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Guest Editorial: Colonel Tim Gillies MBE
Colonel Tim Gillies MBE, Chief Aircraft Engineer (Army) – REME Aviation in 2022
As the Chief Aircraft Engineer (Army,) I firmly believe that 2022 promises to be an exciting and rewarding year for the Corps in many ways. My top priority remains the ongoing programme of modernisation for REME aviation. The foundations of which come from higher level direction such as the Army’s CASTLE programme, the REME Corps Strategy and Skills Review, as well as wider work, such as the 22 Group RAF led Next Generation Technical Training programme.
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Within Army Headquarters significant change has happened and continues with the refresh of the Army’s operating model. The Initial Operating Capability was
Colonel Tim Gillies MBE
The latest team of new REME Aircraft Engineering Officer’s after passing their Viva Voce in Yeovilton (Photo: Maj Mike Lavelle, REME
declared in September 2021 and Full Operating Capability is due for April 2022. This has seen the CAE(A) team move from what was the Capability Directorate to the newly formed Programmes Directorate as part of the Combat Aviation Programmes team. CAE(A) retains the role as an Army Service Advisor, the Training Requirements Authority for REME aviation, an Army Competent Advisor and Inspectorate for Army aviation engineering and the Chief Air Engineer to the Senior Duty Holder, CGS. In addition, CAE(A) oversees Aircraft Branch, a team of dedicated Civil Servants who manage the ranging and scaling of aviation tooling and specialist equipment. With an Assistant Head role in the Combat Aviation Programmes team, CAE(A) leads on combat aviation infrastructure, training and simulation.
With the Integrated Review complete, the conditions are set for Army aviation structural approval in Feb 22, under the governance of the Army’s Future Soldier programme. This will consolidate 2-years of Project COLINDALE 1a work to review the 1st Aviation Brigade’s Combat Service Support structures based on the Integrated Operating Concept. With 1AvnX now established as one of two Very High Readiness Brigades, this is a significant step forward for Army aviation. COLINDALE 1a has been especially challenging when considered against the backdrop of an Army reducing in size and the drive to bolster forward aviation units. This is whilst retaining and, in some cases, regaining the niche specialist skills required for the operating and operational environments. The new structures set the right conditions and I anticipate that we will quickly move into subsequent liability work, especially as Defence and Army considers the support options for the New Medium Helicopter which will have Army aviation equity.
TITUS, the CAE(A) led and Head of Personnel Strategy championed project to address the issues resulting in REME aviation high rates of voluntary outflow, continues to move at pace whilst making notable gains. The project has three strands: Professionalisation; Recognition; Training and Career progression. This edition of the Craftsman contains an article on Project TITUS.
Focusing on platforms, the Apache E-Model gained its formal Release to Service at the back end of last year. The aircraft sits at the tip of the spear in the delivery of modern Army capabilities. Of interest, the E-Model provides an impressive suite of engineering data. This places REME aviation another step forward on the journey towards conditions-based maintenance. With the REME Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisations driving platform Technical Data Exploitation, work continues to improve the management of maintenance data at unit level, including the convergence of management information systems. This work dovetails with the Army’s Programme THEIA, ‘Building an Asymmetric Army for the Digital Age’.
Looking ahead, it is anticipated that the Army will release its long-term strategy for aviation synthetic training. Considering the global environmental challenges, and with technology marching on, this can only drive the requirement for higher levels of synthetic training, for both aircrew and Engineers. It is my view that for those at the start of their careers, the use of synthetic technologies will feature as a generational shift, as seen through the use of computers and cloud-based technology, which we all take for granted today, but not so when my generation joined the Army. With the Integrated Review complete and the implementation phase now beginning, I firmly believe that 2022 promises to be an exciting year as we move into the era of Future Soldier.
Arte et Marte
CAE(A)
Engineering Excellence
Project TITUS, a year in review
Scribe: Major Mike Lavelle REME
As an Army Headquarters-led project, Project TITUS addresses the systemic issues faced by REME to get our aviation workforce on a sustainable, enduring footing towards future success. A year into the initiative, Maj Mike Lavelle, SO2 for the Chief Aircraft Engineer (Army) (CAE(A)), highlights some of the successes and lessons learned so far.
The Field Force response to the May 2020 REME Aviation Survey couldn’t have been clearer. Something major needed to be done to address the challenges of retaining talented Aviation Technicians. For more than ten years, the cohort has suffered from low strength and high tempo; putting significant work and lifestyle pressures on those we need to keep the most. This enduring and acute situation is recognised by Army Headquarters and forms the requirement for Project TITUS.
The REME conduct ES on highly complex aircraft, in a controlled regulatory environment, delivered by specialist Technicians. A major factor in generating capability lies within how we employ our people, retain talent and nurture skills. Project TITUS concentrates on three main work themes; ‘Professionalisation,’ ‘Recognition’ and ‘Training and Career progression.’ The activity driving these themes will enable Avn Technicians to work to recognised civilian standards, whilst being appropriately paid, and receiving modern training and continuous personal development throughout their careers.
In a little under a year, the CAE(A) team has looked to address those quick wins that sat at the top of Technicians’ agendas. Project TITUS has introduced flexibility into assignment policies, increased the number of opportunities for Artificer’s by creating the ‘Artificer Aviation’ CEG and introduced a scheme to enable Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Aircraft Maintenance Licences, through career for all
1 AAC Wksp Technicians on Ex PINION OMAN (Photo: Capt Si Longworth, AAC) AH Force Technicians maintain AH-64 Mk1 whilst on Ex PINION OMAN (Photo: Airtrooper Davila)
our Technicians, to name but a few.
Alongside the quick wins, the team has sought to address the issues that undermine retention; reducing training pipelines, broadening interesting assignments and improving access to through-career learning. With the REME Avn Training Review the CAE(A) team has challenged the existing system to enable progressive accreditation, timely training and reduce training repetition.
The REME Aircraft Maintenance Licencing scheme drew far more interest than expected, initially
having 100 applicants during the preliminary cohort and now enabling 315+ Technicians’ access to Army funded elearning and CAA Pt66 B Licence examinations. Passing these modules provides Technicians with externally recognised, professional qualifications that can be enhanced across at least ten years of their careers, and which, underpin a future career in Aviation following the Army.
In the Autumn, around 280 Aviation Technicians completed the 2021 REME Aviation Survey, laying out their ideas and issues which will help inform the future direction of Project TITUS. Independent analysis of the survey is underway to provide statistical evidence to best focus our resources and the team’s activity. Initial feedback appears to highlight the positive affect of Project TITUS, particularly in the area of improved communications; with plenty still more to be done.
During the second year of the project, the CAE(A) and Army HQ will be re-evaluating the systemic factors that drive specialist retention. This will mean working with Army wide programmes such as CASTLE to inform how we support our people to succeed long-term and regain organisational size and shape to deliver future battle winning capability.
REME Aviation Training Review
– WO2 (AQMS) Graham McConaghy
This year, the CAE(A)’s team conducted the REME Avn Trg review to better understand the timing and content of technical career courses under the REME Avn TRA remit. It highlighted areas where we repeated training or taught it too early in a Technicians’ career to be useful. Over the next year, the review will create changes to training that will mean less time away from home and closer alignment to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards, as well as a shorter, combined Artificer course and options for Artisan development.
The Project TITUS team have also been driving an innovative training trial which sees 12 REME Aircraft Technicians undergo a civilian CAA A-Licence training course. The trial emulates the training methods of Airbus, BAE Systems and Easyjet, to provide training against civil regulations, rather than through our current military specific course. This will help inform future training and, in particular, influence the Next Generation Technical Training Review.
Cfn Gurung, Limbu Sene and Reilly under instruction at Cotswold Airport (Photo: Emma Dunleavy-Harris, Resource Group.)
659 Sqn LAD conducting a crew hot-debrief whilst on Ex PINION OMAN (Photo: Capt Si Longworth, AAC)
