Headsethair / tombola / shawn:
I don't know where to start really, so this response is going to be all over the place
2 x R44 running costs will never and can never ever cost $65,000/yr. If you believe that Shawn, you're definitely not an accountant to put it politely! To put 2 a/c into service takes 2.8 crews. (1.4 times the running costs of 1 a/c!!!) That alone will cost the unit 1.4 pilots, observers. How much EXTRA is that going to cost?
2 x insurance.
2 x training
additional maintenance costs
etc etc.
I would hazard a guess that running 2 x R44 police a/c would cost in the region of $500/flying hour.
Which brings me onto the next issue, actual physical flying time of US units. I read a post that said that some US units fly between 10 and 12 hrs per SHIFT
. I cannot believe this for a second. For 2 reasons:
(a) It exceeds the pilots (FAA) shift allowance.
(b) It works out to about 4000 hours a year (which for the R44 example above would mean an annual bill of about $2,000,000. No way hose!! They would be replacing airframes every 3-4 years!!! The yanks are like us, they fly when they HAVE TO with maybe a sprinkling of proactive patrolling if they have spare cash in their coffers.
R44's which are obviously the love of headsethair (where did you get that handle from?), used by the mil for ab initio trng:
Might I respectfully suggest that when decisions like military procurement on this level, are discussed; it isn't a bunch of spotters sitting around a crewroom table reading a few handouts from manufacturers. [Admittedly they leave a lot to be desired on many a political decision, but ON THE WHOLE they come up with the goods (Dont throw Commanche/EH101/Nomrod at me either )
]
So when the decision to kit out RAF Shawbury, to train the tri service ab initio programme, was made, might it dawn on you that 35 AS350's sold as a job lot, together with the support infrastructure which is essential to maintaining a robust training pipeline, coupled with the need to train students on gas turbines for continuity, might, just might, be the controlling factor.
Most of these pilots are going to fly Puma's/EH101's/Chinooks. Atleast give them some insight into the turbine/fadec world of flying...as early as possible.
Having taught ab initio's, I would also suggest that a very forgiving and robust airframe is also a prerequisite. The AS350 is unrivalled in this dept.
Where are we now.....................
R44 (again!) Payload: Someone stated that the main police role was 'observing'. Last time I responded to this, the US interpretation of observing was quite apparently different ot the Uk version. If I am pursuing a vehicle/chasing someone/taking piccies etc then these are all clasified as 'observing' in the US.
I cannot argue the case for 'numbers' on board. All I know is that for us to do our job properly, we need x,y,z equipment and a,b,c persons on board. The R44 can't carry that and as mentioned somewhere else, the CAA will never allow singles at night. Quite rightly in my opinion too
Finally: twin Vs single for public transport. It happens eslewhere: Buses need specially qualified drivers licences and safety rules to carry passengers. Its all to do with duty of care blah blah. If you crash your piddling R44 into a hill while swanning around on your own, then (a) who cares, and (b) are your estate going to sue your estate for damages?
If you do the same with pax on board....guess what?
Common sense. SO now can you see why there are twins for public transport and singles for sport, in the UK?
Duty of Care is the magic statement.
In summary:
Yanks fly singles because that is their ethos. They are 'foreigners they even have their own foreign language. They live 3000 miles away, they think differently to us (Sense of humour springs to mind). They are lovely people (I ate one once) but they are DIFFERENT and do things differently. If they had started out along another route, then they would be flying Balloons for all I care and swear by them!
We offer a better air support service because we can do more than they can whilst airborne. Fact
R44 for mil flying is like trying to become a rally driver after qualifying in a reliant robin!
Public flying attracts massive protective legislation, one of them in this country is to equip with twins. Same for trans atlantic flights on 1 engine being a non starter - ever
Damn...you've sucked me into another vicious time consuming circle..................
As JFK said on TV today....bring it on!