Swine flu hysteria aka excuses for jobsworths

[NorthSouth]

Q) EGPX/QFALT/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5526N00541W005
FROM: 09/05/01 15:43 TO: 09/05/14 08:40 EST
E) DUE TO SWINE INFLUENZA PREVENTION MEASURES ALL TRAFFIC INTENDING TO USE CAMPBELTOWN AD ARE REMINDED OF PPR REQUIREMENTS. NO ACFT WILL BE ACCEPTED INTO CAMPBELTOWN WITHOUT PPR. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. AIR AMBULANCE AND SAR FLIGHTS REMAIN UNAFFECTED.This is the most extreme of a number of NOTAMs relating to HIAL-owned airfields. What a load of BS. No other airport has introduced this requirement. HIAL have always been completely anal about PPR. Some of their airfields have for a long time had a "3 hours PNR" requirement in their AIP entry and on one occasion when I phoned up for PPR and told them when I was coming they said it wasn't acceptable because it was less than the required 3 hours. I pointed out to them that I was a private flight with no requirement for any air traffic services or fire/rescue facilities and in any case also held a HIAL indemnity for out of hours use by that aircraft. They reluctantly agreed. It's conceivable that someone might want to fly into Campbeltown from Mexico, but if they did I'm sure it would be a first. As to imposing same requirements at Barra (which they do), this really is just jobsworthism gone mad. Do Caledonian-Macbrayne insist on flu tests for everyone getting on the ferry to Barra? Is there a road block on the A83 somewhere north of Campbeltown where face-masked military doctors force people to have flu tests? Are there mandatory flu tests for passengers getting on the twice-daily schedule from Glasgow to Campbeltown? No, thought not. What a load of boll*x. Who are these people that think up these things? And who are the people in the AIS office who no doubt think "oh it's not my place to question..."?
NS

[JohnRayner]

I wouldn't be a pig-farmer in Cairo around now...

[goatface]

If you bear in mind that at this time of year, for a few months, aircraft movements at Campbletown increase considerably.
These consist mostly of camoflaged and other grey aircraft, which contain members of UK special forces and military personnel from across the pond, who proceed to run around the island behaving in a Military fashion.

Given all they've been through in the last few years, it would be a shame for any one who' suffered in the heat of the desert to come over to Scotland and peg it due to a couple of pigs not using hankerchiefs.

[NorthSouth]

So let me get this right Goatface. You think HIAL is imposing strict PPR requirements at Campbeltown so that members of the SAS don't get swine flu from the residents of Kintyre. Now let me just think through how that works. OC 47 Sqn phones up to say he's sending a Herc to Campbeltown. Airport tells him he needs 3 hours notice. This gives airport staff time to make sure all the residents of Kintyre are tested for swine flu and issued with face masks, and anyone who sneezes is kept indoors. Yep, now I see the sense in the NOTAM.

Now then, what about this one:
Q) EGPX/QFAAP/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5701N00727W005
FROM: 09/05/01 12:38 TO: 09/05/15 12:20
E) DUE TO SWINE INFLUENZA AD IS STRICTLY PPR, AIR AMBULANCE AND SAR ACFT NOT AFFECTED.That's at Barra. Lots of SAS exercises there?
NS

[gasax]

You're being really really unreasonable NS. You have no idea just how much admin / paperwork / office cleaning and press releases and committee meetings you have to do to squander over £20M per annum on administering these generally deserted airfields. There are signs to maintain, contractors to cut the grass, the odd invoice to issue - it is gruelling.

And then this disaster arrives - swine flu - my God it could wipe out of airfield traffic and then there would be even less than there is..........

[Captain Smithy]

Considering that out of 50million+ residents of the UK a whole terrifyingly massive 27 people have a bit of a sniffle, Britain seems to be getting its breeks in an awful twist over nothing.

"Swine Flu Prevention Measures"... Pish. Someone is obviously 1) a bit quiet at work or 2) chasing after brownie points/promotion.

Smithy

[goatface]

NS - my response was supposed to be tongue in cheek, trotter in jowel or whatever (note to self - must try harder...).

I must admit that, having previously worked for Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd in a previous life, nothing they do suprises me - one can only wonder at the questions being asked of an aircraft operator wanting to go into Barra, Campbeltown or the other airports;

"Have you, or any of your passengers, in the last 12 months, eaten Mexican food, worn a sombrero, had fantasies about dressing up as a bandit, sneezed more than once, are suffering from the McSnuffles or had a tendancy to prefer pigs to sheep?".

[Fright Level]

Just boil up the kettle and give them some Oinksip Max (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaycast/3487912063/) until they feel better :}

[dublinpilot]

This is the most extreme of a number of NOTAMs relating to HIAL

What's extreme about it :confused:

As I read it, it's simply a reminder of an existing PPR requirement, and dosen't introduce anything new? Perhaps I'm reading it differently to you, or there is more to it than the simply notam, but it does say

ALL TRAFFIC INTENDING TO USE CAMPBELTOWN AD ARE REMINDED OF PPR REQUIREMENTS

Can you explain what has changed? :confused:

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

What's extreme about it

I think it's the "DUE TO SWINE INFLUENZA PREVENTION MEASURES" that raises an eyebrow....

Why is Macrihanish 'International' any different from Little Snoring or Southend, or any one of the hundreds of airfields in the UK? Just another example of the pathetic media frenzy bull**** that we have come to expect since Lord Reith passed away.

[Mike Cross]

No use phoning for PPR; all you'll get on the line is crackling.

[Red Four]

It's right to be worried for the humans: all the pigs that get it can be 'cured' anyway.

[Captain Smithy]

Sounds like a load of porkies to me.

[piky]

How many snifflers in the UK Captain?:D

[17thhour]

I flew in the other day, while this NOTAM was up.

When I called up for PPR everything was normal, and I asked about the notam and they didn't really have much to say about it. And they didn't ask me if i have swine flu before I flew in either, so no point to it really!

[cockney steve]

but if they'd been rasher the airports would have been closed altogether....or they may trotter nother excuse out.

[Jofm5]

obviously its there to save their bacon should there be an outbreak.

[Fark'n'ell]

PIG FLU

Bah

Just another flu variant going around.Wonder what the flu variant was that killed millions in 1918?

Sounds to me like someone or some organization is trying to capitalize on this NEW flu variant.Whatever happened to the Avian flu?
Only a couple of years ago but everyone seems to have forgotten about that.