Helicopter delivery of new TV Tx antenna.

[None of the above]

Forgive my intrusion here, but I thought this video from the BBC might be of interest to you chaps.

Helicopter helps with Oxfordshire TV transmitter work (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8530894.stm)

I've done a couple of searches but the event doesn't appear to have been covered. If I'm mistaken, my apologies.

N o t a

[gulliBell]

Yep, quite a bit of skill required to do that as well as it was done...

[Paul Chocks]

Good job - amazed that a Swiss contract was the cheapest or best option though. (shame the RAF couldn't do it as they are so close, but no doubt they don't have any liability insurance for such things - would have been a good mission though)

[wallism]

Swiss is never cheaper, perhaps political like all the SRTechnics stuff if you care to search on that thread.

[GoodGrief]

@Paul Chocks

Do you suggest the military should do commercial work now?

[R.OCKAPE]

I would suggest the Swiss company was used quite simply because they are the best at that type of work

[101BOY]

I'm pretty sure that military rules say that they are not allowed to undertake work that could be done by a commercial operator. Therefore they can be used if say a Chinook is required to USL something v heavy, but not something like this.

[Cabe LeCutter]

I agree with 101BOY, we had some complaints from commercial operators when we did some free USL work for the RSPB a few years ago.

Heads down, look out for the flack.

[sunnywa]

Nice flying boys:ok::ok::ok:

[Brilliant Stuff]

In '99 Bond what have done such work, I don't know if they would entertain such work in today's climate. Shame it can't stay local, but then again those swiss chaps are supposedly quite good at it.

[helmet fire]

I am with R.Ockape here - they probably got the job because of the skill set. This kind of work (precision long line construction) is highly specialised work and given the absence of such specialised companies in the UK, an international solution would be the best. In this particular operation, it is unlikely that the prime would be looking for the cheapest option - they would be looking for the lowest risk (highest skill set and experience) due to the extreme expense of these projects and the political issues of failure.

I can also say as an ex mil QFI, this is way outside the experience and skill set of military ops (just as it is likely that the Swiss pilot is not a current NVG ASW expert!). Often overlooked is the skill set demanded of the rigger who must seamlessley work with the pilot and on jobs like these they must have been a team for some considerable time to minimise risk.

Such construction can be safely done in a single day as opposed to the 2 months of traditional construction methods for these transmitters. Well done guys, should be more of it :D