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fanman
07-08-2007, 12:33 PM
Hello,
I was trained as an electrician in the UK in the Great Sixties when the UK had apprenticeships, proper 5 year trade training with "Experienced Tradesman" with an Indenture, (contract document, stating all the training conditions) at the conclusion! I still have mine.

The downside of the sixties, electricians in the UK couldn't touch mechanical equipment, compressors, boilers, drives, gearboxes, unless it was the electrical parts/controls (components) in those long years ago.

Working for a Canadian company, Powrmatic, producing air heaters in 1969 changed everything. They required a multi-disciplinary approach and everything was much more interesting to see a complete job through to completion, mechanical and electrical. Plus they started National air conditioning units and attempted to manufacture their own designs without much success.

The next interesting part of work was assembling the first Henry vac cleaner for Numatic. Then as a mobile service engineer for Powrmatic, working at Fareford, Gloucester, commissioning the heating in a hanger with Concordes, 001 and 02, the first occasion two Concorde's. a French and a British aircraft were together. Very high securuity that day.
At RAF Rissington, the maintenance hanger for the Red Arrows in '73, who were flying Hawker Siddley Gnats. Seeing the aircraft stripped down to the basic airframes after the whole Flight was grounded after at least one fatality. Being shown the cracks across several tail assemblie where tail fins could have dropped off within hours or even minutes if the planes had still been flying. Plus keeping the hanger warm for the RAF!
Work can be good if it's interesting where you are working. Plus I have interesting and experienced people around me now, not always everyones good fortune.
RE membership, time to learn more theory and practise from new people.
Best wishes, fanman.

Abe
07-08-2007, 04:49 PM
Welcome to RE Fanman

monkey spanners
07-08-2007, 08:40 PM
Welcome Fanman, the more the merrier!

jon

Brian_UK
08-08-2007, 12:20 AM
Fanman, welcome to the forum.

It's good to know that there are others down here on our beautiful coastline.

Peter_1
09-08-2007, 04:27 AM
Fanman, a very warm welcome from me. As regular posters know, we have a lot of respect of the more 'older' posters, especailly those who want to learn something new.
I even have more respect after the very nice intro you made, most posters these days only kicks open the RE-door and fires their questions without proper introducing themselves. This is what I call good basic manners.