# just an update



## Barracuda13 (12 Nov 2006)

Hi guys

i called the CFRC couple of days ago, and they said i have been merit listed. The person didn t really know when they are going to hold the selection boards . Does anyone have any info for CEOTP pilot selection boards? I have read couple of the msgs here and some people are starting IAP on January. Is there any boards scheduled for november? I ll keep you guys updated in any case.. thanks again


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## Astrodog (12 Nov 2006)

I'm in the same boat, was told there was one on the 14th, hope my file makes it there on time.. also hearing 40 slots for 400 apps... best of luck!


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## Barracuda13 (13 Nov 2006)

Hey Astro , thanks for the info, do you know if there s a seperate quota for the ceotps or it s all bundled up? Good luck to you too man


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## Quyen (13 Nov 2006)

I was told by the person in charge of DEO file at CFRC Vancouver that they need pilots so bad they aren't doing the boards anymore. The files are being reviewed as they come in. So it's more of a first come first serve thing going on.


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## hollywood13 (13 Nov 2006)

just a thought, if we need pilots so bad... why dont we rent one or two more Harvard 2's to speed up the wait list for BFT. I see that something like 46 pilots are graduating this year from ROTP civy U, and all of us (me included) have to wait 14 months or more for PFT, or BFT. 

just my 2 cents


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## Barracuda13 (13 Nov 2006)

This reminded me of Moon44, I watched it yesterday. (for people who haven't seen it) They send inmates to moon44 as pilot trainees because nobody wants to volunteer to fight the crazy robot pilots.  
I guess if they can speed up the waiting for BFT or PFT that should help too, which I think they are eventually going to do. Whatever the case, I'm just hoping to get the call. Any other information will be appreciated.


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## WannaBeFlyer (13 Nov 2006)

Quyen said:
			
		

> I was told by the person in charge of DEO file at CFRC Vancouver that they need pilots so bad they aren't doing the boards anymore. The files are being reviewed as they come in. So it's more of a first come first serve thing going on.



Help dummy out here. They are short of Pilots. Ok... heard that statement numerous times in the past.

When the CF says that, do they mean trained or untrained Pilots? It seems there are a lot of 32U's in the system on OJT...


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## SeaKingTacco (13 Nov 2006)

> just a thought, if we need pilots so bad... why dont we rent one or two more Harvard 2's to speed up the wait list for BFT.



Oh sure- that's what we need- even more pilots waiting for OTUs.

The bottleneck is not in Moose Jaw- it is at Operational Training Units.  We can only absorb so many Pipes per year- and it is getting harder to do with a 43 year old helo (Sea King).  The Herc and Aurora guys are having an even worse time than we are, so I am told.

We have spent so many years shrinking fleets, it is going to take us a few years to turn things around and begin expanding again.


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## Good2Golf (13 Nov 2006)

SeaKingTacco said:
			
		

> Oh sure- that's what we need- even more pilots waiting for OTUs.
> 
> The bottleneck is not in Moose Jaw- it is at Operational Training Units.  We can only absorb so many Pipes per year- and it is getting harder to do with a 43 year old helo (Sea King).  The Herc and Aurora guys are having an even worse time than we are, so I am told.
> 
> We have spent so many years shrinking fleets, it is going to take us a few years to turn things around and begin expanding again.



+1 SKT!

The OTUs are most definitely the bottleneck, now.  Even Griffons (which traditionally could absorb huge chunks of recently graduated pilots out of Portage) is having a tough go, to wit: 403 Hel(OTS) is mounting TUAVs to AFG.  Op Tempo is kicking the crap out of many of the communities.  Yup, 5-10 years ago, long pole in the tent was Moose Jaw and the big changes going on there.  Now the whiplash effect is being felt at the operational/tactical training level.  Don't expect it to get any better soon with C-17, C130J and CH47's on their way into service in the near future...

G2G


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## George Wallace (13 Nov 2006)

Would the introduction of new Airframes, not give us an opportunity to send a good number Stateside to recieve Flight Training?  This would take some of the load off the waiting list.  At the same time send down the experienced pilots and aircrew, who are available, to become trained as instructors.


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## Loachman (13 Nov 2006)

This already happens, where applicable and practicable. The Griffon contract included initial training for both aircrew and groundcrew - but lacked the tactical training for the former, which was done here.

It still doesn't help much when numbers are huge (relatively speaking), but at least C17 and C130J are being used by others, and not just by us.

The problem is not just with training new pilots, despite the bottleneck at OTUs - it's absorbing them into operational Squadrons, where there are generally shortages of experienced pilots as aircraft captains (on two-pilot aircraft) and section leads etcetera. If the new guys have nobody to fly with, upgrading takes much longer.

You could train 10,000 infantrymen very quickly, but without section commanders, platoon warrant officers, CSMs and Company Commanders, etcetera, to lead them, what good are they?


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## SeaKingTacco (13 Nov 2006)

> The problem is not just with training new pilots, despite the bottleneck at OTUs - it's absorbing them into operational Squadrons,



+1 Loachman.

With the drawdown of HELAIRDETs to support the ramp-up of Cyclone, we only have the ability to absorb something like 6-12 copilots per year- assuming we could even produce that many from the OTU- but I digress.


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## WannaBeFlyer (13 Nov 2006)

This site is great. When I was going through the system, I was always told that Moose Jaw was the big hold up.

So why then is the CF recruiting so many? I started wondering what they were going to fly given the amount of aircraft in the CF, the time they are in the shop and the amount of backlog in the system (at the different stages for a variety of reasons). Is it to have them ready for training should the system get caught up? Or to account for x amount out of 50 washing out and not having to go find them again? When you visit the Recruiting centre, they tell you the need Pilots today so that they can train them tomorrow (which obviously doesn't happen). I thought that is why the re-opened CEOTP; they were having trouble attracting University grads for DEO and they needed to attract potential Pilots that would be available for training in the near future; not four years later (ROTP). Since '05, the resurrection of CEOTP added almost 100 new pilot hopefuls to the system in addition to the annual intake of ROTP and DEO. I just think it will be interesting to see if CEOTP is open next year. Unless, there is an equal amount leaving each year...

Sorry for the fifty questions; I just got to thinking about it the other day and find it interesting.


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