UK SAR 2013 privatisation: the new thread
3D
that reminded me of a certain elderly corporal who, at an annual GDT refresher, when asked what were the signs of a near nuclear strike, replied FOD! 
When the siren goes off you don't have time for a "FOD PLOD".
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Scotland
Age: 73
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Professionalism
Crab - "Why would you let the building contractors make a mess and then clear it up yourself??? Who would allow a contractor who wasn't 'air-aware' to work in an aviation environment?? It all sounds very professional
"
Errrr – It's about as professional as MOD/RAF at Kinloss circa early 2005 when the roof of the newly constructed Ops Building (details fuzzy – perhaps the MPA community can help) blew off and ended up at (mostly on or near) the runway and all hands (RAF equivalent) were called out to conduct a close quarters in-line abreast search of the runway to pick up the bits. During the same period of stormy weather the roof of the recently constructed nearby Tesco building in Forres also took orf threatening folks on the A96.
Interesting thing was that the shack opposite the ARCC housing the Supply Sqn Bar and the similarly constructed nearby MRT hut, both apparently built during the war (WWII) or not that long after, survived the tempest with no apparent damage.
Is the moral of the tale that building standards have regressed or that those who live(d) in glass houses shouldn't throw stones ?
Errrr – It's about as professional as MOD/RAF at Kinloss circa early 2005 when the roof of the newly constructed Ops Building (details fuzzy – perhaps the MPA community can help) blew off and ended up at (mostly on or near) the runway and all hands (RAF equivalent) were called out to conduct a close quarters in-line abreast search of the runway to pick up the bits. During the same period of stormy weather the roof of the recently constructed nearby Tesco building in Forres also took orf threatening folks on the A96.
Interesting thing was that the shack opposite the ARCC housing the Supply Sqn Bar and the similarly constructed nearby MRT hut, both apparently built during the war (WWII) or not that long after, survived the tempest with no apparent damage.
Is the moral of the tale that building standards have regressed or that those who live(d) in glass houses shouldn't throw stones ?
Last edited by Bluenose 50; 28th Jan 2015 at 21:25. Reason: grammar
Problem is Crab that Bristow can do nothing right as far as you Vie and Jim are concerned.
If they cancel flying due FOD you'd be on here telling everyone that they cannot complete a simple training flight due to late build of the hangar/poor contractors/ bad management/poor planning - you name it.
When they fly after storm damage you bleat about poor airmanship/bad decision making/ fyling despite FOD hazards - you name it.
It is all getting a bit silly now.
If they cancel flying due FOD you'd be on here telling everyone that they cannot complete a simple training flight due to late build of the hangar/poor contractors/ bad management/poor planning - you name it.
When they fly after storm damage you bleat about poor airmanship/bad decision making/ fyling despite FOD hazards - you name it.
It is all getting a bit silly now.
It is all getting a bit silly now
Sometimes, in exposed locations in the north of Scotland, it gets windy. Sometimes, when it gets windy, things that shouldn't blow away do blow away.
Stornoway and Sumburgh bases are sorted, right?
Phew!
No kidding.
Problem is Crab that Bristow can do nothing right as far as you Vie and Jim are concerned.
Posters like me??
Last word is yours always Crab. Although I am told that you are no longer a SAR God, or even a SAR anybody. So perhaps you are no longer qualified to comment - on Bristow - or even Balfour Beatty?
Good night ladies.
Last word is yours always Crab. Although I am told that you are no longer a SAR God, or even a SAR anybody. So perhaps you are no longer qualified to comment - on Bristow - or even Balfour Beatty?
Good night ladies.
Same again - my SAR pedigree goes back to instructing at SARTU as my first instructional tour in 1989 and finished last year after 14 years as a SAR pilot, flight QHI, Sqn training officer, CFS agent and part-time Standards pilot.
It would be interesting to know how many people there are in the new SAR organisation with equivalent or better quals.
Up to you whether or not you think my opinions count for anything - what qualifies you to pass judgement anyway?
It would be interesting to know how many people there are in the new SAR organisation with equivalent or better quals.
Up to you whether or not you think my opinions count for anything - what qualifies you to pass judgement anyway?
Crab
There is no doubting your experience but I would question your attitude. I have shared crew rooms and even worse, cockpits with the likes of yourself and frankly, they were a pain in the backside; the "I know everything there is to know and I've forgotten more than you will ever know" sort of attitude.
You have spent many years slagging off civil SAR on here and are then daft enough to think that by stopping posting for a few months it will all be forgotten and Bristows will welcome you with open arms. I think you have been very naive in your approach to getting a job in the new SAR world and you just come across as bitter and twisted now.
You clearly wanted a job with Bristows and you don't have one. If I were you, I'd have a good look in the mirror before you continue with your bitterness.
P3
It would be interesting to know how many people there are in the new SAR organisation with equivalent or better quals.
You have spent many years slagging off civil SAR on here and are then daft enough to think that by stopping posting for a few months it will all be forgotten and Bristows will welcome you with open arms. I think you have been very naive in your approach to getting a job in the new SAR world and you just come across as bitter and twisted now.
You clearly wanted a job with Bristows and you don't have one. If I were you, I'd have a good look in the mirror before you continue with your bitterness.
P3
P3 - you have never shared a crewroom or cockpit with me or you would know that I am not in the least bit the way you seem to believe.
I am not bitter - disappointed that my experience won't be used to help further the new SAR service but not bitter because they objected to my criticism. What were they actually afraid of??
In many respects they did me a favour - there comes an age when getting dragged out of bed in the wee small hours for a 4-hour search in sh*te weather rather loses its appeal - I think I have been there for a while.
I have new challenge which better utilises my 'allegedly' good instructional skills which I would have missed out on had I been part of the managed transition.
In short - don't try to judge me unless you actually know me - perhaps try talking to some of those that do before you point the finger.
I am not bitter - disappointed that my experience won't be used to help further the new SAR service but not bitter because they objected to my criticism. What were they actually afraid of??
In many respects they did me a favour - there comes an age when getting dragged out of bed in the wee small hours for a 4-hour search in sh*te weather rather loses its appeal - I think I have been there for a while.
I have new challenge which better utilises my 'allegedly' good instructional skills which I would have missed out on had I been part of the managed transition.
In short - don't try to judge me unless you actually know me - perhaps try talking to some of those that do before you point the finger.
Like.
Not the first time you have written that as I recall.
Originally Posted by [email protected]
... - there comes an age when getting dragged out of bed in the wee small hours for a 4-hour search in sh*te weather rather loses its appeal - ...
Shoudn't worry Crab. I made more money flying Bristows aircraft than I did flying them when I was employed by them. At one stage they were paying me truckloads of money to fly another company's aircraft.
Luckily I was in long enough to stack up a good pension.
Luckily I was in long enough to stack up a good pension.
Or did you give any to hard-pressed mountain rescue teams? Some of us are going to need new boots for the times when we have to walk all the way home. Surely that won't happen with Bristow, just as it never happened with the RAF and RN 
, what with pilots being such terribly nice chaps.
, what with pilots being such terribly nice chaps.
As I write this, G-MCGF from Bristow Inverness is heading for the hills. Just heading past Loch Glass behind Ben Wyvis and heading into the 'badlands' of the Northwest Highlands.
Have a good day chaps. There are certainly worse days for flying around the NW Highlands. Hope you took your cameras.
of the Northwest Highlands. Have a good day chaps. There are certainly worse days for flying around the NW Highlands. Hope you took your cameras.
AW139 in HMCG colours reported around the Brecon Beacons.
Possibly G-CIJW, reg not confirmed.
A bit early for St Athan? Maybe just getting hill time which is no bad thing.
Possibly G-CIJW, reg not confirmed.
A bit early for St Athan? Maybe just getting hill time which is no bad thing.