November is a long time ago in news terms.
Since then I have spoken to 'The Met' and confirmed that joining NPAS is merely delayed. At that time [last month] the delay was to October but the engineering is more of a sticking point in that six months ago the Met engineering was doomed to go in March. That will not happen in March or October so may prove the biggest headache for NPAS overall.
Of course another week or so has passed so even October may have its doubters by now!
Meanwhile the Met are dealing with some calls to Hertfordshire [spitting distance from Lippitts] and available on the 24 hour call out option, which no doubt keeps their immediate neighbours happy as a pair of turbines always sounds better at 3am when repeated more regularly.
The aspect I do not yet grasp is...... if London policing consumes 3,300 hours per year from 3 aircraft that should in fact be more in number where on earth is the spare capacity to serve Herts and Beds supposed to come from?
Putting in 135s in place of the 145s might improve availability of the three airframes [because they are far more efficient and modern] but at hundreds of hours the nominal air support requirement of the former Chiltern north way outstrips the claim that the 'Met will cover'