Harrier Pilot attacks Prime Minister on cuts
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Give him a break....
Any way you look at it, Kris Ward IS about to loose his "job". He wont be flying Harriers for much longer. He's pi$$ed off and has every right to be.
Sure he ll not be on the streets just yet and when he finally leaves he ll get a tidy wedge. Last time I looked, most service type folks weren't in it for the cash though so it wont exactly fill the gap.
Additionally (and in my opinion), although he used the first person, I got that distinct feeling that he was speaking with a voice for all who have been affected by this review. Well I thought so anyway........
Sure he ll not be on the streets just yet and when he finally leaves he ll get a tidy wedge. Last time I looked, most service type folks weren't in it for the cash though so it wont exactly fill the gap.
Additionally (and in my opinion), although he used the first person, I got that distinct feeling that he was speaking with a voice for all who have been affected by this review. Well I thought so anyway........
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Ratty,
Now hold right there.
No he is not! He might stop flying Harriers but that was an inevitability given his rank as a lt cdr anyway and he will still be paid HM's shilling if he cares to continue to serve (well unless he (and you too) happen to hold the opposing view to what follows below).
Ward's approach to the whole affair was, I'm afraid, self-centred in my opinion and unbecoming of an officer. As an officer, our first priority is to behave like one. There are far too many aircrew, and I include the RAF here, who consider themselves to be aircrew (I won't single out pilots particularly but you know where I am coming from) first and officers second! That frankly is the wrong way round! An officer's duty is to serve and, whilst doing so, uphold the dignity of the Service - not attempt to achieve 30 seconds of fame when confronted by our most senior politician.
He failed - end of!
Yours Sincerely
A retired officer who flew for 20 years and served for 40!
Foldie
Now hold right there.
Kris Ward IS about to loose (Sp. See me!) his "job"
Ward's approach to the whole affair was, I'm afraid, self-centred in my opinion and unbecoming of an officer. As an officer, our first priority is to behave like one. There are far too many aircrew, and I include the RAF here, who consider themselves to be aircrew (I won't single out pilots particularly but you know where I am coming from) first and officers second! That frankly is the wrong way round! An officer's duty is to serve and, whilst doing so, uphold the dignity of the Service - not attempt to achieve 30 seconds of fame when confronted by our most senior politician.
He failed - end of!
Yours Sincerely
A retired officer who flew for 20 years and served for 40!
Foldie
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Nice one Sharkeys Lad, im proud of you. Notice all the other Wafus kept stum
....Sharkeys lad had nothing to lose by speaking up since his job had all but been axed before his very eyes via Cameron. Sharkey "I've flown 140 missions out in Afghan ... Camerons reply, "Thank you for all you've done, (now sod off and go and join the dole queue!")
....Sharkeys lad had nothing to lose by speaking up since his job had all but been axed before his very eyes via Cameron. Sharkey "I've flown 140 missions out in Afghan ... Camerons reply, "Thank you for all you've done, (now sod off and go and join the dole queue!")
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I would have had a great deal more sympathy with him. I felt his question came across as rather immature and seemed to show self interest in Ward, Harrier pilot rather than Lt Cdr Ward, RN officer.
Show them a microphone or a camera and it is all "over here ,me,me,me"
Very sad.
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I agree, he's 37 for chr#sts sake and should know better. So what if he's done 140 missions in A. Do you get a free job with every 150 missions out there or what.
Couldn't take a joke old boy......shouldn't have joined. Your dad must have told you that one time and time again (140 times actually
)k.
Listen sharkey - do your time get your severance pay and bum a job with Virgin...tough life eh?
Couldn't take a joke old boy......shouldn't have joined. Your dad must have told you that one time and time again (140 times actually
)k.Listen sharkey - do your time get your severance pay and bum a job with Virgin...tough life eh?
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Apparently the whole exchange was edited for the purposes of tv. The actual exchange went as follows:
"Hello sir I'm a harrier pilot who has flown 140 missions in afghan, in a harrier that is....me being a harrier pilot. So there I was, in my harrier over Afghanistan, 140 times, just me in the cockpit as the pilot...of the harrier. Now where was I......oh yes, with the harrier being taken out of service, how am I going to fly my harrier, me being the pilot and all. So what I'm trying to say is...how would you feel if, like me you were a harrier pilot who was now unemployed with no harrier to fly because even though I'm still a pilot there are no harriers to fly........uhm, did I mention that I was a harrier pilot."
PS - this is an abridged version, but you get the idea.
"Hello sir I'm a harrier pilot who has flown 140 missions in afghan, in a harrier that is....me being a harrier pilot. So there I was, in my harrier over Afghanistan, 140 times, just me in the cockpit as the pilot...of the harrier. Now where was I......oh yes, with the harrier being taken out of service, how am I going to fly my harrier, me being the pilot and all. So what I'm trying to say is...how would you feel if, like me you were a harrier pilot who was now unemployed with no harrier to fly because even though I'm still a pilot there are no harriers to fly........uhm, did I mention that I was a harrier pilot."
PS - this is an abridged version, but you get the idea.
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Personally, any statement made, be it by harrier mate, challenger driver etc, that makes the PM squirm, gets my thumbs up.
I do believe though, whether intentional or not, that the wording "am a Harrier pilot" was used as a metaphor for any individual affected by the cuts.
Be it, tank driver, ship driver(if you drive ships?) MOD civil servant et al.....
Con-Dem.... Don't blame me....I didn't vote for them!
I do believe though, whether intentional or not, that the wording "am a Harrier pilot" was used as a metaphor for any individual affected by the cuts.
Be it, tank driver, ship driver(if you drive ships?) MOD civil servant et al.....
Con-Dem.... Don't blame me....I didn't vote for them!
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Foldingwings, I am right with you. The PM's answer to "So what am I supposed to do now?" should have been "Turn to the right, salute and carry on."
Another case of foot in mouth disease.
Another case of foot in mouth disease.
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Foldie,
Fair enough...about the spelling mistake anyway.
Look, I get the bit where it's be an Officer first and everything else comes second, but times have changed and not for the better.
I think he was right to speak up and I think its time for everyone in a position of authority to question these politicians and make them squirm. We've been lied to and bull$hitted for long enough now.
Fair enough...about the spelling mistake anyway.
Look, I get the bit where it's be an Officer first and everything else comes second, but times have changed and not for the better.
I think he was right to speak up and I think its time for everyone in a position of authority to question these politicians and make them squirm. We've been lied to and bull$hitted for long enough now.
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MR,
Not by the present Prime Minister, I believe.
Look, something had to give! The Navy have shot themselves in the foot by insisting on their 2 white elephants at the expense of other (some might say) more important roles! Our Sea Lords must have agreed the removal of Ark to get their 2 new boats and LUST is now in helo fit. So, the Harrier was not going to have a platform to operate from and, as I stated in another thread on the SDSR, it is less capable than Tornado GR4 - like it or not!
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...n-harrier.html
Question:
GR4 better than Harrier?
Now, back to the officer in question, he needs to realise some of the above rather than ranting on about how the World can no longer be saved because he is now redundant - No he's not!!
Foldie
We've been lied to and bull$hitted for long enough now
Look, something had to give! The Navy have shot themselves in the foot by insisting on their 2 white elephants at the expense of other (some might say) more important roles! Our Sea Lords must have agreed the removal of Ark to get their 2 new boats and LUST is now in helo fit. So, the Harrier was not going to have a platform to operate from and, as I stated in another thread on the SDSR, it is less capable than Tornado GR4 - like it or not!
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...n-harrier.html
Question:
GR4 better than Harrier?
Certainly!
It carries Storm Shadow, which GR9 cannot. It carries greater weight of weapons than GR9 can. GR4 can do CAS; GR9 has no divine right to that role.
Only GR9 advantage, I can see, is that it can go to sea when GR4 cannot. However, GR9 cannot launch off the deck with full weapons load and carrier magazines are not cleared for some GR9 weapons!
In my view the decision might have been different if the RN hadn't kept banging on about their need for 2 huge carriers that are, we now see, unaffordable and unsustainable with a few 'Daves' on board!
RN shot themselves in the foot and have offered up, and now probably lost forever, BRNC for no actual gain in capability.
Foldie
It carries Storm Shadow, which GR9 cannot. It carries greater weight of weapons than GR9 can. GR4 can do CAS; GR9 has no divine right to that role.
Only GR9 advantage, I can see, is that it can go to sea when GR4 cannot. However, GR9 cannot launch off the deck with full weapons load and carrier magazines are not cleared for some GR9 weapons!
In my view the decision might have been different if the RN hadn't kept banging on about their need for 2 huge carriers that are, we now see, unaffordable and unsustainable with a few 'Daves' on board!
RN shot themselves in the foot and have offered up, and now probably lost forever, BRNC for no actual gain in capability.
Foldie
Foldie
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Why would/should, Sharkys Lad !! Like to have a career change 
in the Andrew as a fish head , or sundodger after serving as a FAA, fixed wing pilot???? i think not, redundancy is the only option imho
in the Andrew as a fish head , or sundodger after serving as a FAA, fixed wing pilot???? i think not, redundancy is the only option imho
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My very point, Dave!
As I stated in my Post 79 on Page 4:
Note my point: as a lt cdr his days in the cockpit were numbered anyway - hence, IMHO, it was a 'look at me' moment!
Foldie
As I stated in my Post 79 on Page 4:
Alternatively, if he doesn't fancy that option, which was on the cards anyway at his time of career point, he can resign!
Foldie