Army helicopter used for pizza run & other stories

[automan]

quite amusing story from one of the british newspapers


A british army helicopter pilot was caught using a 3 million pound (sterling) helicopter to rush a pizza to his beloved girlfriend

Must be true Love


http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005061215,00.html

:D

[Captain Pheremone]

Hope he got a screw out of her cos he's gona get screwed by the RAF..... a guy just can't have any fun anymore!!!!!!!!!

[roundwego]

You call the Sun a newspaper ???????

[helipedro]

Had it Pepperoni and anchovies?
:p

[helicopter-redeye]

Dominos Pizza face increasing criticism for slow delivery times and cool food on the doorstep. "We have a new system for delivery that will solve this problem once and for all" said Mr P Domino, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Domino's Inc ".. and there’s nuttin’ you ladies can do about it" - News Item


Perhaps the AAC could arrange an escort from an AH1 Apache to ensure 'no interference'


:E




(sorry it is early in the morning and I have not had my choccy ration yet)

[left_hand_drive]

On BBC News website.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4245723.stm


A lieutenant has been disciplined after using an Army helicopter to deliver a pizza to his girlfriend.

The incident on 25 January saw the unnamed officer divert from a routine training flight over Stanford, Norfolk, to take the fast food.

The Ministry of Defence refused to name the officer, from 659 Squadron, or divulge how he was punished.

A spokesman said: "The chain of command doesn't condone these sorts of actions. The individuals have been disciplined."

He added: "During a routine low-level training sortie, somebody decided it would be an opportunity to use it for a delivery."

The extra cost caused by the diversion is not known.

The pizza was understood to have been delivered to a female officer cadet at an Army range at Thetford, Norfolk.

The Ministry of Defence spokesman was unable to confirm what toppings were on the pizza.


If you could, wouldn't YOU??? :ok:

[DBChopper]

Good on him!

I'd rather a Lynx turn up in the street than a scrote on a moped any day (even if the topping does all end up to one side...).

:E

[VoicesFromTheCreche]

Wonder if it was still hot on delivery?

Army - marching - stomach!!!!

Did it come with garlic bread?

[treadigraph]

Can't be any noisier than the bl@@dy scooters (and I don't mean A-4s!) the little gits use around here...

[headsethair]

Quite like the BBC news take on this :

A lieutenant has been disciplined after using an Army helicopter to deliver a pizza to his girlfriend.

The incident on 25 January saw the unnamed officer divert from a routine training flight over Stanford, Norfolk, to take the fast food.

The Ministry of Defence refused to name the officer, from 659 Squadron, or divulge how he was punished.

A spokesman said: "The chain of command doesn't condone these sorts of actions. The individuals have been disciplined."

He added: "During a routine low-level training sortie, somebody decided it would be an opportunity to use it for a delivery."

The extra cost caused by the diversion is not known.

The pizza was understood to have been delivered to a female officer cadet at an Army range at Thetford, Norfolk.

The Ministry of Defence spokesman was unable to confirm what toppings were on the pizza.

[TurbineTooHot]

Silly sod, getting rumbled like that.

Bet it was the pongo who missed out on the last slice who grassed....

Or the one bloke that likes anchovies......

Hey, don't they want us to find ways of making training more realistic.

1: Transportation of valuable cargo.
2: Keeping to timeline (it'll get cold).
3: Disribution of aid to the starving (bet they were and all).
4: MACP (a service to the local community).

All legit. Jesus the PR machine at Whitehall needs me for spin purposes. Campbell eat your heart out. If you have one...

TTH

[Sarahs]

.......................umm, can I have a 9" cheese and tom for midday, please.................................;)

[belly tank]

I hope it got delivered in 30 mins or $2.00 off!!!

I guess the defence spokes person didnt get any pizza if they werent able to confirm what toppings were on the disc!....did they have a voucher?.......2 for $15.95 and a free coke and garlic bread

[rotaryman]

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Pissed myself Laughing......

If we don't deliver in 30min its free !!!!

I once landed in a McDonalds carpark walked in and ordered lunch etc,,the manager said " hey mate wouldn't it fit through the Drive Through " ??:E

Also delivered Beer to a Marlin Boat, had a crewie deliver it by lowering down with a rope....:ok:

Expensive Pizza though............:\

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

I believe his girlfriend also requested a 9 incher:E

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[Splash Coxswain]

So, Sarahs,

You want Tom's 9" cheeser by midday? Hhhhmmmm!

[What Limits]

Following on from the Daily Rag story about the 'Army helicopter used to deliver pizza', what other abuse stories are out there?

I was once required to fly a box of photographic transparencies from a far outpost of the empire (Germany) to a very large grass airfield in south central England so that one officer could brief another. Cost to tax payer = £ impressive !

[Vfrpilotpb]

Sounds a little like, HRH The Prince Andrew ... dropping into Sandringham with his crew to have tea and cakes... eh!

or is that allowed?

Vfr:E

[Fortyodd]

;) Well, it's certainly not the first time!!!! There was a 4 ship, NVG CAT 3 sortie in BATUS that delivered several Pizzas to most of the Squadron. (Yes, I know 4 Lynx serviceable in the same part of the world at the same time may seem unbelieveable!!). The hardest part was convincing the man bringing them to the edge of the training area that it wasn't a wind up!!

:ok:

[AllTrimDoubt]

So...Golf=ok, Pizza=in the pooh!

What's the problem? If the flight was properly auth'd, had training value and the LZ was legal then good on the bloke. It's about time we had a bit of fun back in the job.

Once the fuss dies down I sincerely hope it does the chap no harm long-term. Ideal chap for Rations Officer 2ndary duty!

(I wonder if he'd deliver more eggs to Buff H?)

[belly tank]

ROTARY MAN

you must be in a different state champ! and it sounds like you get a better deal, but the bludgers in my town only give us $2.00 off if there over the 30 mins!....

i once delivered fresh Salmon to a corporate group who were kayaking down a river our way and at their overnight spot i delivered 3 whole salmon in an ice filled esky. if you work it out it cost $500 per salmon for a crew of 10 of them...but then again beggers cant be choosers!!

time i goto bed now!...layovers for 2 days are too much fun especially when you get to take your laptop!!

[whoateallthepies]

When on SAR at Coltishall (detachment from Leconfield) the Queen was due to visit the station and we were to be introduced to her.
The winch op and winchman were both long service Master Aircrew.
For reasons best known to themselves they had both forgotten to bring a hat!
We had to jump in the old wessex and fly back to Leconfield just to collect their hats, so that the guys were correctly attired when they saluted HM.

Expensive hats but then Liz was paying for it anyway.

[ORAC]

See the New Job Opportunities (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=161837&highlight=badge) thread.

[belly tank]

while im on a roll tonight!..and following on from my salmon delivery in the pizza thread, i once had to deliver a hydraulic ram for a piece of machinery to a mine site which was about 2.5 hrs in a 206.....but the down time cost a lot more than the delivery!....for a mining comapany!

whilst were on the subject im on another helicopter monetry abuse job, large automobile comapany flying journos around for a new car release, test drive reports etc!.. 3 helos over a week every day...major junket...but hey im having fun. layover tonight for 2 nights good fun!!!

[B Sousa]

Good thing.Pizza runs are dangerous and expensive.... Im glad the US Army never did that........Ha Ha
If I had a dollar for every case of Beer we hauled or Nurse that got nailed in a Huey, I would be a rich man........

[hyd3failure]

Yes, I know 4 Lynx serviceable in the same part of the world at the same time may seem unbelieveable!!).

Please insert the word ARMY between "4" and "Lynx". The RN Lynx is maintained to a much higher standard and consequently doesn't have a servicability problem.

[missing lynx]

In my mind the only thing he did "wrong" was get caught. I will eat my hat if there is not a single pilot out there who has done anything atleast as funny as this. It is not like anybodys life was put in danger or anything like that. Lost count of the number of times i have buzzed down low or shot another circuit just because there was a pretty girlie that caught my eye and fancied me in my turbine powered love rocket! (she is only human!). Wont go into too many details but cargo is not always as per the manifest and lets face it any toms on the ground with hot dry dusty throats love the taste of a cold fresh beer or fresh rations. Frowned on?-probably, will it stop me?-never!
Lighten up and cut the guy some slack and dont punnish him for being what a pilot is at heart-alive.

[missing lynx]

from south uk to american px at frankfurt-long navex and shame not to pick up tax free harley whilst there!
What a sham to mildenhall for beer for a barbie!

[belly tank]

well said Lynx....well said!!!...we are all showbags at heart!!!! [defenition for showbag?...you know when you go to the show and you get a showbag?...whats in it?....its full of ****!!!]

Sousa....id love to hear about you carpentry nailing experience in the huey one day!!!!.....hope you were using low velocity projectiles!!!

BT

[dwaynedibley]

"maintained to a much higher standard"

Oh really......

Would that be a fish head doing a little fishing..

[charliegolf]

I recall a 33 sqn pilot fai hair and of ruddy complexion who bought a flash motorbike from Newcastle or nearby.

Then he wangled a job at otterburn, sneaked off on the return and picked up the bike.

Sorted.

Crapped himself subsequently, when he received a copy of the local rag that the bike shop guy had used for free publicity!

Got away with it.

CG

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

"Would that be a fish head doing a little fishing"

No that would be crossbow's pal being a tw@t:p

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Poor guy, they'll probably hang him for doing what we've all done (or wanted to do). In the 80's I did 3 NAVEXs from Wallop to Wildenrath in a stripped out Scout to get "Herfie Handbags" for a Sergeants Mess do. We called them training flights !!

Things have changed I suppose, but the two cardinal rules have always been never volunteer and don't get caught !!

[Tony Chambers]

Say no more......
http://www.arrse.com/cpgn/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=12612
:ok:

[Big Cat Handler]

Please insert the word ARMY between "4" and "Lynx". The RN Lynx is maintained to a much higher standard and consequently doesn't have a servicability problem.

But given that you can only fit one on the back of a boat, what are the chances of seeing 4 Navy Lynx together, serviceable or otherwise?

[hyd3failure]

Only fit 1.... Opps. Not strictly correct is it fella?

The following ships with flightdecks can operate more than 1 Lynx:

CVS
LPH
LPD
T22
T23
WAVE
FORT
ARGUS

The following ships with flightdecks which can only operate 1 Lynx are:

T42

Does anyone know the correct definition of a Fishhead?

[verticalhold]

While flying for a large North Sea operator I was called out on a Sunday afternoon freighter to the Brent oilfield. Freight weighed in at 20lbs and was in the boot of the Puma when I arrived. Flew 350nm to find out the freight was the Sunday papers. God knows how they make so much profit:E

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

"Does anyone know the correct definition of a Fishhead?"

Yes, if used in conjunction with 2 very prolific prune posters who are almost certainly one and the same, then it means tw@t:p

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[hyd3failure]

Nope, thats a Rupert. A fishhead is a RN Officer who was formerly known as a Seaman Officer. I.E. Non WAFU's and guys who spend their entire life at Sea.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Depends - I've heard not FAA RN Officers (non Seaman/Warfare) also describe their colleagues as Fisheads.....

[hyd3failure]

NEway, getting back to the main thread - What a great tale. More of that I say

[AllTrimDoubt]

WEBF

Surprised you had time to hear anything let alone retain said info given your own brief time of service...

And, for the record, I've got phot evidence of oparating 3 of said maritime cats from my f/d. Bit of a squeeze and the SE recovery plan during launches/recoveries would have involved an almighty splash had it happened!

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Didn't hear it then......

[airborne_artist]

hyd3

You missed out one multi-Lynx platfrom - Endurance. The previous Endurance was perhaps unique in that she operated 2 Wasp (and 2 Whirlwind before that).

[hyd3failure]

Good one - Forgot about her. Thanks for the gentle reminder.

[ShyTorque]

Flungdung,

Was she really still there in 1986? She must have tried that one every year since 1979! Op Raleigh, as in BIKE? ;)

A certain RAF helicopter pilot, having landed on a Scottish estate to visit a lady friend, was accosted by a little old lady who told him he shouldn't be there. Said pilot, not known for his diplomacy, told her exactly where to go, in no uncertain terms. The pilot was horrified to hear shortly afterwards that she was in fact the wife of the Laird himself, on whose estate said helicopter was illegally parked.

Said pilot, back at base, thought he had better "process" the Staish's mail for a while. Sure enough, a letter with a Scottish postmark was duly intercepted! An apologetic reply was drafted, explaining that the pilot would be severely dealt with if not court martialled for this terrible misdemeanour. End of issue, thought pilot, job well done!

Not so, a further reply appeared from the Laird, quoting first letter and saying that a court martial was too harsh, etc etc.

Shortly afterwards came the cry: "B***n - My office - NOW!"

True story!

[Stan Switek]

One of the worst abuses I ever saw was by a government agency. Using a King Air for a flight to a neighboring country to pick up carne asada for an anual BBQ.

[tall and tasty]

I was hoping I would find this today on pprune!!

Heard it on the news this morning absolutely brillant!!

Wish there were more that would bend the rules just a little :ok: :ok:

As Long as no one gets hurt!

TnT

(Guess I should now expect the onslaught!)

;) :p

[FJJP]

Oops! I hope the journos don't catch wind of:

Haggis from Leuchars during lunchtime turn-round...

or

Delivering frozen Chinese and curries to Benbecula during lunchtime turn-round...

or

Salmon from Machrihanish during lunchtime turn-round...

or

Salmon and char from Goose Bay at the end of a ten-day ranger...

etc

We could keep them going in headlines for months!

I know what my reply would be if a journo from THAT paper asked for a trip in MY aircraft, and it starts and finishes with 'f'...

or

Maybe a one hour trip with non-stop aeros at +6 to -2g, only one barf bag with a hole in it and a bucket and mop waiting for him on the line...

[greenarrow]

Spent many an exercise in Germany sat with the Helarm team (3-4 lynx) along side a bratty stand refueling our own internal tanks.
Delivered boxes for members of the squadron to their new postings (training flights).
Collected various types of german beer for the squadron party (liason flights).
Even found the bus load of nurses from Rinteln hospital.(Regimental party).
So whats wrong with pizza delivery!

[Shawn Coyle]

Many years ago at a distant Canadian Forces base, a UH-1N was called out to hover over the baseball diamond to dry it for an important game that night. (not me flying....)
Also have used a Chinook to clear ice off a runway at a UK base...

[ShyTorque]

Fun Police Rampant - if it's fun or shows any initiative or high morale it must be stopped IMMEDIATELY!

:(

[Si Clik]

Apart from the bitching here the best part about this story is it appears from a quick google search to have been syndicated worldwide.

This is one famous Army pilot.

And good luck to him too.

:D

[airborne_artist]

The Telegraph is also running the story. They have content-sensitive ads (served by Google) on the R of the article. Dominos has two of the three spots! Their picture editor had chosen a Lynx HASx to accompany the article, of course.

Jokes about mozzarella will be dealt with by the mods, I am reliably informed.

[Oggin Aviator]

Bet the journos wouldnt shout about the RN aircraft returning to their ships from shoreside who routinely take a stack of newspapers for the crew. Pizza / newspaper - Whats the difference? As someone as said, if the flight was properly authed, briefed and it was legal to land in the LZ then what is the problem?

Oggin

[Dancing Bear]

Know of a few chaps on 33 Sqn in the early nineties who, whilst on excercise in Turkey, took a Puma for a jaunt to the carpet shop (Owners cousin was related to the Turkish Liaison officer) for a spot of fine rugs purchasing, parked it in the Car/Helicopter park, therefore a CAL achieved, luckily it was out of town and fairly open! No-one ever seemed to make a fuss about that, seems this chap displayed some great initiative and brought a bit of fun back to the job, certainly would have raised a bunch of laughs in any crewroom I've ever served in! Glad he hasn't been drummed out for realising there is more to life than serving the flippin rule book, seems the only reason it has raised attention is because he got rumbled by the OC Sandhurst, the answer is obviously just timing! Glad to see his bosses have backed him up, low level training, CALs etc etc, only the Pizza wasn't auth'd! Next Auth sheet, insert Mr D 'Omino

[hyd3failure]

Bet the journos wouldnt shout about the RN aircraft returning to their ships from shoreside who routinely take a stack of newspapers for the crew

pizza/newspapers...whats the difference?

1. The sortie would not have been JUST to pick up the papers.

2. The sortie would have been correctly authorised.

3. The newspapers would have consisted of:

1 - Times
2 - Telegraph
5 - Daily Mail
50 - Sun (page 3 omitted of course)

[Oggin Aviator]

Hyd3 what is your point?
The sortie would not have been JUST to pick up the papers.
Why not? Its called HDS and its what the pingers did in the Adriatic for most of the mid nineties - there was s*d all else for them to do!
The sortie would have been correctly authorised.
Agree.
The newspapers would have consisted of: Times/Telegraph/Lots of the Sun
Yup, therefore not likely to be made a big deal of by some publications.

[hyd3failure]

I was replying to a previous thread which suggested that the Army Lynx delivering Pizza was the same as a Navy Lynx delivering the papers. It clearly is not the same as the Navy Lynx would have been authorised to pick up the papers whilst the Army Lynx was not authorised to deliver the Pizza.

Notwithstanding that I reckon that fella deserves a pat on the back. Well done matey for bringing a smile and a chuckle back into the crewrooms.

oh and BTW, The pingers did NOT just pick up the papers. They were in Bari on very important and serious operational missions.....

Every Tuesday and Thursday without fail....

Ops Normal to the wife
Tea and sticky buns with the lads waiting for the Herc
Perv at the sassy Italian ladies...etc etc...Yep, Top secret mission the old Bari run...

[Oggin Aviator]

I was not saying they were the same sort of sortie per se, only that headlines of RN aircraft delivering say, newspapers, would not appear whereas headlines of the pizza delivery will.

I agree that it is a good story but really no big deal. Just hope the a/c captain didnt cop too much of a b*ll*cking.

[hyd3failure]

But why wouldn't headlines stating that the Navy flew a Helicopter ashore to pick up the papers, make the headlines?

At the end of the day whats the difference? Apart from the sortie has been correctly authorised.

[Oggin Aviator]

Because, IMHO, the papers wouldnt want to diss something that is actually benefitting them.

[handysnaks]

Back in 1980 my then girlfriend (now wife), was flown from Wildenrath to Detmold in a gazellicopter just for a lunchtime chat!...
Actually, the Aircraft was on a stores run but the effect was the same:D

(Now I don't think she'd walk into the next room for a chat!:E ..and she says I never speak to her anyway:confused:
Dunno why she complains, I spoke to her that lunchtime didn't I?):p

[Tube Launched]

well it will make you chuckle when you hear that the officer in question is in fact IC aircrew rations!!

:uhoh:

[CyclicRick]

Greenarrow....that wouldn't be the famous Einbeck bratty per chance would it? The staff in that one were used to it, everytime an execise was on they got visited regularly!
Did some heliskiing once in Winterberg with a Lynx. Went hunting for topless sunbathing birds all the time on our "low level training exercises". Caught a couple in a car once with steamed up windows, all we saw was awhite bare arse and lots of attempted covering up ;)

[Sloppy Link]

Fail to see the problem here, I have delivered pizzas, tea urns, ammunition, rocks and mail and nurses to mention but a few things all of which were needed at the time to raise morale and all of which required an element of aviation planning in some respect. Do they wish us to simply take off, fly from A to B and then return? Where is the training value in that, if the pizza job was an exercise in "hot" planning (no pun intended) then he has gained from the experience. Just as the man who was diverted to a Barracks in Germany whilst on his annual check did....to pick me and my broken motorbike up! ;)

[jbrereton]

I remember a certain pilot using a Lynx to deliver his dog to a friend to look after in Hohne 2hr round trip to deliver and same to pick up. Nothing wrong with that.

[Yozzer]

Isnt there a McDonalds with a HLS somewhere near the city of London?

There was/is the equivelant (sp?) about 25 miles SW of Belize International that was a drop in for the SH mates there in the 80s. JBs I believe.

Then there is the infamous Santa Special to Scotland to drop off some Christmas prezzie push bikes.

But my favourite is leaving McGilligan range after a night shoot to route home via a field in Bally^&*(y for Pizza and tinnies. Thanx to mobile phone texting en route (did I say that) co-ordination of said pick up was very straight forward despite an hour + delay due to tasking!

There are lots more, all in the name of Low Level Nav training and strictly en-track!:yuk:

FWIW I "fully" support such deads; If you are prepared to get shafted right left and centre for the UK than why not enjoy the full potential of the green and grey chariots when you can.

[ShyTorque]

During my IOT on Stanford PTA in 1976 we had to prepare a DZ for one assessed "task". To our great surprise, a C130 appeared, ran in at very low level and dropped a bloomin' great pallet onto the DZ! :cool:

To the DS's even greater surprise, strapped to the top of the "authorised" stores was a stack of beer, addressed to "Officer Cadet Q-B"!

Q-B was a retread on our course, late of a certain Herc Sqn.......

The DS initially confiscated the lot, but in view of the threat of a mutiny, we all got a beer at cease play! It never made the papers though :rolleyes:

[A10 Thundybox]

$18,500 tax bill?

That Lynx must have flown via St Tropez!

What a load of Bollox they print, no wonder the Army budget is tight with the Lynx costing £7000 for a ten minute diversion, and Whatasham in Suffolk all that way to, Thetford in erm, Norfolk, gee wizz.

Get a grip

I fcuking hate journos

I know plenty of company jags used by crabs to transport B&O kit,
BFG Lynx's for beer (MTOW!) if the cab's flying then make use of it,if its en-route then great.

"The landing was authed but delivery of a pizza was not"
Pah!

Give the lad a cigar

[Pitch and Break]

Saw an S76 depart Longford for the rigs one sunday with nothing more than chocolate ecclairs onboard for the troopers!:E

[Hiro Protagonist]

I once (before I got out of the ash myself) watched a National Gaurd drop approx. 8,000 gallons of water on (near actually) a single smoking bush.

Serious Heli-Mopping

[A10 Thundybox]

I recall combine 744, that little 3 ship Navex (2 Gazelle, 1 Lynx)from Whatasham to St Tropez. splendid it was, er the navigation I mean.

Learned a lot we did, such a shame that when homeward bound we were forced into a bad weather stop over in...Cognac, aaah.

[BEagle]

"...I have delivered pizzas, tea urns, ammunition, rocks and mail and nurses..."

Splendid - "Quadrastagiione and a horny little blonde nurse to go please. To go, that is, like a belt fed mortar!"

When I was based at Wattisham in the days before the dung-eaters in their horrid clattering horse-scarers took it over, an occasional visitor was a certain 3-bag GAF F4. This would land, taxy in, shut down; the crew would hop out and their bottle of Asbach would be lawfully OK'd by the cutoms wallah. Then the Germans would hang around whilst their jet was towed into a hangar.... It invariably carried a bright yellow 4000 lb centreline tank which, unusually, had a large maintenance access panel.

"Ve are vaiting for unser lift from Cottesmore", they would explain, adding that their 'rules' only permitted them to leave their jet at an RAF F-4 base in case any technical assistance was needed. Bit of a thin story that, since their jet was totally different to the FGR2....

Then their buddy from Cottesmore would turn up in a largish wagon. After a furtive look around, off would come the tank access panel - and out would come all sorts of contraband for their TTTE friends. Not just Bratties and good beer, but once an entire Mercedes Benz exhaust system!

Splendid Teutonic efficiency!

[airborne_artist]

Didn't see the Sky journo moan about his trip with the Kipper fleet to spot Ellen McA on Sunday, nor were the TV crews on HMS Severn complaining about the ride as they filmed her crossing the finish and making her way to Falmouth.

Did/does the MoD charge for such "assistance"?

[TurbineTooHot]

'Kin should do.

Watching Dame MacArthur raise the flag once again. Well in.

However, I reckon the journos should stump up the cash to get in an watch.

Bet that sortie was specifically authed to watch her.

Which is fine, but our gutter-dwelling friends should look at the perks THEY get off us before spouting drivel they can obviously not get their tiny little minds about.

I suspect that the sortie was correctly authed to conduct LL training, CAL, etc in and around the area anyway, and (thinks) or intrepid green aviator why not pop a bit of extra cargo on.

THE SORTIE WAS NOT GENERATED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PIZZA DELIVERY AND HENCE THE MONEY WAS NOT WASTED!!!!

Would the F:mad: KING journos please leave us alone to get on with our jobs and stop ruining HM Armed Forces in almost as serious a way as Buffoon is doing.

It is NOT their God given right.

[automan]

Looks like some folk are taking this posting far to serious, it was only posted for a bit of light entertainment

:ok:

[oxi]

I did 2.5 hours in a flashie french machine for the sake of 6 Tee-bones once, but I guess it was angus....

[Letsby Avenue]

Hanau from Detmold - Exactly 180 degrees for one hour. Tax free shopping in the PX and a burger for lunch. A very regular run......:cool:

[handysnaks]

and don't forget the winter friday afternoon run to check out the snow conditions a Winterberg

[Lowlevldevl]

I once flew a live chicken and some firewood to a Telecom repeater site at 10,000' in PNG so some technicians could have some lunch. About an hour round trip in a LongRanger. I'm sure there are LOTS of helicopter abuse stories to come out of that country.

[wg13_dummy]

Back in the good old days of BAOR, crazy Ivan on the Inner German border etc. During the Summer time at Kassel Airport. Usually filled with about 6-10 AAC cabs from all over the North German Plain partaking in some Kaffee und Kuchen just cos we could!

[missing lynx]

What do they expect?. If you give any normal red blooded male the keys to a fast agile and capable machine and they do not have to pick up the tab, do you expect two little do good robots?. Wake up and smell the coffee!!! If a little larking around and humor was not expected they why make them so damn good to fly in the first place?. As you can see from this thread we all do it, and learn from it. It is what makes us the people we are and if you can fly a helicopter and not feel compeled to enjoy it then should you be flying in the first place. bet even the Wright brothers had a few japes.

Reckon we need a pic of the girlie posted to make sure it was worth it!!!

[SilsoeSid]

"Sid, the CO would like to do a long nav tomorrow, so as you are the only one available ( ;) ), you'll need to pop down to his office for a brief".....

"Ah good evening Sid, I'd like to do a long nav somewhere involving a refuel tomorrow. I suggest somewhere South maybe"
(good evening and tomorrow in the same sentence, usually not good !)

"No probs Sir, how does Wurtzberg sound? We can get a refuel at Giebelstadt ?"

"Can I leave you to plan and book it Sid?"

"Consider it done Sir, (as it already was! :) )

As this was late November, the Christmas list was created with Mrs Sids consultation and we had a jolly shopping trip. (Not with Mrs Sid I add!)"

The best bit was, I was only following orders!
Oh, and the HLS is a mere 100m from the Burger King !

The worst bit was the COs credit card wouldn't work, funny old thing :suspect:

Funny, how many were sat around the crewroom all day (nobody else available, then!), and when we got back the amount of those saying, "I could do with a good PX run"

My reply, don't be afraid to fly with the CO, because you were all asked !! :cool: