agustawestland and blair

[katherine]

hi helicopter enthusiasts,

i am a journalist trying to do a story about the labour party using helicopters during the last election. i think they mainly used agustawestland but can anyone remember?

many thanks

katherine

[M.Mouse]

If you were a journalist surely your keyboard would have a 'Shift' key?

Most journalists who I know take pride in the appearance of their written English.

[Droopystop]

I don't remember seeing his Blairship alighting from a Merlin, but I do remember him unfolding himself from a French job.

[HeliEng]

Yes, you are correct, it was one of Bond Offshore Helicopters AS332L2's I believe.

[NickLappos]

katherine,

Let me apologize on behalf of all ppruners for the impolite Mr. M. Mouse, who added nothing to the discourse, and quite a bit to the rudeness shown you on our Main Street.

Please feel free to CAPITALIZE, lower case or even italicize your posts!

Nick

[GBALU53]

Poor old joe public footing the bill for Tonies Tours or trips or vacations.????

Hopefully the next election will sort some thing out??

[CRAZYBROADSWORD]

Just out of interest whats wrong with the PM using helicopters or aeroplanes Bush has a small fleet of both.I am not saying by the way that I am a Labour fan far from it but have you tried getting about by car ??

[GBALU53]

How about the old saying trains,planes and automobiles not at the tax payer???:ok:

[M.Mouse]

Mr Lappos

Thank you for apologising for my rudeness.

I should have been a little less cutting in showing my dislike for the laziness some people seem to have developed that saves them the effort of following normal written conventions. It causes the reader more effort and to read slower, I also happen to think is rude.

I also dislike the muck racking journalism focusing on a relatively inconsequential cost, in the overall scheme of things, which serves to belittle and diminish the importance of the real issues in the stinking world of British politics, despite me despising Tony Bliar in the first place.

That is of course assuming 'katherine' is a real journalist.

Thank you again for apologising on my behalf, very kind.

[headsethair]

to katherine.

First, not all of here are "helicopter enthusiasts" because sometimes, like you, we have a bad day at work.

Here's yours.

With a little Googleing you could find out much more information......suggest you use the terms "Lord Haughey", "Premi Air" (a suitable title don't you think?), "JCB" and "McAlpine". This, you will find, covers the 2 main political parties and their rotary supplies.

A quick search of Declaration of Members' Interests database will elicit plenty of free air travel for our leaders. (Obviously J Prescott is only listed on Declaration of Interesting Members).

And finally, call some fellow journos and ask how much they were charged for their seats on political helicopters during the last Election. Then ask to see a copy of the AOC for Labour and Conservative parties. And while you're about it - apparently the PM's office has been selling seats on aircraft recently. Ask to see their AOC.

All of that should mean that you will always remain katherine, and never be Lady Katherine.

[luoto]

Actually many news reporters ("journalists") I have seen both on an international or national level or agency don't always have the best WRITTEN skills. They are skilled at information gathering (who said getting it wrong in the cheap seats), articulating the key points and ferreting out information but their technical language skills can be variable. That is why there are the often rare specious called Sub Editors. Of course in this digital age where the world and his dog can publish the older craft skills are lessened.

But to pick on a journo here for a typo is a bit pissy. What about the great pilots who pay attention to detail. Should they be picked on for routine typo failiures. Else should one assume a typo here is just the same when putting info in the flight computers. Of course not.

But let's find out where the fragrant inquisitor is from first before casting oil :)

[Whirlygig]

I also dislike the muck racking journalism
Bloomin' 'eck love, she was only asking which helicopters were used. Hardly muck raking.

http://www.edendale.co.uk/ANW/BTN.HG14.html

In these pictures, he appears to be using a Sikorsky76.

Headsethair raises an interesting point but, were the journalists being charged for the helicopter flight or for the pleasure of the politician's company and the politician happens to be on board a heli!

Cheers

Whirls

[Bomber ARIS]

...no; but you have misspelled squirrel :}




(Warning: a Twin Squirrel has two engines but only one 'l')

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

now THAT'S inexcusable !!

[WHBM]

(Obviously J Prescott is only listed on Declaration of Interesting Members)
Is there a helicopter type available in the UK with sufficient lift capacity for Mr P ?

[Whirlygig]

I'm not sure but I think the Chinook might be the only one!

Cheers

Whirls

[Robbo Jock]

... and then he could also be known as "two rotors," along with all his other "two" appellations - "two Jags," "two houses," "two women," etcetera, etcetera. (Or should that be "two etceteras"?)

[ascj]

Never did i think i'd live to see the day that i'd find a group of people who could scare away a journalist!

[Heliport]

Katherine

From memory -

Blair used a Sikorsky S-76 and (I think) a Eurocopter Super Puma during the last Election.
He used a Super Puma in the February preceding the Election for the launch of the Labour party's pledge card - whatever that was.

http://www.m3fe.com/images/helicopterdepart.jpg

PS:
You are, of course, free to write as you wish. However, it does seem a little odd that a professional wordsmith doesn't use capitals where appropriate.
Do you write for the Grauniad? ;)

[headsethair]

Is there a special offer at Threshers I've missed ?

[luoto]

" it does seem a little odd that a professional wordsmith doesn't use capitals where appropriate."

Of course, all pilots also follow all SOPS, radio calls etc etc in accordance with the best Co/ICAO/etc standards :)

And what about my Accent. It is nay Billy Connolly...

[Heliport]

luoto

If you think starting sentences with a capital letter in accordance with conventional grammar is even remotely comparable with following "all SOPS, radio calls etc etc in accordance with the best Co/ICAO/etc standards" then I'm lost in admiration for your ability as a pilot.
Most of us find one rather more difficult than the other. :)

[luoto]

No. It was more a comment about how shock horror a journalist has bad grammar in an online forum (when on PPRUNE there are many offenders) when not all pilots and other personnel follow the best practices for their craft.

Cobbler's shoes, Electrician's wiring, Journalist's Grammar, Pilot's...

The "oh a journo" type sh1t is nearly as ball aching as the RY squabbles. Yes, RY has a lot of interesting issues, just like the media, But don't tar everyone with the same brush. Many people like to fly with RY (work there ?) and many people like to read the Sun or Flight Intl. Big deal. Just as many even vote Labour (why, I don't know, but that's up to them!).

[Droopystop]

Katherine,

I think you will find (and I am willing to be corrected on this) that the only Augusta Westland aircraft in the UK were the military Merlin. The 139 was still Augusta Bell at the time of the election. Were there any on the civillian register at the time of the last election? Air Harrods might have had one, but I am not sure, anyone know?

[Non-PC Plod]

He was definitely in a S 76 when he came to our neck of the woods. I even got our boss to put fireman's rig on for the occasion (for fire-fighting as opposed to exotic dancing duties). He would have looked the part if he had managed to put the helmet on the right way round!
Did we chortle?

[katherine]

thanks to all of you who offered help. my interest is that i think there are some close connections between the company and labour inner circles.

katherine

[anti-talk]

not surprised - remember Michael Hesseltine!!!!

[FloaterNorthWest]

katherine,

Look at the 32 Sqn contract.

Say no more.

FNW ;)

[ppheli]

This thread is rapidly turning into an English spelling and semantics thread - and then DroppyStopp goes and spells Agusta as if it's a golf club in Georgia! ;)