Originally Posted by
ethereal entity
TOTD
To correct a few points if I may...
"Erm that is pretty much what is going on! But you don't expect every single instructor to be asked for their tuppence worth, surely? Especially those who work for a rival outfit who bid unsuccessfully for the same contract?"
Cobham did not ever bid against Ascent for a contract. They are not, and have never been, competing rivals. Cobham bid, unsuccessfully as you say, against various rivals for the aircraft and services provision - which was won by Airbus. This was a sub-contracted role, sub-ordinate to Ascent.
Fair point, I was in a hurry and I got the terminology wrong. But the main point stands ie there are plenty of massively experienced instructors already involved in RW MFTS, so there is no need to consult every individual. And anyway, the remaining Cobham staff are busy delivering the last of the old courses. And also...actually let's not go there.
Originally Posted by
ethereal entity
The Cobham Staff moving across to Ascent will make sure it works, simply because they know what it is supposed to look, feel, and smell like. They know what is required, Ascent are still learning. Nothing wrong in that of course, but it would have been a much more expedient process if they had hired the correct people in the first place...I shall leave that one there.
As I'm sure you know, those involved in preparing for RW MFTS are all current serving military, very recently ex-military, or some of the best ex-Cobham aircrew. Yes, some of those who have been involved since the very early stages of RW MFTS hide their talents very well, but they appear to have been very rapidly allocated to roles which best suit their strengths. The only people who would decry the credentials or ability of the current Ascent team are presumably individuals who applied unsuccessfully for the same positions. This is not to say that everything is guaranteed to go smoothly on Day One, but there aren't many chinks in the armour of the team now trying to make it work.
Originally Posted by
ethereal entity
Runaway success? Yes, I agree. Why? Because they hired military experts and LISTENED to them!
As I'm sure you also know, Bristow SAR isn't quite Mil SAR in red and white aircraft. Some of the military folk who tried to tell Bristow how to do it (or told them that they wouldn't be able to do it) found their services were inexplicably not needed. Others, who made their points in a more constructive way, have played a part in shaping what goes on, but you make it sound like Bristow had no idea how to set up or deliver SAR until the mil guys and girls joined and saved the day. This is rather misleading!