There are currently 5 AEOps (2 FSs and 3 Sgts) at Shawbury doing the full crewman's course (not just swapping over to SAR RadOp). At least 1 will tell you that he's not getting a pay cut for moving over, yet they're doing exactly the same course as the WSOp(ALM) - Rotary (if only the salary went up in line with the length of the job title...).
And of course, exactly the same course as the RM Cpls...
If this disparity is not addressed, retention of ALMs will get worse, no ALM will want to get promoted (not for the added crap they get for about thrupence ha'penny a day) and so all the FS posts will be filled by AEOps (and the odd Air Eng) who have migrated across. And all the good Sgts will have comissioned into the Flt Ops Branch
I really hope this issue is sorted soon and I hope that the result is favourable for the loadies. All the NCA trades train for a considerable period and are highly skilled and switched on individuals who are expected to make potentially life-saving decisions in a flash - every day. They work bloody hard and it's an absolute farce that a scuffer or slop jockey (or worse, a mover) should get paid more. Get a grip PMA.
