P2F, Maritime Style
 

The Airlines are full of the iniquitous 'Pay to Fly' (P2F) schemes, so why not adapt one?

It is a tragedy that so many highly-trained, experienced Maritime aircrew and engineers are about to be taken out of the loop. It seems to me that the crass decision to do away with LRMP will, in time, have to be reversed and a new platform put into service. It will need ten crews or so to provide for the first Squadron and the core of a new OCU.

So, why not keep ten crews, plus support personnel, and farm them out to NATO, the Australians and New Zealand. No expense to the host government, no replacement of host crews, just a reasonable amount of hours to be flown per annum on a P2F basis. The cost per flying hour should be reasonable, with skills and knowledge being maintained until they are needed back home. The main problem would be getting the pollies and the Fast Jet Mafia to accept the idea.

Not a bad idea. There is indeed a commercial market for maritime patrol. I doubt any nation could pay a commercial rate for the MR4A, but given that it is supposedly near operational readiness, the development costs are already sunk, perhaps a lease could recoup some of the costs and keep the capability alive.

There was talk of doing this about 6-9 months ago, and the final outcome was to be decided post-SDSR. The problem is these guys are on the payroll still. Of course, being abroad means they are eligible for all sorts of allowances, claims etc that could quite easily be spent on SSSA, flat screen TVs in the Med Centre and Corsa hire cars at £137 a day.

It's a good idea, has been discussed but I think you're right the FJ Mafia will claim it's a bad idea.
Why not send some of the wets/drys to replace Navy types on the Merlin for a couple of years? Of course, this would stop seamen from going flying for just a couple of years at great expense to the taxpayer...

FH
 

I believe the yanks could do with a few lead wets due to skill fade,