Gliding "paused"

Some of the worst managers that I’ve seen have been pilots, as a JO they only really have to manage themselves until they get to S/L.

That’s hilarious, £30K+ to play what is in effect the ultimate computer game.

Where do I sign?

On the dotted line, the one that says you might have to kill in the course of your duties…

I’m down with that, but I think I may be too old and don’t really want to live in Lincolnshire.
The police aren’t contracting freelance snipers either :frowning:

NCO pilots in the AAC - in the main a very different way of operating. The AAC use a very different “business model” in the way they operate and how they use their manpower. This is illustrated by the CBAT (aptitude scores) required by either service to be taken into flying training - the RAF’s is significantly higher than the AAC’s.:slight_smile:

As for other RPAS - no different to operating an armed fast jet other than not being in the aircraft.

You’ve just let slip your actual grasp and understanding of what goes on, haven’t you?

Virtually none at all.

As for pilots being managers: it’s an ability to comprehend the whole business. Many of those who reach the top demonstrate leadership in very demanding conditions. Some even have had the opportunity to do whilst in the highest personal danger, which, in the RAF, most other branches do not.

They also tend to be the high achieving types too. Having had personal experience of the last two CAS I think they have chosen very well.

On the subject of why we don’t have SNCO pilots? It would be a retrograde step. CRM and “cockpit gradient” issues have killed enough people (across aviation, medicine and god knows how many other industries) without artificially introducing a another, larger element of rank gradient at the same time.

I’d take issue with that! Most NCO/WO pilots (in fact, almost certainly all) have come up through the ranks of the AAC; in RAF terms they’re the equivalent of techies and WSOps. They’re far from being infanteers.

The officers on the other hand may well have come from other units (eg Prince Harry was originally a cavalry officer) and so are more likely to have an appreciation of the ground situation.

Most AAC NCO pilots come up from other regiments, quite a few from the REME and RE (the tech background in these lends itself to aviation I suppose) and others from the infantry and cavalry Regts etc. Some are relatively experienced SNCOs but most are very much like RAF Aircrew Sgts (and before training were Cpl/LCpl equivalent).

The officers tend to be a bit more of a mix, with a reasonable split of those coming from other Regts or from within the administrative/support area of the AAC, and the rest being direct entry AAC officers.

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I would suggest there is a world of difference between sitting in a aircraft for x hours doing several hundred MPH to sitting in a room in front of a in effect a TV screen showing a camera view of somewhere 1000s of miles away, where you could have a mug of tea and some biccies and nip out to the loo and then maybe have someone take over at the end of your shift. Let’s be honest if the drone you were flying was hit by some ordnance you wouldn’t have the same trauma.

As for managing things, I’m still not convinced. Many of the senior officers in the RAF have been in charge or involved with some of the projects that have run horrendously over budget and time and led to the situation we are in today. Or do we just get those at the top who have been in the side lines and managed to avoid the finger of blame? Quite how OC 2FTS has managed to stay in his job is astounding, I’m surprised he hasn’t got a gong in the NY or BH list over the last 2½ years.

No comment. I know a few people who worked for him before he formed 2FTS.

Sarge, sorry I am not fully aware of army protocols etc and was only quoting what was in the book.

What’s the difference between regular and late entry officers??

Thanks for that information

Back on topic please people

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Dear Pot, what colour is the Kettle?

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This rather depends how you count them. Kids who are interested in flying join the ATC, so a lot of ex cadets become pilots (in proportion to the population). However most of these ex-cadet pilots are now actually getting their training in civil schemes. Two of our cadets took the initiative and went along to the local gliding club and in an exchange of work for flying spent most of the summer in the air. A cadet from another squadron doing the same thing will be an instructor next summer. These kids happened to be in the ATC, but it was the BGA clubs that trained them at their expense.

BGA clubs have always trained teenagers and sent them solo as soon as they are old enough.

Is English not your first language, or are you deliberately misunderstanding a well written text?

You can’t give me figures can you? In that case there’s no sound argument until some hard data backs up suppositions. We could conjecture until the cows come home, but it would just be an unfair battle of wits against daily mail headlines and cold hard reality. Merry Christmas.

Numbers mean nothing except financial. I spent a large part of my previous working life shuffling and presenting numbers, so show me some numbers and I know it is meaningless. The MOD have thrown millions at the gliding and getting no return, apart from rhetoric. As one of my nans used to say - fine words butter no parsnips.

Shouldn’t we celebrate the fact that cadets who can’t get air training through the Air Training Corps are getting it and achieving things through their own endeavour and initiative? Just a pity the people running the organisation don’t have the same sort of drive. We bang on about initiative and getting cadets to show it and when they do, some just seek to do them down. We’ve got a lot of cadets doing DofE elements outside the ATC by finding their own things. These cadets mentioned will have gliding as a DofE skill and may be even volunteering, win win.

Considering the lack of ACO gliding scholarships over what is the longest “pause” in history, it has to be 100% in favour of BGA, regardless of the actual numbers involved. Why on earth didn’t 2FTS link up with BGA from the outset of the problem? Sorry, I know the answer, not good for a career…