Discussion
Good evening guys,
I did a search of google and came across this forum and the fact that there are a few RAF personnel registered. I am hoping you could give me some advice and insight.
As my interests include engineering and planes, and considering now appears a good time for a different path, I am putting more thought into joining the RAF.
The trades I'm looking at are general technician workshops and aircraft technician mechanical.
My research has concluded that air techs tend to run diagnostics and change parts more than major overhaul, and that, skill wise, they are exceeded by civilian counterparts (please take no offence from my comments, I'm only repeating what I've read. Please correct me if I'm mistaken).
So that leaves me with gen tech workshops.
Is anyone able to provide any information on this trade, such as the type of work that comes their way and postings?
Do you know if the machines are manual or computer controlled?
Are you kept busy?
Is it a trade you'd recommend?
Thanks for your time and I apologise for the lengthy post,
Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Charlie
I did a search of google and came across this forum and the fact that there are a few RAF personnel registered. I am hoping you could give me some advice and insight.
As my interests include engineering and planes, and considering now appears a good time for a different path, I am putting more thought into joining the RAF.
The trades I'm looking at are general technician workshops and aircraft technician mechanical.
My research has concluded that air techs tend to run diagnostics and change parts more than major overhaul, and that, skill wise, they are exceeded by civilian counterparts (please take no offence from my comments, I'm only repeating what I've read. Please correct me if I'm mistaken).
So that leaves me with gen tech workshops.
Is anyone able to provide any information on this trade, such as the type of work that comes their way and postings?
Do you know if the machines are manual or computer controlled?
Are you kept busy?
Is it a trade you'd recommend?
Thanks for your time and I apologise for the lengthy post,
Any advice is greatly appreciated,
Charlie
I've considered transferring from the RM to the RAF as I'm interested in the Gen Tech role myself. On the army vacancies list it states they are looking for Gen Tech (m) which is similar to my current role as a vehicle mechanic so I've assumed I could just walk into that. Interestingly when you click the link it takes you to the Gen Tech Workshops page so I'm unsure what they are looking for. I could take a look at what other roles they need to fill and the same for the Army and RN etc for you?
I do fancy a change and in my head I can see me fabricating my own stuff in my spare time. In my previous unit they were very project friendly and had an area designated for them. My current unit however couldn't give two hoots about it as the hierarchy are more focused on lifting weights instead of pissing about with cars.
I do fancy a change and in my head I can see me fabricating my own stuff in my spare time. In my previous unit they were very project friendly and had an area designated for them. My current unit however couldn't give two hoots about it as the hierarchy are more focused on lifting weights instead of pissing about with cars.
Depends what your want from a job. If you fancy gen tech because of using milling machines etc etc then you might as well get a job in a proper engineering machine shop rather than join the raf. You won't get hands on with aircraft.
If you want a military career then working on jets etc is the way forward. Aircraft mech tech is the best choice....I'm slightly biased though!
You're right in what you say about skills to a point. A lot of in depth maintenance has now gone civilian. However there still lots of guys doing good stuff, voyager etc would give the chance to get your civilian maintenance licences. Any Q's on A Mech T then fire away..
If you want a military career then working on jets etc is the way forward. Aircraft mech tech is the best choice....I'm slightly biased though!
You're right in what you say about skills to a point. A lot of in depth maintenance has now gone civilian. However there still lots of guys doing good stuff, voyager etc would give the chance to get your civilian maintenance licences. Any Q's on A Mech T then fire away..
Edited by DuraAce on Friday 17th July 18:11
DuraAce said:
Depends what your want from a job. If you fancy gen tech because of using milling machines etc etc then you might as well get a job in a proper engineering machine shop rather than join the raf. You won't get hands on with aircraft.
If you want a military career then working on jets etc is the way forward. Aircraft mech tech is the best choice....I'm slightly biased though!
You're right in what you say about skills to a point. A lot of in depth maintenance has now gone civilian. However there still lots of guys doing good stuff, voyager etc would give the chance to get your civilian maintenance licences. Any Q's on A Mech T then fire away..
Thank you for replying. If you want a military career then working on jets etc is the way forward. Aircraft mech tech is the best choice....I'm slightly biased though!
You're right in what you say about skills to a point. A lot of in depth maintenance has now gone civilian. However there still lots of guys doing good stuff, voyager etc would give the chance to get your civilian maintenance licences. Any Q's on A Mech T then fire away..
Edited by DuraAce on Friday 17th July 18:11
It was the fabrication skills that attracted me - I know there won't be any hands on aircraft time but making parts is something that interests me. My only concern was I would have thought parts would have been ordered of manufacturers instead of being made, hence me asking the type of work they receive.
As for air tech - it was the first role that drew me in. I guess I could be called another failed pilot (eyesight / money) but I have a big interest in the engineering as well. I asked on another forum and was told that the work is mostly run diagnostics, remove old part and fit new one - not much dirty work. Also, that the RAF outsources heavy overhaul to contractors. Are you able to offer any further insight into this?
If AMMs show a willingness to chip in is there the opportunity for them to get involved during their first 18months?
Do all AMMs serve 18 month before returning for their course or is it dependent on person / unit / etc?
Thanks again
dai1983 said:
I've considered transferring from the RM to the RAF as I'm interested in the Gen Tech role myself. On the army vacancies list it states they are looking for Gen Tech (m) which is similar to my current role as a vehicle mechanic so I've assumed I could just walk into that. Interestingly when you click the link it takes you to the Gen Tech Workshops page so I'm unsure what they are looking for. I could take a look at what other roles they need to fill and the same for the Army and RN etc for you?
I do fancy a change and in my head I can see me fabricating my own stuff in my spare time. In my previous unit they were very project friendly and had an area designated for them. My current unit however couldn't give two hoots about it as the hierarchy are more focused on lifting weights instead of pissing about with cars.
Cheers for the reply. I'm like you when it comes to fabricating and projects on the side - I thought it would be ideal as I'd learn the skills and make enough to then have some fun projects on the side. I do fancy a change and in my head I can see me fabricating my own stuff in my spare time. In my previous unit they were very project friendly and had an area designated for them. My current unit however couldn't give two hoots about it as the hierarchy are more focused on lifting weights instead of pissing about with cars.
It would be interesting to see what jobs they're looking to fill but don't put yourself out.
Hope it works out for you
Some of our aircraft are so old that parts are very hard to get hold of so some of them are made in house. As well as aircraft parts I've heard of kinds of other stuff being made by them, parts for ground equipment etc. Can be varied work but no on aircraft action.
Run diagnostics eh? Well to a point, On modern stuff like typhoon then perhaps but older fleets don't have that capability. There is still plenty of scope for old school fault diagnosis and getting your hands dirty. The computer is not always right, if it has one at all!
A lot of deep maintenance has been contractorised as the RAF moves to a more front line deployable service. I like that as it provides more chances for travel and deployments. There is still plenty of work done by us though, plenty of opportunity to be hands on.
AMMs that demonstrate their keenness to get on will be involved in big jobs from day one. I always stress that to my lads. If you aren't keen, turn up late or don't seem that interested then you will spend the day sweeping the floor! Get involved and you'll soon be making a contribution and deploying.
18 months is a rough average. I don't hesitate to recommend my good lads go back early, I've had a few sent back for their tech course after 6 months. Gets you a nice (early) payrise and more responsibility on your next posting.
Run diagnostics eh? Well to a point, On modern stuff like typhoon then perhaps but older fleets don't have that capability. There is still plenty of scope for old school fault diagnosis and getting your hands dirty. The computer is not always right, if it has one at all!
A lot of deep maintenance has been contractorised as the RAF moves to a more front line deployable service. I like that as it provides more chances for travel and deployments. There is still plenty of work done by us though, plenty of opportunity to be hands on.
AMMs that demonstrate their keenness to get on will be involved in big jobs from day one. I always stress that to my lads. If you aren't keen, turn up late or don't seem that interested then you will spend the day sweeping the floor! Get involved and you'll soon be making a contribution and deploying.
18 months is a rough average. I don't hesitate to recommend my good lads go back early, I've had a few sent back for their tech course after 6 months. Gets you a nice (early) payrise and more responsibility on your next posting.
DuraAce said:
Some of our aircraft are so old that parts are very hard to get hold of so some of them are made in house. As well as aircraft parts I've heard of kinds of other stuff being made by them, parts for ground equipment etc. Can be varied work but no on aircraft action.
Run diagnostics eh? Well to a point, On modern stuff like typhoon then perhaps but older fleets don't have that capability. There is still plenty of scope for old school fault diagnosis and getting your hands dirty. The computer is not always right, if it has one at all!
A lot of deep maintenance has been contractorised as the RAF moves to a more front line deployable service. I like that as it provides more chances for travel and deployments. There is still plenty of work done by us though, plenty of opportunity to be hands on.
AMMs that demonstrate their keenness to get on will be involved in big jobs from day one. I always stress that to my lads. If you aren't keen, turn up late or don't seem that interested then you will spend the day sweeping the floor! Get involved and you'll soon be making a contribution and deploying.
18 months is a rough average. I don't hesitate to recommend my good lads go back early, I've had a few sent back for their tech course after 6 months. Gets you a nice (early) payrise and more responsibility on your next posting.
That's great, I'll have to look back into it. Run diagnostics eh? Well to a point, On modern stuff like typhoon then perhaps but older fleets don't have that capability. There is still plenty of scope for old school fault diagnosis and getting your hands dirty. The computer is not always right, if it has one at all!
A lot of deep maintenance has been contractorised as the RAF moves to a more front line deployable service. I like that as it provides more chances for travel and deployments. There is still plenty of work done by us though, plenty of opportunity to be hands on.
AMMs that demonstrate their keenness to get on will be involved in big jobs from day one. I always stress that to my lads. If you aren't keen, turn up late or don't seem that interested then you will spend the day sweeping the floor! Get involved and you'll soon be making a contribution and deploying.
18 months is a rough average. I don't hesitate to recommend my good lads go back early, I've had a few sent back for their tech course after 6 months. Gets you a nice (early) payrise and more responsibility on your next posting.
A few more questions (sorry) -
Are there still plenty of those old school postings around?
When it comes to civ licences, has most of the theory been touched upon with
the RAF training?
I'm someone who likes to have something to do - are there jobs to do daily?
Is it possible to gain a degree through service?
thanks again
charlieflapjack said:
Cheers for the reply. I'm like you when it comes to fabricating and projects on the side - I thought it would be ideal as I'd learn the skills and make enough to then have some fun projects on the side.
It would be interesting to see what jobs they're looking to fill but don't put yourself out.
Hope it works out for you
I'll try and have a look next week for myself and let you know. My current job is basic servicing where I enjoy fault finding and heavy vehicles but here there's not much of either. We get taught basic welding on our course but I'm keen to do the longer course and get other skills.It would be interesting to see what jobs they're looking to fill but don't put yourself out.
Hope it works out for you
Its really is swings and roundabouts with projects. My last place was like Pimp My Ride at one end of the workshop with boats, cars and motorbikes in bits. As long as they were being worked on you could keep it there. Another department was always quiet so you were able to work on projects during working hours. The thinking behind it was to do that instead of doing nothing was more beneficial to the lads skill set.
My current place lets you use the facilities but you have to get the vehicle out by the start of the next day. ironically there is a spray bay which the civilian workshop manager uses to store his old Triumph sports cars in. Your superiors also get changed often and they like to put their mark on things which usually means bye bye to projects until they start creeping in again.
You could get a job in an engineering firm but with the forces you get paid to do the course, phys in work time, decent hours when in the UK, travel opportunities and an ok pension at the end of it.
Yes, I believe there is still a lot of good postings out there. Permanent overseas posting are rare but plenty of travel still.
Licences, hmm sort of. Your training will give you a good head start but it isn't directly comparable. Legislation etc is different but it will help. Youd have a good advantage over someone with no experience. Your service time can also count towards civvy licence experience requirements.
There is always something to do! Staff numbers are lower than 10/20 years ago but the tasking and tempo is still high.
You can study whatever you like in your own time but the in service degree scheme had now ceased I believe. You can still claim a good wedge towards course fees for whatever your study but you won't be able to do it full time. Lots of people study towards degrees, HNCs etc.
dai1983 said:
I'll try and have a look next week for myself and let you know. My current job is basic servicing where I enjoy fault finding and heavy vehicles but here there's not much of either. We get taught basic welding on our course but I'm keen to do the longer course and get other skills.
Its really is swings and roundabouts with projects. My last place was like Pimp My Ride at one end of the workshop with boats, cars and motorbikes in bits. As long as they were being worked on you could keep it there. Another department was always quiet so you were able to work on projects during working hours. The thinking behind it was to do that instead of doing nothing was more beneficial to the lads skill set.
My current place lets you use the facilities but you have to get the vehicle out by the start of the next day. ironically there is a spray bay which the civilian workshop manager uses to store his old Triumph sports cars in. Your superiors also get changed often and they like to put their mark on things which usually means bye bye to projects until they start creeping in again.
You could get a job in an engineering firm but with the forces you get paid to do the course, phys in work time, decent hours when in the UK, travel opportunities and an ok pension at the end of it.
I was offered an apprenticeship doing similar work but the salary barely covered rent never mind other costs. So the salary is a plus (I'm not money driven but you can't be spending out of your own pocket when your working 40 hours plus). The sports are another benefit, been a few years since I've had a kick around. Its really is swings and roundabouts with projects. My last place was like Pimp My Ride at one end of the workshop with boats, cars and motorbikes in bits. As long as they were being worked on you could keep it there. Another department was always quiet so you were able to work on projects during working hours. The thinking behind it was to do that instead of doing nothing was more beneficial to the lads skill set.
My current place lets you use the facilities but you have to get the vehicle out by the start of the next day. ironically there is a spray bay which the civilian workshop manager uses to store his old Triumph sports cars in. Your superiors also get changed often and they like to put their mark on things which usually means bye bye to projects until they start creeping in again.
You could get a job in an engineering firm but with the forces you get paid to do the course, phys in work time, decent hours when in the UK, travel opportunities and an ok pension at the end of it.
I've watched a few too many salvage squad and american chopper - they've appeared to have whetted my appetite to fabrication.
Can only comment about us aircraft techies. It is, I'd say, the best trade out there!
You'll join as an AMM (A/C maintenance mechanic). You'll be part of a team of lineys who will carry out daily a/c servicing for before flight and turn round/after flight. Generally the same day in, day out but you are gaining experience and knowledge that will progression back to Cosford to become a proper tech and gain that 'ring of power'!
Even as an AMM, as has been said the keenest will be selected to help out tech work when your line is done and not just torch holding. You'll learn about, get your hands filthy stripping engines down and using big hammers (you can tell I'm a fairy). You'll go away on dets and have a whale of a time! It's a great job!
Something I'd add is what I've noticed is that depending how old you are? Older AMMs tend to want to progress quicker and get frustrated sometimes that they are 'just' a liney as they've been out in the real world working beforehand etc if you know what I mean.
As for licences, I know a few lads that are licenced up on voyager, Kingair etc. For postings, they have just trawled for JSF in America!
I'm a civvie now, contracting doing minors and majors. We still have Raf people here!
You'll join as an AMM (A/C maintenance mechanic). You'll be part of a team of lineys who will carry out daily a/c servicing for before flight and turn round/after flight. Generally the same day in, day out but you are gaining experience and knowledge that will progression back to Cosford to become a proper tech and gain that 'ring of power'!
Even as an AMM, as has been said the keenest will be selected to help out tech work when your line is done and not just torch holding. You'll learn about, get your hands filthy stripping engines down and using big hammers (you can tell I'm a fairy). You'll go away on dets and have a whale of a time! It's a great job!
Something I'd add is what I've noticed is that depending how old you are? Older AMMs tend to want to progress quicker and get frustrated sometimes that they are 'just' a liney as they've been out in the real world working beforehand etc if you know what I mean.
As for licences, I know a few lads that are licenced up on voyager, Kingair etc. For postings, they have just trawled for JSF in America!
I'm a civvie now, contracting doing minors and majors. We still have Raf people here!
Edited by PaulG40 on Saturday 18th July 10:29
DuraAce said:
Yes, I believe there is still a lot of good postings out there. Permanent overseas posting are rare but plenty of travel still.
Licences, hmm sort of. Your training will give you a good head start but it isn't directly comparable. Legislation etc is different but it will help. Youd have a good advantage over someone with no experience. Your service time can also count towards civvy licence experience requirements.
There is always something to do! Staff numbers are lower than 10/20 years ago but the tasking and tempo is still high.
You can study whatever you like in your own time but the in service degree scheme had now ceased I believe. You can still claim a good wedge towards course fees for whatever your study but you won't be able to do it full time. Lots of people study towards degrees, HNCs etc.
When it comes to the more modern craft, does the work then become one part out new part in?
Do you know any sites that show the type of maintenance the planes have or any books you recommend - I think Haynes have a manual on typhoon and tornado that might show me more.
I appreciate all your answers
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