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Old 9th Feb 2020, 15:15
  #274 (permalink)  
AQAfive
 
Join Date: May 2007
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Age: 73
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Many years ago we, a Nimrod Crew, were on a training det to Sigonella when we suffered an ASI fault on the runway. The call was made to Kinloss for a replacement instrument and associated test equipment. Some bright spark decided that a visiting C130 could take it to Lynham (I told you it was many years ago!) as onward cargo to Palermo where, with the correct paperwork, (those who know how 'much' paperwork was needed) where the Det eng team plus imprest holder picked up said spares. Simples and it worked a treat, except it didn't. The problem was not the ASI but the pitot head, a bee had decided it would make a good nest and when the heaters were applied......

However, in the meanwhile the stores empire went apoplectic with range, that was not the approved route to Sigonella, and so the replacement was sent via the approved route, MT to Stanstead (I believe, could be wrong) and British Midland (again I could be wrong, but you get the idea), to Catania, arriving at 1630 local on a Friday. Customs was shut till Monday morning. As I recall the phone calls went something like this:

Capt to Kinloss : Customs wont give it to us till Monday am, they are closed.
Kinloss: Well call the embassy in Rome, we need the a/c back.
Capt to Embassy: Can you ask the Customs to open up for us.
Embassy: Enjoy your weekend. We cant do anything, this is Italy.
Highly abbreviated of course, but that was the outcome.

We enjoyed the weekend and returned on the Monday, no doubt to lots of arguments way above my pay grade.
The right thing to do, grab a bod from the Duty Crew, give him the spare Pitot head with a note explaining it wasn't a gun, and put him on the British Midland flight and tell him to come back Nimair. Simples, so I doubt it would work.

So fixing A P8 when detached? I am well out of touch now but have the feeling that mixing civil and military practises when it comes to fixing a/c may not be that compatible, or do we now adopt civilian maintenance methods?

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