Smaller cses overall from IOT onwards & lower numbers for pilot recruitment - the trg system has a better chance to cope.
When I was there as a flt cdr, each sqn started with 150 officer cadets (15 flts of 10), with typically 120 -140 graduating - bearing in mind that some would have joined having been recoursed from their previous sqn, or, re-joined at the appropriate stage after being on Medical Holding Flt for a while. Can’t remember the percentages but the figure of around 20% potential aircrew across all branches rings a bell.
As RAFOTA, I think that it’s now an average of about 100 graduates from each cse - but bear in mind that perhaps 10 or so could be from the Commissioned Warrant Officers’ Cse. Dunno if they also throw in what was previously called SERE (Special Entrants & Re-Entrants) - it’s now known as Specialist Officer Initial Training (SOIT) for the doctors, nurses, chaplains & legal beavers.
From what I can see, the recent average annual recruitment tgt for pilots is 60 - 65.
That’s not a good use of time - but the Lunnon social life might be fun!
They would see much more on a multi-eng sqn such as at Brize or Lossie, even if only on the sqn ops desk. Get them flying, shadowing some of the key posts (such as SEngO), etc, help out with some of the secondary duties. Of course, sign up for any stn expeds if feasible, see if there are any developmental cses they could look at.
I’ve met some holdies who are in admin roles, too. Surely being involved in aviation would be more relevant and a more positive experience (although perhaps the adjacency to UASs would be problematic?)
I had a mate on hold whilst the F-35 was being trailed in the states. So he was out there, paying normal mess rates whilst living in an amazing apartment all paid for, in a great area. Just doing basic admin. Was there for 18 months. Traveled all over the states. Had a blast.
You’d be pretty annoyed if you got put on an AEF for 18 months teaching nav whilst your mate was out doing all that.
When on the first rung of the career ladder, maybe not so useful to look at connections some way up?
A holding officer has very limited “real” Service knowledge & certainly from what I found, will probably require a reasonable amount of supervision. Security clearances will be limited.
Someone on my sqn once said that monitoring a holding officer was like looking after a 9 month old puppy!
Our last 4 holdies were with us for 18 months and as they already had wings, they were put on the Tutor convex and flew cadets. The way that AEFs are at the minute, I’d be very surprised if winged holdies were put on desk jobs. We did have another holdie that hadn’t done EFT and he was doing an admin job in the UAS next door. He was with us for a year.
As a side note, a very good friend of mine was a Sqn Ldr Tonka Nav that ended up flying a desk at High Wycombe. He told me he was basically there to empty the bins!!
A few years back, the RAF Benson flying club had a virtually full time instructor who was a rejoiner who had answered his nation’s call, only to be put on a hold for 6 months…
I’ve done “zero time” sim trg - it’s good, but doesn’t give the whole “immersed” experience (same for VR). They are particulary good for systems knowledge reinforcement, emergency drills & scenario-based trg. When all the trg ticks are done, they are also fun to play in - double engine failure at 10’000 ft - land where you can (engines aren’t coming back on line!).
One of the best trg elements I encountered was when finishing off my trg of the Falcon 2000EX Easy in the USA. All the mandatory test elements had been covered. The instructor told us that he would gives us progressive failures & we had to use our systems knowledge to sort things out. No checklist allowed. Fix the problem, sort out high lift devices (if possible, such as slats / flaps), get the gear down, land. I probably learnt more in that 2 hrs than my next 5 refresher sims put together!
The real thing is needed - it’s the thrill of the whole flying sensation, such as with a selfie (upside, nothing on the clock!) to brag to your mates & to get the flying bug!
I don’t mind the PTT demo stuff - that is useful to reinforce the theory & saves some time on AEF / GIF exercises.
Absolutely NOTHING beats real flying, especially at the cadet level.
In the nicest possible way, you need the jeopardy of flying for real to focus the mind - the sim just doesn’t do the same job. (The same applies to DCCT - brilliant for scenarios, but until they make it feel, sound and smell the same…)
