Bye Bye FRI
 

Oh well it was nice while it lasted........

FRI cancelled from April 1st. Briefed today.

Some people will be very upset....?

Briefed on a saturday?

Not really. Loads of people will decide to leave because they now won't be getting it, big shortage of pilots, it'll be brought back in, by which time I'll be in a likely bracket and likely to stay till my 38 point anyway.

The master plan is working nice . .. . .

We got briefed on Friday that it was being withdrawn. It would be difficult to justify paying a retention bonus when we are infact over booked when it comes to pilots. ;) Oh well, the two year cycle goes around again.


(Thank **** I got it a couple of years ago)

Yes, well some people do work Saturdays, and some stations are even open 24 hours!!!

Not only that when I was told when I went on detachment I might have to work on a Sunday...



(Edited for more sarcasm and spelling!)

Except adminers !!

FRI 1 for the RAF went last year. FRI 2 for certain aircrew, rotary and fj pilots, wsos etc will end Apr 07. ie if your original 38/16 point is before Apr 07, and you meet the criteria for FRI 2 you will be paid the FRI. I think.

Or is FRI to be removed to make way for a more attractive 'retention bonus' at some stage this year.

The airships have acknowledged that the RAF (experienced) pilot numbers are beyond critical mass!!

... and when have they acknowledged that? They certainly don't seem to be doing much to keep CS sqn ldrs, or by appointing many new PAS positions - quite the reverse in fact! All I see is a flood of our most experienced pilots leaving - and I find it very sad and dispiriting!

and the problem is .... what?
 

Too old for retention payments, not wing wearing so no FRI anyway, UAVs don't need winged drivers .....

do they??

:E

The documentation from last years pay award clearly stated that FRI would remain in place until April 1st 2007. I read it over and over and then decided to copy it here.
Its from the AFPRB of last year, para 2.35:

MOD informed us that Aircrew manning had stabilised but shortages persisted and
retention could be vulnerable to an upturn in civilian airlines’ recruitment after the
effects of 11 September 2001 had worked through. The Aircrew sustainable experience
profiles showed the positive effect of financial measures in retaining Aircrew at or around
the IPP although, generally, the manning levels were still out-of-line with the required
profiles. FRIs had attracted high take-up rates across the three Services and the
controlled entry into the Professional Aviator pay spine had enabled the Services to
stabilise manning. Against this background and the “significantly” reduced Aircrew
requirement under force restructuring, MOD proposed to redefine eligibility for Aircrew
FRIs from April 2005. As a result, the first FRI, paid at five years before the IPP, will be
withdrawn for all RAF Aircrew but retained for RN Aircrew and Army Pilots. The second
FRI, paid at the IPP, will be withdrawn for RAF cadres in manning surplus but retained for
RN Harrier Pilots, RAF Fast Jet Pilots, RAF Multi-Engine Senior Officer Pilots, RAF Fast Jet
Weapon Systems Officers and RN, Army and RAF Rotary Wing Aircrew. The new
arrangements will apply until April 2007. The RAF Non-Commissioned Aircrew FRI will
be retained until April 2006 as originally approved.

Have a read yourselves here http://www.ome.uk.com/downloads/2005...ort%202005.pdf

Ahh, didnt point out the last sentence, No more FRI for RAF Aircrew. :eek:

Why did they get it anyway? Were DHL or Fedex going short of 'rear crew' types?

On a serious note. What civilian aviaiton jobs attract non pilot aircrew?

SAR REARcrew

There is not many of those knocking around though is there?

Further to my last:
Whilst I will try to make this as objective as possible without it sounding like a whinge, it is after all a whinge.
Earlier today I was presented with a document from PS10 that referred to AAC FRI and specifically its cessation at COP 31st March this year. The one page document referred to this years AFPRB findings as its reason, which after reading over and over I can only find one small reference.
It mentions that the AAC remains short of pilots but this has been addressed by extending the service of NCO pilots beyond IPP.
I am one of those pilots and I feel it necessary to point out a few facts that apply to both myself and probably the other 60 persons whom are in the same boat.
A few years ago I was approached by my desk officer at MCM (the only time he came to me) and was asked to remain on extended service as the Corps would be 67 pilots short at that time. Furthermore it was implied that if I applied for a 5 year period I would be eligible for FRI 2.
You can imagine my rage at the statement shown to me today, in effect blaming my extended service for me not getting the money.
I personally feel that there is something underhand here and maybe in the coming months an announcement about FRI being re-introduced but only for AH crews will appear. But then am I just being cynical?
I would like some legal advice from anyone qualified to comment on the following:
If the AFPRB document of 2005 states FRI will remain for AAC Aircrew until 1st Apr 2007 and AFPRB 2006 doesn’t mention any change, is it legal for PS10 to issue a statement based on AFPRB that it is to be withdrawn by April this year?
I know that there will be the normal comments such as “if you don’t like it” etc but that isn’t going to help me, you or anyone further down the chain is it?
As for me, well I dusted off the CV today and it will be landing on the desks of industry shortly.
In the meantime I am willing to address this matter if it seems I have a case to bring.

Mutley,

Did anyone give to to you in writing? or was it the standard :mad: 'nod' from the controlling desks, i.e. you play ball with me and then, in a while, I will shove the bat up your arse.

BOHICA

Just another nail.

Best of luck for a successful transfer to Castle or Redhill Ops area.

Wg13

You would be amazed at the number of non-aviation jobs that are crying out for non pilot aircrew!

:D

Mutley

AFIK each pay review that is published supercedes the previous years. Bit like writing a new will!!

Any cash retainer is going to have to pretty attractive to keep me in the RAF past April '08. I'm just getting so weary of military life B-S these days. I'll quite happily take a lower paid civvy job, boost it with my pension, ditch the benefits and spend some quality time with things that matter: family, friends and hobbies.

New FRI Required
 

I am inbound to my 12 yr point and will have an ATPL by the time I reach it. Plenty of people at Brize and Lyneham, and further afield I'm sure, are in the same position. Will any of us be in after our option with the current state of affairs? I don't think so. Will a hefty wedge keep us in to 16 yrs and perhaps beyond?:suspect: It would more than likely keep me in and I would guess a reasnoble percentage of others too.
Should we be throwing more money to Sqn Ldr aircrew who already have what I think is a good package? No. There should be more PAS and CS positions made available however.
I agree that we need to keep in some of our most experienced pilots, but we must remember to keep the sausage factory going too. I think we should be looking to target pilots with 2-3 yrs to run to their 12 yr point. An increase in PAS positions should be used for the pilots in the 12-16 yr band.
I would think this situation is duplicated in the NCA world too. Although there is no airline magnet, pee'd off people will always leave to try and improve their quality of life.