Interview with AM Ray Funnell

Jim Thorn Interviews Ray Funnell

The Royal Australian Air Force is heading towards an era of massive change. Unprecedented pilot attrition rates and the need to refine training techniques in the face of new equipment and technical capabilities are all significant challenges that need to be accommodated. To ascertain where the RAAF is heading in this challenging era, Australian Aviation’s Managing Editor, Jim Thorn, recently spoke with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Ray Funnell.

JT: Air Marshal, I believe that the fighter squadrons are now down to parity in aircrew manning terms, when do you feel that this problem will be overcome?

RF: What has affected us in recent years, apart from an accelerating pilot attrition rate, is that there has been a reduction in active aircrew due to the transition of pilots from the Mirage to the Hornet. In other words fully qualified Mirage pilots have had to undergo the OCU conversion course in order to be type rated on the Hornet. This reduces overall front line pilot numbers and is in turn aggravated by the current high loss rate.

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