Air Corps Training

[FiannaFail]

Fouga, it reminds me of the trainee pilot that ejected out of the Vampire over County Cavan!
FiannaFail '>

[John K]

Oh yeah, was that you, FF? Or were you the 'Gut' left in the driving seat?
Back to the topic, do the DF allow Air Corps techies to go on tours abroard? A bunch of us went down to join the P.A.s 'cos they wouldn't let us go to the Leb to make some cash! Mind you, they didn't want us in the P.A.s either.
I did a technical NCOs course and it included giving lectures on the SMG, Drill and a couple of weeks up at Gormanston doing field tactics. I don't think it did us any harm but we did have a laugh, didn't help me with maintaining a helicopter! There must be some sort of balance between the army and the technical bit, of course it is the ARMY Air Corps, so it would have to be that way inclined, the RAF don't have such a close tie with the Army so it's more technical orientated and so people are more valued. So you'd have to become a seperate Air Force to break that Military tie.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

all your points are great guys, what gets me the most is a air corps pilot is trained on just about every infantry weapon the army has, and they also get training above and beyond what they need. all this costs money, the sraaw cost about E1500 a shot and you get 2, now think of the money you would save if a air corps officer was trained for his job as a air corps officer, this money could then be reinvested in aircraft, a replacement for the GPMG, whatever, it could just be well spent somewhere else.

[FiannaFail]

Guys, Do any one else remeber the trainee pilot ejecting out of the Vampire over Co Cavan are all you that young?
FiannaFail '>

[sealion]

Cadet Ron Mc Partland....only irish member of the Martin Baker Club.

[John K]

Sealion, you've just ruined FF's next post, if nobody had mentioned it she would have claimed to have been that man! That's why I said did she leave or stay put in the Vampire! (The pilot's nickname was 'The Gut' and he went on to be OC Air Corps)

[MatRotor]

some good points there scorpy. Alpha- consider the way it is now where cadets only do a few months in DFTC, compared to when they used to have to do the full 18 months there and then might still fail flight trg. not ideal but it is an improvement, at least now they get the option to leave, instead of the army getting left with a young looey who doesn't want to be an army officer. besides as all old sweats say "I did it and it didn't do me any harm". by the same token change is a good thing but should we change for the sake of change?

[Silver]

Personally, I don't see the need for such intense army training for Air Corps recruits.

They should learn basic drills and how to shoot a weapon, but that's it.
My two cents worth.

Silver.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

take the navy for example, their cadets do 3 months in the curragh and then its of to cork, they don't do anything else because the rest of the training after that is army specific. why is it different for the air corps.

[MatRotor]

yeah but silver they do only learn basic drills and how to shoot . it just takes so long cos the army way is to work as fast as the slowest man, and when he is dragging his heels it sure slows things down.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

air corps cadets are trained to section comd level. this takes seven months, alot more work than just march and shoot which takes about 6 weeks.

[John K]

6 Weeks! We did it in 4! But we were the 40th Appt Class!

[alpha foxtrot 07]

wow john you guys must have been great.

[John K]

Nope! We just wanted to get it over with!