Need a little information
 

In the RAAF the maximum rank you can fly as a NCO is WO. If one progress's to officer status, particularly as a FE or Loadmaster you have to come off flying duties.

My understanding that is not so in the RAF and in actual fact have heard stories of a Loadmaster who was also CO of a flying unit. Have heard also of Squadron leader flight engineers.

Can any one throw any more light on the matter

Thanks

Col

I know a few Sqn Ldr FEs....

I'm sure others will have greater knowledge than me though...

Knew a wg cdr ALM once, prat, but at officer rank I expect they will be much more in to management than flying route. Flying check rides can get boring.

The AE/FE Branch has a Wg Cdr who was def still flying in role.

I thought that recently LXX had a FE Wg Cdr boss, but I'm sure there are enough ex-Lyneham people on here to confirm or deny that!

Biggus - yes, I think between '03 & '05 - but certainly it covered '04.

Edit: On reflection perhaps it was '02 - '04* as his replacement was on the OCU mid '04.

*7 years ago seems recent to me these days too, 'tis a sign of getting old.

OC Nim OCU was an ex knocker Wg Cdr AEOp, until they cut all the planes up.... either that or our old 4th wet pulled a blinder of a con job in the Ramnee, down to arranging a convincing escort of junior ossifer yes men!

Concur with WW OC LXX was an Engineer, longest tongue in NATO from what i recall. Last ALM above Sqn Ldrt i heard of was moved through air attache jobs to avoid him doing anything useful for the branch.

The 3 years that LXX had a FE boss were somebody's idea of a joke that I hope will never be repeated.

ksim, could be the same? Circa 1995 there was a very large ALM at AFSouth. As good a place as any to lose an ALM.

On my time at 208 Sqn we had a Sqn Ldr QFI who was an ALM in a previous life. Top Bloke for a door slider!

Well, there is a Wing Commander ALM/Crewman/WSOp (delete as required) a the Oxon SH base.

Here too
 

We've got one here too!

The last LM/Air Eng deskman is now a Wg Cdr

Commissioned F/E's & L/M's
 

Col, yes there are Officer F/E's & L/M's in the RAF. It has always amazed me that the RAAF has not, in my memory at least, ever had operational F/E's or L/M's. As you are aware there have been a number of former L/M's & F/E's who gained commissions, after leaving the flying role. I know personally one former RAF F/E who joined Cathay Pacific a short time after I did. He had held Sqn Ldr rank. When I made it known that I wished to leave the RAAF I was asked if I would consider staying in if I were offered a commission. When I asked "as a F/E"? i was told "oh no, as an EngO back on the hangar". How AEO's were ever more deserving of a commission than F/E 's or L/M's is still a mystery to me.

Going back a long way, 1975, my first stash was a Wg Cdr Air Gunner.

IIRC he still held the Cat, though he did regret that there weren't any suitable flying posts left...... :p

Am I being unusually dense?

quote "In the RAAF the maximum rank you can fly as a NCO is WO"

Never mind flying, surely that is the maximum rank one can do ANYTHING as an NCO? Setting aside the old chestnut of "is a WO an NCO"?

Actually LB

Must be true it's on Wiki...... :p

NCO v Officer
 

LB, I am sure that we all know what Herkman was asking. Maybe his use of the English language was not perfect but that does not mean he deserves your patronising comments. We are, afterall, just a bunch of colonials down-under!!!

Perfection fortunately has passed me by.

I can understand that FE's and LM can gain a commission and I know of several I used to fly with who went on to be an officer, but all went back to supply/logistics tasks.

Can see no reason if one qualifies to be an officer for that not to take place with the aircrew trade continuing.

Any to all of you a big thanks for clearing the matter up.

Regards

Col