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soontobemechanic

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Hello everyone, I found this site a couple of weeks ago and find it very useful as i am currently going through the recruitment process of joining as a aircraft maintenance mechanic. :PDT_Xtremez_19:
I passed my aptitude test this week and i now have a week to prepare for my first interview which i am feeling confident i'll do well in.

I want to join the RAF and work towards my NVQ level3 in aircraft maintenance. The kind of planes i want to work on will be fast jets, like the tornados and the typhoon inparticular. I've watched loads of videos on youtube of the typhoon and the tornados and it just makes me think, wooow, i wanna learn to work on them!!! (probably 'cos im a bit of a speed freak, velocity not amphetamine!!!!!!!!).

I'm really unsure of how my progress in the RAF will unfold after my training. I know that currently there are typhoons on order and that the typhoons we have are stationed at RAF Leuchars, RAF Leeming and RAF Conningsby.

How does the stationing of aircraft work? Do stations and squadrons move from base to base all the time? Is it true the RAF have ordered a total of 232 Eurofighter typhoons? If so, where will these be based and what would an enthusiastic AMM have to do to get the chance to work on one?

Any answers to my questions are much appreciated, even the stupid questions.

Thanks

quality site by the way
 
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Hello and welcome,not too sure about where you got your info from but there are no typhoons at Leuchars and if the rumours are true they wont be coming here.Hope your interviews go well.All the best
 
Welcome to the goat STBM

Sorry, I can't give you any advice on aeroplanes as I've managed to avoid working on them throughout my 22 year 'career'.

Good luck with your application. :PDT_Xtremez_14:
 
soontobemechanic said:
Hello everyone, I found this site a couple of weeks ago and find it very useful as i am currently going through the recruitment process of joining as a aircraft maintenance mechanic. :PDT_Xtremez_19:
I passed my aptitude test this week and i now have a week to prepare for my first interview which i am feeling confident i'll do well in.

Well done, confidence is a good thing, but don't be cocky!

I want to join the RAF and work towards my NVQ level3 in aircraft maintenance.

Make the most of the educational opportunities the RAF offers, away from your trade qualifications, there will be opportunities to undertake subsidised higher education up to and including a Masters Degree The kind of planes i want to work on will be fast jets, like the tornados and the typhoon inparticular. I've watched loads of videos on youtube of the typhoon and the tornados and it just makes me think, wooow, i wanna learn to work on them!!! (probably 'cos im a bit of a speed freak, velocity not amphetamine!!!!!!!!).
The RAF is very good at advertising the aircraft, but doesnt really show what the groundcrew do very well. Sometimes thejob is excellent, other times its wet, cold, boring and extremely dirty, balance your expectations realistically and yyou wont go far wrong. Also, you get little choice what you want to work on when you leave training, if they need helicopter mechanics at the time, you go there, if they need people on Harriers, you end up on Harrier

I'm really unsure of how my progress in the RAF will unfold after my training. I know that currently there are typhoons on order and that the typhoons we have are stationed at RAF Leuchars, RAF Leeming and RAF Conningsby.
The only Typhoon squadrons currently in service are all based at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Eventually we should have units at Leuchars and possibly Leeming, but not at the moment.

How does the stationing of aircraft work? Do stations and squadrons move from base to base all the time?

Not generally, although on an operational squadron you may find yourself going away a lot, sometimes to nice detachments in the USA, other times to places like Iraq and Afghanistan!
Is it true the RAF have ordered a total of 232 Eurofighter typhoons? If so, where will these be based and what would an enthusiastic AMM have to do to get the chance to work on one?
Again, although you will fill in a "dream sheet" when you leave training, you will end up whatever the needs of the service are, be it helicopter, Harrier etc, as you get further into your career you may get the chance to move to Typhoon, but nothing is guaranteed I am afraid.

Any answers to my questions are much appreciated, even the stupid questions.

Keep enthusiastic, you will find some people generally hostile towards AMMs (maybe down to a lack of knowledge) so you will have to earn their trust and respect by being good at your job. One of the main complaints about AMMs at the moment is their lazy/bad attitude, so it sounds like you have a good attitutde that should see you right. You've also asked a lot of good questions, which will impress some of the seniors if you keep that up during your early career.

Hope this helps.

MP
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Well said PM

It is possible you may be disappointed with your first posting but don't let that put you off.

I've manufactured my own moves by appying for advertised vacancies and performing 'exchanges' to swap posts.
 
thanks montyplumbs, I appreciate you taking the time out to answer all of my questions in such a manner.

Dan
 
Soon To Leave said:
Welcome to the goat STBM

Sorry, I can't give you any advice on aeroplanes as I've managed to avoid working on them throughout my 22 year 'career'.
Click to expand...

Aeroplane: The fictitious piece of equipment, supposedly belonging to the Royal Air Force which is maintained to the highest level, supported by a vast logistics network and crewed by fully trained, expert personnel.


Funny old thing, I haven't seen too many of those lately either


As for joining up, good luck to you. Remember, when you do get through, not everyone is as cynical as you might think. Honest:PDT_Xtremez_35:
 
soontobemechanic,
Firstly good luck with your application. wherever you get initially posted, try and play the 'grey man' for a while untill you have settled in and been accepted by other AMM's and your supervisors. Believe me, there is nothing worse than someone who is a couple of days out of training and is already 'gobbing off'.

As for the NVQ 3, speaking to the other AMM's on the 'RAF's premier wide-bodied transport A/C Sqn', this is done when you eventually get back to DCAE Cosford or even after that! What we try and do with our FLM's, sorry I mean AMM's is make sure they get a bit of trade work experience as well as being bog monkeys. I've heard that some places don't do that. Try and get to know the trade bosses and the other trade guys. The guys who are going through as AMM's now are the future of the RAF (or the UK Defence force!) and some of you are going to have to rise through the ranks. By listening/learning and doing, that could be you!

God I sound old!

Rant over

Chad:cool:
 
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