# Just a thought...



## Sheerin (25 Jul 2004)

I wonder if the airforce is going to see an increase in the number of applicants now that we're getting a new chopper???


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## Scoobie Newbie (25 Jul 2004)

I would doubt it.  You never know though.  The general populace are morons.


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## Inch (25 Jul 2004)

You never know. The real shock will be when they get to helo school and find out that there's only 2 MH Sqns and 8 Griffon Sqns.   You've got about the same chance of going Hornets and there's 4 Hornet Sqns.   Mind you not all of the Griffon Sqns are huge, some are Combat Support and reserve Sqns but there's still Reg Force positions there.   The last few helo courses in Portage were either 1 or 2 out of 8 going MH, I was the only guy of 18 on my course in Moose Jaw that got MH, 2 guys got Hornets,   but hey, they don't tell you that kind of stuff at the CFRC.


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## Kirkhill (26 Jul 2004)

Inch, can you answer me this, honestly for curiousity's sake.

Why is it that two SeaKings on a DDH and a maintenance group is a "Det"  but 3 Griffons at an airbase with a maintenance group is a "Squadron".  Could the 1 Flight "Squadrons" on base rescue duties be configured the same way as the Sea King ASW Squadrons? 

 ???


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## Sheerin (26 Jul 2004)

hey, inch, out of curosity which aircraft did you orignally want to fly?


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## Sundborg (26 Jul 2004)

hey inch, just one more thing, I was wondering...     j/k


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## Inch (26 Jul 2004)

Gee whiz mom, they really like me!

First question: There are 3 Combat Support Sqns or CSS, they're in Cold Lake, Bagotville and Goose Bay, the ones at the fighter bases used to have T-33s as well as Griffons and for command and control reasons plus I think the fact that the jet jocks didn't want a rotorhead for a CO, they get their own Sqn. For Goose Bay, they're the only CF Sqn there, the rest of the units are foreign, so again we needed our own Sqn. It'd be a nightmare to have Sqn HQ somewhere different than your unit. The Dets have a little to do with the fact that we're not technically Navy but more to do with the sheer number of Sqns we'd have here in Shearwater, we supply 8 Dets to the Navy + the training unit or OTU (406 Sqn) + 12 Air Maintenance Sqn, so there'd be 10 Sqns here, that's a bit of overkill since an AirDet is made up of 4 pilots, 2 TACCOs, 2 AESOps and an assortment of techs, in all, about 20 guys.  That's a little small to have Sqn status though the CSS's are about the same size but there's only 3 in total across the country. 443 Sqn in Pat Bay (Victoria) I think supplies 5 Dets, I'm not too sure on that one but I know we're the bigger Sqn.

I asked for jets in Moose Jaw with helo as my second choice, we had 3 jet slots (2 went Hornets and 1 stayed in MJ to instruct), 6 went multi, not sure of the break down there but I think it was Hercs and Auroras and no Buff or Twin Otter slots, and 9 Helo slots (1 guy released cause he didn't want helo and don't get me started on that one, 1 guy got CT'd on Helo school (Cease Training), 6 went TacHel and I got the lone MH slot).

Hope that answers the questions.

Cheers


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## Sheerin (26 Jul 2004)

I'll stop asking questions lol.


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## Inch (26 Jul 2004)

Hey no worries man, I don't mind unless you start asking what brand underwear I buy.  ;D


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## Lance Wiebe (26 Jul 2004)

speaking of which.......

 ;D


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## ags281 (26 Jul 2004)

Out of curiosity, is it based on your performance/preference at helo school as to whether you end up maritime or tac hel, or do you get to note a preference when you are sorted into jets, multi, and helo?


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## Inch (26 Jul 2004)

In Moose Jaw, the top guy gets his/her choice, everybody else they send wherever.  I'm sure there's a system but I don't know what it is, #1,2 & 5 got jets, #3,4 & 6 got helo, no one in the top 3rd got Multi so how they pick it is a mystery to me.

Helo school is a little different, you put in your 3 requests and the Career Manager tries to get you what you want, if he can't get everyone their 1st choice, then it's based on performance on the course but only against the other guy that wants the same slot and if you lose out you'll most likely get your 2nd choice. On my course I was the only guy that wanted 423 in Shearwater and I got it. They all wanted TacHel and they all got their 1st choices : 2 @ 408 Edmonton, 2 @ 427 Petawawa and 2 @ 430 Valcartier (we had 1 guy get medically recoursed but he would have gotten a 443 slot in Victoria). The course that finished 23 Jul were all over the place, they got 2 MH, 2 CSS, 1 Cormorant, and 3 TacHel. Most of them got their first choice.  Sometimes there's a slot that absolutely needs to be filled so if you don't get your first choice you could end up with your very last choice but those instances are rare.

Cheers


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## ags281 (27 Jul 2004)

Curiosity satisfied. Thanks for the info.


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