I was reading one of the Unions was calling for a "grounding of the Super Puma". Whilst I fully understand why they are calling for such, how will their members get home? I do get slightly irritated with such broad brush calls, which may or may not be journalistic licence. There is more than one variant of the SP family, but it is the main workhorse now of the NS in its various forms, & I cannot believe after 20+ years of flying that all of a sudden there is an inherent design fault & that all should be grounded. Do we ban or ground 747s or other types after an incident or accident? I can only recall a ban for a while on DC10s in the 70s (stands correction of course).
Even local journos are a joke, & you would think Aberdeen Journals would know better. Following the recent Cougar 92 crash off Newfoundland, the paper showed the Cougar (Short) 61 that was in Aberdeen last year.
You see the helos daily & think nothing of it...then something tragic likes this occurs, & it brings it all home - these guys (both in the front & in the back) do a rewarding but dangerous job & nobody should forget that.