NPAS News 2020

[MightyGem]

It would appear that there was a meeting last week. To discuss closing down Hawarden, and moving the aircraft and crews to Barton. That will put most of Wales without any effective air support.

The downward spiral continues.

[Cabby]

It would appear that there was a meeting last week. To discuss closing down Hawarden, and moving the aircraft and crews to Barton. That will put most of Wales without any effective air support.

The downward spiral continues.

Could it be due to the use of drones in Wales? 15 staff trained in using them in North Wales.
https://www.thedrive.com/aerial/17563/welsh-police-are-using-drones-to-fight-crime

[Robbo Jock]

Out of interest, how long can a drone remain airborne over an incident?

[MightyGem]

Out of interest, how long can a drone remain airborne over an incident?
Not sure what the Police are using, but:
https://3dinsider.com/long-flight-time-drones/

Could it be due to the use of drones in Wales? 15 staff trained in using them in North Wales.
Yes, they have their uses, but NW only have two, according to the article. Plus, the operator has to have line of sight with the drone, rather limits the search area.

[Robbo Jock]

Thanks MG, interesting article. So with an absolute max flight time of around half an hour, I wonder how many incidents would require two operators (or both operators in NW) to keep continuous coverage overhead for the duration? Interesting problem for Operational Analysis.

[ShyTorque]

A more significant problem comes from having to drive the equipment and operator to the scene of the incident.

[MightyGem]

Looking for 4 pilots at North Weald.
https://www.npas.police.uk/jobs/line-pilot-helicopter?fbclid=IwAR3h6KiBtOrOPI_P32cK1BTIrjqn-3seyUNi2Gt7RnX65sJd8u2Rx9bUzzo

It seems that the requirement for an Instrument Rating has gone. Just need to:
need to demonstrate instrument flying experience.

[MightyGem]

Some interesting stuff in the latest Police Aviation News:
http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Acrobat/285PANJanuary2020.pdf

[Stitchbitch]

There’s a small NPAS related article towards the end of the news letter, looks like a new flight helmet maintenance service for Police rotor heads.

[[email protected]]

Hope its better than the opening editorial drivel at the front - why use a magazine like this to make crowing political statements?

[MightyGem]

Why not? It's the editor of a Police Aviation magazine giving his opinion o the ongoing debacle that is NPAS.

[PANews]

Crab, as always "Other magazines are available" and I will guess they do not seek to make political statements or for that matter to research this specific subject in any great depth.

In all cases you may find that they are "Subject to the opinions of their advertisers."

You know what they say about "Grumpy Old Men"

[MightyGem]

It would appear that there was a meeting last week. To discuss closing down Hawarden, and moving the aircraft and crews to Barton. That will put most of Wales without any effective air support.

It seems the move is going ahead. :ugh:

[PANews]

In the absence of clear, concise and considered answers to their problems it appears that NPAS are now following Donald Trumps favourite kind of news.

Today Police Oracle, a well regarded subscription UK centric police news website ran with the 'news' that a New £2.5m aircraft added to national police air support fleet (https://www.policeoracle.com/news/police_it_and_technology/2020/Mar/05/new--2-5m-aircraft-added-to-national-police-air-support-fleet-_104225.html). The National Police Air Service has procured four new fixed wing aircraft. The National Police Air Service is adding four Vulcan P68R planes to its capacity to support all 43 forces across England and Wales plus British Transport Police....... Added to this there is a Twitter feed promotion of this historical addition to the NPAS fleet.

It seems that if you cannot bring to the public domain an answer to the many problems faced by NPAS, older unreliable airframes, poor central control and extended lines of reaction you bring in something 'new' to promote the service - even if it is not new and of little significant improvement in the service. False news. The 7th Cavalry riding over the crest of the hill and flying for hours on end to complete just a handful of missions. When properly deployed in a local mission profile the helicopters would complete a handful of missions in an hour and then go back for more.

Right, they have played that hand. What is next?

[MaxR]

I'd just like to thank Bryn for everything he says in the latest PANews April 2020 (http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Acrobat/288PANApril2020.pdf)

[MightyGem]

I'd just like to thank Bryn for everything he says in the latest PANews April 2020 (http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Acrobat/288PANApril2020.pdf)

The wheel slowly turns and eventually gets back to where it was before. Sort of.

Meanwhile the NPAS Annual Report for 2018/19 is still waiting to be signed off. :ugh::ugh:

[[email protected]]

Now that is a much better editorial:ok:

It was only the bit about Brexit I objected to in the previous one.

[PANews]

Ah yes, Brexit. That seems to have slipped into the recesses of the mind.

With the best will in the world there can only be a no deal departure given the stated date but I hope that politicians with minds scarred by the virus will find a sensible way forward....... I am taking no bets.

An editorial that stirs even one person is a good editorial!

[MightyGem]

Looking for two new fixed wing pilots:
https://westyorkshirepolice.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-3/brand-3/xf-f94c79b0e4cf/candidate/so/pm/6/pl/1/opp/1619-XP171-Line-Pilot-Fixed-Wing-External/en-GB

[PANews]

It was not so very long ago that the aeronautical media were warning of the dire consequences of a lack of pilots would have on operationalcapability [down] and the wage bill [up].

Oh how so much has changed in a few short weeks.

Hundreds of pilots with no job to go to for at least a few months - and it may be years - so those two fixed wing jobs will have a Q applying regardless of how NPAS HR play their cards.

For my part I plan to help the world asap by flying on airliners as soon as practicable and as often as possible...... Mind you the skies are quieter, bluer and less polluted.... maybe I should stay locked away for ever to save the planet?

[portsharbourflyer]

"so those two fixed wing jobs will have a Q applying regardless of how NPAS HR play their cards."

Well you may find there is actually quite a narrow band of candidates that are suitable, the ex Airline types of which a high proportion went straight from 200 hours out of school to a multi crew position aren't going to be that well suited for operating Single Pilot in a piston twin. There will be a small number that did the AirTaxi work or survey prior to moving into the Airlines but the job requires the MEP to be current, so are going to have to spend money getting the SPA ratings current again.
There may well be a lot of VFR instructors out there that will meet the total time requirement but won't have the IFR time.
The most suitable candidates are those currently working as ME/IR instructors or currently flying SPO work (stating the obvious). So the number of suitable candidates isn't as large as the market would suggest. The pay is on par with what ME/IR instructors were getting pre-furlough. The roster and pay is a lot better than most of the other SPO operators.

[MightyGem]

Earlier this week, a friend and former TFO who I worked with, was killed while out cycling. He was still a serving Police Officer, and a memorial service took place at his Station this morning.

NPAS were asked if the local Base could do a flypast. No, came the answer. In fact the crew at the base were specifically told not to go. Apparently it was the new GOD(Ground Ops Director), otherwise known as the Chief Untalented NPAS Tosser, who made the decision.
:mad::mad::mad::ugh:

[PANews]

In case anyone has the slightest interest any more I rattled the cage on my 2019 request earlier this week and had a reply.

My FOI of 2019 returned the Strategic Board minutes to the NPAS website [momentarily] but it did not last of course, no minutes this year and we are still awaiting the December 2019 version.

The reply I had this morning was:...they have advised that the joint 18/19 and 19/20 NPAS Annual Report will be published to the website in early Autumn.

The minutes are currently being reviewed with the OPCC before they can be published.

So two questions...... when is an Annual Report not an Annual Report?

How long does it take for the OPCC [the WYP Crime Commissioner] to redact 3 sets of minutes?

Perhaps the Redaction Department has been furloughed?

[MightyGem]

I've got my usual FOI request for annual stats plus a request for the 2018/19 Annual Report. I've had the usual "we have received your request" reply.

I asked about the report back in March. I was told that it was ready for signing but Covid was causing a delay.

[HeliMannUK]

Cost is likely to be the answer to my question but have NPAS got RNAV approaches setup to their bases?

[Brutal]

"Cost is likely to be the answer to my question but have NPAS got RNAV approaches setup to their bases?"

You are correct....it is extremely expensive to have an Rnav approach approved for an airport. As most of the Npas bases are at airports it's down to the airport operators/owners to pay for them, it's nothing to do with npas!
However, there are Rnav approaches at; Birmingham, Doncaster, Exeter, and Newcastle for NPAS to use....if you have an IR with a PBN endorsement? :ok:
B.

[Non-PC Plod]

Thats such a waste! I thought that was the great thing about PBN approaches: little needed in the way of kit or regular maintenance/ flight checking etc, so it was going to open up loads of opportunities for IFR heliports/ airfields where they would not previously have been viable. If PBN approaches have been priced out by CAA, thats a shame.

[MightyGem]

As most of the Npas bases are at airports
Maybe 6 out of the 15.

[Brutal]

MG..only 6?
Exeter, Bournmouth, Redhill, St.Athan, Doncaster, North weald, Raf Benson, Birmingham, Hawarden, Barton, Newcastle.?
B

[MightyGem]

Only Exeter, Bournemouth, Doncaster, Birmingham, Hawarden and Newcastle are airports. The rest are a mix of RAF airfields, a minor airfield and an aerodrome. Picky, I know. ;)

[HeliMannUK]

I though all IRs should be PBN by now, guess there is an extension still running due to covid.

[MightyGem]

So, for those that are still interested here are the NPAS stats for 2019-20.

The downward spiral continues. Costs are up, Actioned Calls(where an aircraft arrives overhead a job) have gone down by nearly 4000 from 20,990 to 17,135. Correspondingly, hours flown have reduced from 14,166 to 11,545. Prior to NPAS flying hours were around 24,000. So that’s a reduction of over 50%

Total costs to Forces prior to NPAS was approximately £43M for 33 aircraft flying around 24,000 hours. Now it’s £42M for 15 aircraft flying 11,545 hours. How many more years of increasing costs and declining flying will it take before the whole thing becomes completely uneconomic?

As always there are winners and losers. West Mids seem to be the biggest loser, with their costs going from £1.8M in 2018-19 to £3.0M for 2019-20. Meanwhile, their number of Actioned Calls have plummeted from 1372 down to 585.

Northumberland appear the biggest winner. their costs have reduced by nearly 25% with an increase in Actioned Calls of 28%.

Overall though, most Forces are paying less than before NPAS, but nearly half are paying more. However, the vast majority are paying more than last year with a reduction in the number of Actioned Calls.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x1230/npas_2019_20_f6f9241801f2defbc408d95e95cfa529864870ed.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/223x423/screenshot_2020_09_19_at_20_12_38_8cab4472bf05480eaf2da9b1a9 40d94c62c0b453.png

[MaxR]

Thanks MightyGem - very interesting and saddening figures.

How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.

[Eurocopper]

Thanks MightyGem - very interesting and saddening figures.

How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.

Many of us did care, but the general public aren't aware and are unlikely to be told the detail. Currently TVP, Beds & Herts pay about £4m with just over 1000 hours flown out of Benson. In 2010 the Chiltern Air Support Unit budget (excluding 10 TFOs provided by the participating forces) was £2m for 2000 hours flown out of Benson and Henlow with good response times, local knowledge, state of the art kit and great morale / team spirit. What has NPAS brought to the party?

[Coconutty]

If the figures are correct for West Midds, put simply ( I know its not that simple )
but over £3 million for 585 actioned calls is around £5,200 PER ( actioned ) CALL.

That's more than 4 times the amount West Mids used to charge
for Mutual Aid Air support to an outside force prior to NPAS !

Surely it can't go on much longer before my prediction comes true
and a Chief Constable / Police & Criime Commissioner somewhere
realises they could have their very own Air Support Unit, which would be
"More Efficient, and More Cost Effective" than NPAS ? :rolleyes:

[MightyGem]

If the figures are correct for West Midds,
All figures are from FOI requests.

"More Efficient, and More Cost Effective"
Hmmm...where have I heard that before. In this case though, it might be true.