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Traffic Technician ( merged )

I have been  a Tfc Tech for 21+ yrs now and I can honestly say that the trade is busier now than it has ever been!
I can also say that I have done almost every aspect of the trade.  I have been flying on the herc for "years" now and am now flying on our newest aircraft,  The CC-130 J model.  If you like to travel to any place that the forces deploys to then join our trade.  My wife says that our trade should be called Travel Tech!  Now, you can also bee posted to a static position at one of the smaller bases/wings and not travel as much.  If you are sent to 2 Air Mov Sqn in Trenton I can assure you that soon after your BMQ you WILL be travelling.  All you have to do is satisfy some basic trg requirements to ensure that you can do your  job on a MAMS team.

The difference between a Tfc Tech and a Loadie isn't much.  The Loadmaster is just a specialty within our trade.  The Tfc Tech loads the plane when they are at home base and on deployments and the Loadie flies with the aircraft.  If there is no MAMS team at downline locations the Loadie takes care of everything.  Yes, there is a s**tload more stuff to know as a Loadie.  Especially on the the C-17 and J-model herc (legacy herc also included).  They are all a very technical aircraft .  Tons of stuff to know there, but it is such a good time for our trade with the new airframes.

As far as staying in one place for awhile......most deployments will have a MAMS team pre-deploy to wherever and stay there until the deployment is done (could be as long as weeks in one location).  They can either be tasked to stay for the whole deployment or return to their unit until the re-deploy gets started.  You can also be tasked with a Loadmaster assist.  You get to travel with the herc, Airbus, C-17 and help the Loadie out for a few days if the situation warrants then you come home.  Some stops could be for the night or as short as an ERO (engines running  on/offload) and then you are gone again to the next stop.

If you have any more questions about the trade please do not hesitate to ask online here.  I, and other movers, will try to answer them.
 
Honestly it seems like traffic techs are the most helpful people on this site.  :salute:

Thanks for the in depth response!
 
Hey, new to this. In regards to the Loadmaster position. How long does it take to get the qualification after one has completed their 3's? I have always been interested in a being a loadie but didn't know the feeder trade for it. I recently CT'd to the reg force from the reserves and the only option available to me at the time was veh tech. Don't think the recruiters really helped much, they were just trying to fill numbers for the trade. I spent 3 years in a reserve infantry unit and worked along side loadies on our para tasks at CFLAWC in Trenton, so I have some experience with Herc's. I'm assuming to get the qualification, one would have to go through the air force stream and at what rank would a Traffic Tech get that position?

Cheers,

DAS
 
If you really want to be a Loadmaster then you are definitely going to want to check out our trade.  This is a great time for the younger folks in our trade to go flying.  Up until recently you needed to be a senior MCpl to be nominated for a flying position, but with the new airframes popping up the minimum rank has been dropped to Cpl.  This means that once you get you Cpl's (if you don't have them already) all you have to do is show some initiative and you will probably be sent flying shortly thereafter.
The experience that you have with us from working at CFLAWC is just a drop in the bucket as to what Tfc Techs and Loadies do, but if that is what is enticing you to go "flying" then this is the right trade for you.  Also, like I said in my previous reply to this post, if you like to travel this is the trade for you.
 
In addition to what Chuck 130 was saying. (Hi Chuck oh hey did you hear about my swan. Two weeks in Belgium buddy its my new favorite country) ...anyways. In order to be a loadie you need to be a Traffic Tech TQ-5 qualified and a corporal. Also you need to pass an aircrew medical.
The best facet of the trade and the flying is the travel. We are constantly on the go and I see lots of familiar faces everywhere.  the best think I like being about a loadie. Is that I know I am going to Afghanistan this Monday. But I am going to be home in my own bed by Sunday.
Its a great trade and we like to take care of each other. In fact a few of my buddies got in ka-ka for delivering pizzas to the boys and girls in Haiti. (if theres not enough for everyone.....get bent)




 
I have been a Traffic Tech for about ten years now and must say it is probably the best job I have ever had. I have been through or worked in 14 countries outside of Canada and am about to go away again some time soon. I am not a Load Master but I have worked in all other parts of the trade and have enjoyed most (if not all) of it.

Mover 1, I remember hearing about the aftermath of the Pizza incident.
 
Yep and all we were trying to do is help a fellow tradesman out.



 
Hey everyone,
I'm thinking of becoming a Traffic Tech but as of now 2011 the position is not posted.  Anyone know if there will be a lot of people retiring in the near future or if there will be openings anytime soon?

Thanks in advance.
 
Great Info guys :)
Seems like a trade for me.

Do traffic techs go into combat zone and drop supplies or heavy weapon (e.g. tanks, artillery)?
 
I have read from another thread that, traffic techs who get posting in smaller base/stations would have less chance of travelling.
Is that true? If it is, how little do they travel? Do they have same chance and opportunity, comparing to other traffic techs in larger bases, to become a loadmaster?

How long will it take for a traffic tech to be a loadmaster after finishing BMQ?
 
nickanick said:
How long will it take for a traffic tech to be a loadmaster after finishing BMQ?

Several years. AFAIK, you have to be QL5 qualified first.
 
nickanick said:
Great Info guys :)
Seems like a trade for me.

Do traffic techs go into combat zone and drop supplies or heavy weapon (e.g. tanks, artillery)?

Traffic Techs can and do go to many different locations including some of those more dangerous areas performing all sorts of jobs. You could find yourself in the relative safety of a large camp loading C-17s or you could be at a FOB rigging slung loads for helicopters. You might be at a Service batallion, Air Movements section (or Squadron), doing Tactical airlift operations (ie. rigging loads to be dropped from the aircraft) or deployed as part of a MAMS team anywhere in the world. Sometimes you get some great tasks/deployments (6 months in Spangahlem for one) and other times you could be in the far North doing your job. I can not speak of the Loadmaster side of the trade but I think Chuck 130 and Mover 1 did a good job at explaining it.
 
Chunk130 also mention that you might get posted in smaller base and getting less chance to travel.
Is that true?
 
nickanick said:
Chunk130 also mention that you might get posted in smaller base and getting less chance to travel.
Is that true?

In any trade you have a chance to be posted to any location and job that is appropriate for your rank and qualifications at the time. Not all jobs are the high-speed roles showcased in the CFRC videos, but each of those jobs has to be done by someone. yes, if your trade has small detachments on smaller bases that aren't as likely to be deploying on operations, you too can find yourself posted to them.
 
CDN Aviator said:
Do you have reason to believe that Chuck130 was lying in his post ?

:-[ I'm so sorry. That was a bad choice of word. I'm not questioning validity of Chuck130's statements.

I just want to know the difference in travel opportunity when comparing  to different posts. 
 
nickanick said:
:-[ I'm so sorry. That was a bad choice of word. I'm not questioning validity of Chuck130's statements.

I just want to know the difference in travel opportunity when comparing  to different posts.

There are chances to get on taskings or tours at any base. Chances are someone in Winnipeg or Greenwood won't be gone as much as a traffic tech at places like 2 Air Mov Sqn or 4 CFMCU. I'm at a smaller base and have done a tour and a hand full of smaller taskings. I've had other opportunities to go away but have either not been needed to go or turned it down for personal reasons.
 
nickanick said:
Chunk130 also mention that you might get posted in smaller base and getting less chance to travel.
Is that true?

One of the charms of smaller sections is that you get exposed to more aspects of the trade than in Trenton where it's fairly specialized.  Cold Lake is Canada's second busiest air base by a wide margin and we serve as MAMS, line crew, cargo buildup, DG specialists, PLC, and a bit of CMTT depending on the day or the hour.  Our chief duty is to support the fighter squadrons as they travel for exercises and operations so our Tfc Techs go south when they're on Ex in California or Florida, we go north when our FOLs are stood up and we've been to Italy supporting the Op in Libya.

We can fill positions that are open to any in our trade such as oversees deployments and will often augment the Service batallions when they go but unlike Tfc Techs on army bases we can also fill taskings for MAMS or line crew positions.  In the past month we've received three request for oversees tasking - we had to turn them down because fully a quarter of Cold Lake Tfc Techs are already deployed oversees. 

The number of taskings we're asked to fill is somewhat reflective of how busy Trenton is so if you want to be gone a lot, definitely go there.  If you like a bit of variety and some stability (i.e. Have a young family), chose a smaller Air Mov Section like Cold Lake, Winnipeg, or Greenwood....if you enjoy soldiering and general duties with a smattering of Tfc Tech duties then go to a service batallion.
 
Pistos,

You are right.  The Cold Lake AMS is a very busy place.  I have been through there quite a lot with the J model in the last year.
Good work by the way.

Nickanick,

I wouldn't say it on here if it wasn't true.  The smaller Bases/Wings/Units do not always deploy as much as the Air Mov Sqn, but like all trades,
there is a shortage of people.  I am somewhere hot and dusty right now and there are Tfc Techs from across the country here.
If you do not like to travel this is not the trade for you.  You will probably end up at 2 Air Mov Sqn eventually.  On the other hand, this trade is
doing really good right now.  I think we have convinced a few army guys to OT since I have been here on this tour.
If you have any more questions about the trade feel free to PM me anytime.  I will answer what I can.  If I do not have an answer, I will find one........I know, I know.......typical military response.  Haha.
 
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