I have tried not to bother with this thread anymore but you both puzzle me. As experienced Aviators you must surely realise that planning a flight as big as this has many pit falls. The Monsoon season is but one of the seven weather patterns I will have to deal with. Some times there is a break in the weather, it might not come for three weeks and may only last for three or four hours. A few years ago, there was no Monsoon to speak of, its not as simple as it looks.
Added to the situation is the very very real security situation that I have PM Sid about. The Indian Air Force was providing me with security - my skin being the wrong colour for this area. But they were not happy to have me sitting in Imphall for weeks waiting for a break in the Monsoon. This added to the problems.
My late departure from the UK was the main reason for the situation I find myself in now. Of course we knew the risks, but we just might have been lucky enough to get a weak Monsoon and make it through. I was not in a position to delay the flight further - I have bosses too.
With regard to the family 'stuff'. I take extreem exception to your comments. What I said is exactly what I meant, its not from a poem or a bloody song, its how I feel about what i'm doing. Yes we are playing on the fact that its not been done before, that is the lever you need to get sponsorship. You know thats the reason and you also know that the Mil' are getting what they want from it too. What I don't understand is, why the hell you keep changing sides all the time? Some of your comments are supportive but most aren't just a slagging they are very distructive. Who do you think are my target sponsors? The Aviation Industry! So what impact do you think your slaggings have on the chances of getting support from the Aviation Industry when you use this forum to slag off our efforts?
I know that you actually like what you see and that in some bizzare way you support it, but you are doing more damage than good with 80% of what you write. Banter is one thing - i'm in the Army, I understand the concept - but you have made several attempts to damage this project, some that have lost me sponsorship! I don't think you really want that to happen.
There is only one person in my team you have a problem with but you're making us all suffer for it.
Cut me some slack - i'm doing my best!
Barry.
(Well fed up with this constant slagging).