Ex ascoteer,
I will attempt my interpretation of the term. In my "Yoof" I was allowed a couple of trips to Belfast and Malta as an SSVC, I understood it was meant to stand for Supernumery SerVicing Crew. The trips I did, as an SSVC, were always as an assistant to a qualified Ground Engineer, and usually required me to do all the bits of an A/F (After Flight) or B/F(Before Flight) servicing he didn't fancy doing. In my experience, when it was a T/R (turn round) servicing, I did the lot and the GE went with the crew to collect the duty free allowance, mine being donated to the crew total was the norm. I may well be wrong but I believe that SVC was a simplified version of SSVC which I described from earlier days. As a GE it was always a pleasure to take one of the hardworking linies down route, and it always made their day when SAC, Jnr Tech or Corporal, they were taken on as part of the team. Something that I am proud of to this day. One thing the C130 fleet should be very proud of, from top to bottom all who served were given their due respect. As a quick aside, I was once given an SVC for a trip to Belize with a small extension "in theatre". The SVC was an SAC (W) admin clerk from SHQ. From startup at Lyneham, to shutdown on return, that young lady took so much interest in what was going on, I swear, she could have gone to ALSS or BLSS on return and produced a good days work. Having spent many a year on other. Aircraft, I would suggest that Albert, the crews and the ground personnel all stood out with a common purpose in getting the job done, regardless of trade or status. Something I am proud I was part of to this day.
Hope that helps EX Ascoteer, Gopher 01 might have a better explanation of the SVC conundrum. BEing the oldest Ex GE on the thread
Smudge
