Chappie may I pass on my heartfelt congratulations on the birth of you baby daughter. The good news, is that you can sit back and enjoy your time together without having to worry too much about the Herc fleet. The foam program is scheduled to be complete by November. Sadly, there does not appear to be a way of accelerating this process without affecting operations. Which, clearly shows that operations always have the greatest pull over safety, but I think we all knew that.
I have been fairly quiet of late. The on going investigation concerning the Inquest continues at a pace. I am absolutely convinced by its thoroughness and that we will get a true picture of events running back through the years as to why XV179 did not have foam in the tanks on that day. Unfortunately, the investigation will take several months. The chief investigator has interviewed many current and ex Herc aircrew and groundcrew, including myself. If anyone has info for him, please PM me and I will forward his contact details. I wrote an article for the local paper here a few weeks ago. Lord King used part of the article in an opening speech in a House of Lords debate. Interestingly, the BoI for XV206 is still not out, even though it was supposed to have been completed after 6 months. The cynic in me suggests that it will not be released until all the operational Hercs have foam on board. I remain convinced that it was a fuel tank explosion.
This is the personal account that Chappie referred to of a pax escaping that attack.
"There but for the grace of God go I. I was a passenger on the C130 that crashed/blew up in Helmand, Afghanistan, last May. I shudder to think of how it would have affected my family if I had perished.
We got out by the skin of our teeth, I got out the crew door in front of the wing that was in flames. It was so hot, I couldn't even look directly at the wing as I jumped down.
I owe my life to the crew and the speed with which they got us off the plane. I hope their actions are properly credited in the BOI when it is published (any day now?). I don't know what it will say about ESF in our case. I know that John Reid said something about it not having been relevent. But I suspect the foam would have delayed the fire, giving us more time to get off, and perhaps the opportunity to save some kit as well. But more seriously what if the crew's reactions had been just a little slower, or anyone had needed carrying off????"
The crew played an extraordinary role in that incident.
Video of the "J" being hit on a strip in Iraq is doing the rounds. I haven't seen the attack, but I do know how close the people on board came to losing their lives. I have passed on my concerns to the Defence Committee, such is the sensitivity of that attack, I haven't been able to use a more public angle. I do hope though, that at the very least, the Loadmaster will get added protection in the para door.
Finally I received this PQ the other day. It appears that the IPT is responsible for the mess that is the "K" program. I wonder how they feel about that.
Hercules Aircraft
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who in his Department was responsible for (a) writing the specification for the fitting of explosive suppressant foam to UK Hercules aircraft and (b) liaising between the contractors to ensure the most efficient working practices; and if he will make a statement. [135072]
Mr. Ingram: The Hercules integrated project team (IPT): part of defence equipment and support, in conjunction with Air Command and the equipment capability customer, was responsible for writing the specification for fitting explosion suppressant foam to the RAF's Hercules aircraft. The Hercules IPT is responsible for ensuring that the contract specifications are completed within the agreed timeframe.