Eng Future
"infact for the last 4 years it has been compulsory for all Air Engineer candidates to be ex ground engineers"
I think you will find that the decision to only recruit Air Engineers from within the service had more to do with the morality of recruiting DEs into a trade with no future. It is more acceptable to train Serving Airmen and give them the benefit of increased rank/pay/status/responsibility and a 22 year engagement.
Yes, I am a DE Air Eng who did not realise the grim future of the branch until I got to my first Sqn 13 years ago. I have a feeling there will be a lot of us around for another 13 years but 2 year extensions is probably not the way ahead.
To clarify a few other points the last Air Eng intake as we know it starts ITC on Sunday and will graduate in Mar 05. There has been talk of some sort of piss up to mark the event but nothing firm yet.