Fast Jet Pilots
65. The most well-publicised skill shortage is of
aircrew, particularly fast jet pilots, and the National Audit
Office has recently investigated how this might arise from the
training process. It pointed to a shortage of 98 junior fast jet
pilots, 18 per cent of the requirement, which was predicted to
increase to 135 by 2003. 46 Fast Jet Pilots are currently in training
with the RAF, of whom two are women.[122]
In the NAO's analysis, part of the problem arose from failing
to meet targets for delivering new pilots to the trained strength
and from more pilots leaving early or not extending their service.[123]
The time taken to train fast jet pilots increased from an average
of 3.2 years in 1991-92 to 5.5 years now.[124]
In 1998-99 only 78.8 per cent of the target to deliver trained
aircrew against the RAF's requirements was met.[125]
The Chief Executive of the RAF Training Group Agency believed
that the situation had now improved—
The numbers that we have
been pushing through the training system over the last ten years,
the numbers delivered, have fallen short for many different reasons,
some internal, some external. Those are all being addressed or
have been addressed. I would like to say, touch wood, we may well
be producing the required number of fast jet pilots through the
training system this year for the first time for some significant
time.[126]
66. The Air Member for Personnel told us that retention
was a serious problem for aircrew generally—
We are concerned about aircrew
retention and it is, I would say, the number one priority on my
list at the moment of things that I need to make progress on and
resolve ... We still have a situation where we do not have enough
pilots today. The situation will continue to get worse until about
2003 and 2004, when we expect on the fast jet side to see an improvement
as the increase through the flying training process starts to
pay off. We are in the process of increasing fast jet flying training
output onto the squadrons to help with that process. The training
machine is a finite size. It is costly to train people. The frontline
can only absorb a certain number of people ... We now believe
the only key we have left to play with really is to get a better
return of service out of our aircrew. We are seriously engaged
in that issue now.[127]
Various initiatives have been introduced recently
to tackle the problem of pilots leaving to take up jobs in civilian
aviation. 'Linkup' is a tri-Service scheme to encourage pilots
to stay until the age of 38 or until 16 years' service has been
completed in return for financial assistance towards the cost
of obtaining their civilian air transport pilot's licence. When
we took evidence on the MoD's Annual Reporting Cycle last
year, the MoD estimated that the RAF would have 25 extra pilots
available as a result of the Linkup scheme by 2002-2003.[128]
The NAO reports on a similar initiative to offer pilots with two
years' service remaining payment of the £10,000 which it
would cost them to gain a commercial pilot's licence, as an incentive
to stay in the RAF.[129]
In a broader move to address shortages in key areas, 700 selected
aircrew have been offered extension from 15 to 22 years' service
over a four-year period.[130]
67. This is one area where it is clear that some
radical thinking is being done, but more may be needed. We
believe, in particular, there is room to recruit more women as
pilots. On 9 February 2001, at the time of the publication
of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body's report for 2001,[131]
the MoD announced two financial retention incentives for certain
categories of aircrew.[132]
Some of the key features include: bonuses of £10,000 for
squadron leader and flight lieutenant pilots and navigators and
beyond their immediate pension point (IPP) (age 38 or after 16
years' service); the same bonus for other ranks (ie Army) pilots
at age 37 or after 16 years' service; £5,000 for rear-crew
officers at the same ranks; £5,000 for airmen aircrew at
their IPP (22 years); £5,000 for wing commanders at or beyond
their IPP; and £4,000 for group captains on appointment and
up to and including the fifth year in the rank. A graduated bonus
scheme will operate for specialist aircrew (ie those retained
after their IPP). A similar retention incentive will operate for
Royal Navy Sea Harrier pilots. The initiative will apply from
1 April 2001 for two years. But the RAF is engaged in a competition
with the commercial airlines for pilots in which their financial
muscle can almost certainly always be outweighed by the private
sector. Facing this fact of life, the answer may have to be a
greater partnership rather than cranking up the competition.
68. One solution would be a more creative approach
to using reservist aircrew. The RAF currently has 131 Reserve
Aircrew, divided roughly equally between full-time and part-time
reservists. Of the 67 full-time, 45 are pilots, and of the 64
part-time (in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force) 31 are pilots, of
whom only seven are fast-jet pilots. Strike Command's policy is
that reserve aircrew will supply 10% of the requirement. The Royal
Navy Reserve, supporting a much smaller front line force, includes
88 pilots (81 trained to full readiness) of which 14 are fast-jet
pilots (though they are on a lower level of call-out liability
than the RAF's).[133]
69. It is evident that these arrangements to use
reservist aircrew point to one very productive way forward. The
RAF is, in a way distinct from the other services, part of a wider
world—the aviation world. The initiatives the RAF has already
taken in building relations with that wider world need to be built
on to develop a strategy in which they work even more closely
together.
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