Here I go again (It’s amazing what a few bottles of red will do!) I have been flying the Lynx for twenty years and I rate it very highly indeed. It is an extremely competent helicopter and I stand by these comments by being one of the first to fly it again, without a qualm, after the Les Berrisford disaster, and urging many a junior pilot to do likewise and have faith in what they fly. One must have a certain belief in fate as a helicopter pilot after all!
The problem with spares as many a politician will tell you, does not lie with Westlands, they are a commercial company and would dearly love to sell the MOD heaps of Ac bits to lie around in a vast hangars until required. No, the problem lies with a government deeply reluctant to spend anything at all on Defence that is not required not now, but RIGHT NOW. They save money left right and centre by keeping the UK based machines on the ground knowing that as soon as they are deployed all the funds required to get pilots up to speed and the Ac fully serviceable are provided direct from the treasury and not out of the MOD(AAC) budget. Any disagreements with this statement should be directed to Mr Paddy Ashdown MP
I am feeling quite tired now and am going for a short lie down - Happy New Year everybody!!!!
[This message has been edited by PurplePitot (edited 28 December 1999).]