RAF planes await order to set off to collect PPE from Turkey
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RAF planes await order to set off to collect PPE from Turkey
Article on The Guardian website this afternoon.
RAF planes await order to set off to collect PPE from Turkey
RAF planes await order to set off to collect PPE from Turkey
Three RAF planes waiting to pick up a shipment of 400,000 protective gowns and other equipment urgently needed for the NHS remain on the tarmac at Brize Norton because the kit has yet to be released by Turkey.
If the A400 is “pre-positioning”, why does the other A400 and C17 not pre-position, if not to Turkey, possibly Akrotiri, unless UK gov does not believe that all the kit will be provided?
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Short flight to Istanbul, saving time on outbound positioning flights (are the loads not urgent?) and crews rested so that the aircraft could operate Akrotiri/Istanbul/Brize in a normal duty day.
BA have flown multiple return trips to Shanghai with B777 bringing in PPE in Holds, and cabin loaded. Carry double LR augmented crew.
No layover, 2 hour turnaround and straight back. Gets the kit to the UK in 28 hrs.
No layover, 2 hour turnaround and straight back. Gets the kit to the UK in 28 hrs.
Yes sorry, my post not meant as criticism of RAF. But the airline appears has more spare capacity and proven flexibility of operations, than the RAF, in respect of this urgent requirement.
" Air Mobility Force that is still in heavy demand"
Doing what? Nothing is happening out there..............
Doing what? Nothing is happening out there..............
They seem to have been taking the opportunity to visit a number of civvie airfields - Luton as well..................
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At the risk of sounding cynical, is the use of the RAF for this task not just a PR stunt to make it look like the Government are pulling out all of the stops?
In truth the deployment of a military aircraft fo the trip to Turkey probably made it marginally more difficult from an administrative perspective, and the task could easily have been completed by the civilian airfreight sector, which is demonstrably still operational and effective if the fruit (South America) and vegetables (Africa) in my fridge are anything to go by.
Come to think of it, would it not be better to outsource the procurement of PPE to Tesco/Asda/Sainsburys who seem to be able to manage their supply chains rather well?
Ps Interesting that NHS Scotland managed to charter a 747 to bring in a load of PPE in to Prestwick at the weekend.
In truth the deployment of a military aircraft fo the trip to Turkey probably made it marginally more difficult from an administrative perspective, and the task could easily have been completed by the civilian airfreight sector, which is demonstrably still operational and effective if the fruit (South America) and vegetables (Africa) in my fridge are anything to go by.
Come to think of it, would it not be better to outsource the procurement of PPE to Tesco/Asda/Sainsburys who seem to be able to manage their supply chains rather well?
Ps Interesting that NHS Scotland managed to charter a 747 to bring in a load of PPE in to Prestwick at the weekend.