Large Influx of Military Pilots ?
 

Following the defense review. Are we to expect a large influx of military pilots looking for work in the civil market?

If so what do the panel think the possible consiquences will be ?

Moustaches.

Lots of moustaches.

Influx to where exactly? to join the ranks of unemployed pilots from a myriad of backgrounds/experience levels? P2F - I don't think so, not ex-mil who've had HM pay for everything so far. They'll be hanging on by their finger tips until they have a nailed on 'in' from a mate in a well paid/nice terms outfit (if that exists!). And they'll most likely get large pay offs. :E:E

Chips on shoulders here I think..

Waco - you bet. Got to pay the mortgage somehow.

We'll promise not to polish our Campaign Medals in front of you!;)

Or comb our 'taches.:ok:

I would have thought beards would be in the offing too given several of those soon to be unemployed will be WAFUs as well as crabs...

Care to explain what you're talking about?

Torque, how do you explain nonsense?!

That's what I was thinking but I thought I'd await an elaboration before going off on one.

This could be further bad news for the wannabes - just as there is a glimmer of the jobs market beginning to improve, experienced military pilots are going to be leaving in droves and sniffing after those few jobs. Those who are appropriately qualified already are probably going to be further up the CV pile than 200hr ab-initios. There are a lot of concerned military pilots with strong CVs who will be looking to the airlines for future employment (and I know a lot who are getting there CPLs right now so they're hot to trot when the axe falls). I dare say that even in the pay-for-your-type-rating airlines, cadets could start to feel competition for slots coming from this direction.

Whatever his initial comments were about - this last post from SA isn't wrong - as an ex-mil now commercial airline pilot myself I can concur that, for many of the airlines who employ a large amount of pilots in the UK, experience is considered a liability rather than an asset. Experienced pilots - be they ex-mil or civvies - are not considered cost effective; decades of safety cultures where experience was sought-after have generally been dropped in favour of cheap, happy to pay youngsters who are so desperate to climb into the right hand seat of a Boeing or Airbus that they will not only pay for their own type ratings up front - but will then pay to fly paying passengers for the first few hundred hours and subsequently work for next to nothing just to keep flying. The accountants think this is a blessing and obviously have greater say than the flight safety departments at each airline.

I think when many military pilots do leave they may well find the reception not as welcoming as they would have done 5 years ago. There maybe some companies where this is not the case - but even BA are currently not looking to re-start the RAFCARS scheme. NetJets was one employer who did seem to like ex mil - but with their somewhat exuberant recruitment drive of 2 years ago - and sudden drawdown - I can't see them taking on pilots for a good 4-5 years.

This is not in any way a great situation - most military pilots do actually go down very well in civvy street - despite the odd prat who thinks he knows it all when he arrives - and the experience we bring - as long as we realise it isn't necessarily better than the experience other pilots reaching the front of an airliner have - is useful and valued.

Interesting times for all!