Job Details

Other Ranks (Technical)

The role of the Aircraft Life Support Fitter is to maintain the aircraft mounted and aircrew mounted aeronautical life support equipment and safety and survival equipment within the ADF. The Aircraft Life Support Trade is to ensure that aeronautical life support equipment utilised within the Defence environment is correctly fitted and maintained to ensure operational airworthiness and mission capability. Aircraft Life Support Fitters are also responsible for conducting aircrew and passenger training on the application of aeronautical life support equipment.

The responsibilities of the Aircraft Life Support trade include but are not limited to:

• Manufacture, remove, inspect, repair, test and refitting of aeronautical life support equipment including textile components;
• Fitting and instruction on the operation of personal flying equipment;
• Procurement, packaging, storage and identification of safety and life support equipment;
• Explosive ordnance handling and inspection of rescue pyrotechnics;
• Provide training and safety briefs to aircrew and passengers on aeronautical safety and survival equipment; and
• Aircraft servicing, ground handling and replenishments.

In addition, Aircraft Life Support Fitters operate industrial sewing machines in the manufacture of various fabric components in support of aircraft and ADF requirements.

Working Conditions. The working environment is normally a comfortable climate controlled environment. Outdoor work is required at times when performing on-aircraft maintenance or in field conditions during aircrew training exercises.

There is a likelihood of deployments for periods of six months or more, with a requirement to work intensively for long, irregular hours.

You may at times during your career, have the opportunity to also work on aircraft belonging to the Navy and Army and be employed within Navy or Army Units.

Hazards. Inherent hazards exist in tasks associated with moving machinery, handling and inspection of pyrotechnic devices, compressed gas cylinders and the use of dangerous chemicals and substances. Minor cuts and bruises may be sustained, but the possibility exists of sustaining more serious injury. Personal protective equipment is provided where necessary and its use is enforced.

Physical Effort. Usually the physical effort required is not arduous and is comparable with that required in the allied aircraft trades.

Manual Dexterity and Physical Co-ordination. Manual dexterity is required during packing and folding of aviation life support systems and operation of industrial sewing machines. This is an acquired specialist dexterity and normal physical co-ordination is adequate.

Speed and Accuracy of Movement. Usually there is no requirement for speed of movement but a high degree of accuracy is required for all tasks associated with aerospace life support systems.

Contact with Others. Aircraft Life Support Tradespeople are required to frequently interact with aircrew, other technical trades and civilian staff. Additionally, they are required to instil aircrew with a sense of confidence in survival equipment.

Probability and Consequence of Error. The essential requirement for supervision of critical tasks minimises the likelihood of errors; however, the consequences of error can be extreme and may involve the loss of aircraft and, in the most extreme cases, death of personnel.

Responsibility for Money and Material. The job does not involve any responsibility for the care of money but does require the use of expensive materials and equipment for which usual accounting procedures are required.

Trade Criticality. The duties of an Aircraft Life Support Tradesperson are critical to the operational effectiveness of the RAAF and are vital to the safety and survival of aircrew and passengers.

Weapons Systems. Aircraft Life Support Fitters are employed (almost exclusively) within one of the following Weapons Systems:

• Fighter (F/A-18 Hornet, Hawk, PC9);
• Maritime (AP3C Orion);
• Strike (F/A-18F Super Hornet); and
• Transport (Hercules, C-17 Globemaster, A330).