So are we seeing an orderly queue forming here? Most favoured status/special relationship/managed path chums at the head, that bloody man's outfit (you only had to work his name into a conversation to see all the gathered Nigels erupt in fury, cue exit left...), then the other odds and sods who can fight over the leftover crumbs? It appears that things have change somewhat since the days of the Kidlington 'Opportunities in civil aviation' roadshow, swiftly renamed 'Lack of Opportunities...' after Chief Pilot after Chief Pilot announced that he already had an elegant sufficiency thank you very much. Somebody helpfully produced a graph showing air travel demand (and hence the need for pilots) rising inexorably to the top RH corner so no need to worry, to worry, to...

Has anyone mentioned timelines and training here? This is supposing pilots return to the cockpit ( which I understand isn't a given?)

1-2 week mil refresh at Halton for recent leavers? ( do none military have to start at IOT?)

Posted to an OCU? Which ones exactly as most are full or have people queued up?

OCU of many months ( A400 is averaging 18 months, Waddington is limited options now, Voyager is over manned, p8 unknown)

Arrive at Sqn with "basic" qualifications ( ie not tanker, Trail qualified, air to air, tac, nvg etc)

Can these guys deploy to Falklands and Middle East?

Unless signed up to a decent length of ROS, I don't get what putting these guys back in the cockpit achieves.

Ground related, gapped, OOA perhaps....