It didn't matter whether I was flying a Vulcan, Nimrod, Jet Provost or an Airbus. I still had the privilege of being the first one at the scene of the accident.

YS:rolleyes:

The non-commissioned UAS members were 'Cadet Pilots'. We wore hairy battle-dress with white flashes and a beret, with a white disk behind the badge.

We were on first name terms with our Flight Lieutenant QFIs, but the CFI was Sir and the CO was Sir or Boss.

Just looked at my 168 OCTU course photo from 1964 and there are a number of SOs among the rest of us OCs. These were blokes who had degrees and got enhanced seniority after commissioning, but were indistinguishable in uniform from the rest of us and were certainly not treated any differently. The respect went to the "hairies" (ex NCOs) who were also classified as officer cadets. Among their number were a couple of decorated Master Pilots who we were in awe of, but they still had to muck in on bull sessions with the rest of us.

TTN ... Dammit, I can't even find a 172 [Yellow] Course photo, but there must be one here somewhere :(

As with your Course, there was a well-balanced mix of 'hairy aircrew', SOs and OCs. Apart from 'respecting our elders', there were certainly no 'betters' in the melting pot ... just a bunch of assorted characters working hard to graduate on 1 April 1965 ;)

Also yellow squadron, of course, as the colours repeated every four courses. Our graduation date was 16 December 1964, two weeks before my 18th birthday. I was the youngest officer in the armed forces until a chap on 171 course (I believe) who was younger than me graduated.

I was told that the substantive rank of Acting Pilot Officer was Pilot Officer.

APO was an honour, not a rank. As someone who held the position of SAPONI for a few months, I often reflect on the magnitude of such weighty responsibility; that of being both the Senior and the Solitary Acting Pilot Officer, Northern Ireland.