I’m hoping it’s that easy when the time comes to re-sign the orders later this year.
Mine was sign and scan the relevant documents email them to wing…job done for a year
I spoke to WHQ, was given MT section phone number, rang them myself to check so thought I’d be pretty safe. 
You’ve been failed big time. Did you notify WHQ that you were going down or spoken to them since about a 1771?
Spoke to WHQ prior to clarify as our wing has two parent stations, technically our sqn is under the one that is more difficult for me to get to so I rang WHQ to check if I could go to the other to get sorted out. They said yes and gave me MT section phone number. Rang MT last week to check what was required, specifically mentioned needing D1 for cadet ferrying purposes, they said as I already have D1 on my civvy licence I could tip up with matrix test pass, check code and civvy licence and they’d sign me off. Arrived today to be told that if I wanted FMT600 I’d have to book on a course.
I’m getting quite used to wasting my time and diesel for the ACO, I bagged some midweek slots for last minute AEF due to a cancelation from another squadron which I filled easily, most of our cadets have never flown. Had some trouble sorting the AV1 forms as our sqn parades in a school which in the interim had been closed due to covid 19 and a ski trip to Italy but I managed to get scanned copies emailed from parents.
Tipped up for AEF and they wouldn’t accept the scanned copies despite the circumstances, insisted upon originals and tried to send us home, nothing they can do, rules are rules etc. (they had planned a NAVEX due to the originally canceled slots). Civvy squipper was particularly officious/gloating about it and was more than ready to get rid of us.
I wasn’t for giving up easily for a paperwork exercise if it meant the chance of getting cadets airborne so made a few phone calls and managed to get hold of the parents of the flying detail, printed the forms off remotely at home, drove back and got the parents to meet me and sign them. Returned to the AEF with signed original forms to be told that flying was scrubbed due to the crosswind component despite there being an aircraft flying circuits and minor low level aerobatics.
Apparently it was the station commander up for a jolly and “he can do what he wants”. Bullseye loser experience for my cadets as we left the airfield, “look what you could’ve won”.
Will be interesting to see if my 1771 gets approved.
May be reducing the morale level from “miffed” to “peeved” if not…
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Our station is do matrix at home, turn up, check paperwork, read and sign MT orders, have chat, quick drive round Camp to make sure your not a complete idiot behind wheel, job done.
to prove you can drive to “RAF Standards” because the pink DVLA card you have in your wallet is not sufficient.
basically one of these:
i too did the same and recall
how to fill in the request paperwork
what to do in case of an emergency, brake down or collision
the paperwork to fill out after an incident.
A matrix test (basically the 35 question theory test)
don’t drive tired video (a 4T truck and squaddie was the scenario after a weekend exercise)
familiarisation drive around the local area. i was on the course with a regular who drove drove for the first 45 minutes taking direction from our MT Instructor. when then swapped seats and it my turn.
we then went through how to use the fuel pumps on station, issued the pink FMT600 and a handshake before being sent on my way!
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That is truly shocking - care to share which AEF that was at?
So how do the RAF’s standards differ from the test I took many years ago giving me permission to drive vehicles on the roads, just the same as many millions of people.
I’m quite happy not bothering with a 600 as it’s of little value to me day to day.
What happens if you don’t meet the RAF’s standards, do they take your DVLA issued licence away? Or do you get into your car etc and drive home, just not allowed to drive the RAF’s vehicles, no loss there. When I’ve been on camps I’ve gone to MT, signed a form, driven a minibus around for a bit and got a temporary ticket. Very, very few of us need anything more and TBH you could do what I’ve done and avoid any unnecessary dsy’s off work. Of course it’s no skin off my nose if they refused me a ticket.
That is exactly the point I’m making.
How do they differ?? Ask someone in an MT section but…
…I’ve never known anyone fail this so is a box ticking exercise
Snap.
Our unit has an SOV so its irrelevant to me now. On a previous unit however was invaluable for Phoenix hire
For some that was their FMT600 issued
If you’ve got a pink DVLA card I can’t see why anyone needs it
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We are only treating the symptom here, not the cause - who / where is the HQRAFAC “MT” contact who can push all the various inconsistencies to the right bigwigs in order to get a common (appropriate) standard?
After all, if some parent units run (safe) systems where the applicant completes the matrix test remotely, reads / e-signs MT Standing Orders, etc, remotely, checks DVLA particulars as provided, no driving test required for the categories requested (“standard” vehicles) then surely this process needs to be adopted as widely as possible.
Because it’s an insurance thing. It’s more prelevant for military/green fleet. As there’s slightly different rules/standing orders for driving certain things and in certain situations. It’s just a tick in the box to show you are competent and safe. It’s to cover their own backsides, as their MT standing orders count as a code of practise.
It’s the same way you have to fill out driving hours forms, even though it could be just a Hire Car, insurance and cover. Because the MOD have exemption under certain situations but these exemptions only count if they are seen to abide by the law and have approved code of practise and a safe system of work.
It’s no different to the Emergency Services giving you familiarised driving and training for different vehicles before going on to do Blue lights.
Tick in the box!
would you believe I have heard that a fam drive is required for every possible type of vehicle required.
as an example. someone with D1 licence and thus minibus on their FMT600 was not allowed to book a 50-50 (8 seater with large boot van/half minibus) because such a vehicle wasn’t signed off in their FMT600.
another story i heard was the Armoury insisted on a bulkhead in the vehcile between driver and ammunition and so a Hilux was the default option. When coordinating a Wing shoot (long range day) the Hilux was nearly refused as the assigned driver didn’t have “off-road/4x4 vehicle” signed off in their FMT600 - the argument being as the vehicle was capable of it, the driver needed to be “trained” on how to drive off road - despite the fact it was only going to a range along a well used, if dirt, track! (fortunately common sense prevailed in the end)
As silly as it sounds but yes this is correct. Again due to insurance and showing competency on the vehicle.
It’s no different to weapon systems, if yo are WHT on 1 pistol doesn’t mean you are on every pistol. You need to show your competency on a which everyone you are using. Yea the principles stay the same and it sounds silly but it’s purely insurance and backside covering.
You would be surprised how many people can’t manage to drive on a simple track ob a range. It might not have been the off-roading part, it might have been the fact that the hilux wasn’t signed off on his FMT. And the Armoury are quite right in insisting certain protocols for transporting weapons and/ammunition. Including an escort. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Unfortunately the systems and procedures the MOD have in place, barely work for the regulars, and is a pain for Reserves and more so for Cadet Forces.
Every military vehicle I have had to drive, has involved having a fam on the vehicle. A good chain of command will know this and incorporate this. As it’s the drivers responsibility and the MOD will 100% roll on you and do everything they can to shift the blame onto you.
It sounds silly but you need to be vigilant and stand your ground. And if the system fails, don’t put your own cash and effort into fixing the managements problems as it won’t get fixed and worst case, you will end up in the dock.
Before I was allowed to drive the school people carrier I had to do a test drive with the fleet manager even though I showed up in the same model vehicle which I own. They want to make sure that you are safe to drive their vehicles as in reality all the pink card from the DVLA shows is that at some point in the past you were deemed an adequate driver and you’ve not been caught since.
The number of drivers on the road with licences who are a danger to everyone else.
I know this system isn’t perfect as it simply means that the arbitrary date of proficiency gets moved forward in time but I can understands they want to do it.
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i get it too - but i have never known anyone been refused. so does seem like a waste of everyone’s time.
Just because you haven’t seen anyone been refused, doesn’t mean they have refused people. I know plenty that have, myself included.
You won’t think it’s a waste of time when you are in the dock and telling the Judge you did everything per the rules.
The silver lining to all this is the fact you can clean mug off officers and anyone who outranks you, when they try and get you to do stuff you should’t
I[quote=“RearAdmiralScrinson, post:57, topic:4863”]
Just because you haven’t seen anyone been refused, doesn’t mean they have refused people. I know plenty that have, myself included.
[/quote]
Seen drivers banned until they retook a driving requal 
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I’d say likely the vehicle type - they want to know you can perform the correct checks on the vehicle and not try driving on the motorway in the wrong box.
Also, a white fleet 4x4 ticket doesn’t allow for green fleet land-rovers (which have certain idiosyncrasies).
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Correct, also worth noting that Green fleet automatically comes under scheme B and has different protocols than white fleet.