QWI or QFI?
 

I am a 1st tourist pilot nearing the end of my tour. I am now faced with the dilemma of my next posting. Should I opt for the FJ OCU and be a Stick Nudging Trimmer, or for the Glass eating role of the QWI? I have heard that they are both valuable members of the community. Apparantly there is also another option where I can do neither and be a Psuedo QFI and sit in the back to allow front seaters to log sim IF. ;)

It rather depends upon whether you want a marketable skill which you could use in later life. As a QFI though, it would be very surprising if your first QFI tour would be on frontline types - more likely on Hawk or Tucano. As a QWI you could analyse film/video, talk esoterically about the radar and do a lot of rear seat convex rides; in later years you could work for some defence contractor. As a TI/'pseudo' QFI you would merely be asked by any future employer why you weren't selected for CFS or why, if you wanted to instruct, you didn't apply for CFS in the first place.
Go to CFS, get a Hawk tour out of the way, ask for EF and then you could fly/instruct on that TFN??

Agree with Beagle. Go for QFI - you can do QWI later if you want, but at least you will have a very marketable qualification for later. Another thought - considered going TP after a couple of FJ tours?

Sound like a QFI if you can't decide! Seriously the double Q tick is a very rare commodity, your first choice is what you will end up doing. To defend the dark side, QWIing is a lot of fun as well and you get involved with the tactics and op employment/development of the ac rather than doing endless QFI checks. TI- don't bother you'll just be a glorified JP. Everyone worth their salt has to work on the OCU or a CFS unit at some stage, the choice is yours.

Looking further afield, the QFI tick is recognised and respected by the airlines, should [when?] you decide to leave. The QWI tick will be of little use then.

The fact remains that there's not really much call for QWIs at Linton. If you want to stay flying front line fast jet ac then get a QWI tick, otherwise pop off to CFS and start phoning the airlines by the sound of it. End of first tour is a bit soon to start getting all cynical and materialistic. ;)

QWI is not a badge, it's a vocation.

It all depends on where you see your career going. If you see yourself staying in and wanting to stay on the front line, then QWI is the way ahead. Invariably you will get picked up and also involved with the more esoteric tactical stuff which can be very rewarding.

If, on the other hand, you decide to go QFI you can expect to go back to the training world before returning to the front line. It's also a reasonable qual to stick on a CV, but don't expect it to open too many doors in the airline world. It can be v. rewarding particularly when training youngsters. It can also be v frustrating when trying to retrain hairy old nose gunners!! Either way ..... get a "Q" tick rather than a TI if you can.

Thanks Guys,

I've since spoken to my sqn QFI who tells me that if he was sharp enough to of been a QWI, he would of gone for it. My choice is clear.

[ 09 July 2001: Message edited by: laserfiring ]

Laserfiring you have chosen well. Best of luck.

Are you arrogant, self opinionated and overly aggressive? If so, then become a QWI. And wear a sad badge (you sound like an F-3 Pumper).

But seriously, if you are a level-headed, even tempered individual, the QWI vocation may not be for you.

If you have any plans for life outside the RAF, then QFI is the only rational choice.

Not Jonny Ware of MASUAS (84-87) fame? If so how's trix

Have a bad experience with a QWI as a child did you Jonny? Unusual to have your actual name on PPRUNE.

Be a QWI and a QFI etc. Not sure either of them matter in civvi street unless you intend to work for BAe.

The RAF's job is to wage war in the air. The QWI is, invariably, the chap(ess) who leads his/her part of the RAF into war (this opinion taken from AOC 1 Gp at Coningsby about a week ago). Want to do something significant in the big scheme of things? The choice is obvious.

212 man ..... don't be fooled!! Every man jack at Bruggen was Jonny Ware when it came to taxis and pizza deliveries - I think the gentleman concerned may be using the same ruse...... :D

laserfiring,

QWI not QFI, no contest.

Few things matter very much, most things don't matter at all.

You could always be both. QTIs at Valley are now QFIs, apparently, and a Hawk QWI tick after 12 months if you know your arse from your elbow.
The weather in Anglesey is sooooo good, and a Hawk QWI badge is always well respected by those front line chappies...... :D

It's got to be QFI.

After all, QWIs and green apples give you the !!!!!s.

Jonny ware - I think with a name like laser firing it's not too likely that he is an F3 guy so chill! (or maybe it's a double bluff??)
I agree with you about the badge though. Why do they do that? I've even noticed F3 EWIs are starting to wear a similar but green badge. Weird.
On the QWI/QFI debate, I think more consideration should be given to the middle of the road QTI thing (yes it is an official Q now). As Poison Arrow pointed out - some
strange stuff has happened at Valley making all QTIs into QFIs or something (any QTIs at Valley feel free to give us the full gen).

Looking further ahead - they are looking at having no QFIs at all for Eurofighter, although I don't think they'll get away with going that far, their numbers will be limited. Also QWIs will almost certainly just be the weapons specialists (what a strange idea!) rather than the "I know everything, can do everything and never make a mistake" types that they are at the moment.

If you are looking at a QWI course for your type but want to end up on Eurofighter, ensure that there will be a glut of QWIs for your type or it will make it very difficult for you to get away with all your handy skills. Additionally , if you are a bomber type, then you're skills will not be required on Eurofighter for quite some time yet.

If it's a Eurofighter OCU job that you're looking for then they are just looking for an instructional qualification (any) for the majority of staff. If it's a front line (airshows/exercises only) job then you're best chance is to become an abo!

I was in your situation a few years ago and the thought of Valley (and even going back to the hawk) put me right off any thoughts of QFI - I believe Linton slots (aargh - tucano) are also hard to come by for FJ guys ((but not impossible).

As a final thought maybe it would be appropriate to spare a thought for the pilot poster, such a thoroughly nice, down to earth and ever helpful chap that he is.

Please explain WTFIH at Y-fali if all the staff pilots are being assigned a 'Q' prefix?

Back in the days of yore, we had QFIs who had served their time learning how to instruct - they did the convex flying, IRTs etc. We had PAIs, IWIs, QBIs and the rest who all became re-designated as Qualified Weapons Instructors; at TWU they taught weaponeering and did all the cine assessment before clearing us to go and strafe, rocket and bomb Pembrey into oblivion. The rest of the pilots on the TWU staffs weren't qualified anythings, these were 'Tactics Instructors' who didn't have any specialised qualifications but who led pairs or 4-ship SAPs, towed cine trips, led some doggers etc.

So what precisely are the qualifications of a 'cutie' or whatever they're calling themselves? And just how are they earning their Qualified Flying Instructor status? Do they hold the same B2 status as any novice 'real' QFI? Please elaborate!!

[ 14 July 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]