SM,
I actually have a fairly high regard for Shell aviation services and were it not for your involvement, would currently be walking from the project.
I've been in the biz long enough to remember the excruciating pain caused by being SLF on Chinooks doing 5+ hour flights from the northern North Sea (Saturday "milk" runs) and was one of the bears who refused point blank to get back on a Chinook after you tried to reintroduce them.
(But we all make mistakes, yours (Shell aviation) was to think we would actually do as we were told)
As to 20+ year old blades with known lightning strike damage causing the death of (think it was) 11 guys in the southern North Sea a couple of years ago, part of getting to work.
As to the comment: "Leave it to the experts"
generally I do (In my own field, I am one) but I know I screw up from time to time, not thinking you are any different. Although if you have been with Shell long enough maybe you do .
Blackmax;
There is more of a "culture" thing going on here than purely structural issues (although, were it not for the structural issues, we wouldn't see the "culture" stuff)
Deal with the SLF patronisingly enough for long enough and we'll tell you where to get off.
we've done it before and we'll do it again.
I quite like the 139's as a bus to get to work in, it's got AC, very smooth, and the way they are parked at GHC I can do my own mk1 eyeball inspection of the stbd aft panel on the way out, if it's "creased" you'll be 1 pax down on the flight and I'll be working somewhere else.
Shell Aircraft have now audited and GHC and got them to do an extensive SMS Self Assessment booklet too so you can be assured that everything is fine.
please, please, please tell me you don't really believe that . . ?
(or worse, believe that _I'LL_ believe that?
)
Have the utmost regard for the boys n girls responsible for taking me to work,
Have fairly high regard for those in the back office who decide which group of boys n girls take me to work.
SM, Don't kid yourself that the bears think you are all knowing experts,
This last missive "from on high" was borderline in the credibility department at best. (partly the delivery method, which should not be gone into in a public fora, suffice to say there is a village in India looking for their idiot, we have him on long term contract in Doha...)