JEFTS Church Fenton to close

[Ace Garp]

It would appear that the JEFTS squadron at RAF Church Fenton will cease to exist in mid-2003. Powers that be seem to think that there's no longer a requirement for that particular setup although the Barkston Heath organisation may continue. A great pity in my opinion and slightly puzzling when you think about proposed civilianisation of military flying training under MFTS.

[Muff Coupling]

Ace,

I also heard strong rumour that the whole JEFTS thing will fold in 2006!

[bad livin']

Well...can't see there being too many bodies that will miss the boneshaking ride from LOO every morning at 07.20. CFN is crumbling...but a good RLG for the Tucs etc. Is there capacity at Leeming or, dare I suggest it, LOO? A bike ride or walk in the morning would be soooo much nicer..! Perhaps moving futher north or south of the vale might be relieve some of the squeeze...

If there's space to consolidate somewhere more humane, I'm totally for it...especially if it saves future studes the Sintra ride of ultimate terror each day...although getting airborne over the humpbacked bridge with 6 POB was a challenge.

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

Can anyone advise me as to a pilots career path post IOT.
I have just been accepted as pilot (hopefully start IOT June), but can not find out anything about JEFTS. I have tried the RAF, RAF careers and the Cranwell College websites but cant find a thing :confused: Any other suggestions as to where to look?

[STANDTO]

Blimey. Do you know exactly what you are getting in to?

The RAF could always recommandeer Jurby on the IOM. Its like Valley, only even further away from civilisation. Distractions to a minimum, lots of sea to fly over, friendly natives, cheap beer. Just the ticket for JEFTS. If they let you take advantage of the lower tax as well you'd be quids in.

[Axel-Flo]

A.P
How on earth did you manage to convince the crowd at DORIS to offer you a guarenteed window seat (on successful completion of training) in one of Her Majesties aeroplanes with absolutley no knowledge of what training you were anticipating. :cool:

[bad livin']

AP - also staggered that you don't already know this, but here goes. Post IOT, there will likely be a period of time before your course starts. You're likely to "hold" at another station / sqn till it does, and will be asked any preferences as to where you'd like to do this at IOT. These preferences may or may not be ignored, depending on where in the alphabet your surname lies, whether there's a Y in the day name, etc.

After this you'll go back to RAFC and move into Daedalus Officers' Mess. You'll carry out approximately 6 weeks of ground school in a range of subjects, the last of which will be a good fun week at an outdoor centre somewhere. You'll then move up to Linton on Ouse and start flying a day or two later (from RAF Church Fenton, a rattly bus ride away each morning), depending on the weather and how busy they are - most of us waited nearly two weeks for our first trips. You'll conduct about 62 hrs of flying training culminating in your Final Handling Test, a consolidation of all you've learned. After that you'll be "streamed" and progress from there to Shawbury for Rotary, Cranwell again for MELIN then METS, or Linton for BFJT on the mighty Tucano.

Advice - worry about one day at a time, and the streaming will take care of itself. York is a rude night out as you'll discover. Enjoy! You've just gained entry to the best time of your life.

BL

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

Thanks BL, exactly the information I was after. CHEERS! And your advice is taken on board.

Axel
Rest assured I most certainly didin't have "absolutely no knowledge" of the training ahead, I was just after more of the specifics which have proved hard to find. All part and parcel of not being able to pop down to the local careers office I guess.
How did I convince the crowd at DORIS? Well lets just say that flying 15000 miles to attend OASC at ones own expense goes along way to showing the sort of dedication required to make it as a pilot and officer (or at least I hope so!).

Once again, thanks for your help guys. :)

[stevenlamb77]

Oh God! not more Australians coming to loaf around the crewroom doing cock-all until Happy Hour rolls around. Its starting to look like Murials Wedding round here!:eek:

[Art Field]

Looks to me that one Brit could spend a couple of minutes studying an atlas. Hope he has a Nav with him when he flies.

[STANDTO]

Daedalus was used for recourse IOT dudes in my day
then again. petrol was only 30 p a litre and the morris dancers were real men in the Bustard Arms

[DB6]

It will be interesting to see if the UASs can cope with the extra load when we go; there have been adverts in Flight for military qualified civvy FIs for a bunch called Contractair - hmmm, wonder who they're working for? It will be a pity as the Firefly is a cracking aircraft and made in Britain as well. Still, it must be for the good of the RAF, and nothing to do with counting beans or politics, eh?

[Chilli Monster]

So the big question that has to be asked is this:

Is the Air Officer who suggested that the UAS's can carry the load that JEFTS is doing at the moment inline for a seat on the board at VT Aerospace?

What about the UAS's where there is no military accomodation? I've heard "B&B'ing it" even mentioned.

What a farce! Another empire builder thinking of himself, not the good of the force.

CM

[bluntie]

The running of the whole RAF has become a farce, or isn't it obvious yet?. Their airships are feathering their own nests prior to b*ggering off into civvy street and sod the future of the RAF. Time to go methinks.

:(

[bad livin']

With respect to the above, I have several friends from RAF days who stated that had it not been for the SHAR fiasco they'd happily have transferred to a darker uniform.

[DB6]

Confirmed yesterday that JEFTS Church Fenton will disband early next July, with the task supposedly to be taken up by expanding UAS DE flights. JEFTS Navy and Army training will continue at Barkston Heath, Middle Wallop etc.
Bollocks:( .

[BEagle]

But will the plastic pig be cleared to fly in IMC by then?

Perhaps we'll have more RAF QFIs from all the surplus C130K crews and co-pilots coming to the end of their tours with no captaincy vacancies in their fleet? Less FTRS/civvie pilots and military teaching the miltary instead............?

[teeteringhead]

BEags

Or maybe worse than "no captaincy vacancies", more like "not up to captain yet, best send him to CFS!". Shades of the Valiant wingspar saga, when some very iffy cos finished up at Rissy. (Blimey - that dates me!);)

[DB6]

BEagle, the stealth Grob has been cleared after a mod, which is being implemented on a rolling basis. There is one at Fenton which is much in demand with the others to follow as kits become available.
If you can, try and get a look at the last CFS report on JEFTS Church Fenton. Then talk to me about civvy pilots and military ethos :p .

[BEagle]

DB6 - the availability of more RAF QFIs is all that I meant. No reflection on the 'military ethos' of civil FIs.

[AllTrimDoubt]

BEagle

Same vein - if you manage to read the last few CFS reports on Barkston Heath you'll see no problems military ethos. There ARE more mil QFI's on the plot there now with plans to do even more. But the "civvies" there are doing a top job.

(Happy to respond to e-mail if you need more info!)

[canberra]

why does this not suprise me? i would love to know why jefts was put at barkston. i worked in the tower at cranwell and was ic barkston for a spell. most of us at cranwell were gobsmacked when they decided to move jefts to barkston. anyone noticed how bad the weather is at barkston in the winter, mind you it can be bad in the summer! if the raf is going to have de flights on the uas , what about accomodation at places like glasgow and woodvale? someone has mentioned b&b but id reckon they could use service accom, glasgow at faslane, woodvale at altcar camp. or are they only going to use uas's at established units. somehow i cant see ab initio studs mixing that well with f3s in the vt at leuchars, yes i know they already have studs at leuchars but more of them along with f3 studs from next year, not a good idea in my opinion.

[Audax]

Also BEagle, get your hands on the last CFS report on Linton and see how they valued the 'civvys' and FTRS.

[DB6]

The last JEFTS instructional flight from Church Fenton was flown yesterday and the aircraft will be put in storage tomorrow. Great while it lasted :D , just the hoolie on Friday to go I suppose :E . Anyone want to buy some Fireflies? Anyone rich want to buy one for me to take away :ok: .