Place: a SAR Flight 'somewhere in Scotland'. Occasion, a House of Lords Defence Study Group visiting for a briefing on our aircraft and role one winter's evening a long time ago.
Our Navigator/winch operator stays to listen to phones (and watch TV), I take half a dozen Noble Lords into the hangar where the Winchie has laid out all the kit and dressed in his orange bag. Part way through the Winchie's well honed presentation one particularly bright Lord cuts in with "why do you need a winch operator, can't the pilot do that". "Not accurate enough Sir, he can't see below the aircraft". "Well, put a glass floor in""that's where the engines are, Sir" "well, what's down there?" gesturing to the fuselage aft of the cabin "put the engines down there!" "Come on Charles" says another Nob(le) Lord, "lets go to the bar!"
