G-WPAS

[cptjim]

Can anyone shed some light on this photo please?

http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=yu9v...p=1&quality=70

I'm guessing it has to do with the recent grounding of the 902 fleet but just curious as to why the tail number would be covered up like that.Thanks

[Newforest2]

Direct linking not allowed for this photo!

[Whirlygig]

If you copy the link above and paste it into your address bar, you'll get the picture!!

Here it is, incognito!



Cheers

Whirls

[PANews]

WPAS was taken from Wiltshire to Staverton by road just a few days before the general grounding, this may be it. I understand that it was an engine problem.

I have noticed before that PAS tend to obliterate the registrations of their road runners as part of the readying for the journey so this it not unusual.

As they left the aircraft titles untouched its nothing to do with secrecy. Perhaps someone thinks it may get mistaken for the registration number of the low loader if it jumped a red light!

[500e]

Thought have they would have cleaned it, then people would think it was being delivered

[widgeon]

Surprised they did not remove the Flir , some of the mounts are quick release.

[Newforest2]

Wasn't going to Liverpool was it?

[widgeon]

If it was they would have locked up all removable parts I'm sure.

[John R81]

Couldn't be Liverpool - the skids are still there

[Newforest2]

Not much skiing in the Liverpool area is there?

[quichemech]

It is quite normal to cover the registration of an aircraft when it is being transported by road, most maintenance companies do it. Even the military do it.

Nice photo of it going into Gloucestershire airport, was someone at the Aviator having a cuppa?

[ericferret]

The only good reason for covering a registration is to annoy the plane spotters!!!!!!!!!

[Whirlygig]

It's not to annoy them; it's to set them a challenge!

Seriously, why cover up the reg?

Cheers

Whirls

[Northskycop]

In my experience, they cover up any insignia to identify the aircraft - who wants to advertise to the 'customers' that the aircraft is off line, and unwanted publicity. Seems to me that someone did not understand what they were doing and only did half a job.

[Skidkid]

It's probably because GWPAS is owned by PAS and not Wiltshire Police.

PAS don't want bad publicity about themselves but are not bothered about their customers!

[quichemech]

Skid kid. Don't be silly, despite what some people think or say PAS are a professional company, as for why only some bits where covered, give them a bell and ask if it's that important.

01452 857999.

[Skidkid]

Thanks, but why not tell us the reason here?

[quichemech]

Because I don't work for them.

Maybe the covers fell off due to all the rain we have had lately

[Pandalet]

I've never been close enough to anything produced by MD to verify this, but I believe the NOTAR system includes a duct along the tail boom, which provides (via the Coanda effect - thanks Phil!) anti-torque force. Presumably, when transporting by road, especially in the wonderfully wet excuse-for-a-summer we're having, you don't want water and things blowing in via the duct, so you stick some bin-bag over the hole. As someone's helpfully painted the reg over the duct as well, this has some side-effects.

Just guessing here?

[Skidkid]

Pandalet

Good guess but no. The NOTAR intake is on the top of the main aircraft body between and slightly rear of the engines. The out-ducts, which create the Coanda effect, are on the starboard side of the tailboom.

quichemech

Sorry, but from the way that you defended PAS I thought you worked for them.

Of course PAS is a professional company, I am not saying otherwise, but let's go back to the point raised before - "why cover up the reg?". It is obvious that they have made a deliberate attempt to cover up the registration which clearly identifies it as a PAS aircraft. It has been suggested, and I can think of no other reason, that this is to avoid bad publicity. But, they have made no attempt to cover up the customer's name in order to avoid bad publicity for them.