Originally Posted by
Lima Juliet
I would offer, that it
does matter as many on here arguing the toss has proven on this matter and others proves?
I would offer the same LJ, but it all revolves on what we mean by 'it'.
What I think matters is that RAF Cabin Crew be fully acknowledged as aircrew, not only by the MAA but by the entire RAF. Comments in this thread would appear otherwise. It is important that they be seen to have the authority required when dealing with life threatening emergencies and for which they are presumably fully trained and regularly tested. They cannot be assumed to have such authority while they are in this anomalous half way house of being aircrew but within a ground trade only. They need to be clearly and visibly aircrew, both by branch and by rank.
At the moment it would seem they are of SAC rank and above, when all other aircrew are of Sergeant rank and above. At the moment it would seem that they are seen as ground trade aircrew only. That combination seems to me to be potentially fatal if the commands they give to full aircrew pax are questioned or even rejected.
ALL Pax (from CAS downwards) need to carry out such instructions to the full. That is far more likely I would suggest if all RAF Cabin Crew are clearly and identifiably aircrew, ie holding the rank and status of aircrew (ie Sergeant and above, wearing an Aircrew Brevet).
That is what I mean by 'it'.