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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1479.PDF
FLIGHT, 3 August 1950 two parts: leadership, ground combatand trade training to junior N.C.O. standards, and further technical instruc-tion to the standard of a " technician '' (a trade classification now adopted bythe R.A F.). The advanced course, occupying somesix months, is a major turning-point in a serviceman's career and offers tworoutes to advancement—as shown in the accompanying chart. On the left liesthe "command career," with its tradi- tional ranks of corporal, sergeant,flight-sergeant and warrant officer—for all tradesmen who show qualities ofboth leadership and technical skill. On the right lies the technician career, forskilful and efficient tradesmen who are eligible for the new non-administrativeranks. Careers with a pension are thus offered to all suitable airmen; they willbe able to serve the necessary 22 years' minimum or, by remaining until theage of 55, qualify for increased pensions of up to ^5 a week. For certain trades,a retiring age of 60 is being considered. N«w ranks, pay-scales.—In each of thepresent four pay-groups, A, B, C and D, there are three classifications of aircraft-man: 2nd class, 1st class and leading air- . craftman. As some rates overlap, thereare not 12 separate pay-scales for these 12 gradings. The new trade structureinvolves five gradings: aircraftman 2nd class, aircraftman 1st class, leading air-craftman, senior aircraftman and junior technician. Rates of pay will be thesame for all groups. Re-classification will take place not, as at present, onthe results of examinations, but on the recommendations of commanding officersthat the airmen involved have reached the specified requirements of skill andexperience. There will be no badges of rank forA/C. is and A/C. 2s. The L.A/C. will continue to wear the two-bladedpropeller badge and a new three-bladed propeller symbol is being introduced forthe S.A/C. A word must be said about the new technician ranks, for they repre-sent the most important—and, to many, a most welcome—feature of the newscheme. In the past it has been neces- sary to withold promotion from manyskilled tradesmen, to prevent the estab- lishment for technical N.C.O.s frombeing exceeded and the disciplinary ranks from becoming overbalanced. Thetechnician career will permit every suit- able skilled tradesman to progress—inpay, privileges and status — to an equivalent rank of flight-sergeant with-out alteration in the balanced establish- ments for command N.C.O.s. The rank of junior technician, attainedafter passing the advanced training course, is the key to the techniciancareer, which graduates to chief tech- nician via the other new ranks of cor-poral technician and senior technician. In pay, these three ranks are equivalentto corporal, sergeant and flight-sergeant, but, for disciplinary considerations,senior and chief technicians are above all corporals and below all sergeants.Technician N.C.O.s will not be expected to undertake administrative work orstation duties; they will, however, have responsibility within their technicalduties, particularly in training junior air- men and supervising their work. Seniorand chief technicians will belong to the sergeants' mess. New badges are being introduced fortechnicians, consisting of the normal N.C.O.'s type chevrons worn invertedon the arm. The junior technician will have one chevron; the corporal tech- 159 TRIM CRAFT: The Percival Sea Prince looks well in its new Naval uniform. It has been adopted by Naval Aviation as a crew trainer, flying classroom and communications aircraft. Two Alvis Leonides 24 engines give a top speed of 212 m.p.h. at 10,000ft. nician, two; the senior technician,three; and the chief technician, three chevrons also, topped by a brass crown.N.C.O.s chosen for command careers will wear the normal badges. Promotionto flight-sergeant or warrant officer will be preceded by a senior trade manage-ment course placing special" emphasis on the work of the appropriate tradegroups. As at present, there will be two LEADINGAIRCRAFTMAN SENIORAIRCRAFTMAN JUNIORTECHNICIAN With the exception of the leading aircraftman's familiar " prop " symbol, these badges are all new to the R.A.F. They will be introduced at a future date as part of the trade structure described in these pages. pay-scales for N.C.O.s. The higherscale will be paid to those who qualify as technicians in their trade group (inthe engineering groups, this will, in any case, be compulsory for promotion). The change-over. — Announcing thenew scheme, Mr. Henderson promised that these general principles wouldapply: nobody would (a) receive less pay than before; (b) receive more payuntil he was qualified to the new standards; (c) have a lower status thanbefore. Such far-reaching organization, hesaid, could not be introduced merely by a stroke of the pen. There had to be aperiod of preparation. On the other hand, it would only be confusing to havetwo systems running at once. There- fore, a date would be fixed well in advance on which the change-over wouldtake place throughout the entire Air Force. With effect from that date, tobe announced in due course, every air- man would be remustered to his newtrade group and transferred to his new trade in his new rank. Cranwell Graduation MARSHAL of the R.A.F. Sir JohnSlessor, the Chief of the Air Staff, took the salute at Cranwell on Wednes-day of last week when 300 cadets paraded to mark the graduation of the50th entry. The C.A.S. was accom- panied by the A.O.C.-in-C, FlyingTraining Command, Air Marshal Sir Hugh Walmsley, whose son, F.C. Sgt.I. H. F. Walmsley, was among the graduating cadets. The Commandant of the College,A. Cdre. G. R. Beamish, completed his tour at Cranwell five days after theparade. With the rank of Air Vice- Marshal, he is to take up -1 new appoint-ment as A.O.C., Air H.Q., Iraq. His successor is A. Cdre. L. F. Sinclair, for-merly Assistant Commandant of the R.A.F. Staff College. A march-past of the cadets paraded wasreviewed by Sir John Slesser, who then presented wings and prizes in the nowcustomary manner. An innovation was the display of team aerobatics given byfour Meteors of No. 2G3 Squadron The Sword of Honour was awarded toF.C. U/Off. G. W. F. Charles, and F.C. Cpl. E. V. Mellor won the King'sMedal. These cadets received a total of eleven prizes, awards and sportsmedals. A complete list of prizes and winners will, it is hoped, be published inthe next issue. Government Observer in Korea DURING last week's Defence Debatein the House of Commons, Mr. Shinwell, Minister of Defence, stated:"In order that His Majesty's Govern- ment may have first-hand reports inKorea, it has been agreed that a senior British military liaison officer tshall beappointed to General Mac Arthur. A.V-M. Bouchier, who commanded theAir Group of the British Forces of Occupation in Japan, leaves by air assoon as possible to take up this appoint- ment. His duties will include the des-patch of information concerning the tactics and technical equipment em-
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