From: Martin Liggett, Swindon,
Date: 04 April 2002 09:53
Subject: Aircrew Feedback
Tony
Could you please remove the advert for a DC8 loadie, as the job is now filled.
Also, there’s an interesting thread on the pprune website, in the Military Pilot’s Forum, check out "How many Blunties does it take to....???" Page 2, where a bitter and twisted CH47 crewman slags off Movers. I'm sure Ian Berry would have a few words to say.
Cheers
Martin
[Ed: I have removed the advertisement as requested. I did have a look at the Pilot's Forum, and found the offending item which is repeated below. I've also reprinted one of the better responses - which really sums it up!]:
"TheSeeFarShadow" (CH47 Airman Aircrew): How many Blunties does it take to change an Operational Det into a RGF circus?
I want out, (prepare for rant), all it took was an operational detachment somewhere sunny. Maybe I'm the only aircrew to notice that the Royal Air Force, or maybe the Royal Ground Force, is run by empire building "what's a Tristar / Nimrod / VC-10 / Herc" circus. Yes, so that's laid it on the table, you know where I am.
I am completely appalled by the attitude of 'supporting' blunties. I came here with an open mind. Yes, I've been on many single type dets, but does it really take so many 'support personnel' to support themselves. I'm not talking about the techies, who work harder than we do, it's the 'hangers on'.
Maybe they're now being scaled down, but there are still PTI(s), MT drivers, a dozen Plods, Padre(s), Movers, Medics and Admin Guru's friends (if he has any) and a SWO who are not needed. I'm sure they have friends and families in the UK to go home to instead of being OOA.
In these days of the Armed Forces being overstretched, why overstretch them needlessly? The Royal Air Force remain the Royal AIR Force because we are here to support the aircraft and aircrew, we are not the "Tactical 'I'm important' Wing" or "Joint Services 'I'm more important than you' Unit". You don't need to know what we do or do not do, you just need to know that the length of sideburns don't matter in the big scheme of things and that "it's easy for some, lying in the sun all day" is not valid if you're only here to stitch people with you're merry "no, put your ID in my hand" *****.
I've enjoyed being in the RAF, but now, well what can I say, the emphasis is all wrong. This is not a bitter and twisted FS, this is a FS who wants to stay in the RAF, A FS who is keen to do the job, but a FS who has had enough. I fear I'm not alone. Someone turn the lights out. Adios
~~~~~~~
[Ed: Here's that response I mentioned...]
"Cpl Plod" (Just another number): Are you tired? (brings hands up to face and rubs eyes). Nice rant, someone has obviously wound you up, but do you really think the pointy things could do their job without ground support? Don’t want to start the aircrew -v- the rest discussion again, I think it’s been covered enough and most trades acknowledge that their job is to assist in keeping the planes in the air.
I totally agree with you, blunties are a total waste of time on Det’s and should all be sent home ASAP (PMA please note). They leave their families and friends and swan off to foreign lands for 4 months (or longer) at a time and their sole intention is to p!$$ off aircrew. In my experience of Det’s the following blunties had no reason for being there:
Adminers (everyone’s favourite on these pages) – All they do is sort out pay, allowances, aircrew in flight catering (some Det’s), travel arrangements, compassionate cases, make local currency available.
Cooks (you can’t chef an egg can you!) – All they do is cook food, what a waste of time.
MT – Swan about all day, sorting out hire vehicles, making sure people have the required local driving paperwork, get vehicles repaired, driving bowsers, driving big trucks full of stuff from place to place.
Movers – Keep jumping on and off nice clean transport aircraft unloading / loading freight, passengers.
Techies (general – non aircraft related) – so many different trades fixing things you don’t need on Det, generators, computers, air conditioners, anything electrical, the list goes on.
Medics – Why on earth do we need medical support on Det? The local Doc’s all speak perfect English, are really friendly, know all of the vagaries of aircrew medicine and their equipment is all clean.
Rock’s – Bumbling around carrying their various weapons, NBC sentry equipment, Rapier, never had a Det attacked, why bother.
Posties – Getting the post through (personal and official), can’t be that hard (Bloody Army for Gods sake, who invited them to our Det).
Suppliers – Surely if we need anything on Det we could just use the Amex card, obviously you can buy jet engines, flying suits, wiggly amps etc in the local market
PTI’s – They provided people with things to do on their down time, mini-expeds, never have any secondary duties.
Coppers (a personal favourite) – Physical security of Det (with Rocks - it’s that teamwork thingy), Computer Security, Document Security, liaison with other policing agencies (V V useful for getting aircrew assets out of pokey so they can man the pointy things), ensuring off base places (if any) are safe to visit. Oh and they also do police work (making sure Det personnel don’t beat the crap out of each other or steal everything in sight (do not even think that aircrew don’t do these things – I know you would be wrong)).
As for the other branches of the military, why are they there at all? I remember the pride I felt in ’82 watching the Nimrod crew yomping into Stanley, the elation of watching the ALM’s raising the Union Flag over the embassy in Kuwait in ’91 and the satisfaction of seeing ** Sqn aircrew marching into Kosovo. Do your job and let us do ours, we’re there to support you so let us. Remember that if the rules & regs seem petty, we don’t make them, they come down from on high (must be AVM PTI’s, AM Suppliers and ACM Cooks).
PS. If the crews didn’t have enough vehicles, do you not think the UK based planners or sqn recce / advance party should take some of the blame? |