PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Any Police Helicopters used as Air Ambulances
Old 24th May 2008, 21:41
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Whirlygig

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Join Date: Feb 2003
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Skyhigh, either you're not explaining your viewpoint and agenda very well or you've missed some fundamental accounting concepts of fixed and marginal costs. Sure you're not a journalist? Asking about bird strikes? And who provides pilots to PSNI?

A police/air ambo pilot is not working for 3 hours a day just because the helicopter flies for 3 hours a day - they are working for far more hours than that. The marginal cost of each extra flying hour would be the flying cost of the helicopter; salaries and overheads being fixed. Being public sector, the concept of absorption costing is irrelevant.

And don't forget that the aircraft can often be grounded for unserviceability and weather - this means that, in order to achieve 3 hours a day average, some days the flying is a lot more.

In order for the aircraft to fly more, it will cost the tax payer more - it really is as simple as that. It's not clear from your posts what you are expecting? Lower taxes or higher taxes?

Cheers

Whirls
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