The loot that drops are more likely to be for classes which are in the group than for classes which are not, but it's not guaranteed that all loot drops will be for the classes in the group.

So what this means is that if you run a group with a bunch of Vanguards and Commandos, it's more likely that you'll get heavy armor with aim, and less likely that you'll get for example light armor with willpower, more likely that you'll see rifles and cannons, less likely that you'll see pistols and lightsabers.

The loot that drops are more likely to be for classes which are in the group than for classes which are not, but it's not guaranteed that all loot drops will be for the classes in the group.

 

So what this means is that if you run a group with a bunch of Vanguards and Commandos, it's more likely that you'll get heavy armor with aim, and less likely that you'll get for example light armor with willpower, more likely that you'll see rifles and cannons, less likely that you'll see pistols and lightsabers.

Which I would understand, but there has been too many times when my raid was forced to comp roll on smuggler items because we had no smugglers in our 16man.

Which I would understand, but there has been too many times when my raid was forced to comp roll on smuggler items because we had no smugglers in our 16man.

... but it's not guaranteed that all loot drops will be for the classes in the group. ...

I think I probably RE'd close to 30 green armorings yesterday before I learnt the blue version, even though the chance of getting it is 20%. Other times I get it on the first try.

That's the way RNG works, sometimes you get what you want and sometimes it seems as though it's impossible to get what you want even though the odds are stacked in your favor.

Can anyone explain to me how classes in a flashpoint affect the drops of the loot?

There is an increased probability things will drop for the classes present, but not to the point of ensuring that only things for the classes present will drop.