... statistics may give the appearance that everything is working out fine. It is easy to pull the wool over the eyes of non-aviators. ...
None of the people on the ground at a Kintail location on Sunday were Type Rating Examiner (Helicopter) but they knew that was a PASS.
"Si vis pacem, para bellum."
... Just seeing the aircraft in the sky and seeing it in the news from time to time will be sufficient to convince some that there has been no loss in capability. Unless a team of sufficiently experienced, independent evaluaters are able to report back on the actual flying capabilities of the aircrew, then this most important of performance indicators will be lost. ...
Yes.
There are probably over 3000 MR people in the UK. Maybe 1000 of those operate in terrain where nobody in their right mind would send a Sea King yet they witness excellent work using this aircraft somewhere in the country almost every week. In an AW189, I expect the same aircrew will be capable of outstanding work, without the compromises necessary when flying our old friend, and therefore with significantly improved flying safety for all of us.
None of those 1000 people are easily seduced by statistics, government reports or authoritative pronouncements. They are led, but they are not commanded or controlled. None of them are being paid and none of them have glorious public careers or ATPL(H) to protect.
My task is to make sure that the guys and girls at this end of the island have the basic understanding necessary to make reasonable informed judgements about their aeronautical support.
If this goes pear-shaped, you'll be hearing from them and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.
