QM2 to flying stations

[Navaleye]

Am on QM2 in the North Sea, there's a Lynx flying a sick crew member off right now (12:15 Zulu). Where's it from?

Update: Its at the limit of its range and has just gone off to a oil rig to refuel, before coming back to pick up the patient.

[diginagain]

Could be RNethN. How close are you to Den Helder?

[Navaleye]

180NM off Yorkshire coast.

[diginagain]

Do the Danes still operate their Lynxes? Can't see 9 Regt AAC upstaging the lads at Boulmer, so it's not likely to be one of ours. Will you let us know?

[airborne_artist]

Does it look like this? If so it's a RDanishN a/c.

http://www.navalhistory.dk/images/FLIR.jpg

This (http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?prod=3530&session=dae.20653807.1147437676.RGSCbMOa9dUAAAsuZGI&modele=jdc_1) page says that all eight were upgraded to Super Lynx Mk90B from 2000, and will be in service until 2015.

[Navaleye]

Its just flown right past me. Its a navy bird, definately not RN. Dark grey in colour.

[diginagain]

From the colour, it sounds like a Dutch aircraft. I had one doing something similar when working on a rig out that way. It's a long way from the polders, but there are plenty of manned installations for fuel stops, and den Helder is probably closer than the Danish coast.

[airborne_artist]

I reckon it's most likely to be Dutch. The RNeN have 20, and they are grey.

http://www.aircav.net/dodphoto/dod06/lynx-012crs.jpg

http://photos.airliners.net/photos/middle/8/9/8/0710898.jpg

[Navaleye]

Yes that's it. Its a cloggie. I saw the yellow markings under the tail rotor.

[Navaleye]

Apparently the chap didn't make it. The crew member concerned was turned over the police here in Bergen this morning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4768493.stm

Well done to Dutch AF it was an impressive bit of flying.

[AllTrimDoubt]

Amend 1 to the BBC report:

"The 1,132ft vessel - which cost an estimated £422m to build - can carry up to 2,620 passengers who are looked after by a crew of 1,253."

Should now read "crew of 1,251"

[Navaleye]

Make that 1250. One is the here after, one in the clink here in Bergen. Best regards to all from the QM2.

[Navy_Adversary]

Thanks for the heads up Navaleye, we'll let you off with your dodgy maths.:8

[Pontius Navigator]

Life time cruise on the QM2 and slogging away at Prune.

Prune never even crossed my mind as we cruised the Caribbean.:sad:

[Daifly]

Ah, but if you'd have had a Barbadian Air Force chopper hovering over your head as you sipped your cocktails it might have...!

[Pontius Navigator]

... been waved at and given a two fingered salute.

[Navaleye]

The Captain said it was a Dutch Coast Guard Lynx. So we were all half right!

Good to be home.