Next CAS
 

Looks like hot money is on Rich Knighton.

Hurrah!

Would that be the first non-stick jockey CAS?

Yes - although Ellington really didn’t do much flying. He gained his pilot’s certificate in late 1912 and was promptly appointed the Secretary to the committee which had set up the RFC. He then became a staff officer at the Directorate of Military Aeronautics before being sent off to CFS to complete his training. He left CFS as a member of the RFC Special Reserve, but when war broke out wasn’t sent to join the RFC, instead ending up at GHQ BEF. He served in a series of non-RFC staff posts until 1917, when he went back to the DMA as the 1* Deputy Director. When he transferred officially to the RAF, he did so as a 2* and thus never held any flying command appointment in the RFC or RAF. He was AOC in Iraq, India and the Middle East and AOC-in-C of Air Defence of Great Britain. He did some flying during this time, but not very much at all. Had Geoff Salmond lived, he’d never have been CAS.

I think that Rich, with his PPL may in fact have about as much stick time as Sir Edward did….

I don’t think there’s anyone else suitable. They’re all tainted from their ass-to- mouth with the present luvvy.

Certainly has got exactly the right pedigree for these days - good on him.

[and I speak as a retired "stick jockey" (ugh - awful phrase)]

OMG - just noticed he was born after I joined!!

Hmmm.

I'm told that the interviews were on Tuesday 21st. Gerry Mayhew, Knighton and one other (possibly Johnny Stringer).

Two of them are patently not Wigstonian or Woke, are personable and deeply impressive, and would have been (IMHO) bloody great for the service. And both are Jagmates who also flew Typhoon.

The other was described to me as the 'cuntinuity candidate'. When I asked about the spelling, I was told that it was fine. I am now being told that he has got the job, as of today.

Interested to see Jonny Stringer rumoured as third candidate rather than Harv Smyth. I'd have thought JS more likely to be considered next time around, but thinking about it I wonder if he would have been considered to have greater potential than Harv to go on as CDS (at which Wiggy's replacement will presumably have a shot). RK and JS both have the intellectual confidence to select and empower the best subordinates, which I'm not convinced either Gerry or Harv do, and Gerry was IMHO uninspiring as both AOC and DCOM. RK's understanding of (and respect by) MOD is unrivalled, and heaven knows the RAF needs to do better there with only one Town post of any consequence being filled by light blue. I couldn't disagree more with the assessment of him as continuity Wiggy: that would have been Windy Gale. It's just that RK is too savvy a political operator to have diverged too publicly from his Boss's line. I for one would be delighted to see him succeed, although capable as he is, I can't see him going on to be CDS, which ultimately (unlike CAS) is an operations job. He will know that, and it might ultimately work in all our favours by affording him the freedom finally to deploy all of that experience and savvy without worrying about what it might mean for his next appointment. The spectacle of Wiggy sticking doggedly to the Departmental line before HCDC, despite it being a racing certainty that he won't be CDS, was just the crowning turd on a disastrous tenure.

My understanding is that for 3-stars and above, the preferred candidate has to formally gain approval from the PM and HM The King. So, until that is done, no one “has got the job”, yet.

If they really wanted someone not tainted by Wiggy the Woke then they need to choose someone who has not sat on the Air Force Board during his reign (and therefore complicit in the decisions made). As harsh as that is.

By my reckoning the short list should have been Sammy or Windy (somewhat surprised though to see him labelled as the real continuity candidate - he’s clearly changed of late??)

Sammy should definately have been on the short list, and suprised no Harv, but nice to see JS was in the running.

It will be interesting to see if any of the others in the leading pack of runners, decides to leave or are invited to do so when the ‘New Guard’ gets going. I also think that in three years, there might be a female officer as at least one of the contenders – it will be interesting also to see who moves where, as that will probably suggest some fairly obvious ‘grooming’ (in the nicest possible way of course!!!).

This year will be 60 since I joined and next, 30 since I left regular service and 3 since I gave up on reserves and cadets. I was never going to be ‘one to watch’ except out of idle curiosity. However, it seems that what is required of the top brass these days is very different from yesteryear but hey, that’s generational change.

Old Duffer

I refrained from 'stick monkey'! :-)

Bring back the days of "No stick - no vote!" to silence the penguins!

Isn't Air Marshal Mayhew still in the line up?

FB

Bigoted Idiot.

You don't do irony?

I was always told that the term 'Penguin' was coined by the Regiment and applied ground-crew and non-aircrew, because they were all flap and no fly. Just a bit of friendly banter

With the RAF looking to become fully inclusive, they should open the doors to any candidate who hasn't served, been a citizen of this country, is gender fluid, has no interest in flying and is not suitably qualified for the post.
The way the world is going, it won't be too far away.

Remember those little stickers which used to say "The purpose of the air force is to fly and flight. The purpose of those who don't is to support those who do" or somesuch?

Long before snowflake woke nonsense, of course!

At TWU, we had a brilliant admin chap who told his staff that all travel claims had to be processed asap. He knew that aircrew often couldn't get down to Hanbrake House, so told his team that they were to go around to the squadrons and collect the claims. That was just one small case of admin support, but appreciated by all and he didn't have to pay for many drinks at happy hour!!

Penguin and that motto was in use at Manby Met. in 1964, complete with shield, crest and motto over the inside door. I doubt if the staff there [for whom I had no affection on attachment] had the wit to invent it, so it predates those days. My father [RAFVR 1939-46] never used it in his tales of defeating Hitler.