Pilots grounded by lack of working aircraft

The German air force is failing to meet Nato minimum training requirements because it does not have enough working aircraft, it emerged yesterday. Almost half of its pilots were unable to meet Nato’s target of 180 flight hours last year as a result of planes being grounded by maintenance issues. Only 512 of the air force’s 875 pilots met the target. The disclosure will add to concerns among Germany’s Nato allies about chronic underfunding.