Crab
I don't know how often S61's have gearbox problems but we have had a spate of changes recently, all completed on the flight which wouldn't be possible with 2 engineers per shift.
We
have carried out back to back MGB changes on the same aircraft in the past using the engineers on shift plus two off shift! They were worn out at the end of it but the jobs were done safely and reasonably quickly!
Thankfully, gearbox problems are not that common,(now that's done it!)
but when one is needing changing,or any other major component, then as I have said more than once, two of the off shift engineers come in on overtime to
help the on shift engineers. That is how it works, like it or not, and quite frankly, I am getting a bit fed up with your assertion that we are doing
anything underhand.
I can't quite get your thinking behind needing more engineers because you fly more hours!(The hours bit I do not dispute.)
But, the checks need doing no matter what, 10 hours, 20 hours whatever. You can only get one set of hands on a Chip detector or grease gun.
The checks just come up a bit more often! And you still haven't enlightened us to just how many support staff you have/had/will have on your unit!
Why would Wastelands/VT want to put in less engineers than the RAF? More people means they can rip off HMG even more than they are already!!
As AH says, get yourself out of Chivenor and visit a civvy base before you throw any more stones.