Is it me or is this just barking mad?
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Is it me or is this just barking mad?
From
Aviation Trading News - Aviation Trading
So let me get this straight, the MOD are selling the Tornado spares off cheap as Surplus stock to these guys, who are then selling them back to BAe, who in turn are selling them back to the MOD.....
The nutters have indeed taken over the asylum
Aviation Trading News - Aviation Trading
BAE Systems Letter of Authority to Supply EX-MOD Stock
Mar032014
We are now approved to supply Tornado aircraft parts to BAE Systems for their on-going support of UK and other operating partners operations....
read more
Mar032014
We are now approved to supply Tornado aircraft parts to BAE Systems for their on-going support of UK and other operating partners operations....
read more
The nutters have indeed taken over the asylum
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Partly down to Treasury accounting rules where the value of the stock (much of which is no longer produced) is held to be a cost to the owner (MOD) It truly is barking mad, I have seen highly expensive stock sold as scrap and within 6 months gone back to the OEM to try to reopen the production line; not cheap! At least this lot have found a gap where they make a (probably very) profit and the gear is more or less available when needed and not having to wait whilst someone digs out the old loft drawings and tries to relearn the manufacturing process.
As there are no flying boots in stock, I had to buy a brand new pair on ebay! Either that or my feet got wet!
Squippers/Stackers tell me that the Company (Haines and Cann) that has been making boots for the RAF since the 1919 has lost the contract. The replacement was not fit flr purpose, the old company has now ceased trading and there are no size 10s left in the system.
Goodness knows how much my £45 boots cost the chap in surplus - they were brand new in the cardboard box.
The B Word
Squippers/Stackers tell me that the Company (Haines and Cann) that has been making boots for the RAF since the 1919 has lost the contract. The replacement was not fit flr purpose, the old company has now ceased trading and there are no size 10s left in the system.
Goodness knows how much my £45 boots cost the chap in surplus - they were brand new in the cardboard box.
The B Word
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As there are no flying boots in stock, I had to buy a brand new pair on ebay! Either that or my feet got wet!
Contrasts to my current job, chap needed a new pair of steel toecap safety boots and was told to choose a pair from the catalogue: One pair of £100+ Doc Martens bought and paid for by the company.
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Ahh, the utter stupidity of Resource Accounting and Budgeting!!
Unfortunately one cannot defend clearing out your stores/supply system of most of your useful parts and then buy them back 12 months later at incredible mark ups - I have even seen it done with irreplaceable obsolete parts in stock for a very old a/c still being operated daily !!
truly potty
truly potty
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Or selling off the Jags, then putting out a tender to buy one back!
I will never forget watching JCBs being used to dismantle the last of the 50 Squadron Vulcans in the 80s. As a techie, I suspect I'm not as "sentimental" as the aircrew who flew these magnificent aircraft, but there was certainly some grit in my eye on that day. Lately, the wanton destruction of the Nimrod MR4A shows how our political pedants have no thought for value, in operational terms. This thread certainly confirms that despite many service inputs, the "system" will continue to cock up, and be profligate with taxpayers money. Funny how when this waste is reported in the press, it's reported as "RAF wastes billions", not "Civil service and Government throw billions away". I won't hold my breath waiting for any change though.
Smudge
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Mr C Hinecap; reducing 2 years worth of stock (Navy, anyway) down to bugger all stock was a very small one off, in year, saving. RAB was one of the greatest smoke and mirrors magic tricks ever.
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Not the only ones
This is what you get when you give power to accountants, they are a breed that should be only allowed to keep the books as accountancy and common sense has no meeting point.
Years back British Airways did the very same thing with its BAC1-11 parts stock, sold off to a very low bidder and then they buy the bits back at five times the price.
Years back British Airways did the very same thing with its BAC1-11 parts stock, sold off to a very low bidder and then they buy the bits back at five times the price.
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I remember in the years just before RAB reared it's head and companies like MAS and RAMCO rubbed their hands together as the MoD had a firesale to prep for it. So much RAF stock was being sold cheap to them (to later be sold back to the MoD) that both companies trawled the RAF for Q-Supp-SC annotated and other supply personnel in order to run what were effectively privately-owned MU's.
When the head hunters came a'knocking, as an non-Q-Supp-SC annotated SAC working in RAF Locking SCAS (just down the road from MAS), the prospect of a quite significant payrise was tempting.
When the head hunters came a'knocking, as an non-Q-Supp-SC annotated SAC working in RAF Locking SCAS (just down the road from MAS), the prospect of a quite significant payrise was tempting.
