Originally Posted by
Rigga
Exrigger,
"In all honesty you can apply that to some within the civilian companies that are trying to work to the same regulations"
That principle, in civilian companies, is generally evaded by the incumbent being a specialist in a particular field, not having any other predetermined place to go for a good few years, if ever, and who is paid for his performance in that position, not for his title regardless of performance.
In my lowly opinion, most RAF officers don't know how their 'system' works. Like their mechanics/technicians, they were taught it at school but it is beaten out of them as soon as the arrive in a real post where "we dont do it like that here" comes into play. If they dont play along they get the boot.
At Station levels the RAF is only interested in their next sortie(s). This tunnelled vision practice excludes ALL other influences from their Silo (Squadron) in which they concentrate their efforts. OCs, ENGOs and JENGOs are there solely to allow the next sortie to be flown. This is fine in times of war/conflict but has no airworthiness point at all. And my point here is that it is fine in times of war! In the UK we are not at war...I have my response for those that say we are...
One of my questions to the customer, to try and understand their duplicity in maintenance, was "Why did the RAF ban BDR Techniques because they were deemed unsafe but then allow, and even quietly promote, the ignorance of 'mandated' procedures in maintaining their aircraft?" No reply...
Interesting points made, multiriggas.
IMHO In the 80s and early 90s the practice of EA staff officers on 'short' tours, unashamedly getting career path 'ticks in the box' was a major contributor to what followed. I was in EA and EA related staff jobs for 15 consecutive years. (and, as a WO, despite that I had NO formal staff training at any point - I hit the ground running) From personal experience, even a good SO2 or SO3 grade posted in would take the best part of a year to 'learn the ropes'. (None of them were specialists) We would probably then get 9 months productive work before their minds were on their next career move.
Driving down 'Airworthiness responsibility' by delegation to those (SO2/3) levels was (again IMHO) ill advised, to say the least. There was no stability, and I suspect that the quality of the staff officer output throughout was probably linked with personal career pattern and prospects. It certainly meant that stress levels amongst us 'pond life' were kept extremely high.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in staff work, but the historical airworthiness related issues, which went on way above my pay grade of course and covered at length here, leaves me extremely sad.