Beagle
Pot calling kettle - colour check over!
My "stupid comments" were about the fact that the aircraft and crews were taken off training to perform tasks of a less than important nature, which could no doubt have been more comfortably achieved with a Land Cruiser or two.
As to people staying out out there longer than intented, Im off back out there with the rest of the guys to await a mission which may never happen and to float about in the oggin for Christmas, so forgive me if I dont shed a tear for those in hotels.
Your adequate crew rest comment, albiet one that others who frequent PPRuNe will be sick to the eye teeth of hearing, is absolutely true and is a problem. The problem arises, and did in this particular desert extraveganza, when people who fly once every 2 days and "dont fly on Fridays" and get their air conditioning STILL bleat about adequate crew rest. Didn't realise that so many had to remove their spine before climbing into a flight suit.
So please dont take that line with those who were out there and saw the work others did with no complaint or worries of flight safety whilst operating and living in the field- its just embarrassing to the rest of us who wear wings.
Finally, as for the "desert prison camp", it was a damn site more spacious and comfortable than the alternative and the lack of aircon allows you to acclimatise more quickly. Going from cold to hot to cold to hot reduces stamina, fluctuates body skin temp, increases sweating and lowers body salt content. Isn't this a factor in the reduction of operational capability and therefore must be a flight safety problem? Oh sorry, obviously not if you wear light blue.
(Apologies to the albert drivers and mud movers who I conflabbed about this snag with - your efforts during the ex were mega appreciated!
)
Time for bed said Zebadee...........