Recognition at last!!!

[cheesyeye]

I would just like to say that finally the GCI world in the RAAF has been recognised for the tireless and challenging work that we have been doing for the past two decades.

Not only have we been awarded a full brevet recognising our aviation expertise, our pay and condition's have also gone up to in some cases match the fast jet pilots of the RAAF (rightly so in my opinion).

For too long we (ACO's) have been the butt of all jokes and ignored by our peers in the aircrew world, but they will definately need to sit up and take note now as we are 'doing the real job' in deployments overseas.

Enjoy the training area.

Cheesy1 :D

[Condition lever]

I'm all for people getting more money in the RAAF.
So to draw a parallel, does this mean FCIs, QFIs etc are now being paid about $200K and have three wings?

[Condition lever]

Oh, BTW you haven't had peers in the aircrew world previously, not being aircrew until the introduction of Wedgetail.

[kmagyoyo]

Wind up alert.

[Keg]

A former colleague of mine who went to the US (and thus was a FC and eligible for the full wing before the latest 'give it to everyone' decree) has always felt that the full wing was the wrong thing for NAVs, was the wrong thing for aircrew ADOs and is still the wrong thing for ACOs.

Still, cheesyeye throws out a mean line. It'll be interesting to see if anyone bites. I recall a few lines of similar types on PPRUNE over the last couple of years. :rolleyes:

[Dixondik]

For too long we (ACO's) have been the butt of all jokes

you still are:p

but they will definately need to sit up and take note now as we are 'doing the real job' in deployments overseas.

Sorry, no wars in Tindal...well today at least......

[Wiley]

I can remember a young lady, the guest of one of the graduating Pilot Officer accounting officers at the OTS Point Cook quite some years ago loudly upbraiding the reviewing officer, an ex-WW2 bomber pilot Group Captain, in the bar after the graduation ceremony on how her man should have wings, because his 1As tunic looked too bare without a brevet, and he was, after all, an Air Force accounting officer, so he should have wings.

The way things are going in today's Ronnie, it would seem she'll soon be granted her wish.

[DutchRoll]

Those who say pilots are a "dead breed" (I remember being told that nearly 10 years ago by a Nav who has since run out of aeroplanes to take star-shots from) do it out of wishful thinking.

If you do a raw analysis of the arguments some non-pilot types have made for getting 2 wings, it so often comes down to a bit of a psychological complex. The best navs, flight engineers, etc, I know (and many are bloody good at their jobs) are so fiercely proud of their original brevets and the distinguishing symbol indicating what they do, that they'd spit on a pilots brevet or anything resembling one, among other unpleasant things!;)

But hats off.......great windup!:E

[Roller Merlin]

A top wind-up, oh cheesed one!

The reality of ACO is that twice the number of ACOs will be trained, using no more money or staff allowed under the previous NAV program (a good one at that). All the FCs shout woopee 'we get flying', whilst the original NAV programs get chopped short. No wonder there is dissent in the ranks.

[DutchRoll]

You're preaching to the converted there!;)

[control snatch]

They can have a friggin set of wings. Give em 2 sets!

And I hope that keeps them happy as a blunt WGCDR or GPCAPT scrounging around Russell kissing arse until they retire while I take my TRANSFERABLE SKILL elsewhere.

PS. Good wind up. Not too subtle though

[Chronic Snoozer]

For too long we (ACO's) have been the butt of all jokes and ignored by our peers in the aircrew world, but they will definately need to sit up and take note ..... because now you have a set of wings? Nope, you'll still be pretty much ignored.....

[Fragnasty]

There is only one twin-winged master race lads, and ACO's it aint!!!

[Keg]

A colleague of mine (different one to the last story) was at a meeting with the CAF when the issue of ACO wings came up. The CAF was at pains to point out that 'it's not about who drives the plane, it's about the application of air power' to which my colleague promptly replied 'in that case why not do away with the separate southern cross wing and just make it all the same one'. CAF not happy with colleague. Colleague 1: CAF 0.

I know a number of ATCOs in the RAAF as well and none of them are particularly impressed by the push of one of their number for some form of badge/brevet/metal gizmo that would also go above the left breast pocket. They're frightened that with the current trend that someone, somewhere will decide that if the PLT, NAV, ADO can all have one then why not the ATCOs! :eek:

[cheesyeye]

Whoa! Why all the hostility lads? We're all members of the same "twin wing master race" now - as equals, can't we all just get along? Why can't we all just be happy that at least some of us are getting the chance to do the real job overseas ?

I've always considered myself peers with aircrew - after all, we spend hours in debriefs with them, providing critical tactical information that allows them to slowly build their situational awareness for future missions.

As far as transferrable skills go, just think of all the job offers that someone like me, with several years of 4 dimensional airspace battle management experience, will receive when I decide to take my valuable skills elsewhere.

Cheesy1

[noexcessivecranking]

equals

:rolleyes: :ugh: := :oh:

[BombsGone]

Come on, the airforce needs a brevet system where you can see who's who. Otherwise we might start talking to the wrong person about aeroplanes and flying. :E:E

[Arm out the window]

"just think of all the job offers that someone like me, with several years of 4 dimensional airspace battle management experience, will receive when I decide to take my valuable skills elsewhere."

You'll be a shoe-in for a job as resident master player at Gamezone!

[Dixondik]

As far as transferrable skills go, just think of all the job offers that someone like me, with several years of 4 dimensional airspace battle management experience, will receive when I decide to take my valuable skills elsewhere.

Errr......4D whacko burger flipper???

[evilroy]

Hehehehe

You want fries with that?

[control snatch]

This is all hearsay but.....

I was told the grand scheme was to create the ACO category to separate remuneration scales. ie put all the categories with no industry drain, like air defence or nav, into the ACO category which is separate to pilot category. And therefore the RAAF can remunerate differently.

This because currently the RAAF has to pay a c130 nav as much as an F/A-18 FCI.

Meanwhile on the surface we are giving them a set of wings and other perks to keep them happy.

I would welcome comment from anyone who has heard or knows different.

[rapiddescent]

Cheesy,

Mate, I haven't laughed that much in a while. Well written thread. Very funny and a decent effort at getting everyone fired up.!!

Yes, equals you think we may well be, so therefore you will be able to accept a freindly reminder that you are still and always will be a blunt. Nothing personal, just how it is.

Keep posting the wind-ups mate. Nice job.

[Peter Fanelli]

I think I'll go and post a few GA related threads in the military forum.