This raised its head years ago. I think it was put to bed by the fact? that it is illegal to have flight deck crewmembers who havent passed an approved course of training. And as of 2 years ago, the RAF has no approved course of training for engineers. PMA wanted to post a rotary crewman straight onto an E-3 OCU, I think that one died a death. IF there is a problem with numbers, it is down to poor planning when they decided to kill the eng course, and poor management by peeing off those who were in the trade and have now left or are leaving.