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Old 3rd May 2014, 09:58
  #71 (permalink)  
Lima Juliet
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 4,333
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I would offer that you don't need to be qualified on type to see issues. In fact, often the 'new boys', cross-overs and foreign exchange officers see something that, in hindsight, was glaringly onvipus in my experience - making those that have flown a type for so many years (especially from the same station) think why they hadn't spotted it before. Furthermore, in recent times, Service Inquiries and Boards of Inquiry have been made up of people not 100% ensconced in the accident aircraft type - they see things that others much closer can't see. There are many, including myself, that think its 'unhealthy' to spend more than 10-15 years on the same type. Plenty of the new blood in 2FTS don't have long backgrounds in VGS activity, but they bring a wealth of different experience. I also hope that we have left the days of "you've got no experience of this, so you have no voice" scenarios.

I don't want to go too far into specifics as I don't want to identify the exact nature of the examples - I'm trying to keep this anonymous! However, if I may come back on one?

Did you know that hand-held anenometers are very inaccurate and the position that you stand in, the height that you hold it above the ground and the proximity of obstructions will have a drastic effect on the measured wind-speed? I didn't until I spoke to the Met Officer. Wind observations are made at 10 metres above the ground and out of the lee of any obstacles. So if you use a handheld anenometer by holding it 2 metres above the ground, then you have to add 30% to the anenometer's reading to get the observed wind? There are also rules for obstacles, such as standing below the adjacent horizon and near to trees/caravans. I didn't until I looked into things after that event. In fact, there is whole book on Met Observation that I was unaware of - I am now much wiser having read it!

Here is the book - Observer's Handbook (M.O.1028) - Met Office

Please, don't think I am trying to preach or score points - I'm not. As I have said before, the VGS do a wonderful job, giving up their weekends and introducing youths to flying for the first time. All I want is for the VGS, as part of the RAF, to learn from the lessons of others and not sit entrenched in a view of "we've been doing this for years and haven't killed anyone yet, so it must be alright'. All of the examples above could be the slices of swiss cheese about to line up that are the causal factors of serious injury. Anyone may not be significant enough to be the sole cause, but linked together they make the opportunity for a mishap.

I also know that many in the VGS feel frustrated about this temporary pause; especially given the poor winter we have had accross the country. However, seeking a derogation from the MAA when anomolies are found because 'the chaps want to go flying' isn't really going to cut it (yes, there is an amount of flippancy in that comment).

Finally, on reports/audits. These are spot-light views over 1-2 days over a year or two - there can be serious lapses inbetween these audits and no-one would ever know. Expiry dates and paperwork can be in order on the day of audit/inspection but by next weekend they can be out of date. That is the nature of not having constant supervision. The examples I've highlighted come about from having people watching day to day, that is how you pick up errors and make the system better. The same can be said of STANEVAL checks - you can have a really bad day or a really good day, but is it indicative of your day to day performance?

Here's hoping that you guys get back flying soon, we can move forward and continue to run with the gradual improvement program that appears to be coming from 2FTS.

LJ

PS. Please accept my apology if you believed that I was being defamatory - that was not my intent. I simply wanted to highlight that VGS make mistakes/errors like any other human factors related activity.
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