How NOT to become a Police pilot!
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This comes a couple of years after the last post on this thread, and I appreciate that. First a word about how I came by it.
Mark Lamb was a mate of mine, and he dissapeared off my radar a while back (around the time of the prosecution) so I was doing a google search this morning to see if I could track him down (I know he moved abroad a while back) and stumbled on tis. At first I thought it was a co-incidence seeing his name, but Mark Lamb, lives near Lutterworth, flies with EMASU, all fitted and sadly confirmed that the friend I thought was someone with considerable flying experience was not what he seemed.
Let me first defend him. Mark was, and if he is still flying I am sure continues to be, a skilled an competent pilot irrespective of whether his ability to fly a machine marries up with the qualifications I, and others, believed he held. In fact it was his ab ility to fly that made him "credible". I flew with him a number of times in an EC120 between Redhill and Kilworth Springs Golf Club (where he sometimes parked on a verge next to the club house), as well as in a Bell in and out of Denham (where he had some established contacts at HeliAir, including Q Smith the owner of the firm), and in R22/44 both in the UK and US (at Group 3 Aviation in LA, which he said he had a stake in and which at the time I had no reason to doubt, though obviously now I wonder). Mark was also a friend whenever I needed one, and so I can understand why people at the ASU would feel comfortable in his presence. In fact, on one occasion I drove up to the ASU for a coffee and a catch up (around 2001 IIRC) probably on one of the days he was on a training flight as he was kicking about in a flying suit.
I would hope that court case notwithstanding, that he manages to "rehabilitate" himself should he still be flying. I can see a defence that it was a bit of bragging that went too far. Mark was highly accomplished in the IT field having worked for a large city law firm and a number of other start ups and he certainly had earned considerable sums out of his skills. I can only summise that IT wasn't where is "heart" was, and what he wanted was to ingratiate himself in the world that he wanted to belong to. The fact is, he had the skills and aptitude certainly, and most likely the means as well to put himself through the training that would have given him the career he aspired to.
I feel let down in a sense, but he is/was my mate, so I also feel compelled to stand by him in the face of the criticisms he has had on this thread. The fact that many of those criticisms are mostly warranted in one form or another is not an easy thing to accept in someone I considered a mate, and I'd still stand by him no matter what, though I do also want to kick his backside for using me to add credibility to a personae that was clearly made up (though he isn't the worst offender: just ask anyone from the AAC around 10 years ago who knows the story of the fat "Idi Amin" lookalike that blagged his way onto a flying cse without doing Grading with a falsified logbook, got kicked off the course and went to SA and persuaded the SADF to lend him and his girlfriend a Bell which he then crash-landed in the desert when it ran out of fuel).
Mark Lamb was a mate of mine, and he dissapeared off my radar a while back (around the time of the prosecution) so I was doing a google search this morning to see if I could track him down (I know he moved abroad a while back) and stumbled on tis. At first I thought it was a co-incidence seeing his name, but Mark Lamb, lives near Lutterworth, flies with EMASU, all fitted and sadly confirmed that the friend I thought was someone with considerable flying experience was not what he seemed.
Let me first defend him. Mark was, and if he is still flying I am sure continues to be, a skilled an competent pilot irrespective of whether his ability to fly a machine marries up with the qualifications I, and others, believed he held. In fact it was his ab ility to fly that made him "credible". I flew with him a number of times in an EC120 between Redhill and Kilworth Springs Golf Club (where he sometimes parked on a verge next to the club house), as well as in a Bell in and out of Denham (where he had some established contacts at HeliAir, including Q Smith the owner of the firm), and in R22/44 both in the UK and US (at Group 3 Aviation in LA, which he said he had a stake in and which at the time I had no reason to doubt, though obviously now I wonder). Mark was also a friend whenever I needed one, and so I can understand why people at the ASU would feel comfortable in his presence. In fact, on one occasion I drove up to the ASU for a coffee and a catch up (around 2001 IIRC) probably on one of the days he was on a training flight as he was kicking about in a flying suit.
I would hope that court case notwithstanding, that he manages to "rehabilitate" himself should he still be flying. I can see a defence that it was a bit of bragging that went too far. Mark was highly accomplished in the IT field having worked for a large city law firm and a number of other start ups and he certainly had earned considerable sums out of his skills. I can only summise that IT wasn't where is "heart" was, and what he wanted was to ingratiate himself in the world that he wanted to belong to. The fact is, he had the skills and aptitude certainly, and most likely the means as well to put himself through the training that would have given him the career he aspired to.
I feel let down in a sense, but he is/was my mate, so I also feel compelled to stand by him in the face of the criticisms he has had on this thread. The fact that many of those criticisms are mostly warranted in one form or another is not an easy thing to accept in someone I considered a mate, and I'd still stand by him no matter what, though I do also want to kick his backside for using me to add credibility to a personae that was clearly made up (though he isn't the worst offender: just ask anyone from the AAC around 10 years ago who knows the story of the fat "Idi Amin" lookalike that blagged his way onto a flying cse without doing Grading with a falsified logbook, got kicked off the course and went to SA and persuaded the SADF to lend him and his girlfriend a Bell which he then crash-landed in the desert when it ran out of fuel).
Tightgit
I'm sure raking his misdemeanours up 20 odd months after the last post on this subject is definitely going to help his rehabilitation into aviation society (if there is such a thing)!
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This may stir up a bit of a storm. But, if a guy with little experience manages to fly a twin helicopter(with no real training) well enough to pass a test. (Which I am sure is pretty dam hard) Does this not prove that there may be no real need to have all the ex mil experience every one seems to brag about on here.
Now I understand that from a safety point of view the more hours the better and the reasons behind that and i'm not for one second saying that should change.
Just thought I would open the question up for debate.
Now I understand that from a safety point of view the more hours the better and the reasons behind that and i'm not for one second saying that should change.
Just thought I would open the question up for debate.
Avoid imitations
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I have a driving licence, two and four wheels; I've probably held it longer than most serving traffic policemen. I also have off-tarmac and on-tarmac competition experience. I have driven on motorways for many years.
I could argue that I should therefore be allowed to drive a big white traffic car with blues and twos on a pursuit, just like a traffic policeman. Without even showing them my driving licence.
The average reaction to that would be "Rubbish, what are you thinking?" I would agree, but it would actually be legal, unlike the unqualified muppet in question flying a police helicopter on a Public Transport flight.
I could argue that I should therefore be allowed to drive a big white traffic car with blues and twos on a pursuit, just like a traffic policeman. Without even showing them my driving licence.
The average reaction to that would be "Rubbish, what are you thinking?" I would agree, but it would actually be legal, unlike the unqualified muppet in question flying a police helicopter on a Public Transport flight.
Last edited by ShyTorque; 18th Sep 2009 at 22:16.
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What guys will do.
A similar story from the USA. Quite some years ago, I was offered a job here flying a Hughes 500 E. Utility work. Maintaining power lines. I got a demo ride as a pax, and we put one skid on a pole, 100 feet above the ground. With the cables at least six inches from the bubble. No biggie. 
The two bods in the back calmly climbed out. 
My eyes fell out of my head. 
Anyway, I gratefully declined the offer, but the employer did tell me about an experience he had earlier. He had one guy claim 2,000 hours. Up they went, with candidate flying. The boss, simulating a worker, climbed out. Then the helicopter nearly crashed. Lost control, and the boss thought they were all going to 'flame out'. Once down, somehow, they were both shaking so much, they went to a bar. Over a beer, our 2,000 hour hero admitted he had just under two HUNDRED hours, and had pencil whipped just over 1,800 rotary flight hours.
What amazed him, and me, was not so much that a dude would falsify his log book. That's crazy, and opens a person to all sorts of criminal liability down the road. But what really amazes is that a fellow would follow up his gall by attempting such a serious, serious flight, knowing he had so little experience.
The two bods in the back calmly climbed out. My eyes fell out of my head. Anyway, I gratefully declined the offer, but the employer did tell me about an experience he had earlier. He had one guy claim 2,000 hours. Up they went, with candidate flying. The boss, simulating a worker, climbed out. Then the helicopter nearly crashed. Lost control, and the boss thought they were all going to 'flame out'. Once down, somehow, they were both shaking so much, they went to a bar. Over a beer, our 2,000 hour hero admitted he had just under two HUNDRED hours, and had pencil whipped just over 1,800 rotary flight hours.What amazed him, and me, was not so much that a dude would falsify his log book. That's crazy, and opens a person to all sorts of criminal liability down the road. But what really amazes is that a fellow would follow up his gall by attempting such a serious, serious flight, knowing he had so little experience.
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
The problem most people seem to have overlooked here is the one of personal integrity. Effective captaincy requires prompt analytical skills and the ability to arrive at a logical and safe conclusion in a timely manner. If you can't decide whether to tell the truth or a complete fabrication at a preliminary and subsequent job interviews, there is a real chance you may struggle to make the right call on an marginal VFR decision or following a time critical emergency when airborne. The underlying causes of lying or fantasies are usually huge self-esteem issues wrestling with an inflated ego. Neither condition is conducive to the stable extrovert personality required of a safe pilot.
Any fool can demonstrate superb handling skills, it's the integrity and decision making that go with these that make the professional aviator.
Any fool can demonstrate superb handling skills, it's the integrity and decision making that go with these that make the professional aviator.
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kbf1
It would appear that life hasn't been kind to the chap you mentioned, despite the fact that he comes across as an extremely personable chap (when I met him at Shawbury).
Michael Page wins tribunal case with former employee | News | Recruiter
And if you know the reason why he left Shawbury, then this is just ironic:
BBC NEWS | Programmes | Politics Show | Midlands: In camera: your comments
And I'm intrigued as to why a Google search with "south africa" amongst the terms should bring up:
Aeros - Flight Training at Gloucestershire and Filton
SBW
It would appear that life hasn't been kind to the chap you mentioned, despite the fact that he comes across as an extremely personable chap (when I met him at Shawbury).
Michael Page wins tribunal case with former employee | News | Recruiter
And if you know the reason why he left Shawbury, then this is just ironic:
BBC NEWS | Programmes | Politics Show | Midlands: In camera: your comments
And I'm intrigued as to why a Google search with "south africa" amongst the terms should bring up:
Aeros - Flight Training at Gloucestershire and Filton
SBW
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This is an old case, and the chap got caught out. There are a few people that I know of, lets say that have been a little more engergetic in there log book and are/ still flying now for the police / hems units.
This kind of thing used to wind me up, when I was battling along year after year trying to gain experience. If the units do not physically check these guys credentials then its there own problem.
When I have guys apply, I start calling people to find out exactly there background and the time they were there.
It's a small industry and everyone is linked in with everyone along their career path.
fluffy
This kind of thing used to wind me up, when I was battling along year after year trying to gain experience. If the units do not physically check these guys credentials then its there own problem.
When I have guys apply, I start calling people to find out exactly there background and the time they were there.
It's a small industry and everyone is linked in with everyone along their career path.
fluffy
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Sarboy:
The only reason he didn't get kicked out of the Factory was because he was a diversity poster-boy. HIs list of misdemeanours included:
1. Telling Gold Stick (the Maj Gen in charge of the Household Div) he wanted to join HCR after being ranked "bottom third" and expecting that he would get in by playing the race card. urban myth has it GS told him "we don't take people who have been back-coursed" and he subsequently found that he had been backed the following day (suspect though the truth is he was turned down just before being backed)
2. Got caught on a speed camera and tried to claim his car was in Germany at the time. When the case went to court and the police proved that it was his car (not a similar one on cloned plates as he claimed) he tried to get his girlfriend to state she was driving. She refused and he was prosecuted. he was about to be dismissed from the RSigs for conduct unbecoming, but got away with it because he claimed he was being victimised because of his race.
3. He was RTU'd from Boz after rocking up in a staff post wearing an RRF hackle behind his Sigs "Jimmy" claiming he had some reserved rights to wear it having served with them on attachment. He was given a media ops job and caused a near diplomatic incidient.
4. Rocked up at MW claiming huge numbers of RAF hours gained in a UAS that meant he would have been exempt grading. He got as far as Shawbury before he was found to be totally barking and unsafe in the air. Caused huge amounts of grief with AAC who had to clear whole mess up. Put on administrative leave pending dismissal when he went for his jolly to SA.
I'd heard more about him along the way. A total legend!
The only reason he didn't get kicked out of the Factory was because he was a diversity poster-boy. HIs list of misdemeanours included:
1. Telling Gold Stick (the Maj Gen in charge of the Household Div) he wanted to join HCR after being ranked "bottom third" and expecting that he would get in by playing the race card. urban myth has it GS told him "we don't take people who have been back-coursed" and he subsequently found that he had been backed the following day (suspect though the truth is he was turned down just before being backed)
2. Got caught on a speed camera and tried to claim his car was in Germany at the time. When the case went to court and the police proved that it was his car (not a similar one on cloned plates as he claimed) he tried to get his girlfriend to state she was driving. She refused and he was prosecuted. he was about to be dismissed from the RSigs for conduct unbecoming, but got away with it because he claimed he was being victimised because of his race.
3. He was RTU'd from Boz after rocking up in a staff post wearing an RRF hackle behind his Sigs "Jimmy" claiming he had some reserved rights to wear it having served with them on attachment. He was given a media ops job and caused a near diplomatic incidient.
4. Rocked up at MW claiming huge numbers of RAF hours gained in a UAS that meant he would have been exempt grading. He got as far as Shawbury before he was found to be totally barking and unsafe in the air. Caused huge amounts of grief with AAC who had to clear whole mess up. Put on administrative leave pending dismissal when he went for his jolly to SA.
I'd heard more about him along the way. A total legend!
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kbf1,
Haha, I'm well aware of the short comings of the chap in question..I merely stated that he is an extremely personable chap! But as a pilot, I dread to think that someone might take him on as a member of staff...
Hours in a B747/A320 between the UK and USA don't count in your logbook unless you're actually in the cockpit - being a pax down the back doesn't count. Oh, hang on, maybe I can add them as P2...
Oh, and having a single-barelled name automatically makes one less likely to achieve promotion. Obviously. So perhaps it'd be good to add a second barrel to improve one's promotion prospects...
Legend!
SBW
Haha, I'm well aware of the short comings of the chap in question..I merely stated that he is an extremely personable chap! But as a pilot, I dread to think that someone might take him on as a member of staff...
Hours in a B747/A320 between the UK and USA don't count in your logbook unless you're actually in the cockpit - being a pax down the back doesn't count. Oh, hang on, maybe I can add them as P2...
Oh, and having a single-barelled name automatically makes one less likely to achieve promotion. Obviously. So perhaps it'd be good to add a second barrel to improve one's promotion prospects...
Legend!
SBW
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he's still conning people
This man is still conning people.Seems he has changed his interests from the Police service to the Ambulance Service.He is using people and ruining lives just as he has done so in the past,what do they say about leopards and spots?
Hopefully the NHS WILL do their checks and he shall this time get caught....
Hopefully the NHS WILL do their checks and he shall this time get caught....
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dumsruck,
As a new poster here, perhaps you should bear in mind that (probably fortunately) the NHS has little or nothing to do with running air ambulance (HEMS) operations. They are paid for in England and Wales by charities. Usually, the "operator" is an experienced helicopter company. The NHS provides the paramedics and the requests for tasking.
Do you want to provide any more detail?
As a new poster here, perhaps you should bear in mind that (probably fortunately) the NHS has little or nothing to do with running air ambulance (HEMS) operations. They are paid for in England and Wales by charities. Usually, the "operator" is an experienced helicopter company. The NHS provides the paramedics and the requests for tasking.
Do you want to provide any more detail?
Last edited by Helinut; 20th Jul 2012 at 13:34.
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Anybody out there know of Mr Lambs whereabouts as I have just seen thisthread and he also conned our company out of a lot of money with a total pack of lies.
Please PM me if you do
Please PM me if you do
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Interesting how a new ppruner finds this thread after its been dead for so long.... Could it be that your motives are perhaps commercial and you are using this forum for your own profit to score some points..... If this guy is indeed involved with the NHS now, I'm sure sufficient checks would have been done, although I hear that some private ambulance operators dont bother... There was a bad one down your way in Norwich wasnt there? Heard the guy that runs it is a right prat!
"sciolist"... Noun, archaic. "a person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed"
"sciolist"... Noun, archaic. "a person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed"
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Do you know what,listening to you ,you could even be Mr Lamb himself.......
you seem to know a lot,yes he is a prat he didn't do the checks and gave Mr lamb a job,lucky that it didn't last but Lamb decided to ruin two more lives on the way, he has to be stopped!!!!!!
you seem to know a lot,yes he is a prat he didn't do the checks and gave Mr lamb a job,lucky that it didn't last but Lamb decided to ruin two more lives on the way, he has to be stopped!!!!!!
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Net closing in on the fraudster
Looks like the police have this prat (aka Mark Lamb / Alan Chandler) in their sights again now for fraud, forgery (how appropriate given the 'copter story) and theft!
For those of you who mentioned in this thread that he owes you money, Lincolnshire Police Fraud department is only a call/email away! Alternately you can have the pleasure of saying 'hello' to him again at Grantham Magistrates Court on 9th February 2015.
Read the full details: Company Director charged with Fraud and Forgery Offences - Lincolnshire Police
For those of you who mentioned in this thread that he owes you money, Lincolnshire Police Fraud department is only a call/email away! Alternately you can have the pleasure of saying 'hello' to him again at Grantham Magistrates Court on 9th February 2015.
Read the full details: Company Director charged with Fraud and Forgery Offences - Lincolnshire Police