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View Full Version : We need more, newer Helicopters...

South Bound
4th Oct 2006, 07:43
Report in the Torygraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/04/nafghan104.xml

Nice to see a journo at Bastion and happy with the call for more helos (AH first to support the SH), but the age thing is a bit of a red herring. As far as I know, availability of the deployed ac has been adequate for the task and serviceability has been more a factor of the conditions than any age-related problems.

BN may be old, but she is still a very capable machine!!!
LeanMe
4th Oct 2006, 08:05
BN may be old, but she is still a very capable machine!!!

Too true, in my time on the mighty 18(B) Sqn, working on BN was one of my favourite things. All the techies were fond of the old girl, and she was always wheeled out for whatever random dignitary pitched up to have a look around.
Rigga
4th Oct 2006, 12:09
And don't forget that BN got upgraded along with the rest of the Mk 1 Fleet.

Also there is no fatigue life on helicopter airframes at all (even if there is cracking at certain Frames/Stations)

I believe that, in GW1, the reason most Chinook trips were cancelled was for sand ingestion/contamination. (Lots of Piv/Swiv, Swashplate and Head changes for leaks, eroded seals, etc)

Rigga