MT big brother AKA Trimble
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MT big brother AKA Trimble
Well according to my Satnav and the speedo in the car I always drive to the speed limits. Image my shock and surprise the other day when I was told I had been doing 45 in a 30. This anonymous machine had belched out some data telling me I was a dangerous driver. Ta very much.
I believe it's an American GPS system that has been fitted to MT cars. Must run off a different GPS to my satnav.
Am I the only victim of BB.
I believe it's an American GPS system that has been fitted to MT cars. Must run off a different GPS to my satnav.
Am I the only victim of BB.
MT big brother AKA Trimble
I must have got the wrong end of the stick. I thought the idea of the system was to see how many red and orange lights you could get on a single journey. I also thought the subsequent letter to my Boss from the MT section was a good thing too especially since he received one on the same day (top cover!).
It's a bit of a crap system TBH. If you drive round a roundabout too quickly or take too long with a gear change you get pinged. Still it is an easy way to get out of being duty driver!
BV
It's a bit of a crap system TBH. If you drive round a roundabout too quickly or take too long with a gear change you get pinged. Still it is an easy way to get out of being duty driver!
BV
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MT ARGHHHHHH
Amazing, given that RAF MT should have been abolished years ago, I had an e-mail telling me I'd done 50 in a 40 zone when actually I'd done 90 in a 70 zone. Always a red light around roundabouts (Newtons Laws anyone), they won't look after the vehicles, won't drive me and moan when I drive myself!! Flash Flash
Rant over
Rant over
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Not sure what this has to do with millitary aviation but I might have misunderstood (correction - I did not understand) the original post. Your GPS and speedo tell you that you stick to the speed limit but then tell you that you were speeding? Who or what is Trimble?
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Trimble GPS Fleet Management
It's a bit of a shame you can't take one of these Trimble things on a spot of low level SCT and put some proper data on it ... now that letter to the Boss would be worth framing
It's a bit of a shame you can't take one of these Trimble things on a spot of low level SCT and put some proper data on it ... now that letter to the Boss would be worth framing
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 20th Nov 2013 at 11:48.
Gentleman Aviator
Can't see the "traffic lights" any more. My new staff car has its Trimble hidden somewhere in the bowels of the vehicle (at least - that's what they tell me ........).
Much less fun - roundabouts and wiggly country lanes were always good sport - or even a swift motorway lane change.
MT tell me the local record is 106 mph - now that is very silly! (assuming it wasn't down a runway!)
Edited to add aviation content:
Reminds me of an aged pilot telling me his first jet (Meatbox or Vampire??) had accelerometers retro-fitted before they had published G limits.
Of course, the game was on..........
Much less fun - roundabouts and wiggly country lanes were always good sport - or even a swift motorway lane change.
MT tell me the local record is 106 mph - now that is very silly! (assuming it wasn't down a runway!)
Edited to add aviation content:
Reminds me of an aged pilot telling me his first jet (Meatbox or Vampire??) had accelerometers retro-fitted before they had published G limits.
Of course, the game was on..........
Avoid imitations
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MT big brother? Some years ago, SROs published a diatribe from the MT Section informing drivers that it was their personal responsibility to check that the wheelnuts were tightened to the correct torque before driving any service vehicle.
The next day one of my colleagues had to use a service car and went to sign it out. He asked the duty MT NCO for a torque wrench and information on the correct wheelnut torques so he could check the car, iaw with SROs.
The answer? "Torque wrench, Sir? I have no idea what you are talking about....we don't have any torque wrenches....why would you want to do that?"
The next day one of my colleagues had to use a service car and went to sign it out. He asked the duty MT NCO for a torque wrench and information on the correct wheelnut torques so he could check the car, iaw with SROs.
The answer? "Torque wrench, Sir? I have no idea what you are talking about....we don't have any torque wrenches....why would you want to do that?"
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You have data logging onboard? where is the fun in that? must have a fuse somewhere or can you not just disconnect the battery for say 10 mins. If it hasn't a back up that should clear it 
I suppose taking the likes of an RAF Sherpa around the remaining banked track at Brooklands with everyone in the back piled over to one side to help with C of G issues is frowned upon these days.
Thank God the only flashing light I get in my car is the one telling me I have exceeded the Quatro systems grip limits, and we are entering slippy slidie territory
I suppose taking the likes of an RAF Sherpa around the remaining banked track at Brooklands with everyone in the back piled over to one side to help with C of G issues is frowned upon these days.
Thank God the only flashing light I get in my car is the one telling me I have exceeded the Quatro systems grip limits, and we are entering slippy slidie territory
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Not sure what this has to do with millitary aviation
Given the cost to the MoD (financial, lives, reputation etc), something had to be done. Training and licensing evidently did not work. It appears to be a reasonable idea that was not well implemented. Other similar schemes across many areas (inc Heathrow) have had great success.
Mr C H, I take your point, but I have to ask, have we had a particularly high accident rate in the Forces? Any figures?
I wonder if things changed significantly when we stopped having professional drivers.
I wonder if things changed significantly when we stopped having professional drivers.
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http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/...ember_2012.pdf
Quite hard for anyone responsible for the safety of their people to ignore the statistics of higher risk in that report.
I can't find any figures for the financial cost. With the MoD being 'self-insuring' for all road vehicles, the cost to defence per accident is very large as they pay for everything including compensation to other parties. I have seen a few presentations by the MoD team responsible for this in the past and 'cost per crash' is a big enough number to warrant some effort to reduce.
The MT Trade is still proud of being professional at operating vehicles.
Quite hard for anyone responsible for the safety of their people to ignore the statistics of higher risk in that report.
I can't find any figures for the financial cost. With the MoD being 'self-insuring' for all road vehicles, the cost to defence per accident is very large as they pay for everything including compensation to other parties. I have seen a few presentations by the MoD team responsible for this in the past and 'cost per crash' is a big enough number to warrant some effort to reduce.
The MT Trade is still proud of being professional at operating vehicles.
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Very sad figures.
Yes very sad that, highest loss rate after Hostile action is Land Transport Accident according to the link there, in recent years.
I used to tell all my lads if they were late, adrift for work never to speed, ever. Rather see them all in eventually.....safe. I couldn't care a less if they were late, if I'm truthful.
Now approaching the usual station/ sections usual anti-drink driving period now I suppose...?
Smashed up car outside the main gates with big signs on it saying " Don't do this" or words to the same......do they still do that?
I used to tell all my lads if they were late, adrift for work never to speed, ever. Rather see them all in eventually.....safe. I couldn't care a less if they were late, if I'm truthful.
Now approaching the usual station/ sections usual anti-drink driving period now I suppose...?
Smashed up car outside the main gates with big signs on it saying " Don't do this" or words to the same......do they still do that?
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A couple of years ago, 3 of us were returning from a det up north and pushing to get home by a reasonable time. Called MT to inform them we would be later than expected and that we would sign the vehicle in the following morning. They asked who was driving, thought nothing of it and gave them the correct answer, turns out we were doing 80+ and they could see it on the tracker!
One young student was logged driving an MT vehicle, his average speed was 90+, he was banned from driving MT and had to give a brief on the MT tracking system at the next wing brief!
One young student was logged driving an MT vehicle, his average speed was 90+, he was banned from driving MT and had to give a brief on the MT tracking system at the next wing brief!
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I know this will sound geeky, but.......whilst I was still in I thought I would have some fun with the MT role office since they introduced this system without consulting other functional areas as they were supposed to. So I asked for the safety case that showed that the commercially available GSM (mobile phone) based technology met prescribed safety protocols for electrical and transmitting equipment in explosive areas. When they couldn't, I pointed out that it is illegal under UK law to use a mobile phone at a petrol station, against Mil safety rules to do so in an explosive atmosphere area (flight line) and against explosive regs to do so in an ESA or indeed to have non-safe electrical items. The arm and CIS role offices then got very involved, especially when I got OC Eng to threaten having all the equipment removed on explosive safety grounds.......upshot was all the armourer vehicles and those allocated to the flying squadrons were trimble free at a secret AD base in Lincolnshire. I've been gone from the base/Service for 12months+ so don't know if its still the case, but would like to think that my sucessor maintained the same stance.
I'm all for improving safety, but if something is worth doing - do it properly otherwise it becomes a false 'safety blanket' or as with trimble, mis-used.
I'm all for improving safety, but if something is worth doing - do it properly otherwise it becomes a false 'safety blanket' or as with trimble, mis-used.
Last edited by Once A Brat; 21st Nov 2013 at 05:37. Reason: missing word added
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Drives
Do I assume we are talking aboutt he DRIVES system. (Three little lights on the dash)? we were all told this was not being recorded and was advisory. Then.... got called into see the surrogate MTO at secret RAF base Nr Huntingdon. Been doing 106 mph down the M5 on way to ABW. Apparently the record was held by a Gp Capt. I agreed and did modify my behaviour. When I was shown the print outs it did not have location just time.
Spent the early days experimenting to find out what the parameters were. You could cruise at 80 true but over that the lights flashed. if you did not back off it stayed on. The system was also equipped with accelerometers. so braking sharp to avoid a duck at 20mph also kept the red light on for 5 mins.
Spent the early days experimenting to find out what the parameters were. You could cruise at 80 true but over that the lights flashed. if you did not back off it stayed on. The system was also equipped with accelerometers. so braking sharp to avoid a duck at 20mph also kept the red light on for 5 mins.