Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what balance of (a) airmanship, (b) handling aptitude and (c) capacity his Department will use to stream pilots for Protector as opposed to fast-jet, rotary or multi-engine.

Airmanship, handling aptitude and capacity has been interpreted to be characteristics of an individual pilot.

There is no specific set balance regarding airmanship, handling aptitude, and capacity used when streaming pilots for Protector as opposed to fast jet, rotary wing or multi engine aircraft. This is owing to the number of other factors that the Streaming Boards also need to consider, such as previous experience, performance during each training element, personal preference and the ongoing needs of the Service.

After completion of Elementary Flying Training - a 26:30 flying hour syllabus containing formative and summative assessments in airmanship, handling and capacity - individual trainee performances and military qualities are summarised in their end of course report. The report will also capture attributes such as learning rate, attitude to instruction, previous experience and character. All trainees are reviewed by a Streaming Board – a panel of experienced instructors and professional aviators - to determine the most appropriate pipeline for the next stage of training. This Streaming Board, with representatives from each pipeline (fast-jet, rotary, multi-engine and RPAS), takes into account trainees’ performance during Elementary Flying Training, to make a professional judgement on their suitability for each of the pipelines, including Protector. Having taken account of suitability, the Board will ensure Service needs are met in terms of filling priority training slots from the cohort, while aiming to support personal preference wherever possible.