Getting The Chop
 

Now I appreciate there are at least two meanings to "Getting The Chop". The first and most obvious one is simply getting killed. However I am more interested in the other well known one in he RAF when one was thrown off a particular course. At one time it was thought that around 40% of potential pilots got "chopped" during training. It is these people who I am interested in. I can remember all sorts of threats concerning failure during the 1950's when National Service was mandatory. One in particular was that if you got chopped you ended up serving the reminder of your two years as an AC2 in the cookhouse. I know this didn't happen in fact, as I met a couple of chaps who ended up variously employed in admin training and one as an AEO on Javelins.

So I am sure there must be a few lurking out there on Prune, what happened to you?

AEO on Javs? I don't think so......

That's like being Assistant Families Officer at Saxa Vord.

When I went through South Cerney in April 1960 my contemporaries had this threat hanging over them. There being National Service Cardington was on the cards.
Halfway through the course National Service was suspended so the threat evaporated; and so did half the course as they chopped themselves.

Well I did share a drink or 2 with an ex-AEO who said he flew on Javs; the ex-Jav navs and pilots also assembled at the bar didn't seem concerned with their old friend's claims. An aircraft well-before my time but they did have good tales of the Jav, especially the explosions when trying to start the thing.

I thought you meant like when I went to Ely.

The AC2 in the cook house threat did not only apply to National Servicemen but Direct Entry bods as well if they had not completed two years service when the chop came down!
AEO there were certainly more than one as I remember coming across around eight trainee AEO's in a Varsity/Valetta that had that had dropped into West Malling with engine trouble in the mid/late 50's.

I thought you meant as in my trip to Ely.

AEOs were the new breed of signaller for the V-bombers.

Having read the excellent The Arnold Scheme about RAF recruits learning to fly in the US, I note that those washed out from pilot training remustered in Canada. While many went on to retrain and became single-winged aircrew of assorted flavours, a number ended up undertaking general duties, including cleaning or kitchen duties, at various RCAF stations until they were demobbed in 1945-46. Now while on the one hand it would have been a safe posting, for those who joined up to serve their country in its time of need and were desperate to do something worthwhile it must have felt like a real kick in the teeth.

I have a friend who was on my nav course at Gaydon in 69. He had been chopped as a pilot (at Linton, I think) and then got chopped from our nav course.

He went on to have a full career as a combat pilot, first in the Israeli Air Force, then the SAAF, the RhodesianAF, the Sri Lankan Air Force, then in various clandestine jobs for the CIA and lots more Flown everything in combat from Hueys to Meteors and Mig 21s

Cant help thinking he was somewhat of a loss to the RAF, but somehow I doubt if he ever regretted the way things turned out

Not quite the RAF but my late father-in-law [SSGT Edward Potocki] was undergoing pilot training at civilian school in California under the umbrella of the Air Force on Ryan PT-22's. One day the four companies of his Class intake were called to parade [about 150 studs] and after a brief introduction, the officer in charge ordered A and B companies left turn and return to your pilot training. C and D companies right turn and prepare to depart for Aerial Gunnery School!.

He protested to be told that the AAC is your master and you will proceed as ordered or spend the rest of the war on KP! He went on to become a Flight Engineer on B-17's with 483rd BG in Italy only to be severely wounded in 1944 over the target in Northern Italy. Became an engineer with NASA including Apollo 13 event..

To his dying day he resented being "chopped" at flight school...

Throughout flying training I had a few 'chop rides', Then as an examiner - instructor in later life had to end the careers of a few aspiring aircrew. If they asked, over a beer (or two- remember those days) I would explain, additionally to the debrief, that it was preferable to chop now than attend a funeral later. Most understood and agreed their time had come to gracefully select another path.

Hubstrasse, indeed once they get over the crushing blow of being chopped, and the loss of any direction in their career, they often have a feeling of relief as that pressure has been removed.

Military​​​ flying training is like an increasingly steep slope. Most can manage the first part then the pace picks up until they reach a wall. Later, with out the pressure, in a different situation they succeed. I knew two navs, one became a helo pilot the other fixed wing although later killed himself.

Look at the number of fast jet navs that cross over to civilian pilot.

Echoing TTNs story, one nav on our course eventually got pilot training and went to Buccaneers before going Civi.

There was also the "chopper" girlfriend. One girl at a teacher training college in Lincoln, every Towers cadet she went out with got the chop from flying training. Pretty girl as I recall