Aircraft Handler An Aircraft Handler is a member of the Aircraft Handling branch in the Royal Navy of the UK Armed Forces . Aircraft Handlers are responsible for the safe movement , launching ( taking off ) and recovering ( landing ) of all aircraft onboard ships within the Royal Navy and some of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary . They are also responsible for aircraft crash rescue fire fighting duties on board Royal Navy ships and at Royal Naval Air Station s . The Aircraft Handling branch of the Fleet Air Arm in the Royal Navy was formed in 1945 . Beforehand the duties of Aircraft Handlers were performed by members of other branches of the Royal Navy , many of whom transferred to the new branch upon its formation . Some 10 , 000 men have served in the branch since its formation in 1945 , and many of them are still scattered around the country and worldwide . Only about 10 % of these are members of the Aircraft Handlers Association . The Aircraft Handlers Association is there for past and present serving members of the branch . It produces a quarterly publication that has articles and news that is of interest to all members of the branch . It also organizes annual reunions and events so members can catch up with old " shipmate s " . Today the Aircraft Handling branch is made up of around 450 personnel who serve on various ships and at Royal Naval Air Stations . Training . New recruits into the Aircraft Handling branch initially complete basic training with other Naval recruits at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall for 10 weeks . Here they are trained in the basic skills required to serve in the British armed forces / Royal Navy . Upon successful completion of basic training all recruits into the Aircraft Handling branch then proceed to RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall ; here they are instructed at the Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations ( RNSFDO ) . The training at RNSFDO is around 6 months and covers the two key skills required of an Aircraft Handler . The first phase is fire fighting , which sees recruits learn aircraft crash rescue fire fighting skills , however new recruits also learn skills required for domestic fire fighting , the safe use and control of breathing apparatus , road traffic incident s and various other skills that would be required as would be for the civilian fire service . The second phase of training is Aircraft Handling which sees recruit s learning the skills required for the safe movement , take off and landing of aircraft on board Royal Navy ships and at Royal Naval air stations . The training for this role is carried out on a full size mock up flight deck known as " HMS Siskin " ( Dummy Deck ) . HMS Siskin is largely made up to replicate the Invicible class aircraft carrier but can also be adapted to the roles of smaller ships such as frigates and destroyers . New recruits are now also able to gain NVQ qualifications in fire fighting skills . Organisation . The Aircraft Handling branch is part of the Fleet Air Arm . The Aircraft Handling branch is also the Royal Navy ' s fire service and is known to the Royal Navy as the Royal Navy Fire Rescue Service ( RNFRS ) . The RNFRS , Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue Service and British Army counterparts are now collectively under an organisation known as Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation ( DFRMO ) . Badges and motto . Aircraft Handlers are sometimes known as " Chock heads " , which was the name given to them when they first formed by other branches within the Royal Navy , based on some of the tasks that they used to carry out . The badge of the branch is a similar design to that of a Naval Air Squadron . The badge is made up to replicate the two key roles carried out by the branch . Within the badge background is the sea with fire raising from it . In front of this is a Harrier jet aircraft with two hands cupped around it . The motto of the branch in Latin is " Nostris In Manibus Tuti " which translates in English as " Safe In Our Hands " . The trade badge actually worn by Aircraft Handlers on their uniform s is a plane ( Sopworth Camel ) with the letter H underneath it . A star above the plane indicates the rate of Naval Airman , two stars indicate the rate of Leading Airman and a crown indicates the rate of a Petty Officer Airman and also a Chief Petty Officer Airman . Rate structure . All new recruits join as the rate of Naval Airman . Promotion up to the rates of Petty Officer Airman are decided on selection and successful completion of an advanced professional course and command and leadership courses . Promotion from Pretty Officer Airman up to Warrant Officer is also decided on selection but no further professional courses are required . Current equipment and vehicles . Aircraft Handlers use various types of vehicles and equipment to complete their fire fighting tasks , most of which is the same as the equipment used by most civil fire service s , with the exception of the vehicles . At Royal Naval Air Stations , Aircraft Handlers are employed mainly at fire stations where they will use two types of fire vehicle , these being the Rapid Intervention Vehicle ( RIV ) and the Major Foam Vehicle ( MFV ) . They also use other types of equipment such as Drager breathing apparatus , Clan Lucas cutting equipment , various sized extending ladders and airbag lifting equipment . Aircraft Handlers also use different equipment when they are based on board ships , such as All Wheel Drive tractors and EN Mechanical Handlers to move aircraft . To carry out their fire fighting role they use fixed fire hose s from the ships system and other fire fighting equipment like 10 kg CO2 extinguishers and SF 90 foam extinguishers . Location . Aircraft Handlers may find themselves in a variety of locations such as being on board an aircraft carrier or being at a fire station on an air station . Fire stations that Aircraft Handlers are usually based at are RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset , but some Aircraft Handlers are based at fire stations at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland and RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire . Aircraft Handlers are mostly based on board Royal Navy ships such as aircraft carriers " HMS Illustrious " and " Ark Royal " ( Portsmouth ) , amphibious ship s " HMS Albion " and " Bulwark " and the Royal Navy ' s helicopter carrier " HMS Ocean " ( Plymouth ) . They can also serve on board various Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship s ( various locations ) . Some Aircraft Handlers are also attached to Naval Air Squadron s which are based at Royal Naval Air Stations Yeovilton and Culdrose . Future . The Royal Navy is due to increase the personnel numbers within the branch due to the Government ' s plans to introduce the new CVF aircraft carrier s into service in 2012 / 15 . The new carriers " HMS Queen Elizabeth " and " HMS Prince of Wales " will require large numbers of Aircraft Handlers to operate the new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft that will also come into service with the new CVF carriers .