More RAF cuts

[Sploosher]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110214/tuk ... dbed5.html

how much further are things going to go.....................????

[Jigsaw]

Saw that coming. No point having so many pilots when you have hardly any aircraft

[Thumper]

Yep, it was just a matter of time

[Mayfly]

Obvious conclusion..and your not going to bin your experienced guys who would cost you more in redundancy and lose that expertise either.

[Thumper]

It was said somewhere, can't remember where that most pilots who were made "surplus to requirement" would probably be shipped to America.

[MOD]

In the last Aviation News it was stated by the AVM in charge that we will only have 6 fast jet squadrons (1 Tornado and 5 Typhoon) and the Navy fast jet pilots will go to the States to fly off carriers whilst they wait for something here to fly.

[Xplumberlives]

In the last Aviation News it was stated by the AVM in charge that we will only have 6 fast jet squadrons (1 Tornado and 5 Typhoon) and the Navy fast jet pilots will go to the States to fly off carriers whilst they wait for something here to fly.

Ian, the majority of RAF pilots from the Harrier world have found employment on types like the Typhoon, but many of the Naval Aviators are being offered tickets to the ROTARY world from where they will never return to fixed wing flying! They are NOT keen on this!

Some of the RAF Pilots have secured placements with the US Navy, but with the ceasing of Harrier operations in the UK, most of the exchange oportunities have been removed by the American Air Force and Navy!

[Sploosher]

In the last Aviation News it was stated by the AVM in charge that we will only have 6 fast jet squadrons (1 Tornado and 5 Typhoon) and the Navy fast jet pilots will go to the States to fly off carriers whilst they wait for something here to fly.

Ian, the majority of RAF pilots from the Harrier world have found employment on types like the Typhoon, but many of the Naval Aviators are being offered tickets to the ROTARY world from where they will never return to fixed wing flying! They are NOT keen on this!

Some of the RAF Pilots have secured placements with the US Navy, but with the ceasing of Harrier operations in the UK, most of the exchange oportunities have been removed by the American Air Force and Navy!

Looks like some of our pilots are up S*** creek then.........................

[Mayfly]

Anyone see Sean Maffit and Gerald Howath on the TV this evening talking about the Pilot reductions..

both wearing Vulcan pin badges

[Jigsaw]

Anyone see Sean Maffit and Gerald Howath on the TV this evening talking about the Pilot reductions..

both wearing Vulcan pin badges

Good for them I have one of those somewhere and some cufflinks (like I would ever need THEM)

[Last Lightning]

definately not a surprise...with ten front line aircraft of which five are in maintenance at any given time, three u/s (fuel leaks, flat tyres, batteries etc etc) with one on QRA duties the other is free to fly.....strangly the scrum of pilots trying to fly that one is huge, so why add more pilots to the scrum?

[Lucas1860]

My eldest was selected for the Navy as a pilot, he did his initial training, just prior to passing out all the navy pilots were given the boot, low and behold the cuts were later announced. This is not about budget cuts, this is a governemt putting all that labour did in reverse. There is a need to save and cut back, not to chop the lot. We are a world peacekeeper, expected to raise to the occasion when required. This country needs to take a real look at itself, big society my backside.

[Last Lightning]

This country needs to take a real look at itself, big society my backside.

I dont think its the country in general its the hippy in power that needs to get out of that office and back into the real world that we all live in...perhaps even a change of advisors is in order, maybe he would prefer the country doing an Egypt....

[Xplumberlives]

My eldest was selected for the Navy as a pilot, he did his initial training, just prior to passing out all the navy pilots were given the boot, low and behold the cuts were later announced. This is not about budget cuts, this is a governemt putting all that labour did in reverse. There is a need to save and cut back, not to chop the lot. We are a world peacekeeper, expected to raise to the occasion when required. This country needs to take a real look at itself, big society my backside.

Sorry to say you're WRONG Jim but we USED TO BE A WORLD PEACEKEEPER, now we need to concentrate on our own interests!

Dave

[Sploosher]

I find it difficult to understand why HMG can justify making all these cuts, when they are still giving India, (who are nuclear capable and have a space programme),£280million every year in Aid.......................

WTF is all that about................


Its criminal and should be stopped NOW..................

[Nickolas]

Agree, if you can fund the bomb you can feed your own people.
Charity begins AT HOME.

[Lucas1860]

My eldest was selected for the Navy as a pilot, he did his initial training, just prior to passing out all the navy pilots were given the boot, low and behold the cuts were later announced. This is not about budget cuts, this is a governemt putting all that labour did in reverse. There is a need to save and cut back, not to chop the lot. We are a world peacekeeper, expected to raise to the occasion when required. This country needs to take a real look at itself, big society my backside.

Sorry to say you're WRONG Jim but we USED TO BE A WORLD PEACEKEEPER, now we need to concentrate on our own interests!

Dave

Too busy keeping all the others happy, let the island sink.

[Mayfly]

From what I've heard they have spilt the trainees into 4 groups ranging from IOT [Initial Officer Training] to OCUs and basically they will keep the top 70% from each group, rather than just pick a particular point and chop everyone after it.

[Nickolas]

From what I've heard they have spilt the trainees into 4 groups ranging from IOT [Initial Officer Training] to OCUs and basically they will keep the top 70% from each group, rather than just pick a particular point and chop everyone after it.

At least THAT makes some sense. Otherwise we'd be back in the BoB state...........Not enough pilots.

Maybe the Govt should be sat down and made to watch the film and TAKE THE HINT.

[Mayfly]

But with the Harriers gone, the Kipper Fleet gone and the Tornados reducing why do we need more pilots to sit around with nothing to fly? - Quite a few new pilots are holding officers for 2 years or more waiting for a post and have been for a while.

Suspending pilot training isn't new they have done it on a number of occasions in the past - what is new, to best of my knowledge is chopping those already under training, but if they had said we'll continue to train them they would have been lambasted for wasting money - sods law really. The Government don't look at what things have cost - that's gone, spent, nothing you can do about it - they only look at future expenditure and what they can save.

Don't get me wrong I understand the disappointment of those who thought they had made it only to have the rug pulled from under them - flying isn't something people generally just happen to end up doing it's something they've wanted and worked for, for a long time. I would never advocate reducing our military, there are other things that I personally would target!! but I understand their reasoning.

I believe it will be the back end of 2012 before pilot training will start again.

[Gully]

I find it difficult to understand why HMG can justify making all these cuts, when they are still giving India, (who are nuclear capable and have a space programme),£280million every year in Aid.......................

WTF is all that about................


Its criminal and should be stopped NOW..................

Aid is targetted to the three poorest states in India for specific programmes. No doubt we get favourable trade arrangements in return. As for the figure, in the overall picture of government finances, £280m is not a great deal.

The government has significantly curtailed the support given to India in view of their growing economy, but decided that some specific support was still justified. Long article on Radio 4 the other morning...

Gully

[Sooty655]

And they still spend more than the aid buying military equipment from us. Trade that would probably go to China without the "incentive".

[Mayfly]

Anyone know if I'm right in thinking that there is possibly 'brownie points' awarded by the EU if you give International aid. Somewhere in my dim and distant past I seem to remember something of the sort.

[Sooty655]

Anyone know if I'm right in thinking that there is possibly 'brownie points' awarded by the EU if you give International aid. Somewhere in my dim and distant past I seem to remember something of the sort.

Hope so. The Brownies will soon be our first line of defence.

[Kermit]

start running now, then...