Why would they have a flying suit if they had completed ACPS or a GS? Surely those would have been loaned for the course and required back afterwards?
I’m afraid I’m a little cynical if those involved in ‘flying’ a simulator are wearing flying suits; it does look a little like window dressing.
Or why teaching basic principles of flight theory requires a flying suit.
Surely anyone who teaches map reading or navigation does so only while wearing ancient Ronhills and a gilet?
History of the RAF while wearing white socks and having arrived in an XR2i?
CCF Only…. 
How different is that from RPAS crews wearing flying suits though? Back when I was cadet, I remember putting my flying suit on to play on flight sims at home (or to watch war movies for that matter!)
Because you have to provide your own.
Are you going to tell that to the RPAS pilots at Waddington who are sat in an ISO container ‘flying’ a Reaper on the other side of the world.
A bit like uniformed staff who only have jubilee or coronation medals.
Oooh…… acerbic 
I think flying a Tutor on a simulator is a little bit different from piloting an MQ-9 that’s flying out over a hot dry place somewhere… Just a little bit 
How is it different?
I get that one is a flight simulator and the other is a drone, but how is it different for the pilot?
They are both sat in a room staring at a screen.
One is a member of a combat unit doing a job that, despite first impressions, turns out to be more stressful than flying a fast jet or doing a foot patrol in Sangin - and the camaraderie of unit cohesion that things like uniform, processes, proximity and ‘sameness’ are things that it has been proven to mitigate that stress.
The other, err… isn’t.
Also…one kills people. The other doesn’t.
One is a cadet & the other is an actual pilot?
Also bear in mind that RAF regs could require all pilots to wearing the same PPE which the flight suit is part of.
I can also see the need for a RPAS pilot to require the knee boards commonly used by a lot of pilots.
Air cadet flt sims/synthetic trainers/Xbox’s do not have such safety hazards.
The direction of travel to support ASTRA
Astra is delivering an RAF fuelled by innovation, empowered to challenge the status quo, and committed to improvement.
Astra is developing an innovation mindset that engages and inspires the whole force, at all levels. This will unleash the ingenuity of our people to deliver meaningful change across the RAF, including for operational problem sets.
The RAF of the future must be ready to face the threats and challenges of the future in our rapidly changing world, particularly with technological advancement. The RAF’s ability to think differently, challenge the status quo and innovate will be fundamental to our future success.
“Ad Astra or To The Stars”
Perhaps the question we ask ourselves should be how does the RAFAC best support that vision? Perhaps we should focus on those enabling skills that we already do well. Leadership, teambuilding, problem solving, physical challenges if various types have provided the backbone and foundation for futher development in both the civil and military sectors.
By all means explore how we can improve the technical offering but there must be a realistic overlay of the art of the possible e.g. expecting QAIC graduates to form the core of an instructional cadre to deliver Regionalised ASTRA groundschool courses may be innovative but may not be deliverable for a whole host of reasons from travel through national exam pressures to timing out.
This is now out of date, as QAIC is being paused. When this was written, there was no intention of pausing it for a year.
I suggest that you read this book, an eye opener regarding the Reaper Force and their unique situation. It’s not a force that is easy to serve in.
Thank you but I’ll pass.
I was involved with the British Army Phoenix, I was with an American RQ-2A Pioneer squadron in Kosovo, and my son is involved with the RPAS fleet at Waddington.
It is stressful, but mainly very very boring, which is why they have a huge retention issue.
If allowing 40 cadets a year to wear a flying suit while on a course inspires them, (and a few thousand younger cadets who look up to them) to go on and join the RAF, then what harm can it do?
Understood the pause on delivery but does that mean they have stopped the review process?
I would guess the pause on delivery is so they can spend more time on/focus on the review?
Incidentally, to get over this manpower problem within the RPAS cadre, as of 1st April, RPAS pilot becomes the 4th streaming option for all pilot applicants. You can no longer join as an RPAS pilot, no matter how badly you want it.
I’m not entirely sure this will solve the problem. Imagine joining with the dream of flying fast jet and ending up in an ISO container due to ‘service demands’. Conversely, there are some who only want to fly RPAS and might end up on rotary against their wishes.
