The Aeronautical Inspection Unit

Over 100 boy apprentices of the 69th ended up at RAF St. Athan in Wales as their first posting. This was one of several Maintenance Unit stations, and the following article by Corporal/Tech Castell, then stationed in Malta, explains the common sighting of NCOs of the Aeronautical Inspection Unit.

APPRENTICES who on passing out are posted to Repair Salvage Units, Maintenance units or other 3rd and 4th-line servicing units, will see N.C.Os wearing a white arm-band with the magic letters "A.I.S." thereon. These N.C.Os are qualified Aeronautical Inspection Service inspectors, having either passed a course or being "co-opted."

The A.I.S. is the counterpart of A.I.D. in civilian industry, and covers a wide field of inspection ranging from "unmentionable " articles of clothing to explosives and aircraft. Inspection for to April 1st, 1946 was originally undertaken by A.I.D., but at this date the new Service came into being.

There are many N.C.Os and officers too who will speak unkindly of the work carried by A.I.S., especially when an aircraft fails make the monthly quota owing to a defect being found by A.I.S. at a rather late date! An inspector's life, therefore, is bound by the written word in the relevant Air Publications, Special Technical Instructions, etc. He must be able to substantiate his rejection of a particular piece of work or equipment by those famous words, "It's in the book"!

To assist in he has access to all normal technical information plus several A.I.D./A.I.S. specialist instructions, together with D.T.D. Specifications and the A.I.S. Manual. He must be completely unbiased as regards the person who has done the job he is inspecting, or as to whether his rejection of a job may lead to overtime including night shifts — being worked!

Normally, at home, inspectors are responsible for work within their own trade. However, overseas where local contracts for repair and manufacture are in being, and where A.I.D. does not exist, the inspector may be be called upon to inspect varying items of equipment. This is interesting work, and some N.C.Os seem to have a particular flair for inspection being able to put their finger on an unserviceable item or defect.

Inspectors are issued with a set of stamps, lettered for qualified inspectors, and numbered for co-opted N.C.O.s. Apart from the rubber stamp used on documents, there are two metal and a stencil supplied. These are to mark the item inspected and are mainly used on manufactured parts. Thus any defect of the item can be traced back to the inspector concerned without reference to paper work at all. This naturally makes the inspector somewhat wary of stamping unless he knows that the item is 100 per cent correct.

The advantages of being an inspector are that one keeps abreast of new technical developments in the Service, and an opportunity to see and handle equipment outside of one's trade. One learns also an acquired ability to sort out in Air publications or other sources the information required to carry out inspection on any item of equipment. The disadvantages are, being bullied, harassed, and exposed to the `onslaughter' of the production or equipment bods who regard you as a stumbling block and an unnecessary evil.