Thread: REME / Avionics & Electronics Life

15. Following on from 13, when you chose a course and are posted to work on that, how long do you have to work there for until you can apply to be posted elsewhere?

Normal postings last from between 2 and 3 years.

16. Also from 13, what different examples of courses can you think of?

How long is a piece of string? There are lots of courses available. Radios to tanks and everything in between!

I'll answer No 14 for you:

The Av Techs and Tech Elecs ar on the same courses for the first 3 modules and are split after the Basic Electronics Module (approx 6-8 months into Phase 2 training). The general rule of thumb is that the guys with the top marks get to pick which trade to go into. It is worth noting that though that there are fewer spaces on the Av courses; generally speaking people get the trade choice they want.

Obviosly some do miss out but as someone said above 'The needs of the Service...' And if you get the grades you get the pick so it genuinely is down to you.

THanks lads I'm all out of questions now, feel like i'm jjust asking them for the sake of it!

Be good to keep this thread going for anyone who has any genuine questions, some good info on here.

1. What does your daily job (After Phase 2) consist of?
I honestly don't know!

2. What opportunities for travel/Goin on "Tour" do you have?
If you want to go on tour there's plenty of opportunity - I volunteered to go to Aghan recently to get the feck out of the LAD

3. What opportunities for different qualifications are there?
Go Tiffy and get a degree - HNC's and the like are very nice but pretty worthless

4. Where are you working at the moment?
Work?

5. What part of the job is the most boring?
Anytime in the LAD outside PT/Ops/Exercise as there is no work to do

6. After Phase 2, do you find you actually use the Physics and Maths (etc) that you've learnt in your daily job?
No. Do I use calculus or radar principles whilst replacing a tail light? I think not

7. What band of pay does the REME fit under? Is it at the higher end similar to the Int Corps, or lower?
Answered already

8. What is the accomdation like at Arbofield? And where would I expect my Barracks/Home to be after Phase 2?
Arborfield? Very average army accom - fcuk knows after that

9. Would you say work as a technician is varied, or do you think it can be a bit of a grind?
Varied? Work you say?

10. I've read up on Artificer training, what is required of you to actually achieve this?
Somebody joining the REME looks at this 'artificer' thing and think cool - in reality the vast majority leave before reaching this option anyway, and from there you have to have the capability of fulfilling the role (spineless or not) to be selected anyway - not worth thinking about for a few years yet

11. Is Phase 2 mainly theoretical work, or is it mixed with plenty of practical aswell?
Practical? lol

12. After phase 1, do you find that because your doing a more technical than physical job that fitness isn't as important?
PT at Arborfield is now a joke. You will need to keep your fitness up when you get to a unit - if you come to mine you need to be a uber fit thanks to our double badged asm who is mad for it

13. Electronics tech is obviously quite a broad job, seeing as you could be working on the electronics for almost anything within the army. Do you get to chose what part type of electronics you work on (Such as Artillery electronics or Communications electronics), or is it sort of "You get what your given"?
You have no choice - period. Anyway it is an irrelevance - I am now an Armd Sys Tech following class one, but that is only because of my posting following that course

14. How do you branch off into Avionics/Electronics when you're doing your phase 2 training?
High pass marks needed bluntly - study hard at the start and you can go avionics - fcuk knows why ye'd want to though?

15. Following on from 13, when you chose a course and are posted to work on that, how long do you have to work there for until you can apply to be posted elsewhere?
Choose? You will be posted on between 2/3 years to a second posting

16. Also from 13, what different examples of courses can you think of?
Who gets the posting they ask for from Arborfield?

Clever. A mixture of entertaining, sarcastic and yet some informative answers to what started as a serious question... :D

ok, i'm going to dive in with a question...
i've wanted to join up since i was small, and the past 3 years i've had my heart set on electronics tech.
however my parents believe i can do better than this, and want me to go to university before i do anything.

my question is, how comparable is phase 2 with regards to difficulty? i'm just finishing my A levels this year and its hard work, but i want to prove to my parents this is in no way an easy career.

any advice on persuading parents would be great aswell!

Above answered via PM

Thanks for everyone that contributed to the post, it answered some of the question's id been wanting to ask. I'll be going to arborfield next week on my phase 2 visit, maybe ill be able to give you a crows opinion.

Aircraft Technician

I know you're asking about avionics but, if you don't make the grade you might end up doing this instead!!

1. What does your daily job (After Phase 2) consist of?
Working on Gazelle, Lynx Mk7 and Mk9, Apache, Islander, Defender, UAV's and others. My job right now is on Islander/Defender fixed wing aircraft in NI. Carrying out Flight Servicings, Scheduled and Unscheduled maintenance on the aircraft, Fault diagnosis, Component replacements, Paperwork, Computerwork blah blah blah

2. What opportunities for travel/Goin on "Tour" do you have?
We live on the International Airport in Belfast, so getting home or going on holiday almost anywhere in Europe couldn't be easier. Going on Tour is a definate option as well as manning detachments in Canada, Kenya, Belize, Cyprus, America, Brunei etc etc.

3. What opportunities for different qualifications are there?
You will get trade quals which mean something in the job but you also get some civvy quals. After your Class 1 course you will have a level 3 NVQ and a BTEC in Mechanical Engineering. You also get an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship in Engineering. Further on as a SGT, you can get a Licentiateship from London City and Guilds in 'Leadership and Management' and 'Mechanical Engineering'. Unfortunately, as it stands now, you do not get any modules for the EASA license from the CAA which is essential if you wanna carry on with aircraft if you get out.

4. Where are you working at the moment?
Northern Ireland, been here for 4.5 years.

5. What part of the job is the most boring?
Soldier first, tradesman second?? hmmm not sure about that, could probably do alot more 'soldiering' to stop it getting boring.

6. After Phase 2, do you find you actually use the Physics and Maths (etc) that you've learnt in your daily job?
Daily, but never to the extent you will be taught. It's done to show you have the capacity and capability of taking in huge amounts of info and being able to determine whats shite and whats not. Working with aircraft requires a sharp mind.

8. What is the accomdation like at Arbofield? And where would I expect my Barracks/Home to be after Phase 2?
Arborfield is mostly a shit hole but it's a means to an end. Just get the frig outa there at the weekends and it should be ok.

9. Would you say work as a technician is varied, or do you think it can be a bit of a grind?
On tour you graft, at home you grind. Better than being a civvy and having to work for a living. Civvies can get sacked!!

10. I've read up on Artificer training, what is required of you to actually achieve this?
Tiffy is an achievable option, nowadays, not long after your upgraders. After about 6-7 years service should see you looking down the barrel of a tiffy selection board. My advice, do it, but if you like working as an engineer, forget it. You move into management and that means a desk job, mostly.

11. Is Phase 2 mainly theoretical work, or is it mixed with plenty of practical aswell?
Mostly theory, but then a token effort at practical experience at the end so at least when you turn up to your new unit you'll have seen the aircraft before and you'll know how to open the doors!! ha ha.

12. After phase 1, do you find that because your doing a more technical than physical job that fitness isn't as important?
Arborfield isn't renowened for it's PT programme because you're there to learn a trade and it is intense. You MUST do your own phys to stay fit, cos if you turn up to your unit fat you'll get Fecked!!

14. How do you branch off into Avionics/Electronics when you're doing your phase 2 training?
High pass marks needed, or you'll find yourself being a Blackie!!

15. Following on from 13, when you chose a course and are posted to work on that, how long do you have to work there for until you can apply to be posted elsewhere?
Choose? You will be posted on between 2/3 years to a second posting. If you want the type of flexibility that you seem to illude to then join the RAF, they do trade spec transfers, but in the Army, they own your ass.

16. Who gets the posting they ask for from Arborfield?
Top blokes, don't be a knob during training and study hard to stand out. Sport heroes, if you play then use it to become a tracksuit soldier, you'll get through trade and your career with ease.


Anything else??
here to help.

Originally Posted by TechBoab

1. What does your daily job (After Phase 2) consist of?
I honestly don't know!

2. What opportunities for travel/Goin on "Tour" do you have?
If you want to go on tour there's plenty of opportunity - I volunteered to go to Aghan recently to get the feck out of the LAD

3. What opportunities for different qualifications are there?
Go Tiffy and get a degree - HNC's and the like are very nice but pretty worthless

4. Where are you working at the moment?
Work?

5. What part of the job is the most boring?
Anytime in the LAD outside PT/Ops/Exercise as there is no work to do

6. After Phase 2, do you find you actually use the Physics and Maths (etc) that you've learnt in your daily job?
No. Do I use calculus or radar principles whilst replacing a tail light? I think not

7. What band of pay does the REME fit under? Is it at the higher end similar to the Int Corps, or lower?
Answered already

8. What is the accomdation like at Arbofield? And where would I expect my Barracks/Home to be after Phase 2?
Arborfield? Very average army accom - fcuk knows after that

9. Would you say work as a technician is varied, or do you think it can be a bit of a grind?
Varied? Work you say?

10. I've read up on Artificer training, what is required of you to actually achieve this?
Somebody joining the REME looks at this 'artificer' thing and think cool - in reality the vast majority leave before reaching this option anyway, and from there you have to have the capability of fulfilling the role (spineless or not) to be selected anyway - not worth thinking about for a few years yet

11. Is Phase 2 mainly theoretical work, or is it mixed with plenty of practical aswell?
Practical? lol

12. After phase 1, do you find that because your doing a more technical than physical job that fitness isn't as important?
PT at Arborfield is now a joke. You will need to keep your fitness up when you get to a unit - if you come to mine you need to be a uber fit thanks to our double badged asm who is mad for it

13. Electronics tech is obviously quite a broad job, seeing as you could be working on the electronics for almost anything within the army. Do you get to chose what part type of electronics you work on (Such as Artillery electronics or Communications electronics), or is it sort of "You get what your given"?
You have no choice - period. Anyway it is an irrelevance - I am now an Armd Sys Tech following class one, but that is only because of my posting following that course

14. How do you branch off into Avionics/Electronics when you're doing your phase 2 training?
High pass marks needed bluntly - study hard at the start and you can go avionics - fcuk knows why ye'd want to though?

15. Following on from 13, when you chose a course and are posted to work on that, how long do you have to work there for until you can apply to be posted elsewhere?
Choose? You will be posted on between 2/3 years to a second posting

16. Also from 13, what different examples of courses can you think of?
Who gets the posting they ask for from Arborfield?

Seconded, though I have been out for ten years, BITE or built in test equipment did a reasonable job then, and now I can only presume better, all that you generally needed was to use fospro and a "variable pressure applicator" ,if not change the main computer box and it generally worked.
As for using half the stuff taught in training... leave that to second line, as a front line tech you don't need to know it. Does the AA man know exactly why your car has stopped? Just gets it up and running and ready to do it's job as quick as possible.
Half the armys rapier B2 systems were running on pink string, (pink string was a narrow thin copper wire that was coated in pink insulation) just bypass all the over sensitive "safety" interlocks, baby's back ready to fire! Simple, as with your own PC, which is streets ahead of anything our forces operate, you will be a glorified box changer to be fair, nothing to be ashamed of if you are getting the kit back up to readiness but you could train chimps to do it. It just seems to grip the shiite out of other REME trades that you get promoted and paid more then them. Don't let that worry you, just don't be an arrse and thinkmore along the lines of, well the blackhanders can sort my car, and i can fix their DVD players and you won't go far wrong.
Arborfield is generally a hole, is the Brams still open anyone?

Yes, the Brams is still open. Still expensive though.

Being a tech is NOT about box changing. You need to understand why you're changing the box in the first place. It is also sometimes quicker to repair the box (with the hoard of spare parts you have somehow managed to accumulate) than replace it.

Sorry Rapierman and TechBoab, I think you are dumming down your own trade. All the stuff that is taught is needed, if only to progress through Class 1 and Artificer training.

HNCs are worth it - they are the first qualification asked for by many civ div firms. Just look in the back of the IET magazine! Oh, if you want to join a decent institute, you'll need one of those or at least an Advanced Modern Apprentiship.

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Yes, the Brams is still open. Still expensive though.

Being a tech is NOT about box changing. You need to understand why you're changing the box in the first place. It is also sometimes quicker to repair the box (with the hoard of spare parts you have somehow managed to accumulate) than replace it.

Sorry Rapierman and TechBoab, I think you are dumming down your own trade. All the stuff that is taught is needed, if only to progress through Class 1 and Artificer training.

HNCs are worth it - they are the first qualification asked for by many civ div firms. Just look in the back of the IET magazine! Oh, if you want to join a decent institute, you'll need one of those or at least an Advanced Modern Apprentiship.

I agree you need to know why its not working in the first place, but after you have done it!!!! Generally you have what is called a gut instinct of what the problem is soon as you get your first briefing on the fault, this is down to experience, NOT STUDY.
Thats why most good techs will have a notebook and write down common faults and what remedied them, only a complete tube would waste time getting a kit back into action by thumbing through countless EMER's and AESP's, Get the kit back up and worry about if the ramp waveform output is of too low an amplitude later, yes you learn all the stuff but this guy in the original post is wanting to see action, i.e front line stuff. In so much, I am almost sure that if you said to a Det Comd that you wanted half an hour to go and thumb through shite he would not be happy! On the flipside if you get his pride and joy, i.e his kit back up and running quick you are rewarded with brews and egg banjo's all round, plus also impart your knowledge on to him and most of the time he can tell you the fault direct and then you don't have to mess about and can have the right spare ready.
Sorry Rockstar, you do have valid points but most seem to be about career ladder moves and life in civ div after. Nothing wrong with wanting to be the best that you can personally and indeed looking to use the army as a training device for later life, but remember some of the blokes you will be helping will be in it for the full 22 and beyond and some may not even rise above lancejack, they are the guys you are there to fix the kit for and IMHO that should be done as quick and expediently as possible.
As I said before there are people employed in second line paid just the same as you to tell you that its C261 thats blown, leave it to them otherwise they will only be sat watchin telly and tossing it off while you are spending useless times pissing your customer off and getting cold, lets not mention endangering your own and lives of others in a battlefield scenario.
Nothing wrong with your approach to tech life, I have and know many of your opinion, that opinion is exactly the one why much of the Artillery and half our own blackhand trades have little respect for tech's!!! Easier to work with people and get rid of the I am clever therefore I don't need your opinion bit and end up lonely in your ERV in second line as the Battery Commander has approached the ASM and said you are up your own arrse and all his lads hate the ground you walk on !! One Army remember, not techs and the rest of them!

For the most part, fair one.

However, I know many techs who will replace an LRU only for that one to gown down as well; hence the reason for knowing why you're changing the box. I replace LRUs on gut instinct too, when in the field and the guns need to fire. When in camp, I'll try and diagnose as deep as I can. Only when time permits though.

I'm also aware that many Det Cmdrs know how their kit works much better than I do and yes, I do listen to them and take their opinion on board. For the most of the time, they're right too, saving valuble time.

Anyway, back on the original topic, my main concern was TechBoab's reply and your quote, especially his answer to questions 1, 4, 5, 9 & 11. The questions first asked in this thread were serious and deserved at least a half decent answer.

[quote="Rockstar"my main concern was TechBoab's reply and your quote, especially his answer to questions 1, 4, 5, 9 & 11. The questions first asked in this thread were serious and deserved at least a half decent answer.[/quote]

He did get a half decent answer - more than that in fact, because these 'ds' answers given elsewhere may be what the recruitment teams dole out, but bear little significance to everyday reality!

Lets not paint an unrealistic picture of what we do - some people will love reme, and many will hate it but we can at least be truthful to those signing up!

I was reading this thread and thought i'd jump in with a question of my own, apologies if it's already been answered and I missed it.

I'm a STAB, and have decided to finally take the plunge and join the regs, and want to join the REME, as an electronics technician. Now, it says on the army website that "you'll come away with a BTEC, NVQ and HND in electrical engineering" etc etc. I was just wondering from people who are actually in the job how likely you are to get those quals. I'm not a complete mong, and obviously you have to work hard to get them, but I was wondering if it's a case of Phase 2 training leads to a BTEC or those quals are only available once you reach corporal or sergeant etc. Also, is it a case of the courses are available to you if you want them or are you only likely to be put on courses if you're one of the top students/technicians etc.

Just want to get a clearer picture before I join, and I dont think im going to get that from a recruiter. The main reason I ask is im trying to decide whether to go to college/uni first, get some quals and then join the army or just join up now.