Who is Jim Ferguson??
IMHO
To summarise,.. picking from bits and pieces.....
If nobody speaks to the media and says the things the way they want to hear them, they are going to talk to someone that will.
I watched Sky (in shock and horror) most of yesterday and IMHO the sensationalism did seem to get turned down a notch or two when multiple people said the same thing.......which was basically
"we don't know why - and we won't until the AAIB publish, but we need to remember this is an extraordinary and tragic accident which will take months of diligent research before we can identify the causes and contributing factors, from which to learn any lessons, and if we don't learn lessons, that would be a further tradgedy, in the meantime any poorly considered knee jerk reactions could actually have a negative affect!"
Politely saying that the media asking "why" and looking for someone to point the figer of blame at isn't the right thing to do!
But they have got gaps to fill and it's unfortunate that people prefer to hear the sensationalist claims and the (w) anchors know that, even if they know nothing about aviation.
In the meantime - many of us were still watching the media !
If nobody speaks to the media and says the things the way they want to hear them, they are going to talk to someone that will.
I watched Sky (in shock and horror) most of yesterday and IMHO the sensationalism did seem to get turned down a notch or two when multiple people said the same thing.......which was basically
"we don't know why - and we won't until the AAIB publish, but we need to remember this is an extraordinary and tragic accident which will take months of diligent research before we can identify the causes and contributing factors, from which to learn any lessons, and if we don't learn lessons, that would be a further tradgedy, in the meantime any poorly considered knee jerk reactions could actually have a negative affect!"
Politely saying that the media asking "why" and looking for someone to point the figer of blame at isn't the right thing to do!
But they have got gaps to fill and it's unfortunate that people prefer to hear the sensationalist claims and the (w) anchors know that, even if they know nothing about aviation.
In the meantime - many of us were still watching the media !
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What an interesting thread about this chap!
Many of us are just trying to make a living, I make mine by taking a lot of trouble to ensure I get detail correct, checking facts and researching to ensure that I am doing things correctly (I assume, like many people in their work). Because if I talk pish and cock things up I will rapidly run out of work.
I have been working in aviation for 15 years and I am no doubt deluding myself if I consider myself in the dizzy heights of a rank amateur, however I still find myself stunned when I listen to the drivel this man, and others speak which is presented as expert knowledge.
My complaint has been sent to the BBC for what it's worth.
However I have to echo what others have said, those who ARE expert in the industry need to put themselves in a position to be available for comment to better represent the industry and stop idiots speaking to the ignorant who in turn broadcast to those who are unaware.
He is a journalist trying to make a living just like the rest of us.
I have been working in aviation for 15 years and I am no doubt deluding myself if I consider myself in the dizzy heights of a rank amateur, however I still find myself stunned when I listen to the drivel this man, and others speak which is presented as expert knowledge.
My complaint has been sent to the BBC for what it's worth.
However I have to echo what others have said, those who ARE expert in the industry need to put themselves in a position to be available for comment to better represent the industry and stop idiots speaking to the ignorant who in turn broadcast to those who are unaware.
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NORTHERN LISTENER - just so I can fume into my whisky&dry, what exactly did poor old Jim include in his journalism that prompted you to complain to the BBC??
I hate bullying in all it forms!!
DB
I hate bullying in all it forms!!
DB
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Inaccurate and ill informed speculation delivered with a theatrical 'correction' of a journo's supposition, albeit irrelevant, on this occasion. Similar antics in the past.
I am taking objection to your comment of bullying, into my whisky on ice, who and how have I bullied?
And, since when has talking rubbish on the TV amounted to journalism?
(errr... hang on...)
I am taking objection to your comment of bullying, into my whisky on ice, who and how have I bullied?
And, since when has talking rubbish on the TV amounted to journalism?
(errr... hang on...)
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Try to remember, people, that the "public's right to know" has long since become confused with "the editor's (or CEO or whoever) need to show profit!".
Like any other business, the various media exist as corporate entities to, first and foremost, show profit so that stock values and dividends remain high to satisfy investors.
In the case of TV generally and TV news in particular, whatever keeps the viewing public on channel is what will lead - simples...!
Why? Because advertising revenue is where it's at. Advertising revenue is what keeps turnoevr up and thus keeps profits up. Jim Ferguson might as well be quoting Byron for all the difference it makes to the people interviewing him - try not to forget that and it might help understand why your complaints are going un-noticed. Yes, as somebody said, he should probably be confined to the tea-shop in his local aerodrome but that is of little or no consequence in the greater scheme of things.
Those who anchor the various hourly news programmes have one task above all others - that is, to keep the viewers on their channel and away from the others. Whatever it takes, let it be ****e or otherwise, is what will be done.
The public interest? Hmm....yeah, right...!
Like any other business, the various media exist as corporate entities to, first and foremost, show profit so that stock values and dividends remain high to satisfy investors.
In the case of TV generally and TV news in particular, whatever keeps the viewing public on channel is what will lead - simples...!
Why? Because advertising revenue is where it's at. Advertising revenue is what keeps turnoevr up and thus keeps profits up. Jim Ferguson might as well be quoting Byron for all the difference it makes to the people interviewing him - try not to forget that and it might help understand why your complaints are going un-noticed. Yes, as somebody said, he should probably be confined to the tea-shop in his local aerodrome but that is of little or no consequence in the greater scheme of things.
Those who anchor the various hourly news programmes have one task above all others - that is, to keep the viewers on their channel and away from the others. Whatever it takes, let it be ****e or otherwise, is what will be done.
The public interest? Hmm....yeah, right...!
Last edited by heliski22; 18th Jan 2013 at 01:22.
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Had our Jim Ferguson been asked you would have got sensible answers (should he still be with us). Started his own helicopter business circa 1965 and in his capacity as a reserve RAN type came to Vietnam for a bit of Huey troop lift stick time during his holidays/reserve time.
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Sad news. I liked Jim.
Shame on all other posters on this thread that collectively bullied, complained and defamed the man for doing the job he loved best!!!
This is probably the most shameful thread I have ever seen on PPRUNE!! Theres is nothing "Professional" about it.
If any of Jim's family are unfortunate to read this thread - Jim was a good guy who always tried his best with the information and resources he was given. The morons on this thread who trashed him deserve no such attention.
DB
Shame on all other posters on this thread that collectively bullied, complained and defamed the man for doing the job he loved best!!!
This is probably the most shameful thread I have ever seen on PPRUNE!! Theres is nothing "Professional" about it.
If any of Jim's family are unfortunate to read this thread - Jim was a good guy who always tried his best with the information and resources he was given. The morons on this thread who trashed him deserve no such attention.
DB
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I met Jim. A passionate aviation man, as probably most of us here are. We all have views on aviation points, and where would we be if didn't have people like Jim to question.
All the best Jim, you put your heart into it.
All the best Jim, you put your heart into it.
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As an immediate member of Jim Ferguson's family, I accessed this site for the first time yesterday, and was astonished and appalled at this thread.
I wish that before people indulge in this sort of anonymous personal and professional character assassination online, they would stop to consider that they are talking about someone's husband/brother/father. I have no idea if Jim was aware of the kind of things that were being said, but I suspect that with his customary good sense he would have chosen to ignore it - he never did suffer fools gladly.
Contrary to the picture painted in many of these posts, by people who obviously didn't know him, Jim Ferguson was an intelligent, honest and decent man, with strong moral principles, who was making a living doing something he was passionate about. He was always forthright, could be opinionated, and perhaps didn't always get it right - but people who live in glass houses, etc....
I can only hope that some of those who have been so free with their opinions are prepared to put their money where their mouths are, and try to fill his shoes.
RIP Jim - I am sure many more people will miss you than won't.
I wish that before people indulge in this sort of anonymous personal and professional character assassination online, they would stop to consider that they are talking about someone's husband/brother/father. I have no idea if Jim was aware of the kind of things that were being said, but I suspect that with his customary good sense he would have chosen to ignore it - he never did suffer fools gladly.
Contrary to the picture painted in many of these posts, by people who obviously didn't know him, Jim Ferguson was an intelligent, honest and decent man, with strong moral principles, who was making a living doing something he was passionate about. He was always forthright, could be opinionated, and perhaps didn't always get it right - but people who live in glass houses, etc....
I can only hope that some of those who have been so free with their opinions are prepared to put their money where their mouths are, and try to fill his shoes.
RIP Jim - I am sure many more people will miss you than won't.
The One Your Mother Warned You About
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Angry Relative;
You may be utterly shocked and appalled at this thread, but sadly what Jim wrote and said in the media was often innaccurate and misleading. You may feel that his reputation has been trashed, but that is how the relatives of dead aircrew he wrote about feel about what he did to them. He was alive when this thread began, he was informed of it and chose not to use his right to reply, what about the people whose professional reputations were traduced by Jim but had no right of reply? What about the widows and children of dead pilots who heard and read his ill-informed reports and whose friends/neighbours believed that their man was guilty of gross pilot error.
I was once in a serious incident, Jim wrote about it at the time and again when the AAIB reported. Now, post Leveson I would have the right to reply, then I had none, Jim's report bore little resemblance to either the original incident and none to the AAIB report, mud sticks, and I spent alot of time with smart arses telling me how it was all my fault (as Jim reported) when the AAIB had praised both me and the P2 for our actions.
Others on here such as DoubleBogey claim the moral high ground and accuse posters of bullying, I personally know a lot of the posters on this thread and know that there was no bullying, just huge anger when Jim purported to be an expert on a subject which we all spent years learning and decades honing. I have permission from one poster to admit that he had a nervous breakdown after one incident and that a lot of his problems were caused by innaccurate reporting which he couldn't respond to.
After an incident/accident no-one from a company or the AAIB is allowed to talk to the media, except to report basic facts. The media go into a feeding frenzy and sadly Jim's reporting fed the frenzy, and innocent people got trampled in the rush. His reports on the death of Pete Barnes on the 16th January were classic examples and Pete's familly had to cope with an "expert" who had never flown a helicopter giving an impression that he really knew what it was like to fly into EGLW and how to fly an A109 when his knowledge was really zero.
Angry Relative, if you pm me I am more than happy to give up my annonimity and discuss Jim and the media with you. Passionate and commited he may have been, I don't know, but I do know how much he hurt me, my familly and the famillies of many others, none of whom were ever allowed to be heard in reply. As I said earlier, he had the right to reply here, which is far more than anyone he ever wrote about had.
MODs this post will probably p*** a few people off. If I get banned I don't mind. I am also passionate and commited and I have written as I believed, apparently as did JF, although I did at least speak to other posters, and the famillies of several dead North Sea pilots before posting.
You may be utterly shocked and appalled at this thread, but sadly what Jim wrote and said in the media was often innaccurate and misleading. You may feel that his reputation has been trashed, but that is how the relatives of dead aircrew he wrote about feel about what he did to them. He was alive when this thread began, he was informed of it and chose not to use his right to reply, what about the people whose professional reputations were traduced by Jim but had no right of reply? What about the widows and children of dead pilots who heard and read his ill-informed reports and whose friends/neighbours believed that their man was guilty of gross pilot error.
I was once in a serious incident, Jim wrote about it at the time and again when the AAIB reported. Now, post Leveson I would have the right to reply, then I had none, Jim's report bore little resemblance to either the original incident and none to the AAIB report, mud sticks, and I spent alot of time with smart arses telling me how it was all my fault (as Jim reported) when the AAIB had praised both me and the P2 for our actions.
Others on here such as DoubleBogey claim the moral high ground and accuse posters of bullying, I personally know a lot of the posters on this thread and know that there was no bullying, just huge anger when Jim purported to be an expert on a subject which we all spent years learning and decades honing. I have permission from one poster to admit that he had a nervous breakdown after one incident and that a lot of his problems were caused by innaccurate reporting which he couldn't respond to.
After an incident/accident no-one from a company or the AAIB is allowed to talk to the media, except to report basic facts. The media go into a feeding frenzy and sadly Jim's reporting fed the frenzy, and innocent people got trampled in the rush. His reports on the death of Pete Barnes on the 16th January were classic examples and Pete's familly had to cope with an "expert" who had never flown a helicopter giving an impression that he really knew what it was like to fly into EGLW and how to fly an A109 when his knowledge was really zero.
Angry Relative, if you pm me I am more than happy to give up my annonimity and discuss Jim and the media with you. Passionate and commited he may have been, I don't know, but I do know how much he hurt me, my familly and the famillies of many others, none of whom were ever allowed to be heard in reply. As I said earlier, he had the right to reply here, which is far more than anyone he ever wrote about had.
MODs this post will probably p*** a few people off. If I get banned I don't mind. I am also passionate and commited and I have written as I believed, apparently as did JF, although I did at least speak to other posters, and the famillies of several dead North Sea pilots before posting.
I concurr with FF and it's a pleasure to read such a balanced post against a backdrop of obvious personal feeling that could have been far more vitriolic, but was tempered and fair and magnanimous.
From Brian: "Had our Jim Ferguson been asked you would have got sensible answers (should he still be with us). Started his own helicopter business circa 1965 and in his capacity as a reserve RAN type came to Vietnam for a bit of Huey troop lift stick time during his holidays/reserve time."
That's the bloke I recall. I flew with him as a kid in the 'yellow peril' (his banana yellow 206) in PNG in 1976 IIRC. You could not say that bloke didn't have aviation experience. Sea Furies off the Sydney and plenty of rotary wing experience. If he's still around, thanks Jim.
That's the bloke I recall. I flew with him as a kid in the 'yellow peril' (his banana yellow 206) in PNG in 1976 IIRC. You could not say that bloke didn't have aviation experience. Sea Furies off the Sydney and plenty of rotary wing experience. If he's still around, thanks Jim.
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Angry Relative
I'm sorry to hear of your loss.
According to a friend of mine who knew him well for several decades, he was a delightful man.
_________________
H.
I'm sorry to hear of your loss.
According to a friend of mine who knew him well for several decades, he was a delightful man.
_________________
Some posters are commenting about a different Jim Ferguson.
The late Jim Ferguson ('aviation writer' and the subject of this thread) was not a pilot and never had been, nor did he work in the aviation industry.
The late Jim Ferguson ('aviation writer' and the subject of this thread) was not a pilot and never had been, nor did he work in the aviation industry.
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FF
However hurtful Jim's reporting may have been for you AS A PROFESSIONAL PILOT, it is hard to understand how you could drop that last post given the fact that Jim's family is reading.
Maybe your ego is worth more than making Jim's family feeling good about their relative. Is that the message you really felt the need to post!!
Sorry mate but to me your post is an appalling response to one family's grief. Shame on you.
DB
However hurtful Jim's reporting may have been for you AS A PROFESSIONAL PILOT, it is hard to understand how you could drop that last post given the fact that Jim's family is reading.
Maybe your ego is worth more than making Jim's family feeling good about their relative. Is that the message you really felt the need to post!!
Sorry mate but to me your post is an appalling response to one family's grief. Shame on you.
DB
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However hurtful Jim's reporting may have been for you
As Heliport says
The late Jim Ferguson ('aviation writer' and the subject of this thread) was not a pilot and never had been, nor did he work in the aviation industry.
That doesn't detract from the fact that he may have been a delightful bloke to share a beer with, and a wonderful family man.
Passionate and commited he may have been, I don't know, but I do know how much he hurt me, my familly and the famillies of many others, none of whom were ever allowed to be heard in reply. As I said earlier, he had the right to reply here, which is far more than anyone he ever wrote about had.
Call a spade for what it is.