Someone, please put me out of my misery...
I worked the line on Jags and Tooms as a single trade mechanic, (A Mech A), along with a bunch of FLMs.
The Line Chief on both squadrons was an airframe Chiefy, this made my life a little worse than that of my FLM chums. Day shifts were not so bad,
0: stupid - 16:00ish. However night shifts 16:00 - 22:00ish had a very nasty sting in the tail. All the green line snags for the day such as tyres, brakes, loose rivets etc were carried until cease flying. That was when my FLM chums passed me on the way to the Fulmar Club/Mally as I pushed the wheel change kit around the hangar.
Chiefy's point being; "You're a rigger, you're paid to fix it, so fix it."
My FLM chums were gradually assimilated (assassinated) into aircraft trades of their choices, generally on a level move at SAC.
The Line Chief on both squadrons was an airframe Chiefy, this made my life a little worse than that of my FLM chums. Day shifts were not so bad,
0: stupid - 16:00ish. However night shifts 16:00 - 22:00ish had a very nasty sting in the tail. All the green line snags for the day such as tyres, brakes, loose rivets etc were carried until cease flying. That was when my FLM chums passed me on the way to the Fulmar Club/Mally as I pushed the wheel change kit around the hangar.
Chiefy's point being; "You're a rigger, you're paid to fix it, so fix it."
My FLM chums were gradually assimilated (assassinated) into aircraft trades of their choices, generally on a level move at SAC.
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The flems were a great bunch; they worked incredibly hard and often in the sh*tt*est of weather with, in those days, pretty inadequate Cold Wet Weather Clothing.
I first encountered the trade when I was posted to a BFTS on a station in the North of England, from which, when the wind was in the right direction, you could detect the aroma of 2 breweries. Very different beers but very similar names!
I think the QFIs and Studes really liked the FLMs - not only did they do AFs, BFs, TRs, refuelling and replenishment but they helped with strapping in and they understood how to marshal with care and meaningfully.
They were direct and to the point. One LAC submitted a gen app for early replacement of his trousers quoting "Fare, ware and tare".
Another one was discovered by the RAFP to be growing cannabis plants in a propagator under his bed in the block. However, it turned out that they were such tiny shoots that the technology of the day wasn't up to proving they were actually cannabis.
The RAFP decided that if they kept the propagator and allowed the shoots to grow, they could be done for possession. So no charges were brought. Later it turned out that he was the secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of the Legalise Cannabis Society! But that wasn't a crime!
The RAFP were obsessed by the idea that the FLMs were obsessed by the idea of getting into the WRAF block, so they kept more or less continuous obs on the WRAF block (what fun it must have been for them!).
Eventually they detected an illicit liaison in the WRAF block and nicked the guilty FLM (who, as it happens was engaged to his little WRAF).
He was charged and marched in front of me - charges read out - RAFP witness didn't appear; apparently he was "too busy elsewhere" (on a BFTS?!).
I dismissed the charge and spent the next 2 days justifying my decision to more senior officers, who frankly didn't seem to understand - if you don't have any evidence in front of you can't convict. They all said "yes but we all know what happened" - not in my orderly room we didn't!
Rgds SOS
I first encountered the trade when I was posted to a BFTS on a station in the North of England, from which, when the wind was in the right direction, you could detect the aroma of 2 breweries. Very different beers but very similar names!
I think the QFIs and Studes really liked the FLMs - not only did they do AFs, BFs, TRs, refuelling and replenishment but they helped with strapping in and they understood how to marshal with care and meaningfully.
They were direct and to the point. One LAC submitted a gen app for early replacement of his trousers quoting "Fare, ware and tare".
Another one was discovered by the RAFP to be growing cannabis plants in a propagator under his bed in the block. However, it turned out that they were such tiny shoots that the technology of the day wasn't up to proving they were actually cannabis.
The RAFP decided that if they kept the propagator and allowed the shoots to grow, they could be done for possession. So no charges were brought. Later it turned out that he was the secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of the Legalise Cannabis Society! But that wasn't a crime!
The RAFP were obsessed by the idea that the FLMs were obsessed by the idea of getting into the WRAF block, so they kept more or less continuous obs on the WRAF block (what fun it must have been for them!).
Eventually they detected an illicit liaison in the WRAF block and nicked the guilty FLM (who, as it happens was engaged to his little WRAF).
He was charged and marched in front of me - charges read out - RAFP witness didn't appear; apparently he was "too busy elsewhere" (on a BFTS?!).
I dismissed the charge and spent the next 2 days justifying my decision to more senior officers, who frankly didn't seem to understand - if you don't have any evidence in front of you can't convict. They all said "yes but we all know what happened" - not in my orderly room we didn't!
Rgds SOS
Last edited by SOSL; 17th Jul 2013 at 13:41.
I know at least two FLMs that made it to WO. Quite a lot of them 'aligned' themselves with trades on the sqns helping out beyond their remit. Of those quite a lot got good write ups and returned to their chosen trade training fairly quickly.
Another ex-FLM here.
One of the better things about it was it allowed me to chose a trade for my fitters course that I was interested in and new something about.
Lots of people join up with no real idea of what the job entails and find that they are square pegs in round holes.
No regrets from me.
One of the better things about it was it allowed me to chose a trade for my fitters course that I was interested in and new something about.
Lots of people join up with no real idea of what the job entails and find that they are square pegs in round holes.
No regrets from me.
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They were direct and to the point. One LAC submitted a gen app for early replacement of his trousers quoting "Fare, ware and tare".
Define that,
I wore through the crotch of my working trousers and trying to get new trousers out of clothing stores was a joke, fair enough i thought, two can play that game, eventually I got pulled over due to my testicles and really bright lurid underwear i had taken to wearing hanging out the front... After the one sided conversation one pointed out that one had been to clothing stores twice, but they seemed to think looking like a tramp was better than spending the MOD's budget on a replacement pair of trousers was the preferred outcome... Job done Sgt in clothing stores got a gob full and new trousers issued..
Took my smooth soled DMS boots to change (remember them) told still a bit of tread left (just), told them they were dangerous to wear working on Helicopters, in the rain, answer was that's what safety boots are for, pointed out we actually operate Helicopters in the field, though he expected one to wear ones combat boots, change into my safety boots as I entered the aircraft, then change back as I left it
thought right well soon sort that... Took for ever to get jobs done and work eventually intervened when I started doing as said...
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We had some of the very first FLMs at Lyneham in the mid '70s. They were all up for it and we returned that attitude with trade training on the desks when we could.
They were all level headed and keen as you could want, considering they had just been shafted by the CIOs.
Most of the ones that I knew have all gone on to make excellent single tradesmen. The only problem that I saw was later down the line you had FLMs training FLMs training FLMs and single trade desks did not have an input which, in the end, produced guys that had not a clue because they had been trained by guys that also did not have a clue!
They were all level headed and keen as you could want, considering they had just been shafted by the CIOs.
Most of the ones that I knew have all gone on to make excellent single tradesmen. The only problem that I saw was later down the line you had FLMs training FLMs training FLMs and single trade desks did not have an input which, in the end, produced guys that had not a clue because they had been trained by guys that also did not have a clue!
There were no FLMs on helicopters - So I didn't meet any until well after I joined up and after my (rigger) Fitters Course, when I was posted to Honington.
Contrary to other posts; FLMs often helped out doing many rectification jobs - especially if they were interested in that trade or were trying to see which trade they wanted to join (early applicants for FT did have a choice).
I remember working alongside many of the flems, but not all of them.
Some went on to engo or flying careers...at least one flies for EZY.
Contrary to other posts; FLMs often helped out doing many rectification jobs - especially if they were interested in that trade or were trying to see which trade they wanted to join (early applicants for FT did have a choice).
I remember working alongside many of the flems, but not all of them.
Some went on to engo or flying careers...at least one flies for EZY.
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Smudge
PS. On my first tour out of Halton I was posted to a Base 3 C130 servicing team at Colerne. It was a great posting because it took my mother nearly 2 years to find out I was not serving in Germany
However, our tea bar came fully equipped with an LAC Lloyd, a TAG of unique abilities. We got every second egg banjo free, tea made to order and not given tea bar as a duty. An expensive tea bar mechanic is a Jnr Tech rigger. I always remember him being hauled to court in Bristol for driving the wrong way up a one way street. His only witness in his defence was his then girlfriend, who admitted guiding him that way up the street because it got her home more quickly, she told the court that she had learned this from her father, who at the time was the local Chief Constable!! Respect was gained from all when the case was dropped
Bloody hell, even I remember Lloyd at my great age, top man!
Remembering 'Pasty' a biker from the Bannerdown gliding club would be an admission of guilt though.
The FLMs were treated like **** at Lyneham, probably much better off on the fighters though.
As I remember it, every junior man & his dog looked down upon them & it was just not right.
PS. On my first tour out of Halton I was posted to a Base 3 C130 servicing team at Colerne. It was a great posting because it took my mother nearly 2 years to find out I was not serving in Germany
However, our tea bar came fully equipped with an LAC Lloyd, a TAG of unique abilities. We got every second egg banjo free, tea made to order and not given tea bar as a duty. An expensive tea bar mechanic is a Jnr Tech rigger. I always remember him being hauled to court in Bristol for driving the wrong way up a one way street. His only witness in his defence was his then girlfriend, who admitted guiding him that way up the street because it got her home more quickly, she told the court that she had learned this from her father, who at the time was the local Chief Constable!! Respect was gained from all when the case was droppedBloody hell, even I remember Lloyd at my great age, top man!
Remembering 'Pasty' a biker from the Bannerdown gliding club would be an admission of guilt though.
The FLMs were treated like **** at Lyneham, probably much better off on the fighters though.
As I remember it, every junior man & his dog looked down upon them & it was just not right.
Flight Idle,
I hear what you say, but, I suspect that any animosity was ill founded and disappeared when the "tradesmen" realised that these were not just cheap replacements. By the time you got to Lyneham, I was away in Cyprus, not sure that we had FLMs in 73 at Akrotiri. By the time I got back to reality I believe that FLMs had been superseded by another great political decision. Whatever happened to FLMs, how did the trade wind up, and have no doubt, it was a trade. For me they just seemed to disappear.
Smudge
I hear what you say, but, I suspect that any animosity was ill founded and disappeared when the "tradesmen" realised that these were not just cheap replacements. By the time you got to Lyneham, I was away in Cyprus, not sure that we had FLMs in 73 at Akrotiri. By the time I got back to reality I believe that FLMs had been superseded by another great political decision. Whatever happened to FLMs, how did the trade wind up, and have no doubt, it was a trade. For me they just seemed to disappear.
Smudge
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The FLMs were treated like **** at Lyneham, probably much better off on the fighters though.
As I remember it, every junior man & his dog looked down upon them & it was just not right.
As I remember it, every junior man & his dog looked down upon them & it was just not right.
Last edited by NutLoose; 20th Jul 2013 at 16:44.
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I didn't think you could remuster down trade groups?
