Sign of the times

[CoffmanStarter]

From today's Times ...

Passing-out-Parade Britannia RN College 20th Dec 2012.

Congratulations to Midshipman M. J. Young - Pilot Undr Training. Good luck to you ...

The only pilot/aircrew officer passing out

[Beancountercymru]

And the only two I saw on this week's list from Cranwell were Sponsored Reserves.

Must mean a quiet Spring 2013 in the Flying Training Schools.

[Jambo Jet]

Must mean a quiet Spring 2013 in the Flying Training Schools.

Spot on, mate; a quiet time all round

[Green Bottle 2]

There are quite a few officers holding for courses and there are all those currently on bursaries who will start trickling into the system.

[4Greens]

We used to have Short service pilots who didn't go to Dartmouth. The Fleet entry ones had to do a years seatime before they could volunteer to be a pilot.

[airborne_artist]

Midshipman M. J. Young - Pilot Undr Training

That's going to be one very small course. Even if he (or she) holds in the fleet for a while they might struggle to get to double figures. Aircrew in particular need a few course mates to keep the enthusiasm going.

[Biggus]

I once did a refresher course where the total number of course members was one - me!

Needless to say, during the groundschool phase the "pause" in the instructors "pose, pause, pounce" technique was somewhat wasted! You also feel pretty small when you have got the last three questions in a row wrong, fortunately the instructors were normally kind enough to throw in an easy one at that stage.

The flying phase was a lot better, I teamed up with the refresher course in front of me, so now there were two of us...

[Lima Juliet]

I've got a lad holding with me for over 12 months waiting for either METS or BFJTS (or whatever name we're calling it). Luckily for him he has plenty of opportunity to fly other stuff at work and go on Expeds/AT/Courses as well.

LJ

[Torque Tonight]

Well he's probably got his flying course trophies in the bag already, but on the other hand he's going to be duty stude, SDO, Orderly Officer every day. When he goes out on the course p1ssups he'll also be designated driver every single time.

Credits due to the author, and apologies for the repeat:

I’m the last man left in the Air Force,
I’ve an office in MOD
and a copy of Queens Regulations
which only apply to me.
I can post myself to Leuchars
and detach me from there to Kinloss,
or send me on courses to Innsworth,
then cancel the lot - I’m the boss.

I’m the last man left in the Air Force,
but the great Parliamentary brains
neglected, when cancelling people,
to sell off the Stations and planes.
The result is, my inventory bulges
with KD and camp-stools and Quarters,
plus a signed book of speeches by Trenchard
which I keep to impress the reporters.

I’m the last man left in the Air Force,
I suppose you imagine it’s great
to be master of all you survey, but
I tell you it’s difficult, mate.
I inspected three units last Thursday,
As C-in-C ( Acting ) of Strike,
then I swept half the runway at Laarbruch
and repaired Saxa Vord’s station bike.

I’m the last man left in the Air Force,
it’s not doing a lot for my health.
Unit sports days are frankly exhausting
when the Victor Ludorum’s oneself.
On guest nights the Mess is so lonely,
there are times when I wish I was able
to pass the port to the chap next to me,
without seeing it fall off the table.

I’m the last man left in the Air Force,
my wife says I’m never at home,
when I’m not flying Hercs, I’m at Manston,
laying gallons and gallons of foam,
or I’m in my Marine Craft off Plymouth,
shooting flares at the crowds on the Ho,
or I’m Orderly Corporal at Luqa.
It’s an interesting life, but all go.


I’m the last man left in the Air Force.
I’m ADC to the Queen,
I’m Duty Clerk at St. Mawgan,
I’m the RAF rugby team.
Tomorrow I’m painting a guardroom
and air-testing numerous planes.
The day after that I’m for London,
to preach at St. Clement Danes.

I’m the last man left in the Air force
and I’m due to go out before long.
There’s been no talk of any replacement
and I won’t even let [I]me sign on.
I hope to enjoy my retirement.
I’ve put up a fairly good show,
and I won’t cut myself off entirely.
There are always reunions, you know.

Substitue Navy for Air Force and you're not too far off the mark.

[Jobza Guddun]

Ironic that most of the camps mentioned have closed...!

[alisoncc]

Missed a verse:

I’m the last one left in the Air Force
And it’s quiet – but that apart –
There are plenty worse off, for example,
The only Sea Lord, for a start.
She was called out last Wednesday evening
(Joint Ops with the Army my oath)
But their rowing boat sank in the Channel
Which obliged me to rescue them both.

[Old-Duffer]

Drifting slightly, several years ago the Phantom OCU had a course which was cancelled at short notice but the preparations for it and later courses was sufficiently advanced as to make the simple shuffling of course numbers, too difficult.

A course photograph was ordained and this comprised a row of empty chairs and the names listed below were, inter alia, Shergar, Lord Lucan, The Invisible Man, Colonel Fawcett and the Titchborne Claimant.

Old Duffer

[teeteringhead]

O-D

A course photograph was ordained and this comprised a row of empty chairs

But if it had been rotary, they'd STILL have ruled it was Crown Copyright and not let you publish it!

Season's Greetings old bean!
Teeters

[Easy Street]

So what are all the QFIs doing? I guess instructor numbers have come down a bit in recent years but it certainly hasn't been a precipitate decline - there is still a decent flow of guys off the front line to the FTS. Training foreigners perhaps? I hope they're not twiddling thumbs in the crewrooms or taking long weekends every week because the front line could use some help with the continual flow of BS non-flying tasks that keep getting punted our way. Some of our VSOs seem to neglect the fact that we've got half the manpower we had a few years ago when they promise support to this airshow / that parade / this joint exercise!