Trying To Get Home
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Tristar airbourne from manchester to mount pleasant in falklands approx 2 hrs ago. Hope ure all hm for xmas. Best wishes to all our forces staff from raf manchester.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Merry Crimbo to all you guys and gals down in the South Atlantic!
Well done you boys who are giving up your own crimbo to help others get home to see their families
Roll on the A330/FSTA/MRTT or whatever they are calling it these days
Well done you boys who are giving up your own crimbo to help others get home to see their families
Roll on the A330/FSTA/MRTT or whatever they are calling it these days
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Roll on the A330/FSTA/MRTT or whatever they are calling it these days
Join Date: Dec 2006
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The REAL reason ?
. . . And that would help.....how? Let's not turn this into a TriStar bashing thread; they are, after all, stepping up to the plate where the charter has failed.
And the REAL reason / blame doesn't lay with the Charter.
The charter had a tech problem ( nws ) which was very fixable. The crew were taking min rest whilst the required part ( nws cable ) was sourced and all was looking well . . albeit with a delay. The 747 was safely parked on the Apron at the customer's home base, RAF Brize Norton.
Now the CUSTOMER enters the arena and the CUSTOMER damages the charter's 747 by closing the cargo door when the loader was NOT CLEAR.
This is not Rumour. This is what ACTUALLY happened.
The cargo door was seriously damaged and this was down to the Customer and not the Charter.
Of course it was a very unfortunate accident (they do happen in life) and it was at a very unpopular time and lots of people's Christmas has been badly disrupted (including that of the charter crews) . . . . but don't let us go chastising the charter people for this. They didn't damage their 747, we the customer did.
But the milk was well and truely spilt and tears were shed but there was nothing the charter could do to magic up an instant repair. Well done the RAF for getting the Tristar people in at such short notice to try and rescue what they could and many thanks to the actual Tristar crew.
But let's not forget that the 747 is a good airbridge for ASI / MPA and we all look forward to seeing it back with us as soon as possible.
Merry Christmas to All !
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Well they didn't run into it this time. They just closed the cargo door when the loader gizmo was still within striking distance. Down came the door. Door contacted with loader gizmo. Door badly damaged. Aircraft grounded.
Then some pax are told the 747 is unserviceable as it has a pressurisation problem ??!!?? Not untrue of course . . but far from the full picture !
Then some pax are told the 747 is unserviceable as it has a pressurisation problem ??!!?? Not untrue of course . . but far from the full picture !
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Bin-O. Thanks for the facts.
Perhaps we should say that the regular service has failed. Once FSTA has replaced VC10/TriStar there will be even less chance of mounting a short-notice rescue in such cases. There simply won't be any spare airframes that are untasked (total numbers of about 9 vs 19). FJ crews - expect to lose your UK Towline tanker at short-notice with tiresome regularity on a task priority basis.
Perhaps we should say that the regular service has failed. Once FSTA has replaced VC10/TriStar there will be even less chance of mounting a short-notice rescue in such cases. There simply won't be any spare airframes that are untasked (total numbers of about 9 vs 19). FJ crews - expect to lose your UK Towline tanker at short-notice with tiresome regularity on a task priority basis.
Join Date: May 2006
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So If the Cargo door is Fooked does this mean a knock on effect for the boys and girls who will be hoping to be home for new year? Hope not as although My xmas plans are now no more i wouldn't wish this kind of thing on anyone.
Many thanks again to all those involved in to sorting all us down here in FI with a lift home
Many thanks again to all those involved in to sorting all us down here in FI with a lift home
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Last year they dinked the 747's pitots and I spent an extra week down here on Q. Now they dink the door...this is getting personal! Guess I have to kiss off the New Year and the chance to spend the rest of the school hols wiv the kids...ho, ho, effin ho.
Top marks for the 216 mates for the Xmas rescue run.
Dear Mr charter, please please pretty please forgive (in the spirit of the season) your customer and fix the door ASAP. I am confidant that the professional mover team at BZN will do everything in their power to ensure that this will never happen agi....oh!
Top marks for the 216 mates for the Xmas rescue run.
Dear Mr charter, please please pretty please forgive (in the spirit of the season) your customer and fix the door ASAP. I am confidant that the professional mover team at BZN will do everything in their power to ensure that this will never happen agi....oh!
Join Date: Jun 2000
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The Common Factor.....
I heard an interesting stat from a very senior source last week. Do remember that stats can be made to read whatever you want them to - he was defending the AT fleet (rightly so ) vs. the charters....
"The AT fleet are not waning - in fact, the on-time stats for both AT and Charter are within a % of each other at around 58%"
So what does that mean?
a. Poor ac serviceability of an ageing fleet is irrelevant?
b. Our charters are equally poor?
or c. There is a common factor (whether it be process or people) dealing with both Service AT and Charter ac that delay 42% of all flights (give or take a few % for other factors)?
Just a thought.
Hope you all make a speedy return from wherever you may be,
Merry Christmas
) vs. the charters...."The AT fleet are not waning - in fact, the on-time stats for both AT and Charter are within a % of each other at around 58%"
So what does that mean?
a. Poor ac serviceability of an ageing fleet is irrelevant?
b. Our charters are equally poor?
or c. There is a common factor (whether it be process or people) dealing with both Service AT and Charter ac that delay 42% of all flights (give or take a few % for other factors)?
Just a thought.
Hope you all make a speedy return from wherever you may be,
Merry Christmas
Last edited by Uncle Ginsters; 24th Dec 2006 at 18:13.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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58%.....sounds like Eastern Airlines just before they went out of business!
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Are the transfer loaders at Brize suitable for wide-bodies? IIRC Brize used to have only K-loader types, which are not suitable for 747s, particularly when opening and closing cargo doors. I could easily see a door/loader scrape occurring, which would not be the fault of the movers, whose Christmas' have also been ruined; 'twould be another incident caused by penny-pinching at command level.
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D-IFF_ident,
I agree - sorry, I did not mean to initiate another 'Mover Bashing' thread! More that the quoted stat potentially guides us to the root of at least some of the problem, rather than the endless bashing of our ageing fleet(s).
Never mind the thread-creep....well done the 216th and all at Brize for their efforts.
I agree - sorry, I did not mean to initiate another 'Mover Bashing' thread! More that the quoted stat potentially guides us to the root of at least some of the problem, rather than the endless bashing of our ageing fleet(s).
Never mind the thread-creep....well done the 216th and all at Brize for their efforts.