Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

Squadron 'Uncles'

Wikiposts
Search
Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Squadron 'Uncles'

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 17th Dec 2013, 19:09
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 4,334
Received 80 Likes on 32 Posts
Squadron 'Uncles'

I see that the reserve are advertising for Squadron 'Uncles' for Typhoon Squadrons - RAF Reserves - FTRS Vacancies List

I think the Squadron Uncle is a great scheme and I remember the great Furze Lloyd taking this role on during the 90s. If only I lived near Lossie/Leuchars!

BTW - for the Loadies, a Squadron 'Uncle' is different to a Squadron 'Auntie' which is an entirely different thing!

Any takers?

LJ
Lima Juliet is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 19:58
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: front seat, facing forwards
Posts: 1,156
Received 12 Likes on 5 Posts
Never heard of a Sqn Uncle before.

Looking at the job spec though, sounds more like a Gofer than anything else.

Typical duties may include assisting the Sqn Executive Officer with Ops and Planning tasks.

Exposure to sqn support functions and reports/returns (such as AFT & CFT compilation, SAPPHIRE, F540 etc).
just another jocky is online now  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 20:35
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Banished (twice) to the pointless forest
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Three reasons why recruitment may be harder than for some other jobs.

Of particular note is reference to the ‘Effect of Re-employment on Commutation’.

Reserve personnel are required to maintain currency in CCS and RAF Fitness. The successful applicants will be expected to undertake CCS and RAF Fitness during their probationary period.

And of course, no flying pay.
airpolice is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2013, 21:21
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: France
Age: 80
Posts: 6,379
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Is that "Uncle" as in the Adj in "Aces high"
Wander00 is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 07:33
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 657
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
airpolice,

Several good reasons not to sign up but it could suit a 55 year old newly retired aircrew bod living locally, that has no idea what to do in life for the next 5 years. On the understanding that FTRS posts run till age 60.

Interesting that new jobs are still being created though in this era of cuts, slash, cuts, burn and more cuts everywhere else.
Party Animal is online now  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 08:06
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 1,785
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Each to his own. Full-time holding Officer.

OAP
Onceapilot is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 09:38
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: England
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"Three reasons why recruitment may be harder than for some other jobs."

Agree loss of flying pay might be one, But I completely disagree with the other two. I am a 51 year old FTRS who has eased through his latest fitness test and recently completed CCS (it's not how it used to be by a long shot).
snippy is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 10:02
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: France
Age: 80
Posts: 6,379
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Furze Lloyd - now there was a guy. Did I hear that sadly he had died before his time?
Wander00 is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 10:08
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,817
Received 270 Likes on 109 Posts
I find this concept of squadron consiglieri quite astonishing.

Is the RAF really so understrength that it cannot meet these requirements from within conventional manning sources?
BEagle is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 10:14
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Sussex
Age: 82
Posts: 4,764
Received 227 Likes on 70 Posts
Would it not be a good idea to seek Dutch ones while they're at it?
Chugalug2 is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 10:42
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Temporarily missing from the Joe Louis Arena
Posts: 2,131
Received 27 Likes on 16 Posts
Squadron 'Uncle'? Sounds a bit Yewtree to me.....
The Helpful Stacker is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 10:42
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,915
Received 4 Likes on 2 Posts
Would it not be a good idea to seek Dutch ones while they're at it?
Only if properly dressed, complete with Dutch cap.
spekesoftly is online now  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 11:02
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: UK East Anglia
Age: 66
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Or an Indian Auntie
dragartist is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 11:09
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: The Roman Empire
Posts: 2,451
Received 72 Likes on 33 Posts
In these financially constrained times, maybe what they really need is a ......

Sugar Daddy!
Biggus is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 11:19
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,967
Received 2,864 Likes on 1,228 Posts
Or perhaps, "Punka Wallah", all waft and no luft. Wouldn't the job fall under the remit of the FOO mentioned elsewhere?
NutLoose is online now  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 11:28
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
NutLoose,

It used to, certainly there were posts on 3(F) and 11 called OC Mission Support Flight that looked after Ops, Int and Admin (plus visits, bogs and drains, F540, AFT/CFT etc). These were deployable posts and created to replace the old Harrier Sqn "Uncles" (certainly on 3(F) anyway). Not sure if they are binning the OC MSF post and going back to the "Uncle" concept or keeping the OC MSFs and effectively duplicating 90% of the post.
Wallah is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 19:02
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: uk
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Why P or WSO?

Not sure why so restrictive as no flying involved and more of an extra exec level post to do all of the tasks that the old uncle posts did. Half of the jobs they do will prob require more broadened experience than they perhaps envisage.
tailchase is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 19:30
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My guess is so they can be an Auth and Duty Exec, which were the only things OC MSF couldn't do.
Wallah is offline  
Old 18th Dec 2013, 19:32
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Banished (twice) to the pointless forest
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Tailchase, it's probably about the fact that the aircrew omnt he squadrons concerned will be Pilots only. I don't see an ex nav mentoring a newbie typhoon driver.

Party Animal, I was thinking that repaying your lump sum might put recent;y retired people off.
airpolice is offline  
Old 19th Dec 2013, 08:47
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Sleaford
Age: 53
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Furz Lloyd - 20 Sqn Uncle & my Dad

In response to the question from Wanderl00, I am sorry to confirm that my Dad, Furz, passed away in 2010 after a long battle against multiple injuries after a major car accident the year before.

He loved his time as a sqn uncle - he was a great mentor, source of support & mine of information to them, as well as wearing a groove in the counter of the bar.

I stayed one night after being marooned by East Coast trains at Grantham - seeing the affection that the sqn & other mess members had for him was great - his calling card of 'my dear chap' ringing out as we entered the bar.

I miss him so.
LadyWhyatt is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.