Bertie.
"Common Knowledge" ??? By who? If that is true, how come it took so long for the M.C.A. to find out and award the contract to someone else?
Why would we go u/s on start? It is not us who get the big fat salaries/ bonus like our higher management!
Crab.
You still have not grasped the concept of our second machine have you, nor the way the contract is written.
You are correct with regard to the primary machine, but wrong about the standby. The FLIR is removed from the main machine and fitted to the standby as and when required. The wiring is all there, just swap the hardware, takes 10 minutes max. Nor does it have twin hoist capability. Pretty much like your Sea King there! The standby does not have to be to the same standard as the Primary because as you point out, we do not have a second crew on call, and the MCA will not pay for it to be! The MCA will not pay for extra crews to just sit around on standby in the unlikely event that they will be needed. That is not our fault but the way the contract was/is written and paid for. You have other training commitments that mean you need extra crews, something we do not need to do, ie. practice for going to war etc.
RCS... wrong again I'm afraid. I am not even sure of what that stands for but I am sure you will enlighten me.
As WT says, have you ever visited an MCA flight? You should try it one day. You never know, you might catch us waiting to go u/s on start with the MGB and engines out.
