IT systems can. Just not the ones generally bought by the MOD and their contractors for 5p off their mate.

Even it the military world a CHIRP report could be filed.

IT systems don't do nuance.
Way back when Finningley was the Nav trainer, and I was the occasional Met. Lecturer, to see "Sgt Mac" [if memory serves] juggling real time problems of timetabling involving lecturers/ students/ classrooms/leave/sickness/detachments and flying programme interfaces armed with a whiteboard and pencil and paper was an education in itself.

The point isn't to let the IT system schedule. It's just a better scheduling board. But a bas one is definitely worse than the old board!

There's mention of a chronic shortage of aircraft on the early part of page 1. However, four additional Texans were delivered to Valley during the first week of last November. Since their arrival these four airplanes have not seen the light of day, and indeed have been placed on the CAA register.

This seems strange. Can anyone explain why this has happened?. The initial order for ten airplanes, was, IMHO was way too few, MoD penny-pinching, as usual?.

No, not penny pinching by the MOD. The training solution is entirely owned by Ascent - the military get no say in how their people are trained. Ascent selected the aircraft and decided on numbers.

As I said earlier, they have no interest whatsoever in the standard of training - at Ascent the cost is EVERYTHING. They provided the cheapest platforms they could, and the minimum number.

They have now had to order more Texans and more 145’s as their plans were complete crap. They are staggeringly incompetent when it comes to any ability to provide training, but my goodness they understand profit.

1. What was the date of the narrative in the first post?

2. Is Ascent more focused on profit or cost?

Just as an aside, the case for fatigue is well made in the narrative. I'm not sure that any case has been made for 'mental health' problems, the use of this (somewhat vague but trendy) phrase rather devalues the serious problems that seem to exist.

This is unbelievable! Which senior officer/MOD wonk negotiated this contract with Ascent and how do we back out of it?

What annoys me even more is that they resurrected 1 FTS at Shawbury when they could have converted DHFS back into 2 FTS as it should have been.

And it my time it flew Wessex, so should it be 72 (H)?

I beg to differ. There is a well-established medical link between fatigue and depression - if you are fatigued you are 4 times more likely to become depressed, and vice versa. It is all there in the literature. The reporter describes people being ground down, staff becoming distressed, animosity and resentment between students, all indicators of low morale or, as the medics might have it, low mood. I think that is actually a good case showing impact on their mental health which adds weight to the scale of the problems, not devalues them.

Trendy it might be, but the trend has led to armed forces, regulators and airlines across the world taking mental health seriously. That move has been long overdue.

Unless I am very much mistaken, here on planet earth in 2021 employers are required by law to have a variety of systems and policies in place to protect their employees, including, inter alia, whistleblowing and health and safety protocols.
In recent times, the scope and scale of personal liability of management and responsible persons has grown markedly, and as has been mentioned, can include prison.
Whilst I have no issue with the original poster airing the issues here, they might be better served by using the existing means at their disposal, which can mostly be invoked anonymously.

I recall the late Phil Pynegar's suspicion of such schemes... "All very well, but a bit of a shocker getting a call starting with, Ah, Flt Lt Pynegar, about that CONDOR you sent in..."

Bit of a bummer if that happens when you are having a serious pop at the senior management, eh?

CG

There is a world of difference between being depressed and depression, being unhappy with your lot is NOT the same as being ill although I believe it can be a precursor. It is very unhelpful for those who are suffering from mental illness to confuse understandable emotional reactions with symptoms of illness.

Dont know relevant this is to the current discussion, probably not very, but to someone who has been out of the game as long as I have, it is staggering to read what has happened to the RAF in recent years.

When I went through nav school in 1969-70, I recall it as a time of intense activity, a year crammed with flying, classroom work and survival training etc, with little time to draw breath. I remember that at the end of basic nav training at Gaydon we had a wash up where were asked for suggestions which might help improve the course. I suggested that perhaps one afternoon a month might be left free so that we could carry out routine admin tasks such as going to SHQ, visiting stores to exchange kit and that sort of thing. The DS were shocked by the suggestion and I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no chance of fitting such a period into an already crowded training programme. It now seems that far from an afternoon a month to do a bit of admin, some of these poor sods are getting so little flying they could be given a month off and told to go away and find something useful to do. Heartbreaking.

TTN - in today’s RAF, it’s more like one afternoon per month being allocated to flying!

My lad, nearly 17, has had his heart set on flying in the RAF since he was a nipper, following family tradition. As of now, I cannot recommend that path to him.
Sad times.

Commercial Reality Check Guys !
 

30 per cent of professional pilots throughout the world are unemployed with little to no chance of finding work in the medium term. 17 % of professional pilots are furloughed with little to no chance of significant numbers returning to work in the short to medium term. Those remaining at work are braced for further job losses and deep cuts to their terms and conditions of employment. While a 11 hour working day is a long duty period its not exceptional and 12 1/2 hours is a regular typical flying duty in the civilian sector. If your only flying 140 hours per annum you have it easy. 100 flying hours per 28 days is the summer target for the airlines and these hours are spread through deep nights, very early starts, late starts with time zone disturbances thrown in. You report 12 QFIs to 12 student QFIs and 22 students. That divides up to less than 3 students per instructor which seems very reasonable and manageable. If students are not flying often enough and your concerned about continuity and safety, then as the QFI you do not send them solo and if the course foot print over runs so be it. If your concerned about flight planning software and other dispatch issues deal with them your not flying much you have all the time in the world to resolve these problems. While the report highlights domestic problems within your Squadron these concerns should have been managed domestically in house using the established chain of command. This report should not have been published in an open forum and it borders on mutiny if it has been published by a military officer. It certainly brings the service into disrepute. Frequent shift changes not getting home when you expect to get home bluntly "thats life in a blue suit" please be thankful that your on salary right now, that your flying a wonderful aeroplane with a ready supply of talented highly motivated and aptitude selected students. Your the QFI you know what the problems are fix those that you can, recruit colleagues to fix those that you cant and when you have done all that you possibly put the kettle on have a cup of tea and chill out. Seriously enjoy being on salary.

....but please use you’re where you mean you’re not your.!!

I see it made the Daily Mail today,