NPAS News 2018
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“However, we found some fundamental problems with the current collaborative arrangements for police air support, which have led us to conclude that urgent change is required – if not a fresh approach entirely. A system whereby someone in Lincolnshire paid 5p towards police air support last year, whilst someone in Cleveland paid £1.98, is one that needs a coherent strategy.
NPAS is 6 years old and has steadily gone down hill.
There will now be a race the bottom when they add the FW and sweet FA is done as a consequence of the HMIC report. The Cambridge advert is designed to address the HMIC report, which is farcical really because we don't need 40k pro rata to understand and stop the rot - more cabs and more money.
That ain't going to happen.
Meanwhile the boss of NPAS will probably be moved on via a promotion thinking he's done a cracking job and the CC W Yorks will continue with her head in the sand.
I can't wait to hear what the Aviation head of the NPCC will do to address the HMIC report.
FW will be the death knell of NPAS, the remaining PCC's who support NPAS now will simply roll over and accept defeat when it comes to response times.....
There will now be a race the bottom when they add the FW and sweet FA is done as a consequence of the HMIC report. The Cambridge advert is designed to address the HMIC report, which is farcical really because we don't need 40k pro rata to understand and stop the rot - more cabs and more money.
That ain't going to happen.
Meanwhile the boss of NPAS will probably be moved on via a promotion thinking he's done a cracking job and the CC W Yorks will continue with her head in the sand.
I can't wait to hear what the Aviation head of the NPCC will do to address the HMIC report.
FW will be the death knell of NPAS, the remaining PCC's who support NPAS now will simply roll over and accept defeat when it comes to response times.....
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In particular, we recognise the major contributions made by the members of the NPAS National Strategic Board and especially by the current chief constable of West Yorkshire Police and the police and crime commissioner for West Yorkshire.
we recognise the major contributions made
Nobody was better placed to stand up and shout, "This will not work!" but instead, we got slash and burn. Which (to be fair) is probably what they were asked to do.
NPAS Cambridge?
A friend of mine who works in ops at Cambridge Airport has just told me that the rumour doing the rounds at the airport is that a police helicopter is going to be based there!!
steady on plus the FW Vulcanair asset from Sherwood Forest, not bad going
If it dies sorry
does Come to fruition then I imagine they would share the same area as where Anglia One is on site.Cheers
Thread Starter
They are not happy in Wales:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...mpression=true
The failings of the centralised National Police Air Service (NPAS) – the service which saw Dyfed-Powys lose its own police helicopter in favour of an England and Wales wide scheme – are to be reviewed by National Police Chiefs Council.
Two things:
Cambridge Airport are not renewing any future aviation company contracts at their airfield forcing them to depart further afield. The reason is under wraps but the front runner for rumour is that Cambridge (Marshall's) will be selling off big chunks of their airfield for housing and very very soon.................. Police helicopter base in amongst a housing estate - I don' think so.
Secondly, Wales as a country - hasn't had a police air support for 3 years. Dyfed first then N Wales were next.
No wonder someone's kicking off that National Police Sir Support is one big joke!
Cambridge Airport are not renewing any future aviation company contracts at their airfield forcing them to depart further afield. The reason is under wraps but the front runner for rumour is that Cambridge (Marshall's) will be selling off big chunks of their airfield for housing and very very soon.................. Police helicopter base in amongst a housing estate - I don' think so.
Secondly, Wales as a country - hasn't had a police air support for 3 years. Dyfed first then N Wales were next.
No wonder someone's kicking off that National Police Sir Support is one big joke!
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National Police Sir Support is one big joke!
“It will complement, not substitute for the helicopter. We get a pretty rubbish service from the NPAS and I think this will help reassure people – particularly in the north of the county.”
I was surprised to see an NPAS aircraft overhead Pewsey a few nights ago. The coppers I mentioned it to (my surprise, they already knew the helicopter was there) in passing said it was unusual to get air support. In this case a sporty Merc had been stolen from Devizes and picked up nearby. The ensuing chase netted all 3 involved.
It's a shame that the combined ASU / HEMS from Devizes had to go in the NPAS mess, it was so much more regular a sight then. Hey ho. Progress, I suppose.
It's a shame that the combined ASU / HEMS from Devizes had to go in the NPAS mess, it was so much more regular a sight then. Hey ho. Progress, I suppose.
NRF, But in contrast, my old Filton based unit will soon be moving to a brand new combined base with the GW Air Ambulance at Almondsbury, just the other side of the motorway to the Big RAC building.
TF
TF
From March's Police Aviation News, Essex's PCC commenting on their use of a drone:
Quote:“It will complement, not substitute for the helicopter. We get a pretty rubbish service from the NPAS and I think this will help reassure people – particularly in the north of the county.”
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Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said they would not replace the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter, which serves the region from Essex and has regularly faced his criticism for the cost of “dead flying time” on journeys. In his statement he included a typical jibe at the helicopter service - “It will complement, not substitute for the helicopter. We get a pretty rubbish service from the NPAS and I think this will help reassure people – particularly in the north of the county.”
It was the Suffolk PCC Tim Passmore
And he is right, but he should have fought a bit harder to keep the asset. In fact he didn't fight at all IMHO
Essex's PCC thinks he gets a pretty rubbish service from NPAS despite there being FIVE helicopters based in his county. He should spare a thought for counties like Norfolk who don't even have one based in the county, or the surrounding counties for that matter.
And he is right, but he should have fought a bit harder to keep the asset. In fact he didn't fight at all IMHO
Last edited by Fly_For_Fun; 20th May 2018 at 20:12. Reason: Addition
Two things:
Cambridge Airport are not renewing any future aviation company contracts at their airfield forcing them to depart further afield. The reason is under wraps but the front runner for rumour is that Cambridge (Marshall's) will be selling off big chunks of their airfield for housing and very very soon.................. Police helicopter base in amongst a housing estate - I don' think so.
Secondly, Wales as a country - hasn't had a police air support for 3 years. Dyfed first then N Wales were next.
No wonder someone's kicking off that National Police Sir Support is one big joke!
Cambridge Airport are not renewing any future aviation company contracts at their airfield forcing them to depart further afield. The reason is under wraps but the front runner for rumour is that Cambridge (Marshall's) will be selling off big chunks of their airfield for housing and very very soon.................. Police helicopter base in amongst a housing estate - I don' think so.
Secondly, Wales as a country - hasn't had a police air support for 3 years. Dyfed first then N Wales were next.
No wonder someone's kicking off that National Police Sir Support is one big joke!
Or unless some bright spark thinks of Alconbury then will approach Huntingdon District again, followed by Urban & Civic / Saviles who own the airfield now. Get them to stop tearing up the runway on Alconbury Weald and stop all construction (bit late as several very large warehosues/offices almost hangar like in size and appearence have been built) plus a new village Then ask the remaining USAFE 501st next door if they would not mind their former digs the other side of the fence being a commercial airport/MRO. Laughingly that was a proposal for an air cargo hub 2 deacdes ago when the USAFE closed that side down and MoD flogged the airfield bit off. Ironically it was not all of Huntingdon, The STukelys opposition that killed the idea but the then BR before it got privatised. As BR was gonna pay for extension / loading area / freight terminal from the Huntingdon to Peterborough line which goes past the airfield. British Rail or WAGN pulled out, so i heard.
Also there is a desparation to build houses here..does not matter if it is in a tiny crack of where a dilapidated shack was. There is even talk of developers wanting to build apartments in a pub car park! For those of you who know my old neck of the woods, there is Histon, a village which is on the outskirts. Beside the (Mis on Un) Guided Busway (formerly a train line which linked the city to the other villages and up to Huntingdon) lies the Railway Vue Pub. Please look at it on google earth, and check out the car park because developers are itching to build on it, but let the pub remain as it is. Mates mate who lives next door but one pub says the developers have twice been unsuccessful in applying for planning application. He says there have been leaflets dropped in every villagers letterbox about this situation.
Everyone knows here in from the Mathematical Bridge to Cambridge City FC gorund and from Madingley to Ely Cathedral that Marshalls would not nor never bow down to pressure from ****e Hall to move/sell unless it was in their best (financial) interests. The two major bigwigs here are the Uni and Marshalls, nothing moves or breaks wind here unless either one says so.
Looking at what Marshalls offer -
1) Marshalls Business Aviation and Marshalls Executive Aviation -Corporate aviation is a big thing here, location wise its perfect considering the high tech industry / silicon fen around here.
2) C-130 work here anyone who operates a Herk from the Arctic Circle to the Mid East comes in.
3) Few flying clubs including Aeromega Helicopters, Cambridge Flying Club, Cambridge Aero Club (Tiger Moth pairs)
4) BA Cityflyer uses the runway here for their London City Embrer E170 crews to practise their approaches every other weekend to emulate the small tight confines practise of London City.
5) Anglia One is based here
etc etc
Admittedly the mil aviation business for Marshalls maybe a tad slow , and they closed their Defence vehicle place at Mildenhall (just opposite Folly Lane / spotters area on the south side of runway 29 of RAF Mildenhall) the other year.
Anyhow with all the expansion or implosion here, logic dictates be nice to have NPAS presence here.
cheers
Last edited by chopper2004; 24th May 2018 at 13:18.
Thread Starter
As it's not April 1st, I guess might be pukka:
Aer Lingus jet photobombs the royal wedding over Windsor | Daily Mail Online
Aer Lingus jet photobombs the royal wedding over Windsor | Daily Mail Online