It's a shame my piece on BBC News was so cringeworthy for you Paracrap. You see I called in to the BBC because I (yes....I....not a pilot, not even in my capacity as a tech...just in my capacity as a normal, caring person)....I was getting really upset! I'm sorry I made you cringe but my intentions were nothing but honest and noble.
I was getting really upset because BBC News were basically pinning it on your brother pilot. It felt to me that he was being hung, drawn and quartered by the Beeb by inference and above all that NO-ONE was offering any facts of substance passed, 'Should the pilot have done this? Should the pilot have done that'. Why didn't he...etc. Basically they didn't have a clue.
I'm not for a second saying that I do....but I am AWARE how these machines work both fixed and rotary and NEVER claimed to be an expert. Yeah I got it wrong. But so ******* what? It was about informing the BBC that thisd guy was maybe under soooo much pressure and still had a job to do e.g. save his charges and try not to hurt anyone when he landed. Poor soul.
So I phoned up to tell them that. Based on two small eye witness accounts as reported by the Beeb and on analysis of the pics (upright / intact nature of airframe and other details....no crater) I knew I could provide something of SOME substance that would HOPEFULLY stop the ridiculous statements the Beeb were making and maybe add some perspective to what kind of pressures the pilot was under.
Having worked on sims I've sat off-console during sorties and flew untutored for maybe 300 hours (had to test the system once it was repaired etc). Simulators are all about procedure and I know that you guys get put through your paces and put under INTENSE pressure during a sim sortie. I've witnessed pilots under incredible pressure perform with aplomb. This kind of training is ALL FOR THE GOOD. I have nothing but respect for you guys. Enough respect to ensure that the pilot in question wasn't proven guilty before the AAIB even managed to catch a train to Glasgow. Yeah mate, if it wasn't bad enough that all those poor folks were hurt / killed the 24 hour rolling crud service had to fill the airtime with some rubbish. Well theirs was just insulting. At least I could proffer some possibilities based on my LIMITED knowledge. Which I did. Fortunately they had a trainee helicopter pilot (I think) on a short time after me adding a lot more substance. Which was great! At no point did I pretend to be something I was not.
So what did you do, Paracrap? Did you just sit there and cringe? Did you not get so hacked off with my off-target assessment that you reached for the phone to help add clarity? Help exonerate your pilot brother before the Beeb pinned it all on him. No, you just decided to sit their and moan about it and criticise those who weren't coming up to scratch? You could have provided so much clarity, Paracrap (and the others who didn't lift a finger to provide profession guidance to the BBC...and you had the knowledge), but you decided to become just another faceless internet asshole and pass judgement....just like the Beeb were doing to your brother pilot by inference.
Your Sincerely
Andy Dixon
[email protected]