More Drone rumours
 

I've been digging some more on the RPAS issue and I have some more rumours to add to this aptly named rumour network:

Soon, the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System-Pilot branch will no longer exist as a single Branch, instead there will be a fourth stream in to the Pilot branch and RPAS-P will move over to the Brown Pilot's brevet as they ditch the Blue and will be able to receive full "flying pay" which is now known as recruitment and retention pay, I think. The streams will be:

• Pilot - Fast-Jet
• Pilot - Rotary Wing
• Pilot - Multi-Engine
• Pilot - ISTAR

From what I can tell, one can choose to specialise in RPAS from the start as an ISTAR Pilot but the other three will remain as normal. There will be no restrictions to 'manned' (for lack of a better word) aircraft from RPAS assets because all Pilots will have a full Instrument Rating for flying the Reaper and Protector in UK airspace.
39 Sqn is drawing down from Creech AFB and they will be moving to RAF Waddington to permanently team up with XIII Sqn, which means operators are not backwards and forwards the U.S and the UK along with operational deployments for LRE duties and also potential Exercises. This works better for families and it may be one answer to the RPAS retention headache.

There is virtually no holding time for RPAS operators compared to their 'manned' counterparts; it's currently 7.5 years and counting for fast-jet pilots and a fair chunk for the others. I know of one young man who has only been in the Air Force for a few years and has seen operational service, whereas those on the 'manned' system currently for the most part are just starting EFT after the same period!
The OCU will remain at Creech AFB as a permanent detachment of 54 Sqn, but after that 6 month course, Captaincy is achieved requiring only a weapons work up to achieve CRS.
The best part for guys who are like me in their 20's is that, due to this, the age limit is raised to 33, but I suspect it will still remain 26 for DE Pilots.

Hopefully we can keep this thread updated as more information becomes available. Good times for the RAF!

Ha, yeah, and I'd be very interested in RPAS as a second career in my mid 30's!

You could do it from your retirement home!

To the chap who PM'd me but hasn't emptied his inbox, could you make space and then PM me again please?

Cheers.

Not the place to give details but your post is half way correct and is lacking in some detail in other places.

HG

Respectfully I would say that of course it's the place to give details, it's a rumour site and I started this thread for people like me who have their mind open to RPAS as well as manned flying.

There's nothing classified here and if there was, well you'd have just breached the rules by confirming it as "half correct" anyway, in fairness.

...a rumour site for "professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls", etc, etc.

Just saying :-)

Only too true!

I have just been turned down by the Medals office for a (retrospective) Op SHADER medal on the basis that ISTAR crews sipping coffee in Waddington or Cyprus were contributing more op effectiveness than we targeteers in PJHQ. I also didn't qualify for the Non-article 5 medal for ELLAMY/Libya in 2011 for the same reason, while Tonka engineers in Italy did.

Go figure.:rolleyes:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d98b65648d.jpg

Timelord , how right you are!

Drone operators deserve recognition, but NOT the RAF Flying Badge unless they've previously completed RAF flying training.

Ha ha ha! Describing it as merely different is like saying a car is different to a boat, or a model aircraft is different to a manned aeroplane.
Seeing as the RPAS FT course consists of c. 40 hours on the Tutor, the graduates were lucky even to get 'Blue' RAF wings. Maybe the UAS 'Budgie' would be more appropriate! (This is not meant in any way to denigrate the important job RPAS operators do though... It is as important as IntOs, Targeteers, Armourers. One team etc...)

https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/r...tem-rpas-pilot:

SPECIALIST TRAINING
Your specialist training begins with a bespoke version of Elementary Flying Training (EFT), including ground school and then flying the Tutor aircraft. You will complete the Tutor training with an Instrument Flight Test and Final Handling Test before being awarded RPAS(P) wings. You will then go to the Reaper Formal Training Unit (FTU) in the USA to train on the aircraft you will be flying operationally.

The FTU is completed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, USA. You will spend 6 months completing the ground school elements and learning how to operate the aircraft, including weapons.

My thoughts...
 

Bob, I hear what you say, Reaper is indeed vital. So is SHORAD. Does that mean that when the RAF Regt 'flew' Rapier, all the Rapier crews and Rock QWIs should have received wings (and not just on their right shoulder!)? If not, why not? After all, Rapier flew, was operated by a man on the ground and achieved kinetic effects. Perfect parallel if you ask me... Maybe all the current Royal Artillery SHORAD guys should get wings?

And WW2 Spitfire pilots still flew in the ruddy thing and many lost their lives doing so...regardless of how long spent on an OTU. Poor comparison!

TR
 

Good grief Bob V.

When I knew you I had no idea that you wore womens' underwear !

Ah, but only of the finest silk I understand.

Dook and DOF
 

The wings are for being qualified as a pilot of a military aircraft. Have you been to Waddo and actually seen what the guys do?

No. But I saw Mike Brewer do it on the telly... If that fat knacker can manage it..... ;)

Flying is not hard.... A monkey got itself into space :E

Fixed that for you!

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It's quite telling that it seems to be the old and retired folk that are most averse to RPAS pilots being recognised as such. If you have not been to Waddo and seen exactly what the Reaper crews do then you are commenting from a position of conjecture and opinions based on at best mistruths, rumour or deep bias.

Actual hands on flying of an aircraft is not what pilots are employed for in the military, otherwise The RAF would employ your average Easyjet level pilot.

Military pilots have to 'fight' an aircraft by managing complicated systems, multiple crew, numerous radios, understand a complicated and, most of the time, incomplete and confusing tactical picture whilst staying within the every moving goalposts of ATC, LOAC, ROE, TD, GASOs, and 20 other documents and policies. All whilst being shot at, trying to understand foreign aircrew and procedures, coordinating several other assets, dealing with an emergency in marginal weather and immense pressure to ensure the goods guys dont die.... THAT is why the military has a different calibre of pilot.

now try making all of those decisions with 500 other people in the CAOC, DGCS MoD etc from SAC to 4* rank analysing EVERY decision before phoning directly into the cockpit to tell about how your decision as the aircraft captain is not what THEY want! That is exactly what RPAS ops are for young kids who are 18-24 months along the line from day 1 at IOT.

By the time your average FJ mate is day CR after 7-10 yrs and JUST starting to be productive your RPAS pilot has 3 - 4000 OPERATIONAL hours, has dropped OPERATIONAL ordnance, has a huge wealth of ISR knowledge, operational planning experience, intimate knowledge of how a war is fought at the tactical to strategic level.

Times have moved on, your opinions, based on FACTS, should probably consider do the same if you dont want to look like you are out of touch.

If it's good enough for the adults in charge at the Air Force Board, perhaps we should trust them a little more, no?

Absolutely. I was meaning military pilots in general, not specifically RPAS.

I think you have hit the nail on the head, most people have no idea and revert back to what they know as their barometer. I would encourage everyone who has not done so, to approach the Waddo about a visit, if it is within your remit to do so. It is a HUGE eye-opener; warfare and conventional thinking has evolved significantly.

RPAS is a COMPLETELY different mindset and skill set which has some really young kids with little experience making some pretty strategic decisions, albeit with plenty of support from the Sqn and additional 'support' from the 500 other long screwdrivers :E