In the 70’s and up to 1980 ‘we’ had Promotion exams.
From LAC to SAC for rigga’s you had to pass Hangar familiarisation, some classroom maths and a sort of H&S practical and a trade test…a bit of metal bashing.
From SAC we had to pass the “Science ‘B’” (a self-study maths and physics programme) to qualify for fitter’s course selection…and assessments of course.
From JT to Cpl we had to pass “Prom-Ex 2” which entailed studying sections of MAFL and ADMIN books with allocated SNCO’s as our guides and mentor’s …and assessments again, of course.
Time Promotion was ended in 1982, the year before my time to Cpl, and I was on Duty Airman in Laarbruch’s Guardroom on the day I should have been promoted - However, I did get my tapes a few months later.
Yes, Civilian Rigga’s life: As an LAE I taxied an ATR72, backing it out of one slot and over to a new slot in Jersey Airport…a bit unnerving the first time. I haven’t bent a spanner for a few years now and I’ve allowed my licence to expire for this last year of ‘enjoyment’.