No more ACs, LACs, and SACs....
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Many years before that actually. Master Pilot. No, I wasn't one; before my time.
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Next to go will be Pilot Officer. Not a Pilot, obviously, as not a Graduate Entry. So some other pointless change to squllions of documents and legislation.
Keep the CS clerks fully occupied, eh, Sir Humphrey?
I really do worry about the mental processes of those driving these pointless and expensive escapades.
Keep the CS clerks fully occupied, eh, Sir Humphrey?
I really do worry about the mental processes of those driving these pointless and expensive escapades.
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Father's reaction after what he saw as an attack on the technical trades was an education..A Halton Brat from 1939 he chucked it in in disgust and went out in to the aircraft industry.( where he did quite well).
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Next to go will be Pilot Officer. Not a Pilot, obviously, as not a Graduate Entry. So some other pointless change to squllions of documents and legislation.
Keep the CS clerks fully occupied, eh, Sir Humphrey?
I really do worry about the mental processes of those driving these pointless and expensive escapades.
Keep the CS clerks fully occupied, eh, Sir Humphrey?
I really do worry about the mental processes of those driving these pointless and expensive escapades.
I remember the introduction of the (I think) 1964 Trade Structure in the RAF, upside down chevrons (?) were abolished and a Chief Tech had what I'd had as a (was it senior) cadet in the CCF - a four blade prop above the three chevrons. I remember the 'techies' were very pi$$ed off as being sort of demoted below Flt Sgt rank. The only reason I can vaguely recall this is that it featured in the B Promotion exam to Flt Lt.
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😕 Pointless, divisive, expensive.
How does any of this sh!t improve, sorry "streamline" anything?
Documentation to be re-written, rank badges to be revised/ redesigned, pay scales to be revised and or amalgamated, which takes us back to documentation.
Met a good pal (ex-RN) yesterday, and of course the expected usual inter- service verbal abuse took place. He works for the MOD at a RAF unit as a civvie now, and he was close to tears, or perhaps a bladder evacuation when we spoke about this.
A nonesense, a total nonsense. 🙄
How does any of this sh!t improve, sorry "streamline" anything?
Documentation to be re-written, rank badges to be revised/ redesigned, pay scales to be revised and or amalgamated, which takes us back to documentation.
Met a good pal (ex-RN) yesterday, and of course the expected usual inter- service verbal abuse took place. He works for the MOD at a RAF unit as a civvie now, and he was close to tears, or perhaps a bladder evacuation when we spoke about this.
A nonesense, a total nonsense. 🙄
Who gets 2 blades and who gets 3? Is it defined?
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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It’s just a name change to stop the very few that getting their knickers in a twist about this sort of stuff (ie. the muttering minority that normally have unofficial RAF Twitter accounts). It is being implemented on 1st July 2022. Basically:
Air Recruit replaces Leading Aircraftman (AC)
Air Specialist (2nd Class) replaces Leading Aircraftman (LAC)
Air Specialist (1st Class) replaces Senior Aircraftman (SAC)
Air Specialist Technician (1st Class) replaces Senior Aircraftman (Technician) (SAC(T))
Not a big deal really. Same pay scales and same insignia. However, I do think they ballsed up the last one. Personally I would have gone for Air Technician and given them a 4 bladed prop badge again - as there is only one Technician rank at that level then there is no need for the 1st Class anyway.
Of course we also have Airborne Specialists now (the common name for the ‘flying Fighter Controllers’, Airborne Technicians, Mission Intelligence Coordinators, non-Aircrew Flight Test Engineers and Cabin Crew) as a term for Ground Branch/Trade/Profession personnel employed on airborne duties or operating an aircraft. So there is room for a bit of confusion - but no more than the aviator thing that goes against the definition in every English dictionary in the world. So 2 steps forward and 2 steps back in my opinion.
Air Recruit replaces Leading Aircraftman (AC)
Air Specialist (2nd Class) replaces Leading Aircraftman (LAC)
Air Specialist (1st Class) replaces Senior Aircraftman (SAC)
Air Specialist Technician (1st Class) replaces Senior Aircraftman (Technician) (SAC(T))
Not a big deal really. Same pay scales and same insignia. However, I do think they ballsed up the last one. Personally I would have gone for Air Technician and given them a 4 bladed prop badge again - as there is only one Technician rank at that level then there is no need for the 1st Class anyway.
Of course we also have Airborne Specialists now (the common name for the ‘flying Fighter Controllers’, Airborne Technicians, Mission Intelligence Coordinators, non-Aircrew Flight Test Engineers and Cabin Crew) as a term for Ground Branch/Trade/Profession personnel employed on airborne duties or operating an aircraft. So there is room for a bit of confusion - but no more than the aviator thing that goes against the definition in every English dictionary in the world. So 2 steps forward and 2 steps back in my opinion.
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You could of course be accused to be introducing an inferiority complex as 2nd class can equally be miss understood as inferior to 1st class. Surely Air Specialist One and Two would have made more sense.