Someone, please put me out of my misery...
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Someone, please put me out of my misery...
What does ex-FLM mean to anyone? Does it mean that the person so described was a Loadmaster??
FLM - Flight Line Mechanic.
An obsolete trade employed to carry out flight servicings only. A great bunch who had a reputation for partying hard.
(Awaiting FLM stories of freckles etc)
An obsolete trade employed to carry out flight servicings only. A great bunch who had a reputation for partying hard.
(Awaiting FLM stories of freckles etc)
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Now called AMM. Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic. Or nick-named Liney.
I believe FLM was a trade in its own, line work is all they did.
While people today join as a Avionic or Mechanical Technician. They spend the first 18 months as an AMM working on the line, then they go back to Cosford for a fitters course and then become a technician.
I believe FLM was a trade in its own, line work is all they did.
While people today join as a Avionic or Mechanical Technician. They spend the first 18 months as an AMM working on the line, then they go back to Cosford for a fitters course and then become a technician.
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FLMs Good Guys
FLMS
Were the outdoor boys with basic mechanic training, they did fuel, chocks marshalling seat pins and such stuff
They were the ones who said quietly, check the tyres boss, or came to the crewroom with your torch, or brought your jacket cold wet to the aircraft when it was throwing it down or fetched a cuppa as you waited for a tyre change
Unsung heroes that made life easier and safer
Were the outdoor boys with basic mechanic training, they did fuel, chocks marshalling seat pins and such stuff
They were the ones who said quietly, check the tyres boss, or came to the crewroom with your torch, or brought your jacket cold wet to the aircraft when it was throwing it down or fetched a cuppa as you waited for a tyre change
Unsung heroes that made life easier and safer
I think the origin of FLMs lay in cheapness - the RAF avoided the real trade training and it was a bit of a con to get people working on the flight line just putting the gas in, washing the screen and emptying the ashtray. Pretty hard to get out onto a rigger/fitter/armourer course.
A good crew chief and a bunch of FLMs was a pretty formidable task force.
regards
wets
A good crew chief and a bunch of FLMs was a pretty formidable task force.
regards
wets
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I think the origin of FLMs lay in cheapness - the RAF avoided the real trade training and it was a bit of a con to get people working on the flight line just putting the gas in, washing the screen and emptying the ashtray. Pretty hard to get out onto a rigger/fitter/armourer course.
They did A/F B/F T/Rounds on Fighters mainly, shoved in the fuel, Oxy and Chutes and cleaned the windows and that was it..
When the trade was abolished the RAF put them through Mechs courses and some through Fitters courses in the trades of their choice, though how much choice they had was in the lap of the Gods....
Of course before they could become Fitters they were required to become Mechs, so they would at the time be posted to Halton, do a full Mechs course, then start again straight after and do a full Fitters course, I actually joined one that had just completed it's Mechs course when i went through my Fitters course..
They were commonly refered to as Flem's or ameoba's (as in single cell ameoba's, as they were the simplest form of pond life.)
Last edited by NutLoose; 16th Jul 2013 at 16:31.
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Also seem to remember they were on short service terms? Was it six years? I was a nav insty working with a shift load of flems both at Coningsby and Gutersloh. There were some very clever lads amongst them who knew they had been short changed.
Mind you, I was instructing at Cosford some years later (on the very first Avionic courses as it happened) and I had lads straight from school with 'A' levels in maths and physics. Don't quite know what the RAF were playing at there, but heyhoe, head down, gob shut.
Mind you, I was instructing at Cosford some years later (on the very first Avionic courses as it happened) and I had lads straight from school with 'A' levels in maths and physics. Don't quite know what the RAF were playing at there, but heyhoe, head down, gob shut.
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Ahem! Ex-FLM here.
It wasn't possible to go any further than SAC in my days as a FLM - it was possible after a spell of time on the job to go on to what was essentially a Direct Entry fitter's course in your chosen (or available!) trade.
FLM was a basic but very hectic job depending upon what aircraft type or the function the squadron or unit performed. Happy days...
The extra pennies following the fitter's course were very welcome though!
It wasn't possible to go any further than SAC in my days as a FLM - it was possible after a spell of time on the job to go on to what was essentially a Direct Entry fitter's course in your chosen (or available!) trade.
FLM was a basic but very hectic job depending upon what aircraft type or the function the squadron or unit performed. Happy days...
The extra pennies following the fitter's course were very welcome though!
Last edited by TLDNMCL; 16th Jul 2013 at 17:08.
Then there were the "TAGs" Trades Assistant ( General) often considered at the bottom of the pile, and they knew it.
I had a tribe of them at one stage many years ago. I ended up running most of their bank accounts, wrestling with Finance companies, Loan sharks etc. on their behalf and being a father confessor.
They reduced our AOC to hysterics during the annual inspection, with an impromptu comedy act of badinage which merited a turn on the West End stage.
Lovely kids, some of whom moved on to higher things in the Service , a move that I was proud to assist in.
Others went out.............
I had a tribe of them at one stage many years ago. I ended up running most of their bank accounts, wrestling with Finance companies, Loan sharks etc. on their behalf and being a father confessor.
They reduced our AOC to hysterics during the annual inspection, with an impromptu comedy act of badinage which merited a turn on the West End stage.
Lovely kids, some of whom moved on to higher things in the Service , a move that I was proud to assist in.
Others went out.............
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There was a radar techy at Sealand who remustered to whatever trade group guardroom staff were. His reason was that promotion was dead men's shoes at that time in TG2, as I well knew, and he thought he would have better promotion prospects as a shouter and marcher. He was right, he made Sergeant in short order and last I heard (this was back in the early 80's) he was a FS discip somewhere, no doubt he made SWO.
FLM - Flight Line Mechanic,
Commonly known to all and sundry as Flems. The guys I had experience of, through 80/90s I think, had all joined it seemed on a promise (chance would be a fine thing
) that after around 18 months they would be considered for further training in a trade. The theory was that many, general, flight line jobs, did not require a course of any great magnitude. In general the lads did their square bashing, a quick familiarisation of the aircraft. And then out to a unit for employment/On the job Training. As I remember some very good lads entered the RAF this way, who may well have gone elsewhere had nothing been open to them. I'm sure an old friend of mine, now an ex GE from C130 days started life as a Flem. I would never knock these guys, after all, they all wanted to be part of the RAF that we were lucky enough to be part of. And bless them for that.
Smudge
Commonly known to all and sundry as Flems. The guys I had experience of, through 80/90s I think, had all joined it seemed on a promise (chance would be a fine thing
) that after around 18 months they would be considered for further training in a trade. The theory was that many, general, flight line jobs, did not require a course of any great magnitude. In general the lads did their square bashing, a quick familiarisation of the aircraft. And then out to a unit for employment/On the job Training. As I remember some very good lads entered the RAF this way, who may well have gone elsewhere had nothing been open to them. I'm sure an old friend of mine, now an ex GE from C130 days started life as a Flem. I would never knock these guys, after all, they all wanted to be part of the RAF that we were lucky enough to be part of. And bless them for that.Smudge
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Yup, they got a lot of dodgy deals at the CIO's,
One of our Armourer CPL's had wanted to join as a Musician, but the CIO had told him to join as a Armourer then remuster, needless to say he couldn't remuster down.... He had a degree in music and was a qualified music Teacher before the RAF screwed him over.
Trade Assistant General
There were a couple at Odiham who were the nicest guys you could meet, one was a pot washer in the airman's mess and the other worked in the guardroom. You could become a TAG if you failed your course whilst awaiting further training (if any).
Anyway back to the guy at Odiham, had a long chat one day and finding out he actually joined up as a TAG I enquired why as he was a bright lad and obviously well educated.
He told me his father was a Colonel in Chief of some regiment or the other and his father had pressurised him into joining the Military with the emphasis on becoming an Army Officer... He promptly ( to squash that idea ) went to the nearest RAF CIO and on enquiring what the least qualified and lowest possible job there was in this mans airforce joined up as a TAG.... And loved it
..
One of our Armourer CPL's had wanted to join as a Musician, but the CIO had told him to join as a Armourer then remuster, needless to say he couldn't remuster down.... He had a degree in music and was a qualified music Teacher before the RAF screwed him over.
Trade Assistant General
There were a couple at Odiham who were the nicest guys you could meet, one was a pot washer in the airman's mess and the other worked in the guardroom. You could become a TAG if you failed your course whilst awaiting further training (if any).
Anyway back to the guy at Odiham, had a long chat one day and finding out he actually joined up as a TAG I enquired why as he was a bright lad and obviously well educated.
He told me his father was a Colonel in Chief of some regiment or the other and his father had pressurised him into joining the Military with the emphasis on becoming an Army Officer... He promptly ( to squash that idea ) went to the nearest RAF CIO and on enquiring what the least qualified and lowest possible job there was in this mans airforce joined up as a TAG.... And loved it
..
Last edited by NutLoose; 16th Jul 2013 at 20:41.
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Well at least this trade did what it was supposed to do. Brize in the early '70's was awash with Ch/techs and Sgts, especially on the Brit line. SNCO's were marshalling, lugging ground equipment around, refuelling, B/F's A/F's and doing all the other mundane jobs that keep a line going, because there were very few SAC's etc to do the job. Hence some of us being offered lucrative financial incentives to leave quietly!
Thing #13
Definitely not me I'm afraid. Ex 214 entry Craft Apprentice RAF Halton 1969-71. I have to admit though, I have many similarly named " friends " in the RAF, Army and Royal Navy. I bet he was a good bloke, your Coningsby Smudge
all the best
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.
Definitely not me I'm afraid. Ex 214 entry Craft Apprentice RAF Halton 1969-71. I have to admit though, I have many similarly named " friends " in the RAF, Army and Royal Navy. I bet he was a good bloke, your Coningsby Smudge
all the best
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.
Last edited by smujsmith; 16th Jul 2013 at 20:44.
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Two Smudges maketh a smear. 
The other we had in the late 80's was the Youth Training Scheme, we had an LAC engine mech that was in the RAF as a YTS and was paid £40 a week or whatever it was and still had to pay Food and Accom, it was a pittance so the rest of the guys used to stand his drinks etc.... After I think a year the RAF could either chop them or take them on, if taken on they would get back pay which he did.. Needless to say we all sampled his new found wealth in the bar
The other we had in the late 80's was the Youth Training Scheme, we had an LAC engine mech that was in the RAF as a YTS and was paid £40 a week or whatever it was and still had to pay Food and Accom, it was a pittance so the rest of the guys used to stand his drinks etc.... After I think a year the RAF could either chop them or take them on, if taken on they would get back pay which he did.. Needless to say we all sampled his new found wealth in the bar
Last edited by NutLoose; 16th Jul 2013 at 20:49.
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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.