Nigegilb I think you have hit the nail on the head.
The RAF is trying to run itself like a business and is sadly failing miserably. Constant cost cutting is taking its toll and contracturalisation of many parts of core RAF servicing is showing itself to be the wrong way to go.
I would say something in the defense of the technicians though by giving you a two wee stories I have been involved in on Nimrods whilst on Operational deployment in the Gulf.
Firstly:
A bolt holding a hot air clamp on the SCP ducting was sheared when removed due to corrosion wastage of the threads (a common problem on Nimrod). As there were no stock I informed the Engineering Officer who will remain nameless (he came from second line for a stint OOA to give the other EngOs a break).
He then disappeared for an hour and came back with a similar shape and size of bolt and said 'fit this'. I inspected said bolt and said point blank 'NO' as it was not of original spec and was in-fact a bolt that was used on ground equipment. He proceeded to 'order' me to fit the bolt to which I said 'charge me for disobeying an order. I am not putting my signature or sending an aircraft flying with that fitted as that bolt is not fit to be fitted to an aircraft and I am advising you not to do so'.
He then proceeded to go out himself and fit said bolt against my and sign off an ADF for that bolt.
Secondly:
A UTI came out to check a fuel pipe in the no7 dry bay going into 7 tanks. I informed Engops that due to the nature of the UTI I would carry it out at the next landing (it was flying at the time).
Upon inspection one side failed and I informed Eng Ops of the failure and that the jet was grounded until it was fixed.
I was then confronted by an non-Nimrod Engo from the base and told in no uncertain terms to ignore the UTI as it had a window of 28 days to be carried out (this in itself was wrong as a UTI only has 7 days validity) and I was to ignore the fact that the pipe was leaking until then!!!!!!!!!!!
I then told him to quote '**** off' un-quote. He took offense at this naturally and contacted the Nimdet XO who also told him the same.
Now if this is the kind of engineering officers we are getting who obviously doesn't have a clue and over-rides someone of immensely more knowledge and experience than him.
Now imagine what it is like being at Kinloss and having worse than this directed to NLS engineering personnel from upon high with supposed superior engineering knowledge than OC Eng and Sengo.
This is the reason why I left ISK and why I have put my papers in and am on my way out.
The lunatics are in charge of the asylum.
Last edited by MightyHunter AGE; 22nd Jun 2008 at 17:27.