RAF helicopter pilot shortage revealed

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The RAF faces a significant shortage of helicopter pilots at a time when the operations in Afghanistan need the maximum number of pilots for missions.

While overall the RAF is only one person short of their pilot manpower target of 1,348, the number of RAF helicopter pilots continues to be a problem.

According to MoD statistics there are only 360 helicopter pilots out of a requirement of 403. The various shortages include 11 puma pilots, 11 Merlin pilots, eight Chinook pilots and 15 Sea King pilots among others.

Other types of aircraft are at or nearly at full strength, raising questions about why the helicopter fleet is the only area of the RAF with notable manpower shortages.

The shortage of helicopter pilots ultimately has an adverse affect on the rest of operations, often resulting in certain missions being delayed or supply deliveries being cancelled due to a lack of pilots.

Without the required number of pilots, ground troops have often been forced to use the dangerous Afghan roads for transport and missions.

It has also led to existing pilots being overstretched and forced to deploy for longer periods of time on operations or fly additional missions.

The growing shortage of helicopters has also played a role in the pilot shortage.

RAF surveillance pilots also experienced significant shortages according to the most recent statistics. The Nimrod and Sentinel fleets only had 70 out of a required 89 pilots.