Who would you rather fly with ?

Far too much detail Baz, care to elaborate, here on the forum?……………………………..:D

😀 boringly for you guys – its an old fashioned way of describing a very smooth (or exceptional) pilot – although I typo’d it slightly – should have been ‘good’ pair of hands.
He was an exceptional pilot but also a very smooth pilot….

1945–2013 Group Captain John Thorpe died at home in Calgary, Canada, on 21 December 2013 following a challenging illness. On leaving Dover Boys Grammar School John Thorpe joined the Royal Air Force as a trainee pilot. Following training he was posted to the RAF College at Cranwell as a flying instructor. Subsequent tours included the Hunter and Harrier. He was then accepted for training as an experimental test pilot graduating from the Empire Test Pilots’ School in 1974 and receiving the Sir Alan Cobham Trophy in demonstrating the highest standard of student flying on the course. He then joined A Squadron at Boscombe Down. His experience was well used as a test pilot on Harrier, Sea Harrier and Hawk programmes, with supporting work on the Jaguar and Phantom. Finishing this tour he was awarded his first Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air. His extensive experience gained on the Hawk was then well used during a flying tour at RAF Brawdy where, on completion, he received the Air Force Cross. Joining ETPS as a fixed-wing tutor, his quiet but effective instructional technique won him many friends. He completed this tour as Principal Fixed Wing Tutor and on leaving was awarded his second QCVSA. Following a ground appointment and a Staff College course he returned to Boscombe Down in 1988 to command Fixed Wing Test Squadron. He subsequently took the position of Assistant Director within the Directorate of Flying MoD(PE), responsible for the regulation and supervision of research, development and production of UK MoD aircraft both at home and overseas. Returning to active flying in the appointment of Chief Test Pilot again at Boscombe Down, he was in post during a particularly difficult time of management and structural change. In 1999, and from the position of Director of Flying MoD(PE), John retired from the RAF. Joining ETPS as a civilian fixed-wing tutor, he also flew Air Cadets in his spare time as a RAFVR officer, initially in the Bulldog, and later the Grob Tutor. For 20 years he was a volunteer at the Royal International Air Tattoo Fairford in the post of Deputy Director Air Operations

– what a smooth pair of hands he had!

Far too much detail Baz, care to elaborate, here on the forum?……………………………..:D
Jim.
Lincoln .7

#8 A NCO with experience everytime. They know when to duck or run, the trick is to keep up with them!

When I was in the RAF I was lucky enough to fly with some of the most experienced (on type) pilots/instructors/test pilots/trappers (CFS examiners) and once with a young guy on a holding posting waiting for his first sqn posting – all totally different characters and personalities : )
The RAF at that time was very keen on groundcrew flying !!

John later became CTP at Boscombe Down and I was lucky enough to fly with him again almost 25 years later in the BD Piper Chieftan – what a smooth pair of hands he had!
Andy later became a Rolls Royce test pilot and chief pilot at OW !
Dusty went on to become one of the longest serving trappers/QFI’s
And also 2.20hrs of bliss with ‘Jacko’ in the Lanc (1980) : )

When it comes to considerations of ‘life and limb’, the only ‘rule book’ that matters is the: “Rule Book of Commonsense” and that is where the problem lies.

No indeed, Linc – I don’t need any convincing.;)

See Chas, You can’t drag a guy like Moggy down, he just bounces back,Well, he did, his A/craft wasn’t so fortunate.

Moggy, is she going to be replaced, or are you going to hire an aircraft as and when you want one?.Any idea as to when your going to be fully Operational again?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Water off a duck’s back 😀

For me I’d fly with the guy who knows the rule book thoroughly, but also knows there are occasions when it’s best to throw it away and do the unexpected.

And the key rule?

Sneak up on the opponent, knife him in the back, run away fast

Moggy

That will have done wonders for his confidence, Linc!!;)

…”B”, as long as Moggy isn’t the Pilot………:highly_amused:
Jim.
Lincoln .7

I was lucky enough to be taught by inspirational Bs in the main!

Come to think of it that’s all there were in the 50s!

I’d change it to teaching: a teacher with little contact with children who knows the rule book inside out (an inspector) or one who applies the ‘rules’ selectively and sensibly and who has a lifetime of varied experience.

Guess it would have to be B but it is A who makes the judgements!

That’s exactly along the lines of what I was thinking. As well as qualifications backed up by years of practical experience on the job.

I was only using the pilot example as an analogy, and not in it’s literal sense.

Another analogy could be. You are a soldier going into battle, who would you rather have next to you ?

A Sergeant Major with 20yrs experience, or a young officer straight out of military college.

Hi All,
Has to be ‘B’ as those who know the rules can never match those with experience, Just because someone knows the rules doesn’t mean there any good at the task in hand as been proved on so many occasions no matter where the option is applied.

Geoff.

It was sent to a friend who considers nobody on this forum has a clue what they are talking about, be they experienced aircraft engineers or pilots.

Oooh that’s a tough one.

I frequently don’t know what I am talking about, not being an aircraft engineer or pilot, experienced or not: does that make me an expert?

As for your question, it is not anything that I would get involved with since if I were to be sitting in the backseat of a twin seated combat aircraft in combat I trust I would have been suitably trained. That training would involve me being dedicated to my job, and my role in the aircraft’s mission – which I would imagine my pilot would be too; I would have fullest confidence in him…

Ok, perhaps it was an unfair question, without knowing why it was asked.

It was sent to a friend who considers nobody on this forum has a clue what they are talking about, be they experienced
aircraft engineers or pilots.

Without answering the question I remind you of the old saying.

There are old pilots,
and bold pilots,
but no old bold pilots.

I am glad I was a Para, I could leave when I wanted(subject to certain constraints!)

That’s hardly a choice which makes any sense, is it? Firstly no one will choose A, for obvious reasons, and pilot B described as you have is probably unlikely to have lasted long enough to have the experience ascribed to him.

I don’t care whether you want other comments or not. You’re going to get them anyway (what was that about rules?)

You obviously want B to be the answer as that is the way you’ve loaded the question. Someone who threw away the rule book (whatever that might be, combat guidance?, aircraft limitations? RoEs?) is unlikely to have years of combat experience though.