Latest Retention Plan

[Pete O'Heater]

I heard yesterday that the MOD are seriously considering a top rate pay scale of 77K BUT to be eligible a pilot must agree to be part of a Joint Services Pilot Scheme. The idea is (for example) that RAF pilots could be transferred to Army or Navy pilot jobs. I suspect the thinking is that spreading available pilots across the services will enable the largest problem areas to be targetted from a 'pool' of resources :eek:

[ChristopherRobin]

Sounds great! Where and how soon can I sign up?

[Ed Winchester]

I'll have some of that!
http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/smokin.gif

[ 19 July 2001: Message edited by: Ed Winchester ]

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I'll believe it when I see it!! :D

[Flying_Padre]

Sounds like a plan made in heaven........

However, will the NCO mafia be allowed to venture beyond the pale or will it be only for commissioned types..........hmmmmmmmm.

I've been told that a cross over scheme has worked quite well across in the Emerald Toilet? ;)

[Sloppy Link]

I can see it now....crusty old Warrant Officer Pilot on exchange with thrusting sideways walker type unit. Would test both parties patience to the full. After the debacle of the FRI and their reluctant agreement to pay it to Crusty NCO's, I can only see this working in the Officers Mess and as such it will be cleverly marketed to exclude the NCO pool of experience. If the other services are as short of pilots as is believed and the Army is fairly flush (quote from Geoff Hoon three months ago and regularly quoted from MCM Div) then why not spread the resources? Because snobbery is always correct and must never allow common sense to prevail. Bah!

Yours cynically

[ChristopherRobin]

...and where do you think the Air Corps will get the officers from?

Will the RAF/RN swoop down to rescue them from a life of serfdom and drudgery beneath the desk-job jackboot?

..."look up in the sky! - is it a bird? is it a plane?..." no it's another pile of crappy paperwork that has nothing to do with the job we spent buckets of cash training you to do.

- no release from paper purgatory for these poor souls who have had their roles as aviators prematurely jacked out from underneath them.

...So it'll have to be the NCOs, if swapsies are on the cards, and good luck to them too. If the other services cold-shoulder them then it will be to their unknown regret and historical shame.

These are revolutionary times we live in and people should approach them in revolutionary ways, not blinker things out.

When the chips are down we're supposed to be the best in the world in coming up with the solution. Does it not make sense if the Army has many and the RAF has few, then a reallocation of resources to tip the scales is appropriate?

I reckon there are at least 40 or 50 officers between the age of 27 and 34 who are shuffling paper from one end of the desk to another and who could be more gainfully employed as pilots. What the hell else do they get their flying pay for?

But no. They're doing jobs that any other pencil-neck would be glad to do and get paid less for it, and will the Army see? Can they? Are they so blind???

God help us I hope for not much longer. I for one am getting hacked off at wistfully remembering my flying days when I am not even out of my twenties. I'm happy to do a desk job in civvy street for more money, but not in the Army for less - I joined the Army to do stuff that's worth getting messed about for. Take that away, and the talk turns to walk.

Spill the AAC pilots around, NCOs and Officers both - it will do everyone good and no one any harm...

...except the civilian job market.

[EmpireOne]

Hahaa, go for the throat CR. After our recent discussions I couldn't agree with you more. I can't tell you how much I'm relishing the thought of spending the next half a decade sitting at a desk watching other people fly. That's if I make it that far!!!!!! :rolleyes:

[ChristopherRobin]

Hello mate! Did you get those emails? And are you currently resident england at the minute?

[EmpireOne]

CR,

No I'm not back in the motherland yet but will be at the end of next month. Thanks for your e-mails (and same to you poorpongo). Sorry I haven't replied yet but I am formulating a response for both of you. I've just been a bit busy over the last fortnight; how does driving 6000km in two weeks sound?
Anyway, I promise (cross my heart, cubs honour and all that stuff) I'll reply in full soon. Hope you're not too glum whilst wistfully looking out the window. :cool:

EO

[BEagle]

Lord Flash - with a little retraining and education, I'm sure that the untermensch of whom you speak might make adequate cabin supervisors.

One couldn't possibly accept some horse-corporal or the like on one's flight deck. Dear me, no!!

[Flatus Veteranus]

OK, so I'm senile and paranoid, but the plot seems obvious to me. The truckies and tankers will be handed over to Richard Branson (whom Tony loves). FT will be contracted out to the Oxford School of Aviation (if it still exists; it would at least be superior to a Cambridge School). There will be a "pool" of FJ and chopper-wallahs. After a bit we put the "pooled" aircrew into some sh*t-coloured uniform, give them army-style ranks, and Bingo!, the RAF has disappeared.

I am only half-kidding. It was being discussed at MOD ten years ago ( I heard it from a very senior civil servant)that the RAF promotion system was not producing the goods at the highest ranks, and nothing I have read on Pprune over the last year suggests that things have improved. How long since the RAF has provided an effective CDS (except in bed)? The influential broadsheet newspapers do not have enyone on their editorial staffs who has the slightest interest in or knowledge of military aviation. The Times recently published a provocative letter from a "retired Lieutenant RN" questioning the further need for an RAF. This was probably a kite being flown by the admiralty. Some Air Marshals better be showing some balls (sorry, genitalia) soon , or its "last man out turn out the lights!"