Army in MoD row after top pilots are forced to hand back thousands in flying pay
Generals warn at least 15 pilots have already resigned after being told they would have to repay thousands in flying pay they were wrongly given last decade
Several highly qualified Apache helicopter pilots are already believed to have resigned over the repayments Photo: Corporal Jamie Peters /MOD
An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter flying from HMS Ocean during the 2011 LIbya campaign
Some of the Army’s most experienced helicopter pilots could quit over Ministry of Defence plans to make them repay thousands of pounds of flying pay, senior officers have warned.
At least 15 pilots have already resigned after the MoD warned around 200 serving and retired crew they would have to pay back a total of £829,000 extra pay they received in an admin error.
The Army has clashed with the MoD after officials rejected generals’ pleas to write off the debt when it was discovered. Senior officers warned clawing back the money overpaid last decade was unfair and could lead to more resignations in the already overstretched Army Air Corps.
Commanders have warned the repayments could worsen a serious shortage of experienced pilots
One source said some pilots had “lost all trust in the system” after being handed the repayment demands. The source said it was “the straw that broke the camel’s back” for several pilots who were already considering leaving.
One has been told he must pay back more than £30,000 even though an internal audit found the aircrew had received the extra retention bonuses in good faith.
The Corps, which flies aircraft including Apache, Lynx and Wildcat helicopters, is already desperately short of senior aircrew, pilots and instructors, commanders have revealed.
Letters released under the Freedom of Information Act show the Army told MoD officials it was “firmly of the view" that overpayments should be written off because of "compelling operational capability" and "fairness" considerations.
"A decision to recover must be considered against the risk that it will precipitate increased outflow" of experienced pilots.
"There has already been an increase in voluntary outflow since the debts have been placed on individuals pay accounts, with 15 pilots directly citing the incorrect payment as the deciding factor in their decision to leave the Army."
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