My #8: "May be wrong, and I hope I am, but no (AFAIK) mention on BBC of India lending a hand".

Glad to hear that I am wrong; but BBC1 News still (up to 2200A tonight) doesn't consider it worth a mention (par for the course, I suppose). But my thanks to ion berkley and Robert Cooper ("Can't always trust the BBC"), who put me straight on this !

As regards the airfield making a quick buck out of the rescue landing fees, it is reminiscent of Churchill's retort to the Egyptian Government, who "tried it on" in the N. African campaign: "I do not intend to pay for admission to the battlefield !"

"It seems that these tremors are not unusual, but full blown earthquakes rare, at this end of the Himalayas". (My Post #2684 in "Gaining a Pilot's Brevet in WWII" Thread). I must open my big mouth ! :rolleyes:

Danny.

Thank you Mechta........It's those FBI/CIA chaps sneaking into my bedroom and pinching my dreams:=

The BBC have just shown footage of Nepalese soldiers being put to work salvaging ancient bricks from collapsed historic buildings.

Priorities?

Anyone heard how the Chinooks are doing across in Nepal?

Erm, not so well. They haven't been allowed in!!

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/quake-hit-...3.html#aRDB6oi

Reports that a USMC UH-1Y working with the relief effort is missing.
Hopefully they will turn up.

They are reporting a US Marine helicopter missing


US military helicopter missing in Nepal with eight on board - Telegraph

Seems a shame that having got so far the Chinooks havent been allowed into the country. Obviously I know next to nothing about helicopter operations, but surely there must be useful work for these aircraft in Nepal at the moment? OK they are not as able to work in confined areas as the Squirrels but there must be a need for longer range transport of kit/personnel around the country which the Chinooks are ideal for - taking heavy plant to outlying areas as an underslung load for example?

I smell politics here - China sticking its oar in?

But if China exerting influence would that not counter the US effort?

USMC V22 seem to be doing a good job, not everywhere is a confined LS.

http://youtu.be/pQ_zhjFINWY

I don't know that much about us and China, but we have a decent economic relationship as it stands, therefore I doubt that is the reason, a Chinese state company is even partially funding/investing in the Hinkley Point nuclear power station!

Shelterbox
 

Shelter box costs only £495 and is now a worldwide organisation with many boxes forward deployed. However for Nepal they ars not appealing for Shelter Boxes but for Shelter Kits.

A Kit comprises a tarp, hammer, nails, saw, wire, wire cutters and is probably more useful if there is little suitable space for tents.

A Shelter Kit costs just £35. My club has just funded 10 which is addition to our annual provision of a Shelter Box.

Other useful kit it Aqua Box, not sure the cost now.

Another is Life Straws which can turn foul water into drinking water.

As you might expect they are very visible collecting in Helston at the moment (they are based here). Local Tesco has given them a good site inside the store to display a box and its contents, with plenty of pictures, leaflets etc.

Two collecting boxes seem to be doing a good trade :ok:

Just think of the work those three Chinooks could have done - and still manage not to blow any buildings down or blow any roofs off.

What a shambles :ugh::ugh::ugh:

RAF Chinooks to return from Nepal having not been used - BBC News
:ugh:

Is there any mileage in the rumour that we sent HC3 without Oxygen, which therefore could not be used at altitude?

Who paid for this shambles?

HMG or UN?

Ultimately the British Taxpayer,

Too true, more to the point- who decided to send them and didn't anyone question whether they'd be allowed to fly?