Canadian Forces - Flight Engineer

[dopeonarope]

I am looking for some advice regards Flight Engineers and recruitment in CF.

I am a landed immigrant (currently awaiting citizenship) who spent 15 years in RAF, 10 years as an Air Loadmaster, with 5 spent as Support Helicopter crewman and 5 years as a SAR Winchman (SAR Tech rough equivalent) prior to emigration 4 years to this great country.

I am planning to apply to join as either a Loadmaster or preferably as a Flt Engineer.

What background do the Flt Engineers have, are they Technicians who apply to become aircrew or do they come from a wide mil background? The reason I ask this question is looking at the job description for Flt Eng - Helicopters, that covers my old job description completely, and with 2,500 rotary crewman and SAR experience would be better suited to Flt Engineer - Hels.

What is the sylabus for training and time scale? From basic training thru' to the conversion unit. I am looking initially as a Reservist (I understand there is a freeze on recruiting at this present time), but will of course consider FT. Any help would be greatly appreciated and please feel free to PM me.

Yours Aye

Dopeonarope

[Huron Topp]

Coming from your background, gawd only knows what rules might apply. In the CF world, all FEs come from a tech background. Loadmasters are all Traffic Technicians (I believe you folks use the term Muppets) and are therefore not considered a "hard" aircrew trade.

SAR Winchman (SAR Tech rough equivalent)

I understand how you meant this, but it isn't something you would say out loud to a SARTech. Those boys are far, far above the level of training of a Winchman.

[dopeonarope]

Huron Topp,

Are FEs aircraft techs eg engines, frames, electrics or electronics? Or do they come from other tech backgrounds as well? I spent first 5 years as an Electronic Technician Airfields (Aerospace Telecommunications And Information Systems Technician (ATIS TECH) in CF speak; and would hope that would suffice as my tech background

Of course I meant as a rough equivalent to a SAR Tech, same job, just done differently due to geography! I have a couple of SAR Techs as friends here and mucho respect to the job that they do.

Dopeonarope

[Huron Topp]

Sorry, couldn't tell you. Tradem names have changed so often since I left, that I don't know who's who in the zoo, anymore.

Give a recruiter a call is your best bet. Barring that, give 426 Squdron at CFB Trenton a call.

Check your PMs