Flying coverall availability
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Join Date: Nov 2001
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Flying coverall availability
Just been told by the squippers (and had confirmed by the boss) that there are no more flying coveralls available. Apparently, as they wear out they will be replaced by 're-furbished' ones. I kid you not!
I think this is due to ANOTHER change of suppliers. As usual the MOD always chooses the cheapest and ends up with tat for kit. The suppliers have not been up to the job so a new supplier is being sought/has been found but it will take time for the suits to start becoming available.
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Great, refurbished kit. I wouldnt wish my old, smelly, refurbished grow-bag on anyone!. .. .Hope the MOD gets a new supplier quickily, if only to save us wearing ripped flying suits with lovely squipper repairs done to them and permanent under arm sweat stains!. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />
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All true! A station somwhere in the midlands is about to offer second-hand kit to the first arrivals for a potentially prestigious overseas training contract. What's the old line about never getting a second channce to make a first impression..... .. .I despair!
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Gentlmen,. .I have just returned from another stimulating happy hour - the chat was racy and the lager free flowing. . .. .I must say that this is a victim of the bully that is budgets. I have a solution however. To save wear on the fabric and lengthen the life of the flying suit, I suggest that aircrew only wear their kit for flying. The rest of the time they could wear blues. This system works perfectly well at Brize Norton (in Oxfordshire.) In WWII pilots flew in their 1's all of the time. This could also go some way to resolving the them and us attitude.. .. .We do not see surgeons wearing masks in the street, builders wearing hats in the bar, or gardeners walking around with lawnmowers and gloves.
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AG, Keep up, BZN may have changed policy, I believe, just to keep pen pushing REMFs in their place (or keep fat folk in growbags?!) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />
The only vaguely blue-ish thing I ever wear at the Secret Oxfordshire Airbase is my SD Cap. Oh - and my Aircrew Leather Jacket which of course you blunt bug.gers aren't allowed to wear!!. .. .But if this rumour is true, then I shall certainly be dusting off the ancient slate grey Mk 11 flying suit and grey cold weather jacket which I've still got somewhere...... . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 10:33: Message edited by: BEagle ]</small>
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The scene; A UAS somwhere in England. Proud student called forward on training night to receive solo cert and Sqn badge from Boss. The boy done good and went solo in January after joining in November. "Well done" say Boss, "Now you can wear the Sqn badge with pride on your flying suit.". ."Er..I dont have a flying suit yet, Boss. I've been borrowing AEF kit to go flying..and when will I be getting some boots please?". .That's how we attract the best into today's RAF!
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I think AG's got a point here. Perhaps if we just wore No 1 uniform ALL the time, the suppliers wouldn't have such problems keeping the right stocks, and of course they are cheaper and more practical.. .. .Lager-drinking obviously rots the brain, as well as being extremely camp.. . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 11:01: Message edited by: Pub User ]</small>
Surely BEagle, you should have a complete set of Irvin leathers somewhere! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> . .. .Never wore blues at Brize, except for that ridiculous flag ceremony. I didn't have a blue wooly pully for the last two years in the mob since I discovered the cat had been using it as a bed! SWO didn't like me wearing the blue leather jacket instead - think it was the nice red badge she didn't like.. .. .My attitude to blues was that I would start wearing them when they became free, like the flying kit.. .. .Current and ex Fighting Lions, WRT Admin Guru - Budgie code 107!
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Well yah-boo sucks to you lot! Latest rumour is that at long bloomin' last the greener squadrons of the RAF are getting flying clothing designed especially for grubbing around in the back of flying four tonners....so now we'll all look like squaddies with knee pads. . .So long, International Dancing Suit of Ultimate Disciplinary Immunity. . .Thing is until the new stuff arrives in July (precise year undisclosed) we also have to make do with cast-offs and repairs.
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As awful as the following sounds (and I'm only just keeping my lunch down thinking it!)...I bet Admin Guru is the type who has one of the 'fake' sheep-skin bang-seat covers on his comfy office chair, a cardboard cockpit of a Hawk on the wall around the window and THE arse cut out of his shiny blue trousers...now what about those love eggs AG?..that's it I'm off to barf!. . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 17:34: Message edited by: Big Green Arrow ]</small>
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I have to disagree admin. I recently attended the EWO course at Cranwell and as an Army chap I wore working dress(combat 95), while the majority of my crab chums wore their grow bags. I was definitely at a disadvantage as they had many more pockets than I did. They were also at an advantage during the happy hour back in the mess as they were correctly dressed for drinking games whereas I had to be careful not to spill on my uniform. There is also the issue of badges. If only we were all allowed to wear our logbooks on other forms of dress, instead of just the fliegeanzug. Imagine how natty a winter pully would look with a sqn badge on the arm. Having recently seen a herc pilot start an aircraft, taxi past for a ground taxi check, all dressed in his civvies, perhaps we should be able buy our own suits, based on our own designs. Visiting choggie tailors would give herc drivers something to do on their stopovers. .. .On a more serious note, perhaps the imminent issue of nomex combat 95 could be used as a stopgap for the shortage of flying suits. Only wearing flying kit when on flying duties does make a lot of sense. Only a suggestion.. .. .I wonder what the name of the company is that has failed to deliver on time? Or who agreed to that company being awarded the contract? I bet they look lovely when they do turn up.. .. .As attractive as all the retention measures so far go, being turned away from the clothing store because of shortages does more damage to my perception of my employer and long-term plans than any amount of cash.
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I saw a signal from the head stacker that says there will not be any new fg kit for quite some time, and the delay is not going to get any shorter! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad.gif" />
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Right - RIGHT - you've gone and done it now!!!!!. .A number of issues that REALLY gall the stacker in me here.. .1. Take the flying suits off those NOT flying - includes Trolley Dollys, Police, UKMAMS, in fact any plank who wants to 'look' like skygods. Although get something better for the Dollys than that grey thing they used to wear.. .2. Make all uniform free issue to zobs - this antiquated buying of uniform is a hangover from the Army buying into a regiment or something - stop the pitiful uniform allowance and just let us exchange the damn stuff like the airmen.. .3. It is the MOD Civil Servants who procure this stuff, not the stackers.. .. .There - its out now, feel better - blimey, NOT an AG thread and it got to me! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />
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Equipment procurement generally rests with an IPT these days. The S&AD IPT looks after flying clothing, amongst other things. The civilian personnel with many years experience in the flying clothing field were moved from London to Abbey Wood when that establishment opened. Thereafter the Abbey Wood personnel and associated areas at Wyton were amalgamated to form the IPT.. .. .But it was a long way between the 2 locations:. .. .Pink Solution - locate the IPT at Wyton and move all the Abbey Wood people to Wyton.. .. .Solution Flaw - the Abbey Wood people did not relish the severe domestic upheaval involved in moving to Wyton, so they applied for other jobs at Abbey Wood and the IPT lost most of its hard won expertise.. .. .Current Situation - the IPT is established at Wyton. The inexperienced staff are reduced in numbers, are on a steep learning curve and individuals have more projects to run than their predecessors.. .. .Result - shortages of flying clothing.. .. .Just another example of the benefits of modern management and, allegedly, senior 'blue suit' people failing to understand that civilians do not have to jump when ordered to do so.. . . . <small>[ 10 March 2002, 10:24: Message edited by: lightningmate ]</small>
Seems like its time once again to look across the pond and go buy the American kit. Its good enough for Mr Whippey's sqn.. .As for only wearing the kit whilst flying, judging by some of the threads on this forum there are some parts of the RAF that could do with a reminder that we're in the business of operating aircraft.. .Rant over!
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But surely as SE, flying bags should only be worn on flying duties? We laffed ourselves silly one day at a meeting in Aldergrove, when everyone had arrived by civ air, all the light blue were in flying kit and the RN and Army were in blues and greens. Is it the need for crabs to wear badges that causes this or the lack of ironing ability? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" /> . .No wonder you are runnning out of the kit, its never off your back! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />