gasket37 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 employment in this country is nosediving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We're scrapping our aircraft carriers, less pilots are needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 They apparently said on some news item or other, that it costs £4m to train ONE pilot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We're scrapping our aircraft carriers, less pilots are needed. On the news they were saying it cost £4million pounds to train a RAF pilot and it will cost £300 million altogether including redundancy's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 They apparently said on some news item or other, that it costs £4m to train ONE pilot... Granted alot of that £4million will be spent on hours in the cockpit but it will also include things like support staff, running the camp, filling potholes on the runway, fixed costs basically that won't go away... it'll cost £5.25million per pilot trained in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Very short sighted. 50 of them will be transport but you think they would need heavy lift to get people/kit out into Afghanistan so it looks like more of the air transportation will be outsourced. This Afghanistan war is pleasing the Army generals but it is dangerously weakening this country. To be fair the RAF should have rationalised their training program over a decade ago. It takes too long to train an RAF pilot nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) it looks like more of the air transportation will be outsourced. A one off payment, perhaps they know something we don't in the long run? We toyed with the idea of scrapping all military forces on here before, and it would be cheaper to contract in German or French soliders when we need them Edited February 14, 2011 by Money Spinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyfc Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We're scrapping our aircraft carriers, less pilots are needed. Makes sense. Very sad, the problem is we have to cut somewhere, either less now or more later. Someone has to be prepared to make these kind of decisions. The alternative is an eventual bond crisis and forced cuts we have no control over, see Portugal etc. Can't imagine the reaction if we had actual cuts in nominal spending. Cameron's comments today on local authorities bleating whilst paying the CEO 200K very instructive to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jungllie jim Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) Makes sense. Very sad, the problem is we have to cut somewhere, either less now or more later. Someone has to be prepared to make these kind of decisions. The alternative is an eventual bond crisis and forced cuts we have no control over, see Portugal etc. Can't imagine the reaction if we had actual cuts in nominal spending. Cameron's comments today on local authorities bleating whilst paying the CEO 200K very instructive to. Basic Flying training is Tri- Service to include Navy and Army rotary wing requirements.......This 25% rnay include RN & Army. Those being chopped will not be qualified to fly untill they have completed type conversion. One wonders if there will be similair news article in Sept 11 when the first phase of compulsary redundancy of HM Forces hits the streets. This is good news and the right decision. Edited February 14, 2011 by jungllie jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnionTerror Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Is there any spare capacity in commercial aviation for these pilots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jungllie jim Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Is there any spare capacity in commercial aviation for these pilots? I very much doubt it, plenty of ATPL holders with 1000+ hour experience in the real world looking for employment. Who is going to employ a "chopped" Crab who (1) Does not hold a APTL or (2) Has only minimal hours and then only accrued as a student? Perhaps Ronald Mcdonald might be able to offer a few careers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 They apparently said on some news item or other, that it costs £4m to train ONE pilot... How much does it take to keep one senior bankster in a job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Banner Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 A necessary measure given the state Labour left the country in. I really feel for these trainees though, getting selected for flight training and working your guts out for years only to get kicked out with the winning post in sight . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderpup Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Couldn't we just outsource this - the country is full of unemployed kids with hundreds of hours experience flying flight sims- just get a bunch of fly by wire drones and job done surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Is there any spare capacity in commercial aviation for these pilots? Not really but they are more than capable of retraining. All three former military pilots I know (fast jet and rotary) have become either a doctor, banker or engine designer at RR - they are bright! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 It's not just the cost of training. Once trained these guys have to keep battle ready all the time. That costs a lot. You can't just sit on your **** eating burgers for 4 years then jump back into the cockpit at a moments notice. Everyone knows the weak point of a plane is the wet mushy bit that sits in the cockpit. Soon they will be replaced by killer robots. The robots won't need training. They just sit there. Then when they are needed they are downloaded with the latest software from a highlky experienced robot that can outfly anything based on loads of simulations against real human pilots. Also if the planes are flown by robots they will be lighter, fatser, capable of higher g manoeuvers, cheaper to maintain and will not need so many safety systems, presuurisation etc. Robots - the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Loblaw Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Loved it when the chap they were interviewing blamed it on Gordon Browns financial incontinence. 'Surely you mean incompetence?' said the interviewer. 'No, I mean incontinence. It describes what Gordon Brown has been doing to tax payers money' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 You can't just sit on your **** eating burgers for 4 years then jump back into the cockpit at a moments notice. What? Like Porkins? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJLIATqP2hI&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Loved it when the chap they were interviewing blamed it on Gordon Browns financial incontinence. 'Surely you mean incompetence?' said the interviewer. 'No, I mean incontinence. It describes what Gordon Brown has been doing to tax payers money' Where was this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCasaSuCasa Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) It's only 100 people. And it's not like they won't get another job. 30 years from now they'll all be gone - replaced by robots or remote pilots. Edited February 14, 2011 by MiCasaSuCasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The labour government bit off more than it could chew with the Queen Elizabeth class carriers. Looks like one of them is going to be sold/mothballed. Absolutely crazy to fight a war against even a third world opponent with just the one aircraft carrier. I came across the following quote "The massive engineering project is now gaining momentum and employs more than 8000 people across shipyards in Glasgow, Portsmouth, Appledore, Rosyth, Merseyside and Newcastle, with thousands more across the supply chain." A lot of Labour heartlands listed there. Probably why they eagerly pushed it through before the nasty tories got in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surf's Up Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The really distressing thing here is that these people will be among the finest of their generation - men and may well be women who have devoted years and sweated blood academically for the opportunity to put their lives at the disposal of the nation. Now they are being slung out with about as much regard as McDonalds might discard its surplus burger flippers. If you wanted to encapsulate the idea that the country is completely fcuked (to which I'm a late convert), look no further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deflation Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Also if the planes are flown by robots they will be lighter, fatser, capable of higher g manoeuvers, cheaper to maintain and will not need so many safety systems, presuurisation etc. Robots - the future. You won't need a pilot at all. The USA have already tested a remote piloted plane. You need fast, real-time data connection but that is coming. Probably a few more satellites needed though. The JSF could well be the last human-controlled fighter built by NATO members. In fact, it may be outdated by the time it comes in because it's been delayed so many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Loblaw Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Where was this? Was on Radio 4 about half five tonight when someone was been interviewed regarding the RAF cuts. It was either a senior military figure or a Conservative minister. Might be on listen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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