Flight time in the military has a lot to do about managment and a little to do with missions. If you have scheduled missions you will of course be flying quite a bit. If you don't have missions then it's time for training, and that is where managment comes in to play.

When I showed up to my current unit this past May I was shocked to learn that the battalion was forcast to complete only 40% of its flying hour program. That, to me, is unacceptable and the new Co Commander is doing his best to fix the situation.

On October 1st every unit knows how much they can fly for the next 12 months and it is up to the command, maintainence, and scheduling officers to get the aircraft in the air and spread the hours evenly among the aviators.