I spent 25 years in the RAF, from 1989 until 2014, as an Engineering Technician Weapons. After completing Basic and Trade Training in 1990, I was deployed to the following RAF Stations: RAF Wyton; RAF Lyneham; RAF Bruggen (Germany, 3 years); RAF Valley; RAF Cosford (Technical Training -12 months); RAF Leeming; RAF Leuchars; RAF Akrotiri (Cyprus, 3 years); RAF Coningsby.
My last role in the RAF was as a sergeant on 6 Squadron (Typhoon Aircraft), which was formed at RAF Coningsby (Lincolnshire) in 2009. In 2010, we were redeployed to RAF Leuchars (Fife). On 6 Squadron, my roles included: Typhoon Eurofighter Weapons Systems Engineer; Team Leader/Line Manager; Independent Inspector of safety critical systems; Aircraft safety Assessor and Instructor.
Roles & Responsibilities included:
- Shift Manager and Supervisor: responsible for the day-to-day management of trade-related engineering tasks and the “hands-on” supervision of associated technicians
- Installation/replacement and preventative maintenance of aircraft electro-mechanical armament systems/components
- Installation/replacement of aircrew survival systems: Explosive initiated ejection seats and transparencies
- Loading/Unloading of a variety of explosive ordnance: “Air to Air” missiles, ammunition and precision guided “Air-Surface” weapons
- Multi-system fault diagnosis, testing and the interrogation of complex aircraft generated fault coding
- Accountability for the personal development of subordinates and compiling their bi-annual appraisals (written and oral)
- Independent inspector of safety-critical systems
- Responsible for compilation and co-ordination of aircraft engineering documentation and the implementation and sustainment of standards, quality and HSE directives
- Weapon and Crew Escape Systems Instructor/Assessor: authorised to deliver aircraft safety and ground handling training to internal and external agencies
- Squadron Deputy Aircraft Maintenance Coordinator: responsible for prioritising, delivering and co-ordinating all maintenance activities
- Squadron Deputy Flight Line Controller: responsible for allocating manpower and resources required to maintain the Squadron’s flying commitment
- UK North – Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Duty Engineering Coordinator: responsible for all QRA aircraft maintenance activities/manpower with the objective of sustaining a state of continual readiness to launch interceptor aircraft at short notice. (Periodic 24hr / 7 Day residential duty).
Which aspects of Service life did you enjoy the most?
Teamwork, travelling, learning new roles.
Tell us a little about your current job and what it entails.
As a Principal Configuration Engineer, my primary role is to manage the delivery of configuration engineering activities in a professional manner and to provide technical leadership, coaching and mentoring to the team and project co-workers.
Did you face any challenges when settling into your job?
Becoming familiar with the company structure and processes
What advice would you give other Service leavers?
- Plan ahead. Have a plan A, plan B, …plan Z. Things don’t often progress in the order that you want. It took me two years of civilian life before I joined Leonardo.
- Every activity that you have done in the military is not wasted. There have been numerous times since leaving the RAF that I have had to refer back to tasks that at the time I had considered to be a waste of time, but have proven to be extremely useful in civilian life.
- Join or grow a network such as LinkedIn.