am going to do what suits me!!

[cheapseat]

Chicken Leg. .. .I came to the Royal Air Force 19 years ago and upon realising the challenges and shear joy of flying (I joined for the Marine Support Craft as I was a marine engineer) I remusterd to aircrew, which was two years too late to become a pilot however the RAF took pity on me and let me fly as an ALM. I OWE the RAF the time and money spent on not just my flying but also my leadership training. I accept that my training was a drop in the ocean in comparison to your extensive and lengthy training to become a pilot. But is that the point I wonder? I was not born an Air Load Master, as you were not a pilot. The Royal Air Force made us both what we are now. I still serve the RAF however comments like “The Army, Navy, Air Force, its only a job. I show as much loyalty as I receive..............in other words, not much.” Only serve to make me wonder why I bother.. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Vinegar with my chips please,. .. .Chicken and Gorilla sorry if you got the impression I was having a dig at pilots in general as I am not. I was merely trying to find out, and i am serious about trying to use any info gathered here, if there is a genuine shortage of "drivers airframe" out there. If you look at the numbers I quote you must be able to see why I am feeling somewhat irked with regards to the latest financial deal. . .. .I aggree with your sentiment with regard to loyalty, as having completed almost 28 years in the mob I have finally come to the conclusion that this is the last "life style" on earth I would wish for my son and daughter, a very sad indictment of todays airforce.. .. .I do sincerely hope that pilots "walk in droves" once the market picks up, if I was lucky, clever, intelligent enough to be a pilot I would have f%$£ed off years ago. . .. .Like gorilla says I am not getting mad, but I am trying to get even and if as I suspect the "shortage" being addressed here is one that was around a couple of years ago why is all this money being paid out now.. .. .Cheapseat and I are now wondering why we bother, I have lost all faith in a system I have believed in for years. I do not want parity as some of my fellow AA's would ask for all I want is a fair deal and it seems to me I am not getting it, hence this attempt to gather some ammo. . .. .Happy Herc Mate, ish!!. .. .all spelling mistakes are alcohol indiced. . . . <small>[ 11 March 2002, 01:02: Message edited by: Always_broken_in_wilts ]</small>