My heart sinks when I read this, it’s enough to reduce a grown man to tears if those tears beat the rising anger in the chest. I served just short of 40 years in the RAF, without a ground tour, my last 21 years flying fighter types both operationally and as a Squadron, refresher, basic and advanced jet QFI (retiring in 2005). I have enormous pride in having served and being helped along the way by exceptionally fine people. However, how can one forgive the senior political folk who have, by apparent ignorance or ‘career enhancing’ decisions, fixing a training system that ‘wasn’t broke’. The RAF had the most envied training system – having served with two different air forces I know this – but now?. A “9 to 5” military system?! If we don’t own it we are doomed.
My heart sinks when I read this, it’s enough to reduce a grown man to tears if those tears beat the rising anger in the chest. I served just short of 40 years in the RAF, without a ground tour, my last 21 years flying fighter types both operationally and as a Squadron, refresher, basic and advanced jet QFI (retiring in 2005). I have enormous pride in having served and being helped along the way by exceptionally fine people. However, how can one forgive the senior political folk who have, by apparent ignorance or ‘career enhancing’ decisions, fixing a training system that ‘wasn’t broke’. The RAF had the most envied training system – having served with two different air forces I know this – but now?. A “9 to 5” military system?! If we don’t own it we are doomed.
I totally agree with the comments in this article ex RAF Aerosystems Engineering Officer