“No, there must be some mistake. I am a highly trained electronics tech and want to fix airplanes, not refuel them!” He said, “Do as I tell you. Get your gear stowed and report to Leading Aircraftsman so-and so.” Having no choice in the matter, I followed his orders. I soon realized how clever the Corporal was because over the next three months I was scared of being driven over, blown away, burned by jet exhaust, squished by speed brakes, cut by leading edges or just mangled by all that moving equipment. Lesson – learn forever. My four years in Europe, two in France and two at Lahr, Germany were not all work. We had a lively airmen’s club scene where we used to hang out when not touring or working. There was lots of activity and sharing the base with French Air Force who flew Mirage 3’s was quite an experience. One time, I watched as a French sergeant pilot filled up liquid oxygen tanks while he smoked a cigarette!
One not so funny incident took place in the hangar while working on an CF-104. I was sitting in the cockpit working on some instruments with my legs hanging down out of the aircraft where the bottom hatch had been removed.
The hatch was used for access to the ejection seat and the cockpit instruments. The F-104 had been designed with a downward ejecting seat. The idea was to avoid the high T-Tail when ejecting. However, by ejecting downward at low level meant that you ejected into the ground or you were so low that your parachute was ineffective. One of my so-called friends reached up, and as a prank he triggered the seat up/down switch and the seat started to move upwards. I thought I was dead. I thought that the seat was ejecting me into the hangar roof. I had a few choice words for him after my adrenaline returned to normal. Well my European tour of four
years came to an end and I was transferred back to Cold Lake, Alberta. The days of tagging aircraft from many different air forces and countries came to an end. The variety of aircraft that we dealt with was amazing as most countries still flew locally-made aircraft. In Cold Lake there was just Canadian and American aircraft, as we flew mostly American designed craft. We were an army support squadron so the army showed up every so often from their winter warfare training. On one occasion some fellows got drunk and
smashed up our club. It was around that time I decided to switch to civil aviation. Army and air force life had lost its allure for me and additionally, it did not pay well. Lesson – travel expands you.
THE AIR CARRIERS Life took off fast in my first air carrier job. No longer having the logistical support of an air force it was learn fast and survive on your own. All the techs and managers were very helpful but it was a steep learning curve. There was a lot of fun as well as there were a few practical jokers around. One day at shift end I ran into the lunchroom, grabbed my lunch bucket, and nearly dislocated my arm. One of those practical jokers had riveted my tin lunch bucket to the table!
Some of those pranks today
would be considered not politically correct or worse. I recall some of the guys telling a very attractive flight attendant about the golden rivet in the front cargo compartment. She must have crawled around in her mini skirt for fifteen minutes looking for the one golden rivet put into each aircraft. Try that today and you will probably get sent on sensitivity training.
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