RAF Pilot FRI
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Stitchbitch: surely that's the point isn't it? People are leaving for more money, theses forums (the Mil ones, not biz jets) are full of postings of how they've left & now have much better conditions & pay which is why we're heading for a manning crisis, in the air & on the ground. NEM, no incremental pay, no retention pay for 6 years for aircrew, the continuous wearing away of T&Cs is turning a trickle into a flood & one perceived solution is to throw money at it - although as usual they'll wait until disaster has happened before they offer any by which time it will be too late. Given how much & how long it takes to train us it would be more cost effective to pay a substantial sum to retain that experience instead of training a replacement which takes years & £millions. As Uncle Ginsters says that would not be 'Sun friendly' but it does reflect the value of the individuals concerned. The alternative would be to cease the constant erosion of T&Cs but that nice Mr Osborne is unlikely to let that happen.
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StitchBitch the problem is everyone is leaving! The RAF knows that there is a shortage but they are doing the usual thing or burying their head in the sand with a 'it will be OK'.
All it means is that people leave, the people left gets pissed off at working more, they leave and round and round it goes!
All it means is that people leave, the people left gets pissed off at working more, they leave and round and round it goes!
no retention pay for 6 years for aircrew
The RAF knows that there is a shortage but they are doing the usual thing or burying their head in the sand with a 'it will be OK'.
We have 'enjoyed' decades of cuts and quite simply we have no idea how to stabilise the manning figures as we only manage decline. If the SDSR froze us at the rough manning levels and capabilities we have today it would be carnage - when did we last manage to train enough to balance out the numbers that leave?
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Quote:
no retention pay for 6 years for aircrew
That's not quite accurate. I agree with the general thrust of your post though
no retention pay for 6 years for aircrew
That's not quite accurate. I agree with the general thrust of your post though
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It's ok just this once - I'm sure Ascent have loads of spare capcity in "their" system and loads of spare QFIs just waiting in the wings.
Let's face facts. The RAF fell well below self sustaining levels years ago. Sadly it has taken this long for the Airships to wake up.
Ps. A huge amount of Fast Jet QFI opportunities are about to open up in the ME. I know it's not for everyone but personally I love it. If they paid the FRI every 3months they might match the take-home. Too little to late and they only have themselves to blaim. Come on over chaps the water's lovely.
Let's face facts. The RAF fell well below self sustaining levels years ago. Sadly it has taken this long for the Airships to wake up.
Ps. A huge amount of Fast Jet QFI opportunities are about to open up in the ME. I know it's not for everyone but personally I love it. If they paid the FRI every 3months they might match the take-home. Too little to late and they only have themselves to blaim. Come on over chaps the water's lovely.
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The RAF has shrunk from 50 thousand to a shade over 31 thousand in circa 9 years. In October, 150 left without being replaced. Stopping the decline in numbers appears to be beyond the capability or intent of manning. The RAF is now below what it should be in 2020. A change to the numbers next week may turn all the lights green again at high Wycombe for a while at least.
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I think MPA will be greenlighted.
The flying pay is being taken from the guys at the bottom and give to the guys at the top.
Just storing up problems for 6-7 years time.
The flying pay is being taken from the guys at the bottom and give to the guys at the top.
Just storing up problems for 6-7 years time.
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Not at all, CBTL,
This is a rumour site, after all, and those are my thoughts; our lack of MPA has exposed us and the higher powers know that needs to be remedied.
I'm convinced the lottery is fixed...judging by my own poor record, at least. :/
This is a rumour site, after all, and those are my thoughts; our lack of MPA has exposed us and the higher powers know that needs to be remedied.
I'm convinced the lottery is fixed...judging by my own poor record, at least. :/
Well given the following announcement....
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-pledges-178-billion-investment-in-defence-kit
...manning aren't going to want many pilots leaving!
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-pledges-178-billion-investment-in-defence-kit
...manning aren't going to want many pilots leaving!
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No, with 2 new Typhoon sqns plus the 24 crews for the P8, that's a lot of extra pilots (maybe 78), WSOs & don't forget all the maintainers.
Given earlier announcements re no incremental pay etc I can't help but think that there will be less emphasis in the SDSR on people compared to kit.
Given earlier announcements re no incremental pay etc I can't help but think that there will be less emphasis in the SDSR on people compared to kit.
For me it was the pension change. I don't have long to go and fully intend to leave with my tax free lump sum and pension for life.
Every other erosion of 'Ts and Cs' might seem just like whining and we've heard them all before, so I won't repeat.
Sadly, on the Sqn that I work on, I'm seeing practically all of my generation leave ( mainly for the airlines, but not all) simply because they're tired of it all.
I understand that the RAF is now short of QFI's, so I can really see problems ahead.
And more alarmingly, a good majority of the generation below me ( 30-35) have their licenses ready to go.
Every other erosion of 'Ts and Cs' might seem just like whining and we've heard them all before, so I won't repeat.
Sadly, on the Sqn that I work on, I'm seeing practically all of my generation leave ( mainly for the airlines, but not all) simply because they're tired of it all.
I understand that the RAF is now short of QFI's, so I can really see problems ahead.
And more alarmingly, a good majority of the generation below me ( 30-35) have their licenses ready to go.
3-bladed.
I'm from that 30-35 generation, and I'm eyeing up my options outside, as I'm now approaching the end of my 2nd tour, and ROS. I've also seen my mates get made redundant during training.
Something Will need to change soon, as there is a 3 year generation who saw their mates get made redundant, have experienced reductions in t&c / pension, who are eyeing up the airlines (who are recruiting!).
I'm from that 30-35 generation, and I'm eyeing up my options outside, as I'm now approaching the end of my 2nd tour, and ROS. I've also seen my mates get made redundant during training.
Something Will need to change soon, as there is a 3 year generation who saw their mates get made redundant, have experienced reductions in t&c / pension, who are eyeing up the airlines (who are recruiting!).
They're recruiting and i'm applying!!! ;-)
Those cuts were harsh for all - I saw a lot of those guys through EFT, to a 2 year hold and potentially no aircraft to go to ( sdsr 2010).
It was so obvious that there was an issue, but we kept pumping them through the training system, only for the inevitable chop to happen.
That in turn caused misery, dis trust and a erosion of any loyalty left.
When you add it all together, there have been large financial erosions ( we are still paid very well) and small and frequent changes in our terms and conditions without ANY say.
Enough for me - I'm trying to leave as the fairly positive guy of 17 years, but it's getting tough!
Those cuts were harsh for all - I saw a lot of those guys through EFT, to a 2 year hold and potentially no aircraft to go to ( sdsr 2010).
It was so obvious that there was an issue, but we kept pumping them through the training system, only for the inevitable chop to happen.
That in turn caused misery, dis trust and a erosion of any loyalty left.
When you add it all together, there have been large financial erosions ( we are still paid very well) and small and frequent changes in our terms and conditions without ANY say.
Enough for me - I'm trying to leave as the fairly positive guy of 17 years, but it's getting tough!