Well somebody certainly bit on the hook that was cast out! As a D/E FE, I don't think there would be enough time left to try and make me a GE! Although they have occasionally let me get my hands dirty, I suspect it was more to humour me than actually to accomplish anything useful. Their years of practical experience, technical and general knowledge can only be gained the hard way. Earlier replies to the disgruntled GE were right, there's always a few prats in each trade, can't help that. And much as I despise the word, my GE and I work as a 'team' (sorry, small vomit at 'PC'ness). Lost track of the number of times they've stopped me making an arse of myself, and hopefully I've helped them now and again with diagnosis/reccomendations. So I've been replaced by a black box, well that's tough on me, but only a reflection of technology. I love my job, but reality has to be accepted (and, I think, has been by most). And as for claiming new aircraft are less flexible, well once the everpresent initial problems are overcome, that's just daft. A quick look at the logbook hours flown by my J mates will soon show that! Enough, off to the bar to have a drink with the GEs and J guys at the top table do, sure we will all laugh at some of the twaddle printed here!