Trying To Get Home
 

Anybody got any news about what is happening in order to get us back from MPA?
The rumour control down here is terrible so I thought that pprune might be able to help!
Cheers


Edited because written under the influence of livers in xmas fancy dress party which was excellent by the way.

Current Brize TAF is:

EGVN 221031Z 221212 VRB02KT 0300 FZFG PROB30 TEMPO 1216 0800 FG BKN002 PROB30 TEMPO 0912 1500 BR BKN003

The BBC have (literally) just said that tomorrow is looking better from mid-day onwards....

I hope that you can escape from MPA soon - best wishes to you all.

Latest Brize TAF:

EGVN 221331Z 221515 VRB02KT 0300 FZFG VV/// PROB30 TEMPO 0915 1500 BR BKN003

Prestwick looks OK though.

Heard that 2Gp trying to get a timmy down there asap, however, said jet isnt at brize and is in the wrong config for pax (frt role, no seats)!

Obviously, the jet needs to get to Brize to get re-roled before it can make it southbound.

Severe lack of noise over the last few days would indicate that jets/crews etc are scattered everywhere, with the ensuing carnage that produces.

The rumour I've heard is that our friends in the Muppett world have yet again dinked the 747 at MPA? Any truth in this???????

Cheers!

Out of Manchester it is then....it is filling up with mil types at the moment.

No the Movers at MPA have not Dinked the 747 as it is not even here.
Just been tannoyed Down Here 747 Still Fooked next update 1000 FI time tomorrow.

Rumours are rife about a timmy but that'll never happen although I have heard the disscussions are in progress to hitch a lift with santa when he passes throught this way.

Ah well sh1t happens I'll be home soon enough

The rumour I have heard is that the Muppett world are responsible for the fog!! :mad:

Yep, I've just heard Timmy is going to save the day. Though keep it under your hats, as soon as the muppets find out about this plan, they'll be aiming their steps at the Tristar's wings/doors/pitots!

Latest News
 

231600z MAN ASI 240200z
241600z ASI MPN242359z
251400z MPN ASI 252130z
261130z ASI BZZ 262000z
So its Xmas in the terminal at MPA... nice.
But a big thanks to all the people who will have to do extra work over the period getting everyone home.
Big up the Timmy crew who are ruining their Christmas in order to get others back soonest.
Anybody know why a civvycharter could not be found?

Yes, have to agree Bayette, it is the 'little' things and tasks that are really appreciated by those who utilise them, but go unnoticed.

Getting You Home
 

As one of those coming to get you, thanks for your thoughtful comments Bayete. We have taken a lot of stick this year for delays and cancellations beyond our contol, but as usual its the man on the coal face who gets it in the neck. Its nice to know that someone appreciates our efforts. See you on Christmas Day YO HO HO. Thanks for my itinerary now off to pack

Well done but why........
 

You will not ever hear me repeat this but well done Timmy and the boys. However, I have to ask, 'what the F##K is going on?'. What other company would fork out millions on a contract, then, when the beneficiary to the millions cocks up and buggers their jet, the onus to get the job done falls back on to the one paying out the money??

Rumour has that the muppets have driven some equipment in to the side of the 747 at Brize.........again!

Many Thanks
 

As one of those you are coming to Get, Can I say Many Many thanks.
Also thanks to all those who are being Messed around to load, re-role, service, unload, etc.

Mind you Xmas Day in Azzi Where can you see the Turtles?

Rumours Down Here in FI are a nose wheel steering problem Either on taxi or As it began to trundle down the runway (depending on who you talk to) Then further to that when Part arrives Its the wrong one or mod state. Again all rumours.

Not sure that is true, we were holding over Brize yesterday trying to get in through the fog but were held off when the R/W went BLACK due to the 747 undercarraige being busted on the threshold??

That rumour has already been circulated and deemed false, oh course don't let me stand in the way of some muppet bashing.:rolleyes:

(Aimed at Phil Terfull BTW)

>Rumour has that the muppets have driven some equipment in to the side of the 747 at Brize.........again!

>That rumour has already been circulated and deemed false...

Technically true...but what about asking if the aircraft was moved somehow in to the movs equipment instead?

Sounds like 2' 6" are doing a grand job so close to the 'holidays'. In another part of the world they are dragging a jet with limited fuel capacity around to take some mates back home.

Unfortunately, however, they may need some crew rest before they fly home. Good news, however again, is that OC mates has kindly offered his pilots to fly Timmy so the crew can all jump in the back and dead-head.

"Ascot Ops on the line for you sir..."

Yo Ho Ho....... No No No......!!
 

A friend of mine trying to indulge down to MPA got kicked off this morning. Had been at BZN for 2 days with his family and gave up this morning. Rumour has it that first it was the fog then the pallets came from Heathrow all the wrong size and had to be stripped down and rebuilt then the nose wheel went belly up then one of the civvy MT drivers realised it is a couple of months since the 747 had been damaged and dinked the side of it with the steps:eek:. You couldn't make a story like that up. Rumour also has it that something (Santa/747/Tristar/Magic Carpet/ship) will be on its way tomorrow sometime but will have to night stop in ASI and MPA and will be back in blighty in time for a cold turkey sandwich some time around the 27 Dec.

My mate tells me that they were treated reasonably well at BZN (probably because the Gateway is shut so they stayed in a hotel where they actually care about the guests) but were fed the usual mushroom diet of information. He also tells me that there were loads of kids there trying to get to see their parents at MPA and families and paying passengers none of whom were too happy with the situation or the treatment:{.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident not a month goes by without the airbridge going u/s a few times or there is no mail for a couple of flights or no fruit and veg. Most of the explanations for these incidents are rubbish and make the Keystone Cops look professional. But everything must be OK in the South Atlantic, same as elsewhere, because I read it the RAF News last week. OC Ops at BZN said so.........!!

Once again cheers to the boys who are on their way it might screw up their Christmas but it will make a whole load of other people happy.:ok:

Trying to get you home
 

Just about to leave home to get transport to Manchester - interested to know Scribble Dee when and how you heard that the crew wouldn't be back in Blightly till the 27th?

Merry Christmas to all at MPA

Tremblers boys trying to get home today - Gutted for you!

My fave quote on the 1435 Flt corridoor.

"Send this place back to the sea"

Probably couldnt happen soon enough for you boys.

:ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

Any updated news from the UK
 

Is the Tristar airborn yet?
No news this end.

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.

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 :D

Roll on the A330/FSTA/MRTT or whatever they are calling it these days :E

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.

The REAL reason ?
 

Well it's a bit thick to blame the charter for all of this. Now we all know that this is a rumour network and we can expect rumours to fly thick and fast when this sort of thing unfortunately happens. But sufficient time has passed to now look and see the REAL reason that the 747 airbridge didn't make it to ASI / MPA.

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 ! :O :ok: :O

Are you telling us the Movers, I say again The Movers have yet again bashed an aircraft:rolleyes:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

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 !

A door that is broken will be a pressurisation problem so therefore there is some truth in this mis-information.

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. :(

Like that doesn't happen already!

:hmm:

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

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!:\

Good news re the 747. It WILL resume normal SAA service wef 27 Dec 06. Fact from the horses mouth, 2 hours ago.

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 :D ) 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)? :ugh:

Just a thought.
Hope you all make a speedy return from wherever you may be,
Merry Christmas :ok:

The TriStar is coming! Fingers crossed it stays serviceable. Its made some time up on the schedule. 216 Sqn saves the day again!!

How utterly, utterly mediocre. :hmm:

58%.....sounds like Eastern Airlines just before they went out of business!:E

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.

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).

:D Never mind the thread-creep....well done the 216th and all at Brize for their efforts.:D

Tristar Landed 2 mins ago.
 

Tristar Landed 2 mins ago.:D