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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1478.PDF
158 FLIGHT, 3 August 1950 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News and Announcements PANTECHNICON: Wearing R.A.F. roundels, the vast Blackburn and General Aircraft G.A.L.60 freighter is pictured on a test flight. This newcomer already shows great possi- bilities for both military and civil use. The Airmen's Charter Trade Structure of trie R.A.F. Completely Overhauled : New Ranks, New Careers COMPLETE re-organization of thepresent R.A.F. system of employ-ing and promoting its ground tradesmen was announced by the Secre- tary of State for Air, Mr. Arthur Henderson, on July 25th. The new trade structure is extremely complex and, at first glance, may appear con- fusing. From the serviceman's point of view, however, the new scheme offers many advantages; it should do away with the post-war frustration—par- ticularly of skilled tradesmen—which had tended to have an adverse effect on morale. In addition, the new structure will make the Service a better proposi- tion for the potential recruit seeking assurance that a definite, worthwhile career awaits him. To acquaint serving personnel with details of the scheme, a pamphlet of 35 Pa8es. together with the chart repro- duced below, is to be distributed to all stations. The following simplified out- line is intended as a preliminary but comprehensive survey. Three basic intentions underly the introduction of the trade structure: to give greater flexibility to a force which has to face rapidly changing technical and operational requirements; to bring the E.A.F. more closely into line with current civil and industrial practice; and to give a life career to its skilled personnel. Trade Employment.—At present there are 100 R.A.F. trades, classified in four pay-groups—A, B, C and D. The rela- tively unskilled trade of airframe assis- tant, for example, is in group C; a member of this trade who seeks promo- tion must remuster to group B as an airframe mechanic, and then remuster again as a fitter IIA before becoming eligible for even two stripes. Before passing from one pay group to another he must spend a period of training on the job and also pass a fairly lengthy conversion course. In addition to this unfavourable time factor he finds that he must start afresh in each new trade —possibly with a lower classification and less pay (although this is rare). The new structure compresses all ground trades into the following 22 groups: — (1) Aircraft engineering; (2) radio en-gineering; (3 armament engineering; (4) electrical and instrument engineering; 5) general engineering; (6) mechanical transport; (7) marine craft; (8) airfield con-struction; (9) air traffic control and fire fighting; (10) general service; (11) groundsignalling; (12) radar operating; (13) safety and surface; (14) photography; (15)medical; (16) dental; (17) accounting and secretarial; (18) supply; (19) catering; (20) police; (21) music; (22) R.A.F.Regiment. Within most of these groups there will be sub-divisions for three categories of tradesmen; advanced, skilled and assistant. In the aircraft engineering group, for example, there are three separate jobs for the former trade of flight mechanic (engine) : engine mechanic (air-cooled engines), (tur- bine) or (liquid-cooled engines). A former group B trade, engine mechanic now comes into the "skilled" category. An airman will be able to transfer from one employment to another within his own trade group—at his own request (if possible) or to meet Service require- ments. In certain circumstances, a man may transfer from one trade group to another but normally he will remain in one group throughout his Service career. Naturally, he will feel more settled than under the present system, when remus- tering and conversion often appear as deterrent hurdles in the path of promo- tion. ^Training and careers.—After the usual recruit training, an airman will nor- mally be mustered as a trade assistant and given a brief course (probably not exceeding 20 weeks) of instruction— more specialized than most of the pre- sent courses. Arriving at his unit, he will at first be given straightforward, supervised work. He will be expected to improve his skill and knowledge within the limits of his semi-skilled pro- fession, thereby becoming eligible for promotion. If he extends his service for ten or twelve years or longer, he will become eligible (normally round about Ins fifth year of service) for an advanced training course, this being divided into The various rungs on the new promotion ladder, indicated here by abbreviations are: A/C 2.— Aircraftman second class; A/C I.— Aircraftman first class; L.A/C.— leading aircraftman; S.A/C.—senior aircraftman; Jnr. Tech.—junior tech- nician; Cpl.—corporal; Cpl. Tech.— corporal technician; Sgt.—sergeant; Sen. Tech.—senior technician; F/Sgt. —flight sergeant; Ch. Tech.—chief technician; W/O.—warrant officer. " Q " indicates qualification of skill and experience. TRADE ASSISTANTS SKILLED TRADES ADVANCED TRADES CH.TECI „ ^SENIOR TRADL \3 &MANAGEMENT4 BOV ENTRANTS
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