Aircrew rations
 

Could someone shed any light on the rumoured forthcoming reduction in Flying rations from 1 Jul. It appears that as part of the cost savings to the public purse in line with the changes to entitlement for food and accommodation, that aircrew rations will not continue to be demanded to the same levels and individuals will be responsible for provisioning themselves. The aircrew rations normally reclaimed against all monthly Fg stats will only be able to be reclaimed against night hours. Fg rations (box meals) will only be issued for periods where crews are to be flying for 1-4 hrs that take place over a meal time. Pot noodles and pies will not be available, only high energy rations like chocolates and biscuits etc

I am told that crews who are airborne for longer periods (2 Gp/Trails etc) will continue to be catered for in the normal way and have asked for a copy of the new regs but none have been forthcoming, any one got any thoughts? It will also include SAR and Q crews although the funding will be limited to plated meals from messes as opposed to self catering.

That should make up the minds of any waverers at ISK, Lyn etc!:}
Sorry. Hiding

In every other Air Force in the world people have to provide food for themselves, I am surprised it has taken this long to see cut backs in this perk.
Guys guarding the gate for 12 hours and guys that work on the aircraft for a full 12 hour shift recieve nothing in the way of rations so why should you get free food provided.
Sure provide bottled water due to being in a forced air environment but a chicken tikka, rice, crisps, mars bar, apple and donuts is rather extracting the urine is it not? and dont even get me started on aircrew recieving rations for a sortie flown in the SIM!!
I can however see the point of rationing the trails etc
This is not a flaming post but merely an observation of something I personally have thought should have been sorted a long time ago.

I dunno, we used to get duty supper on nights which, if you lived out, was free and if you lived in you didn't pay any extra. If living out, we also got free breakfast, lunch and dinner when on exercise or station augmentation force duty. Does that not happen anymore?

MSJ

The NLS tea bar will go into economic meltdown :)

Midsomerjambo

Unfortunately not. If you live out you get nothing when on Guard Commander, etc.

MightyHunter AGE

I appreciate yours is not a flaming post but, on a small point, I have never seen the lineys complain when taking excess rations off a jet. Especially OOA. :E

Your point about sims is well made though. Never could quite see the need for that.



Will these proposed changes apply on ops/ dets etc????

Unlike shift work and gate guarding - its just a bit difficult to pop down the NAAFI to grab a butty while you are at 30K ft on a 10 hour sortie!! Therefore aircrew will need feeding! As for only getting food when flying over meal times - these are also difficult to manage what with different time zones and unsocial working hours etc to consider. Sounds like a good few flight safety reports coming up caused by low blood sugar!

Also sounds a cost saving exercise!!

I believe it is possible for aircrew to visit the NAAFI prior to take off and...buy...sandwiches.

There you are, I said it. I'll go and punish myself immediately...:rolleyes:

So the NAAFI (or SPAR Shop as it is now) will be open at 0400 for an early crew in? Fat Chance. Perhaps shops are always open when the blunt end are pretending to work but.....

Good point! It would make more sense to introduce mandatory food charges for aircrew for each day they fly, either pro-rata or over half a month of flying equates to living-in food charges.

Flight safety issue = solved. :E

I take it you've checked? Or just toeing the party line? Working with the USAF I remember being fed outside normal working hours free and having access to a heavily subsidised mess at other times. Hells bells, cheese paring cheapness like this helps suck the last of the morale out of the people that supposedly matter most (remember 'people are our most important asset?')

Just because us (ex in my case) ground-ponders are treated like sh*t doesn’t create a precedence or give you cart-blanch - everyone should be looked after, bring back duty suppers and feeding the guards - rememner morale?

MightyHunter, you're not one of THEM are you? Tell me it wasn't your GEMS

"In every other Air Force in the world people have to provide food for themselves"

Grossly incorrect.

Volunteer requested to turn out the lights........

Must remind myself to cancel ops when I'm on a 16 hr+ day in theatre because I'm not entitled to food when serving my country.

So as well as having to buy all my own kit, pay extra to get decent life insurance, increase savings into an AVC to get a decent death in service and widows pension for my loved ones you want me to pay for my own food when flying????

Having a f**king laugh aren't you??

Hopefully all these people wingeing about aircrew rations have never helped themselves to butty boxes post sorties (that would be theft) and also never complained about being fed and watered on op transits that actually don't attract any scaling.

Next time you're on a long trail or trip to the desert don't forget to pop into the nearest NAAFI and buy your food and drink for the 9 hour flight.

Mind you, shouldn't worry about aircrew flying rations because at the current exit rates there won't be any aircrew left to feed!!

Rant off:*

Flying in theatre isn't what this is all about, its local flying that is the issue. So pick up your Teddy's and get used to paying for your lunch like the rest of us !

Release-Authirise
So the NAAFI (or SPAR Shop as it is now) will be open at 0400 for an early crew in? Fat Chance. Perhaps shops are always open when the blunt end are pretending to work but.....

My my we are all a bit tetchy arent we.
As a member of the winged master race surely you can remember to go to Asda/NAAFI etc or even, god forbid make yourself a packed lunch BEFORE you go on your little jolly round the sky or do you need someone to run after you as per usual.
Of course we blunties are always pretending to work without actually doing anything, the jets just magically fix themselves when the little pixies march in at one minute past midnight.

Mmmm enjoy those donuts while you can.............

Truckie
No-one is going on about OOA or SAR trials so cool your boots. Teddy last seen at 20K Ft with butty box in hand.............

Those little pixies you mentioned are they the lift pixies from the other thread about lift in turns or whatever, or a completely different group?

Samuraimatt

I havent seen those pixies you are on about, I am actually meaning the pixies at ISK that have all had enough and have all been re-named 'PVR pixies'.
Apparently you get FREE food off-shore so thats where they are all going.

"As a member of the winged master race surely you can remember to go to Asda/NAAFI etc or even, god forbid make yourself a packed lunch BEFORE you go on your little jolly round the sky or do you need someone to run after you as per usual."

I'm sure I could remember and manage. However, has anyone got a fridge I can keep the stuff in (to keep it safe to eat while I'm flying) while I sit around on my arse waiting for the jet to be ready for the 1000, no make that 1200, oops forgot some paperwork so let's make that 1500, nope still not ready so how about 1700, take-off!!

MightyHunter AGE - I'm sure you would never seek to benefit from a system you despise.

Is it the in-flight catering you object to or the people who recieve it??