‘Stop choosing useless white male pilots’, RAF told
Surely, the effort should be made to attract candidates for application from the target groups rather than negatively select those who do apply. Selection should be about selection of the best, regardless of gender or race. Anything else is doing Vladimir Putin and Xi Xing Ping's work for them. The aim of the RAF in peacetime should be to train for war. It seems some people at the top have forgotten this.
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
I cannot see a problem with that
I cannot see a problem with that
I cannot see a problem with that, bar Inuits in that time period very few would be any other colour in Canada, its just targetting the mass market, similar if you were running a campaign in the Caribbean you would be targetting the local population, so that would be mainly Caribbean men and women on the poster... its all about context, you would not fill a canadian recruitment poster with coloured individuals if next to none lived there.
My view with the lack of recruits is the whole, and I’m sorry to have to say it, Old Boys Club attitude in the military. We all know that the RAF are a white middle class organisation and you can’t change 100 years of history overnight or without causing headlines.
We have a 15 year old girl, she’s bright, works hard at school and is in the air cadets and her aim was to go to the RAF as a pilot and we give her as much encouragement as we can. BUT she lost all interest when a Corporal on the Typhoon display team said to her last year “ You’ll never fly with the RAF as you’re a girl”
Anybody with the ability should be encouraged to apply and not be penalised by Sex, Colour or Gender but they shouldn’t be given any special treatment and there should be a level playing field for them all. This isn’t the 40s or even the 80s, times have changed and people have to really get over the prejudices of the past and move on.
We have a 15 year old girl, she’s bright, works hard at school and is in the air cadets and her aim was to go to the RAF as a pilot and we give her as much encouragement as we can. BUT she lost all interest when a Corporal on the Typhoon display team said to her last year “ You’ll never fly with the RAF as you’re a girl”
Anybody with the ability should be encouraged to apply and not be penalised by Sex, Colour or Gender but they shouldn’t be given any special treatment and there should be a level playing field for them all. This isn’t the 40s or even the 80s, times have changed and people have to really get over the prejudices of the past and move on.
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We’re slowly turning her back into a positive view, but as lots have said, it only takes one in uniform that’s the voice of the service to put a doubt in someone’s mind. At least she’s still doing her gliding and a bit of rotary to keep her busy.
Mandy Hickson could be used as an example of the possibility for female pilots in the RAF. She has authored a very readable book about her experiences: "An Officer, not a Gentleman"
on-line interview here:
on-line interview here:
The following 3 users liked this post by izod tester:
We have a 15 year old girl, she’s bright, works hard at school and is in the air cadets and her aim was to go to the RAF as a pilot and we give her as much encouragement as we can. BUT she lost all interest when a Corporal on the Typhoon display team said to her last year “ You’ll never fly with the RAF as you’re a girl”
on.
Avoid imitations
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Avoid imitations
My view with the lack of recruits is the whole, and I’m sorry to have to say it, Old Boys Club attitude in the military. We all know that the RAF are a white middle class organisation and you can’t change 100 years of history overnight or without causing headlines.
We have a 15 year old girl, she’s bright, works hard at school and is in the air cadets and her aim was to go to the RAF as a pilot and we give her as much encouragement as we can. BUT she lost all interest when a Corporal on the Typhoon display team said to her last year “ You’ll never fly with the RAF as you’re a girl”
Anybody with the ability should be encouraged to apply and not be penalised by Sex, Colour or Gender but they shouldn’t be given any special treatment and there should be a level playing field for them all. This isn’t the 40s or even the 80s, times have changed and people have to really get over the prejudices of the past and move on.
We have a 15 year old girl, she’s bright, works hard at school and is in the air cadets and her aim was to go to the RAF as a pilot and we give her as much encouragement as we can. BUT she lost all interest when a Corporal on the Typhoon display team said to her last year “ You’ll never fly with the RAF as you’re a girl”
Anybody with the ability should be encouraged to apply and not be penalised by Sex, Colour or Gender but they shouldn’t be given any special treatment and there should be a level playing field for them all. This isn’t the 40s or even the 80s, times have changed and people have to really get over the prejudices of the past and move on.
My own daughter became the senior cadet at our local Air Training Corps squadron and went on to do very well as a member of a University Air Squadron whilst at Uni. I had high hopes that she would make an excellent pilot (she is a natural car driver) but she decided that the RAF wasn’t for her. Possibly because she went on to get an honours first in psychology!

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Pale and male
I never served. But I learnt to fly courtesy of a Flying Scholarship so long ago that I passed through the hallowed portals of OASC Biggin Hill. And I was told that my chances of selection for an RAF career would improve if I learnt to ride a horse and took up public speaking. Is that attitude still prevalent ?
A BAME friend who joined the RAF was shunned by his family for some time because it was not considered a sufficiently financially rewarding career. Go to any civilian flying club and it is mainly OWM. That is the demographic that wants to fly.
A BAME friend who joined the RAF was shunned by his family for some time because it was not considered a sufficiently financially rewarding career. Go to any civilian flying club and it is mainly OWM. That is the demographic that wants to fly.
How much of that is because people who aren't OWM don't think they'll fit in? I've been peripherally involved in a large diversity initiative for a (non-aviation) sport that's currently dominated by white men, and it turns out that quite a lot of prospective female and non-white participants find that very off-putting, with phrases like "toxic masculinity" appearing again and again.
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One of the most feared and well-regarded “aggressor” pilots on A4s at NAS Oceana in the late 80’s was a lovely girl called Lucy, callsign “Juicy”. Gave us a good thrashing - in the purely ACM sense! Certainly sharpened the chaps up.
In a later career, I flew with many members of the opposite sex and and only found one that I regarded as sub-standard. As a rule they were extremely competent and very well liked by the crew. My final trip in the -400 was with one such delightful young lady and she brought me a massive cake in the shape of a 747!
Mog
In a later career, I flew with many members of the opposite sex and and only found one that I regarded as sub-standard. As a rule they were extremely competent and very well liked by the crew. My final trip in the -400 was with one such delightful young lady and she brought me a massive cake in the shape of a 747!
Mog
I must say I am absolutely astonished by this story. My service ceased in 2000 and women aircrew were already “ not an issue”, it has only become an issue now because of the culture wars raging all around us. If the person described was really a Cpl on the Typhoon force he (I presume) would have strapped in plenty of female pilots, including a female Squadron Commander. Are things really going backwards so fast that people think like that again?
Not a representative viewpoint anyway.
The following 2 users liked this post by Jobza Guddun:
Sir,
Has the RAF gone down the road of one of these damnable suicide cults that seem intent on their own destruction?
Insanity seems complete within the organisation.
I ask only for information.
Yours,
Auxtank
Has the RAF gone down the road of one of these damnable suicide cults that seem intent on their own destruction?
Insanity seems complete within the organisation.
I ask only for information.
Yours,
Auxtank
The Chief of the Air Staff twitter account is now blocking people for raising this issue. It really is not a good look for a senior military leader to appear to be unresponsive to criticism.
https://twitter.com/archrose90/statu...E45vRCEVK1CH9Q
https://twitter.com/archrose90/statu...E45vRCEVK1CH9Q
If the story is correct, then this Cpl is highly likely to have never known an RAF without female aircrew, so the attitude is puzzling. Maybe a reservist or member of a Trade Group that doesn't engage with aircrew? Could've been the PR Team element rather than one of the techs on the Display Team.
Not a representative viewpoint anyway.
Not a representative viewpoint anyway.
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Question remains; What on Earth are you lot who still have irons in the fire going to do about it?
It really won't do, you know.
"useless white male pilots" sounds to me like the words of an embittered female bluntie with a well-developed chip.
Is this S.Ldr male or female?
And how long will she remain in employment before dismissal SNLR and no pension?
Is this S.Ldr male or female?
And how long will she remain in employment before dismissal SNLR and no pension?