Originally Posted by
Krystal n chips
Some interesting reflective comments about training have emerged.
In my case, (213entry) we spent about 12 weeks filing aluminium blocks to size, basic rivet nailing, and, the delights of bend radii, making top hat sections. About 2/3 weeks were given to general engineering workshops plus basic electrics...wisely, were weren't allowed near any welding. Thence to skin repairs on Javelin wings, which are / were built like the proverbial. Thence to basic airframes, Piston Provosts !....modules, then advanced airframes and my first encounter with the infamous Hunter u/c spigot (and the string used to tension the bag tanks !). Discussions with others over the years suggested we were overtrained in some respects.
Rigga....surprised to hear you've met some who didn't know what an aileron was because they were certainly taught the theory of flight...and relevant control surfaces / effects. As for hacking and bashing, much more basic now, but still requires a test job at the end. With regard to BDR, as I've said, we did some initial development on 431, albeit we hadn't a clue as to what for, and how / why, as our "dynamic leader", living proof OASC was fallible, didn't actually bother to brief us...which may have helped. Ironically, on my second holiday in Germany, a BDR "empire" had emerged.
The "right tool for the job" was continuously stressed....pump screw drivers, almost banned !....adjustable spanners ?...erm, expediency comes to mind...wire locking pliers ?....should be recycled into scrap !
Changes to training could be "problematic" when encountering the "we've always done it this way ! " mentality. Notably when the AMM's were required to emulate the Sistine chapel painting a patch !....this got binned, by me, when a civvie at Marham ostensibly raised H n S issues about the substances used. Also, the litmus test. A waste of time / resources as they had all done the pink and blue test at school, plus, the acid / alkali effect on skin....far quicker, and practical, to take two former test jobs, place acid on one and alkali on the other, wait a few mins...and watch what happens. Easy, plus it saved money by reducing the number of times the water collector tank had to be emptied.
H n H....I can think of a couple of names at Bicester who would have fitted your description.
Incidentally, the black Jags shown came from Cranditz when the baby Eng.O's relocated. The crash mats could have been superfluous really, as a "fall from height" may have knocked some sense into some I subsequently encountered.