UK MFTS on or off the rails?
UK MFTS on or off the rails?
Considering the number of holding aircrew there appears to be around all 3 Services at the moment then I took a read of the National Audit Offices’ report on UK MFTS in 2015...shocking reading. However, I then found the following link to a televised grilling of MOD PS Jon Thompson, Head of Ascent and AM Sir Baz North by the Public Accounts Committee.
Some pretty explosive remarks contained within like “not value for money”, “its come off the rails”, “you could run the student phasing on a simple spreadsheet!” and “what the hell were you thinking?”; well worth the whole first 54 minutes if, like me, you have never seen it before:
Parliamentlive.tv - Public Accounts Committee
Transcript here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/c.../publications/
Don’t forget this is TWO YEARS old and that SDSR15 was about to be released with extra aircrew requirements. However, are we any further forward? I don’t believe we are...
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/military-flying-training/
The B Word
Some pretty explosive remarks contained within like “not value for money”, “its come off the rails”, “you could run the student phasing on a simple spreadsheet!” and “what the hell were you thinking?”; well worth the whole first 54 minutes if, like me, you have never seen it before:
Parliamentlive.tv - Public Accounts Committee
Transcript here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/c.../publications/
Don’t forget this is TWO YEARS old and that SDSR15 was about to be released with extra aircrew requirements. However, are we any further forward? I don’t believe we are...
Lots of holding students in the Services
Rumours of aircraft not fit for purpose
Rumours of further delays
Of the NAO, I am heartened to see at least one competent public sector department!! Here is their report:Rumours of aircraft not fit for purpose
Rumours of further delays
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/military-flying-training/
The B Word
Last edited by The B Word; 12th Oct 2017 at 22:42.
Patently obvious to anyone who has been in the training world that it would be an utter waste of money....I went for an interview in 2011 for an aircraft that still isn't in service....and now they can't even fill the roles with the terms and conditions offered. Note their website for jobs that get advertised and readvertised and readvertised
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Sir Baz North retired in May 2016
Jon Thompson moved to HMRC in April 2016
Lockheed Martin appointed Paul Livingston as its new Vice President for its Integrated Systems line of business in the UK in November 2016. His new responsibilities do not appear to include pilot training.
Frequent changes in management is a recurrent issue in these contracts Those involved know that whatever decisions are made they will not be around if the wheels fall off.
Jon Thompson moved to HMRC in April 2016
Lockheed Martin appointed Paul Livingston as its new Vice President for its Integrated Systems line of business in the UK in November 2016. His new responsibilities do not appear to include pilot training.
Frequent changes in management is a recurrent issue in these contracts Those involved know that whatever decisions are made they will not be around if the wheels fall off.
"Frequent changes in management is a recurrent issue in these contracts Those involved know that whatever decisions are made they will not be around if the wheels fall off."
....and, ta-da, one of the single biggest reasons for inefficiency in the whole acquisition system is neatly summed up. Add in the "revolving door" of gifted amateurs at Desk Officer level, chronic lack of ability to train and retain SQEP and pernicious in-year salami-slicing and the failure model is complete. Never mind, we can just "re-baseline" to expunge the sins of our predecessors (who, more often than not are now our superiors and writing our OJARs) and provided we all reach promotional MSD everyone wins. Well, apart from the poor souls trying to make it work on the shop floor.....
....and, ta-da, one of the single biggest reasons for inefficiency in the whole acquisition system is neatly summed up. Add in the "revolving door" of gifted amateurs at Desk Officer level, chronic lack of ability to train and retain SQEP and pernicious in-year salami-slicing and the failure model is complete. Never mind, we can just "re-baseline" to expunge the sins of our predecessors (who, more often than not are now our superiors and writing our OJARs) and provided we all reach promotional MSD everyone wins. Well, apart from the poor souls trying to make it work on the shop floor.....
Whilst I'm not going to step up to the plate and defend MFTS (some of the stated goals are ridiculous - no holds is an impossible thing to achieve unless your frontline requirement is static or your training pipeline is shorter than your recruiting timeline!) But also in my memory is the review of the carrier catapult by NAO and their total inability to understand that the reason the proposed carrier fit cost twice as much as the cost of an emals was that we were buying two of them per carrier. Came across like they were always on a witch hunt and a bit 'out for the glory of the kill, regardless of the facts'.
Came across like they were always on a witch hunt and a bit 'out for the glory of the kill, regardless of the facts'.
For me it made very sad and uncomfortable watching but thanks for sharing.
We (civilians) happened to be watching old re runs of "Yes Prime Minister" when a VVSO came into the crew room. "Is that what it's like operating at that level" someone asked. "No" he said, " It's like In the thick of it"
Last edited by Timelord; 13th Oct 2017 at 21:11.
Actually it's a bit more W1A
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A bit like when the SofS requested latest recruitment figures from me and the following week came to visit and told the HQ that things were improving; quite who he was trying to convince is beyond me.
Originally Posted by India Four Two
Timelord,
Being in the colonies, I had never heard of "In the Thick of It".
Something to look forward to, once I've found it on the Internet.
Thanks!
Being in the colonies, I had never heard of "In the Thick of It".
Something to look forward to, once I've found it on the Internet.
Thanks!
TL
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This is what you are getting into, be prepared.
Well if you don't like it, you can just **** Off, and when you've finished ******* Off, **** Off some more!
As we enter the third week I find Mr. Tickell’s attention seeking tent based twattery even more annoying than weeks one and two
"Who was it that did your media training, Myra Hindley? It's terrible! All these hands all over the place. You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra. It was like watching John Leslie at work."
"Terri, when I want your advice, I’ll give you the special signal. Which is me being sectioned under the Mental Health Act."
What the **** is this? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ****?
"The guy is an epic f*ck-up. He’s so dense that light bends around him."
"No, he's useless. He's absolutely useless. He's as useless as a marzipan dildo."
As we enter the third week I find Mr. Tickell’s attention seeking tent based twattery even more annoying than weeks one and two
"Who was it that did your media training, Myra Hindley? It's terrible! All these hands all over the place. You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra. It was like watching John Leslie at work."
"Terri, when I want your advice, I’ll give you the special signal. Which is me being sectioned under the Mental Health Act."
What the **** is this? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ****?
"The guy is an epic f*ck-up. He’s so dense that light bends around him."
"No, he's useless. He's absolutely useless. He's as useless as a marzipan dildo."
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Originally Posted by airpolice
Well if you don't like it, you can just **** Off, and when you've finished ******* Off, **** Off some more!
As we enter the third week I find Mr. Tickell’s attention seeking tent based twattery even more annoying than weeks one and two
"Who was it that did your media training, Myra Hindley? It's terrible! All these hands all over the place. You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra. It was like watching John Leslie at work."
"Terri, when I want your advice, I’ll give you the special signal. Which is me being sectioned under the Mental Health Act."
What the **** is this? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ****?
"The guy is an epic f*ck-up. He’s so dense that light bends around him."
"No, he's useless. He's absolutely useless. He's as useless as a marzipan dildo."
As we enter the third week I find Mr. Tickell’s attention seeking tent based twattery even more annoying than weeks one and two
"Who was it that did your media training, Myra Hindley? It's terrible! All these hands all over the place. You were like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra. It was like watching John Leslie at work."
"Terri, when I want your advice, I’ll give you the special signal. Which is me being sectioned under the Mental Health Act."
What the **** is this? Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ****?
"The guy is an epic f*ck-up. He’s so dense that light bends around him."
"No, he's useless. He's absolutely useless. He's as useless as a marzipan dildo."
He doesn't so much as address the elephant in the room, the elephant generally ends up shot, stuffed and mounted all in the space of 2-3 excoriating minutes. It's very cathartic!
