shift workers

[nick crisp]

The only time I ever worked shifts was on a Puma helicopter squadron in the RAF. It worked out more earlys and lates rather than nights/days. On lates, we went in at 4pm and were in until the last aircraft came in and was put to bed. Usually, you'd be off by about 10pm, but you were effectively on call from then until the day shift came on at about 6/7am. You might be in for longer, or you might be in for less. In the winter, lates could work out really cushy because flying was generally limited in winter conditions. Sometimes we'd go in at 4, hang around the crewroom for 20 minutes while it was confirmed there'd be no flying that night, and get knocked off! The only downside was that you couldn't leave the base until the day shift went in. And as far as weekends went, you'd get listed for duty-crew once in a while, but it was only about every 3 or 4 weeks. Again, if no flying was scheduled, you'd just have to stay on camp, available. Days might have to go in as early as 4 or 5am if a lot was scheduled, or if nights had done a long one, but always finished at 4pm. The rota was 1 week days, 1 week nights.
Nowadays, it would take a very good wage to get me to do the shifts some of you guys are working though!

As to social life, we always found time to get pissed!  :lol