jimf671

Vie, the US DDTC manage a regime of shifting sands so we will only know if we go to buy some goggles NOW.

jimf671

S-92 have been available with an NVG fit at 2 bases since last summer. Little bits of information are out there indicating that not only Sumburgh and Stornoway guys but the Transition Team and some of those destined for other bases have been flying them.

And if you were Bristow would you have your Transition Team doing AW189 simulator work and flying the O&G aircraft and prototypes during the same period? You'd be stupid not to, surely. The DfT man is watching.

Clever Richard

jimf671,


Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I shall try to keep up in future!


CD

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TOTD - there are 2 flts worth of S-92 crews who are probably trained up to speed on NVG but those 2 flts worth have to keep on providing the capability at those flights.

In the next 14 months there have to be another 7 flts worth of crews trained on type and in role including NVG - whether or not that is possible depends on the size of the training empire and the availability of the aircraft - are there actually enough instructors to do the training yet?

Most of the mil personnel in the managed transition are still in the mil and haven't even started their type and role training yet - it sounds like a big ask to me and one must ask the question about how operationally competent/capable the transition teams, who will pick up the slack, are going to be if there is to be a seamless transfer of ownership without capability gaps.

jimf671

I suggest that the number of such flights, if we assume that they include only the operational flights and the transition team, is three. If we then look at the fact that there are also aircrew out there who took the plunge and left early to join Bristow plus others who joined from other sources then maybe there are more than three. Many of us here know some of those guys and know that they are out there flying Bristow SAR aircraft.

Why would it not be so?

Sumpor Stylee

Try zero. Nobody is flying a Bristow aircraft on NVG hence the non winch equipped airframe to commence training. Majority of the ex military incomers have no glass cockpit experience. Some are struggling to get to grips with the technology not to mention the use of NVIS when combining such with glass cockpit etc. The individuals concerned are doing their utmost and committing their time but lack of organisation and leadership is where the failings and associated delays will be. Whether they get away with it by delivering on time remains to be seen, what will be delivered also is open to debate.

April 1st, the day of fools awaits......

And if they're so well manned up why is the publicly broadcast face of Bristow oil and gas ringing previous applicants arrogantly telling them why they should want to work for Bristow and slandering other operators despite the non commuting roster being insisted at remote bases where commuting was the norm since 2007 and even before then for some during Bristow's previous tenure???

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It's all going terribly well.............................................

P3 Bellows

Standby for the continual drip drip drip of misery from the one who says he hopes for a successful outcome

Crab; I'm so glad I don't have to work with you. You must be an absolute misery to work with.

I think we should call you "Captain Fantastic" from now on as you are clearly a flying God.

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not sure why you think that but you would be 100% wrong.

Just because I know a bit about flying training (only been a QHI since 1989) and SAR training in particular (since 1990) doesn't make me a 'flying God' but it does allow me to pass comment on the sort of stuff I have delivered for many years in different roles

If you know better I will gladly bow to your superior knowledge.

I don't know the inner workings of the Bristow training machine but, when people who do - like sumpor stylee- have what appears to be valid information, who am I to argue?

P3 Bellows

Captain Fantastic,

I have no superior knowledge compared to your good self. I'm sure of that.

You are basing your criticism of the process based on what you read on here. Give me strength!

I would be surprised if anyone on the "inside" was posting here.

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And you are basing your faith and belief in the process on what??????

TorqueOfTheDevil

Crab,

You may turn out to be right that SAR is going to hell in a handcart, but with five months to go, you are too forceful in stating this as an inevitable fact. I'm aware that the existing S-92 bases cannot be abandoned to provide cover at Inverness (but, really, thank you for pointing this out ), but I'm pretty sure that Bristow would consider paying some overtime to the qualified individuals to allow them to man the existing and new bases simultaneously if that's what it takes to overcome any short-term deficiency in crews. And if, by April, noone has got the hang of NVG ops, will this stop the handover? Bristow and politicians alike will claim that a serviceable but temporarily-non-NVG S-92 (or AW189) offers a better capability than an NVG- and water-boiler-equipped but unserviceable Sea King. Would you approve of this? No. Would this be an ideal situation? No. Would it stop the transition from mil to civ? Probably not (but unlike you, I don't claim to know for sure).

TOTD

PS Sumpor, is it unreasonable to use a non-winch airframe for NVG training? Assuming (please correct me if I'm wrong) that there is no appetite for Bristow to do NVG winching, it seems a fair use of assets. I don't doubt that the work-up is a challenge, but with 5 months to run and plenty of darkness to practise in, I would guess that there may still be time to create enough people with enough proficiency.

Don't worry, many of the ex-mil guys will feel right at home...

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TOTD - I haven't said anywhere that SAR is going to hell in a handcart - to my knowledge, Bristow have a series of contingency plans to cover such eventualities as the 189 not getting SAR certification on time.

I know they had to prove to DfT that they could provide the service even if things went wrong.

However, I'm not surprised that there are teething problems and I am sure they will be overcome - but I do hope the MCA are honest about any shortfalls or reduction in capability during the transition.

We all know that eventually the SAR service will be very good but a lot of 'smoke and mirrors' has been used to gloss over the tricky bit in the middle when an ounce of honesty would go a lot further to assuaging onlookers' worries.

PS, I don't think overtime is much of an option when the European working time directive is taken into account.

jimf671

.. would be very helpful.

Vie sans frontieres

I bet they would be if it was going well and and they had something to brag about.

SeaKingDriver

Bearing in mind the unfounded negative response from the (uninformed) press and public when privatised SAR was first announced, frankly I'm not surprised if Bristow are keeping their cards close to their chest. Any hint of things not going to plan A and the media machine will run away with it. We've all seen it happen before in the military!

The fact is, I'm sure those who need to know, know!

P3 Bellows

SKD - I'm sure you're right. It's sad though that some like Jim, VSF and Captain Fantastic think that if Bristows management are not in the chat rooms here pandering to their needs and interests, there is a cover-up.

I'm sure they have far better things to do.

Vie sans frontieres

It certainly seems as though they've left themselves quite a lot to do. Too much some might say.

snaggletooth

Au contraire. The gentleman in question is known as 'The Laughing QHI' in some circles, and with good reason. A pure professional and a pleasure to work with.

Good work Fella!

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Cheque's in the post Snag