Future of the WSO?
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Future of the WSO?
Given the recent 'future of the air engineer' thread I thought I would start one reference the future of the Nav/WSO. This may be of interest to current Navs/WSOs and potential ones, whether it be NCA looking for a commission or young wannabes still at school/university.
A friend of mine pointed out to me recently an articule in a recent Air Secretarys Bulletin from PMA (autumn 2003 I think) outlying future plans for WSOs. So it is hardly a secret! I am working from memory here (not back at work till monday, assuming I could find it again on the Sqn), but as best I can recall it said:
RAF Board "stated policy" was to go to a "pilot centric flying branch" by the year 2020. This would result in the need for a total of approx 100 WSOs by that time, the majority of which would be on the ISTAR fleet (for which read Nimrod MRA4). Given the current level of approx 1100 Navs/WSOs it therefore looked for a reduction of 1000 in the intervening period.
I seemed to remember it mentioned removal of WSOs from the SH fleet, and implied the GR4 replacement would not have a WSO. Anyway I am sure anybody interested enough can find the articule (or some pprune guru, ORAC or BEagle perhaps, can correct me where I have gone astray). The first signs of this trend are already apparent, I understand that WSOs recruited off the high street are now only being offered short service commissions.
Now I myself am a Nav, and I am old, 40+, so it doesn't effect me. I will be drawing my pension by 2020. However, are the 28 -30 year old Navs/WSOs out there worried out this, aware of it, discussing it, etc. I fully realise that times move on, the RAF owes nobody a living and that almost nobody has a job for life these days, but there doesn't even seem to be discussion about it on my Sqn. Is it all too far away (I realise the air eng problem is an immediate one) or is the youth of today unconcerned, or unaware. Thoughts please.
A friend of mine pointed out to me recently an articule in a recent Air Secretarys Bulletin from PMA (autumn 2003 I think) outlying future plans for WSOs. So it is hardly a secret! I am working from memory here (not back at work till monday, assuming I could find it again on the Sqn), but as best I can recall it said:
RAF Board "stated policy" was to go to a "pilot centric flying branch" by the year 2020. This would result in the need for a total of approx 100 WSOs by that time, the majority of which would be on the ISTAR fleet (for which read Nimrod MRA4). Given the current level of approx 1100 Navs/WSOs it therefore looked for a reduction of 1000 in the intervening period.
I seemed to remember it mentioned removal of WSOs from the SH fleet, and implied the GR4 replacement would not have a WSO. Anyway I am sure anybody interested enough can find the articule (or some pprune guru, ORAC or BEagle perhaps, can correct me where I have gone astray). The first signs of this trend are already apparent, I understand that WSOs recruited off the high street are now only being offered short service commissions.
Now I myself am a Nav, and I am old, 40+, so it doesn't effect me. I will be drawing my pension by 2020. However, are the 28 -30 year old Navs/WSOs out there worried out this, aware of it, discussing it, etc. I fully realise that times move on, the RAF owes nobody a living and that almost nobody has a job for life these days, but there doesn't even seem to be discussion about it on my Sqn. Is it all too far away (I realise the air eng problem is an immediate one) or is the youth of today unconcerned, or unaware. Thoughts please.
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Navs Have No Future
You are correct in all your comments.
I'm know off a 38 yr old AWACS Nav that was not signed on, or offered PA spine. Should we look to Branch change now before we're 38 as the RAF do not even seem to be offering extensions to age 44 as they have in the past. I really don't fancy a job at MacDonalds and would like to stay in the RAF, but want chance do I have ?
However, maybe a pilot crossover ?
I know of an ex- Air Eng, now helo nav, who's getting on and must be very close to 38, that was attending OASC for a pilot medical so that the RAF can rid itself of rotary NAVs. Should this branch changing be offered openly to all Navs rather than just those on the rotary fleet. Give it to those with more time left to serve before they can disappear to the airlines.
I'm know off a 38 yr old AWACS Nav that was not signed on, or offered PA spine. Should we look to Branch change now before we're 38 as the RAF do not even seem to be offering extensions to age 44 as they have in the past. I really don't fancy a job at MacDonalds and would like to stay in the RAF, but want chance do I have ?
However, maybe a pilot crossover ?
I know of an ex- Air Eng, now helo nav, who's getting on and must be very close to 38, that was attending OASC for a pilot medical so that the RAF can rid itself of rotary NAVs. Should this branch changing be offered openly to all Navs rather than just those on the rotary fleet. Give it to those with more time left to serve before they can disappear to the airlines.
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I still cannot believe that the RAF are not going to see sense and cancel euroblighter and buy a two-seat tactical fighter so that we can use it flexibly by day and night in a rapidly changing scenario without over-stretching a single pilot.
Have they learned nothing in the last 85 years or are they just ill-equipped in the head-up department?
You can provide all the latest bells and whistles but the more sensors you put in the more I need a second pair of hands to make sense of it all.
Have they learned nothing in the last 85 years or are they just ill-equipped in the head-up department?
You can provide all the latest bells and whistles but the more sensors you put in the more I need a second pair of hands to make sense of it all.
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Done the single-seat thing on exchange, & the two-seat version in the RAF. Have to confess, for sheer satisfaction & enjoyment, the single-seat, multi-role jet wins hands down. When the chips are down though, peacetime flying a fond memory, Johnny Foreigner intent on your destruction, ingressing at night etc etc - WSO is essential. I think we need to realise however, that the decision has been made that we will be a Typhoon/JSF fast jet force in 20 years - ergo best we can do is keep a few WSO's on single-seat sqns for those labour intensive, tricky sorties, where the leads fly in the T-Birds with a WSO (or another pilot!)
From a PMA source:
"Future changes to the front line structure, which will necessitate the migration of aircrew from the Tornado F3, Jaguar and Harrier forces to the Typhoon and Tornado GR4 fleets will be challenging, particularly given the uncertainties in programme dates and the potential for delays. Therefore, in spite of some progress, the issue of fast jet Junior Officer manning and vacant flying posts will continue to exercise the officers' manning directorate. The implementation of the Aircrew Retention Review and other retention measures may alleviate, but will not totally resolve, the situation.
The manning of new types of aircraft such as Typhoon, ASTOR, and MRA4, with both aircrew and ground support personnel, will require careful planning and implementation over the next few years. In addition, the long-term drawdown of navigators from the majority of fast-jet, multi-engine and (proposed) rotary wing fleets will require sensitive management."
You can read it all at http://www.raf.mod.uk/ptc/pma/corporateplan03.pdf , freely available on the internet.
"Future changes to the front line structure, which will necessitate the migration of aircrew from the Tornado F3, Jaguar and Harrier forces to the Typhoon and Tornado GR4 fleets will be challenging, particularly given the uncertainties in programme dates and the potential for delays. Therefore, in spite of some progress, the issue of fast jet Junior Officer manning and vacant flying posts will continue to exercise the officers' manning directorate. The implementation of the Aircrew Retention Review and other retention measures may alleviate, but will not totally resolve, the situation.
The manning of new types of aircraft such as Typhoon, ASTOR, and MRA4, with both aircrew and ground support personnel, will require careful planning and implementation over the next few years. In addition, the long-term drawdown of navigators from the majority of fast-jet, multi-engine and (proposed) rotary wing fleets will require sensitive management."
You can read it all at http://www.raf.mod.uk/ptc/pma/corporateplan03.pdf , freely available on the internet.
