John Purdey
I’m not sure if you are referring to any of my posts when you say:
“Unless of course you subscribe to the remarkable implied assertion on this thread several posts back, that the whole chain of command was involved in some kind of cover up.”
If so then I need to apologise and try to correct your perception. The reason I was moved to post on this thread, which is often mired in trivia that hides the full picture, was to highlight the similarities of the situation in NI at the time of the crash and what I read on another thread regarding Hercules and their apparent lack of a suitable defensive aids fit. A great many contributors on this thread seem to operate under the illusion that the ‘system’ would never expect an airman to operate an aircraft they thought unfit for purpose. There was no PPRUNE (that I was aware of) at that time. If there where I suspect a thread involving the introduction of the MkII Chinook would have been well subscribed. I firmly believe there is no ‘cover up’ involved in the case of the Hercules, merely personnel of all ranks getting on and making do with what they have got whilst trying get the system to listen to their concerns. As it was with the MkII. These situations do involve the whole chain of command however we all need to support our families and remain employed; the boat can only be pushed so far. I complained at Sqn level about the introduction, no more, and that was when, in those early days, the MkII scared the pants of me, the slightest new noise, vibration, cockpit indication or unannounced manoeuvre received a disproportionate response. I am not claiming cause, merely mitigation which is so often ignored.
No scandal or finger pointing, merely trying to say how it was.
K52/Cazatou
Like JP you post eloquently and you have the advantage of many years aviation experience. However please try to accept that a helicopter is more akin a four ton truck than a fast jet. Navigation is performed by looking out of the window, slowing down if it gets hard and landing in any old field when it gets too bad. Acceleration is not in our blood.
Twinact
Any news on the availability of an aircrew manual, one for the MkII with MkII data, at the time of the crash?
Regards
W 5