Air Reserve

[tree hugger]

It seems we all know about the army reserve, we've all heard of the naval reserve, but we never hear much about the air reserve. 

From the DND site, they do have a newsletter:

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/air_reserve/newsletter/newsletter_e.asp?cat=158

...but it seems that at least on this site, I haven't heard much class A type air reserve stuff.

If someone could educate me, we can resolve some of my confusion....

I understand there are AEF's - that I sorta understand, but how do air reserve flights, or flying squadrons work.  It seems to me that places like 403 sqn in Gagetown is not a class A type place... I am under this impression because this is more of an operational unit as I see it, and wouldn't really fall under a class A schedule.  I would assume that everyone there would be reg force supplimental or class B.

I also understand that air reserve takes mostly skilled applicants but they do take unskilled:

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/air_reserve/recruiting/occupations_e.asp

What would this ratio be? 

The way I've understood reserve units - army and navy - differs in how I'm understanding air reserve units. 

Where am I going with all this rambling?

I'm wondering how class A reservists fits into a sqn like 403?  Would they?  Is there value in having class A's come in when most staff is working full time?

I could be completely out to lunch on how I'm seeing things.  Could someone provide me with some insight?

I did a search, I found some air reserve info but like another ongoing thread, it's a pilot one.  My interest lies in more of a support point of view.

-th

 

[PMedMoe]

Well, I can't answer your "technical" questions, but I can say that I served in the ARAF (Air Reserve Augmentation Force) from 90-95 as a Tfc Tech.  When I was in Gander, NF, we were our own "flight" and worked anywhere on the base.  When I went to Gagetown, we originally could work anywhere on base but soon got brought to the Sqn as the CO wanted the people to work in direct support of the Sqn.  We had all types, clerks, supply techs, truckers and of course, the Air trade guys.  Unfortunately for me, there was no Tfc Tech position there.  I basically did admin in the office and got some Class B to go get OJT prior to me going on my 5's course. Eventually, though, I got back into the Reg Force.
I always thought that for support trades, the Class B (or C) call outs should have applied to all elements.  The Army reserves got all kinds of call outs in the summer.  They had a position at transport that they didn't really need and so they would send the person to CMTT.  Would have been nice if I could have got that call out.  Ah well, I got to go to Germany for seven months!!  ;D

 

[Loachman]

Air Res and Reg F are trained to the same standard. There's a lot of to-ing and fro-ing - guys flip form one to the other fairly easily. I did 20.5 years Reg, and have been a Happy Reservist (almost exclusively) for 8.5 years now. Most of that's been A class, of which I normally do 14 days per month.

Ask a specific question, and I'll try to find a specific answer.

 

[volition]

Is it easier to change trades in the reserve?

 

[Loachman]

From what to what? It probably makes a difference.

Like I said, be specific and I'll try and find/give a decent answer.

 

[tree hugger]

Class A reserve LogO at helicopter training sqn. 

Would it make sense?  Or would the full time staff have everything under control?  Would operational reserve units need class A LogO's?

 

[Loachman]

There is only one "helicopter training sqn" (in Tac Hel at least) - 403 Squadron.

The two reserve-heavy Squadrons (400 and 438) have operational training flights, and 408 Squadron's reserve element has an operational training contingent but I am less familiar with their present structure.

I believe that our Log O is Reg F, but it's hard to tell since they did away with the forehead branding. She could be Reg F, ex-Reg F, Class A or B pure Res F. I'll have to check next week. We don't discriminate on that basis - just ability.

Regardless, there has to be a vacancy and you have to be able to make a personal commitment and convince the hiring board and CO. There is no such thing as obligatory service for reserves, but we go to great lengths to weed out the flakes. There's a lot of competition for some positions.

You have to contact your Squadron of choice. There is no better source of such information.

 

[tree hugger]

Just read your profile... you work at DTAF?

 

[Loachman]

My profile? Nothing about DTAF in there, just other stuff.

 

[tree hugger]

LFCA HQ... is out of DTAF....

 

[Loachman]

LFCA HQ... is out of DTAF....

It must be well out, because I have no idea what a DTAF is...

 

[tree hugger]

aka Denison Armoury?

 

[Loachman]

I've never heard it referred to as "DTAF", and I've been here since there were more mice in the building than people.

What's the "F" stand for?

 

[tree hugger]

DTAF - Downsview training and admistration facility.

I work there too... army.ca is a small world...

 

[volition]

From what to what? It probably makes a difference.

Like I said, be specific and I'll try and find/give a decent answer.

If I joined now as a Log. Officer, then a year down the road became a Pilot...can that be done?

 

[Loachman]

There are two methods of becoming a reserve pilot: leaving the Reg F as a pilot, or entering HELICOP with a commercial licence, 500 hrs, and turbine time. Instrument time helps, but that's rare in the civ industry.

That's it.

The reserve pilot training programme, in which reserve enrollees or cross-trainees were put through the entire pilot training programme from Chilliwack to Portage on the Jet Ranger, was killed off in 94 or 95 - for which idiocy we are still suffering.

 

[Northernguardian]

I served with 402 Sqn in Winnipeg for 9 yrs. Close knit group. I was told they never recruited pilots into the reserves unless they were ex-RegF.  We were a total force Sqn, flying the Dash 8 which is a commercial plane.  There are a lot of civilian Dash 8 pilots out there, and we never had one that was not from the Reg Force.

I left in 2001 so things may have changed.

My 2 cents....