Are Techies in crisis yet?

[Mickwreay]

I am currently on 25 Sqn @ Leeming & the amount of lads sticking in their PVRs is amazing. The main reason is PMA are simply not listening to what people are asking for. I fully understand (after 22 years service) that the slots must be filled, BUT, a JPA request to go anywhere 1st-line cannot mean Marham 2nd line! And to send someone back to a 2nd line slot at the same camp same job after he exchanged on 8 months ago is not man management. I do net believe the system of minimum disturbance is the way ahead, as it simply allows the people who have the decent jobs to milk it for their whole career. Having moved after 4 years at the most, I am a firm believer that the best career path is by moving around, you become a well rounded tradesman with a wealth of experience. Having served @ RAF Leuchars for 3 years, this camp is testament to folk who joined the FIFE Air Force! The young lads deserve a chance to move around & get jobs both good & bad, but they must have a chance of getting a posting to an area of choice at some point.
Rant over, PMA please reply DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[True Blue Jack]

25 Sqn is due to disband on 1 Apr, if I am correct. Is there nobody of your rank/trade on 25 Sqn with whom you can exchange? Come to that, what about 43 or 56 Squadrons? Your drafter is heavily overworked right now. Do him and you a favour and phone around your colleagues.

 

[Klingons]

Why should Mickwreay have to call round to sort his carrer out surely PMA are supposed to be our? man management team? HR B*ll*cks!! I have spent some 25yrs in now. 5yrs Nimrod all lines, 10yrs Harrier 1st and 2nd and then for the last 10yrs Chinooks both Fwd as is and now depth although it is in a gnd trg school. So I believe as they say I have been around abit. JPA - Just Pointless Admin: it never gets you to where you want, allows the Allowance Police to check your R*cker, etc. etc.

The main problem with are Flying Club is the Corporate B*ll*cks all O's now preach, maybe we should let Virgin take on all our taskings and lets see what would happen then!!?

Time is getting close to hitting the JPA escape button. PVR as there seems to be a plethra of jobs paying more money without the hassle!!

Lets all go 2morro!!

Live long and prosper!!

 

[Mickwreay]

XXV Closure

XXV Closure

Do you not think we have done that?
As I said in my original post, the drafters/PMA policy are not willing to move someone who has spent their whole career in a plumb posting to satisfy a person who has moved every few years!

On my return to the UK from Laarbruch I was on the phone to my drafter, who said "you do not have the relevant experience to to do that job" perhaps his mouse did not work as he had missed 5 years of relevant experience on 3 different helicopter types!

We are all busy, OOA, SJAR, inventory etc.

My most important job is the lad’s assessments, as it can make or break their career & lives! Surely the PMA staff owe us a fair chance if we tow the line?

 

[Klingons]

Mickwreay

No offence was meant about 'Why should you have to call around'

PMA - Don't know where they are based, never mind!! a shiney deciding what is right for one of us !!?

 

[airframe doctor]

Welcome to our world mate. The amount of guys posted to Comedy Mu from 1st Line Gr4 was imense!!!

 

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

I am currently on 25 Sqn @ Leeming & the amount of lads sticking in their PVRs is amazing. The main reason is PMA are simply not listening to what people are asking for. I fully understand (after 22 years service) that the slots must be filled, BUT, a JPA request to go anywhere 1st-line cannot mean Marham 2nd line! And to send someone back to a 2nd line slot at the same camp same job after he exchanged on 8 months ago is not man management. I do net believe the system of minimum disturbance is the way ahead, as it simply allows the people who have the decent jobs to milk it for their whole career. Having moved after 4 years at the most, I am a firm believer that the best career path is by moving around, you become a well rounded tradesman with a wealth of experience. Having served @ RAF Leuchars for 3 years, this camp is testament to folk who joined the FIFE Air Force! The young lads deserve a chance to move around & get jobs both good & bad, but they must have a chance of getting a posting to an area of choice at some point.
Rant over, PMA please reply DT_Xtremez_25:

PMA do not care.. You are a number to fill a slot and the drafter will go for the easiest option for HIM! I was offered a posting away from Marham, 6 months after I got there! Reason why, cos I would be kicking out the bod that was longest in post. I've done the 22 and have had my fill, so I've banged out. I would agrue intensely if they were trying to post you to CMU after the manpower cuts that have been made, especially if you exchanged away. Trouble is were do you go? RAF Yorkshire doesn't exist anymore for Techies.

TBJ, aren't you due an OOA??

 

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

25 Sqn is due to disband on 1 Apr, if I am correct. Is there nobody of your rank/trade on 25 Sqn with whom you can exchange? Come to that, what about 43 or 56 Squadrons? Your drafter is heavily overworked right now. Do him and you a favour and phone around your colleagues.

25 Sqn have been told that they were to be disbanded a long time ago!! They are not like 5 or 6. However I can understand your point as nobody seems to be giving ACOS scope to plan anything properly! Post man A there, no!!! post him back again.DT_Xtremez_32:

 

[monobrow]

To be honest, down in the swamplands you're more likely to find someone wanting the second line posting these days. A quick phone call (or 4) and you'll find you might get your 1st line wish.

Make of that what you will

 

[BigVern]

Don't be to harsh with the ACOS desk SNCOs.

Don't be to harsh with the ACOS desk SNCOs.

As a TM who deals with ACOS regulariy, I can assure you all that the desk SNCOs do care about the manning situation. Our ACOS contact has spent lots of time on the phone or answering my emails, trying to get the best for my people. The trouble is that they are just like us, no spres and not enough info to work with.

There are gapped 1st line slots in the Norfolk swamps, just waiting for the F3 & SAR sqns to dispand; but, before you all ask for these posts, remeber that our OOA comitment is due to double soon.

 

[DrunkenMonki]

I'm trying to get moved from an out of trade job back to first line, but within my station. I've done 18 months of boredom in software, and don't think its too much to ask that I be given a technical job again. Phoned PMA - answer given was that i'm supposed to use 'the old boys network' to move within a station. So i'm now in the process of knocking on doors of all the squadrons. Daft thing is, I bet loads of guys would love to do my job, its the laziest job i've ever had! I don't know if PMA is overrun or just doesn't care, but i've given myself until June 1st to get moved. No move at that point, I PVR.

 

[pie sandwich]

DM while your in the software post get as many Qs as poss it seems to be a good earner out here in civvy street, always good to have another skill if you cant find a job you want to do

 

[DrunkenMonki]

im on the perifory off the team, just trial and build software to hardware, its wrist slashing stuff, not actual programming. I've thought about breaking my arm before to get time away! This job could pay 50K in civvi street, i'd still not do it.

 

[Odie]

I'm not too surprised at the PVRs coming in from 25, when I was there it was like being at RAF Near-me-Mammy. DT_Xtremez_31:

We all get shafted at some stage - coming back from Germany I put in for 1st line employment only and ended up at a large 3rd line facility in South Wales. When 5 Sqn closed PMA were going to send me to the Engine Bay at Marham, but with a bit of trading with someone else I went to 25. Regrettably it can all be down to where slots are available and who has what qualification, but occasionally there's scope for some trading with others of the same rank/trade/Q-annotations. DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[Mickwreay]

Mickwreay

No offence was meant about 'Why should you have to call around'

PMA - Don't know where they are based, never mind!! a shiney deciding what is right for one of us !!?

Hi Klingon, my reply was to the comments made by True Blue Jack. I know the drafters a busy but arent we all?

When on rects ctrl I have taken over 150 phone calls, more questions than I could count & still manage to do my job!

I don't have a set window for people to ask me questions (open door) I have hundreds of distractions all day every day but am still expected to produce aircraft that are safe to fly!

 

[Captain Gatso]

I am currently on 25 Sqn @ Leeming & the amount of lads sticking in their PVRs is amazing. The main reason is PMA are simply not listening to what people are asking for. I fully understand (after 22 years service) that the slots must be filled, BUT, a JPA request to go anywhere 1st-line cannot mean Marham 2nd line! And to send someone back to a 2nd line slot at the same camp same job after he exchanged on 8 months ago is not man management. I do net believe the system of minimum disturbance is the way ahead, as it simply allows the people who have the decent jobs to milk it for their whole career. Having moved after 4 years at the most, I am a firm believer that the best career path is by moving around, you become a well rounded tradesman with a wealth of experience. Having served @ RAF Leuchars for 3 years, this camp is testament to folk who joined the FIFE Air Force! The young lads deserve a chance to move around & get jobs both good & bad, but they must have a chance of getting a posting to an area of choice at some point.
Rant over, PMA please reply DT_Xtremez_25:

I think I know who you are mate. If you used to work in a place at Marham that had been the first to be Leaned to death on 2nd line then my heart goes out to you if your comming back. I have just quit myself as have several others and the problem is not getting any better at this end. Rumours are flying around swampy land that the PVR rate is something around the 28% level for techies at the mo. Some trade desks on squadrons have PVR's going in left,right and center. The problem won't get any better, because I don't think the airships even care anymore.DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[BigVern]

28%, don't be an @rse.

28%, don't be an @rse.

I think I know who you are mate. If you used to work in a place at Marham that had been the first to be Leaned to death on 2nd line then my heart goes out to you if your comming back. I have just quit myself as have several others and the problem is not getting any better at this end. Rumours are flying around swampy land that the PVR rate is something around the 28% level for techies at the mo. Some trade desks on squadrons have PVR's going in left,right and center. The problem won't get any better, because I don't think the airships even care anymore.DT_Xtremez_25:

28%, don't be an @rse. PVRs are up, but nowhere near 28%.

 

[Tashy_Man]

28%, don't be an @rse. PVRs are up, but nowhere near 28%.

I'm afraid you are being the ar$e to think everything is rosy and PVRs are dandy and not at 28%.....need some coffee ?...coke.....spliff ? (hahaha i can say that now )

 

[BigVern]

I didn't say things were rosy.

I didn't say things were rosy.

I'm afraid you are being the ar$e to think everything is rosy and PVRs are dandy and not at 28%.....need some coffee ?...coke.....spliff ? (hahaha i can say that now )

I didn't say things were rosy, cos they are not. The PVR rate is up and too much experiance is going. This situation is likley to get worse when the Tonka does 2 OOAs each year. Recruting is down and we are likly to end up with gapped posts at 1st line; but, at the moment PVRs are not at 28% or anywhere near it on Tonka Sqns. Ar$e I are not........................

 

[BigVern]

Face Furniture

Face Furniture

I'm afraid you are being the ar$e to think everything is rosy and PVRs are dandy and not at 28%.....need some coffee ?...coke.....spliff ? (hahaha i can say that now )

And I bet my face furniture is better than your Tash............................