AAC Helicopter Pilots - Minimum Rank Lowered To Private
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AAC Helicopter Pilots - Minimum Rank Lowered To Private
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Originally Posted by Herod
Doesn't the AAC have Sgt pilots anymore?
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How do the pay scales work? I assume the usual Flying Pay, or whatever it's called now. But they must be among the cheapest Pilots going ... albeit with interesting career options after 8 years [or whatever].
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I wonder if the AAC will now be able to chose Dir AAvn on 2050 on the basis of someone’s hand eye coordination when they were a 20 year old Private soldier?
Or will just the RAF persist in that as being a criteria for advancement to the most senior ranks?
Or will just the RAF persist in that as being a criteria for advancement to the most senior ranks?
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Originally Posted by Melchett01
I wonder if the AAC will now be able to chose Dir AAvn on 2050 on the basis of someone’s hand eye coordination when they were a 20 year old Private soldier?
Or will just the RAF persist in that as being a criteria for advancement to the most senior ranks?
Or will just the RAF persist in that as being a criteria for advancement to the most senior ranks?
"Naah, mate, Well, only tottie. But I can fly at 5 feet with the best of 'em."
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Originally Posted by MPN11
How do the pay scales work? I assume the usual Flying Pay, or whatever it's called now. But they must be among the cheapest Pilots going ... albeit with interesting career options after 8 years [or whatever].
Sgt pilot, year 1, supplement 4: £39,896 + RRP(F)
Capt pilot, year 1: £44,096 + RRP(F)
So a £4200pa cheaper option at a rough guess.
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
I’m assuming that is for the training side and they will be promoted to Sgt when qualified?
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How do the pay scales work? I assume the usual Flying Pay, or whatever it's called now. But they must be among the cheapest Pilots going ... albeit with interesting career options after 8 years [or whatever].
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by melmothtw
The remainder of the AAC Twitter thread on the subject notes that there will be a recommendation to promotion to Lance Corporal, so whatever current Lance Corporal pilots are paid I'd imagine. Actually, if this is the case in truth there won't actually be any Private pilots.
All that has changed is the rank requirements to apply for the pilot course. It used to be LCpl recommended Cpl. Now you can apply as Pte or equivalent recommended LCpl.
They will be granted local Sgt (paid at the rank/trade they were on application) on course and promoted to substantive Sgt on wings with supplement 4 and RRP(F) on completion of CTT
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And now it makes sense! Thank you!
RAF ATC followed a similar route to Sgt ATC Controller, without the candidates having to wait for years to reach sgt and go on the course.
RAF ATC followed a similar route to Sgt ATC Controller, without the candidates having to wait for years to reach sgt and go on the course.
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
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It does make sense to widen the selection pool to the spotty youth community, but the rank criteria (whatever NCO level it was) was previously predicated on pilot applicants having acquired a reasonable knowledge of how the Army works. AAC was always required to operate in All-Arms environment, so a knowledge of wider operations than those acquired from your original branch made sense. Does this mean DAAvn think that knowledge base is less critical, or that the (junior and less experienced) pilots will always be supervised by a grown up?
Having flown with newly qualified pilots from Corporal to Major, amazingly enough, rank was never an indicator of ability!
Having flown with newly qualified pilots from Corporal to Major, amazingly enough, rank was never an indicator of ability!
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by Two's in
It does make sense to widen the selection pool to the spotty youth community, but the rank criteria (whatever NCO level it was) was previously predicated on pilot applicants having acquired a reasonable knowledge of how the Army works. AAC was always required to operate in All-Arms environment, so a knowledge of wider operations than those acquired from your original branch made sense. Does this mean DAAvn think that knowledge base is less critical, or that the (junior and less experienced) pilots will always be supervised by a grown up?
Having flown with newly qualified pilots from Corporal to Major, amazingly enough, rank was never an indicator of ability!
Having flown with newly qualified pilots from Corporal to Major, amazingly enough, rank was never an indicator of ability!
Again, as you've also said, the junior pilot regardless of rank will always be supervised by a "grown up", who could also be any rank.
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They said it was 'progress' when they introduced Cpl Pilots in the mid 80's. As usual just another ploy to increase the numbers applying and giving them hope of a career.
At the current rate of progression through the course, they'll be getting their wings and pension on the same day.
At the current rate of progression through the course, they'll be getting their wings and pension on the same day.
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The other way to view this is that with the size of the army shrinking, there isn't the breadth of applicants anymore at the appropriate rank with suitable experience. This doesn't overcome the experience issue but it does capture talent before they get disillusioned and bang out....
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And surely a skip-load of RAF Officer pilots still get into the FT system with bugger-all experience of All-Arms warfare but with a 2-2 in Ancient Greek? At least, that was the view of my DE aircrew mates at Tengah about their Graduate Entry mates on the squadrons.
