Originally Posted by
MightyGem
Much enjoying your tales, LB. We were definitely spoiled in the Military, with our ability to easily talk to "our" local met men. I left the AAC back in 1997 and got a job flying for the Merseyside Police. Not long after I started, I turned up for the night shift with the weather absolutely nothing like the forecast. OK. I'll phone the duty forecaster at the airport. That turned out to be Manchester, and my request to speak to the forecaster was met with a puzzled "you want to do what?"
I can't remember the exact conversation(it was 25 years ago), but he wasn't particularly helpful and I got the impression that my call wasn't particularly welcome.
I only endured the civil side for about five years [seemed like ten]. Once upon a time there were major weather centres in London, Norwich, Southampton, Plymouth, Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester and Aberdeen [I think I missed a Scottish one] together with observers and forecasters at the major airports. Much of the service was free and then became squeezed.
The commercialisation drive of the 1980s withdrew all Met Office folk from airports, leaving Obs to ATC staff and forecasts to central provision, for a fee if bespoke. Next the weather centres closed. My stints were Leeds and Cardiff, with a big part of the job inspecting Met. provision at airports. There was huge resentment and opposition wherever I went. Swansea nearly came to blows, as did Humberside. SATCOs did not want the responsibility and resented being told to adhere to the rules. I always took a gopher, the best and fiercist was an ex-RN Petty Officer, a brilliant driver owning a vintage MG.
How glad I was when the boss rang me at Cardiff and offered BFG: "have passport will travel!"