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NPAS News 2019

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NPAS News 2019

Old 30th Jul 2019, 21:07
  #101 (permalink)  
 
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Of course, should have known. Why on earth would you choose the one with really good visibility for police ops?
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Old 31st Jul 2019, 18:48
  #102 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by MaxR
Of course, should have known. Why on earth would you choose the one with really good visibility for police ops?
Very good
Just wondered what the view was like sat behind the pilot? I thought PAN would have been invited down to Donny to take a few pics?
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Old 31st Jul 2019, 20:05
  #103 (permalink)  
 
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PAN invite Doncaster.

I actually suspect hell will freeze over first.

But I am in Doncaster in mid August....

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Old 1st Aug 2019, 00:03
  #104 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by PANews
PAN invite Doncaster.

I actually suspect hell will freeze over first.

But I am in Doncaster in mid August....

Your always welcome to come and do an article on the Royal Cayman Island Police Service Air Operations Unit.... A bit like UK ASU's minus NPAS!!!!
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Old 1st Aug 2019, 06:55
  #105 (permalink)  
 
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I keep promising the wife that one.

Check in my diary, onto the BA site next I guess..... check the options.

Mind you, Cayman unit appears almost as often as NPAS sometimes! Just a better profile I guess!

Oh its out now by the way.... on the .info site
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Old 1st Aug 2019, 20:26
  #106 (permalink)  
 
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Looking for FW pilots here:
https://westyorkshirepolice.tal.net/...AaHG72FGsu3WNA

Are the still getting the piston engined P68, or has it changed to the turbo prop?
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Old 2nd Aug 2019, 18:17
  #107 (permalink)  
 
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There is no turbo prop option on a P68.

Yet strangely news just in that the crews with no aircraft [that work] have been keeping their hand in flying leased examples of the DA-42.... one of the types that was rejected in the first place!

I fairness there are no identical P68s available for them to use.... the undercart is unique.... there are P68 options in Liverpool with Ravenair but they have the wrong wheels, instruments and are not IFR.

I understand that the DA-42s they use have retracting wheels..... identical instrumentation [Garmin 1000] and may even be already IFR certified for flight into known icing..... but that may vary from airframe to airframe of course ... Critically the wing is beneath the sightline..... its only real fault I guess!

Strange world.
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Old 2nd Aug 2019, 21:49
  #108 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by PANews
There is no turbo prop option on a P68.
.....
Strange world.
The P68 TC versions are true turbo props in the sense that they have turbo charged piston Lycomings
The AP68TP versions are turbo shafts with Allison/RR M250 These also have a higher MTOW.
But NPAS has ordered the P68 R so no turbo and too low capacity.

Strange World indeed.
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Old 2nd Aug 2019, 22:18
  #109 (permalink)  
 
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But, although from the same stable, the TP is a very different animal including stretches in the fuselage and even a new name.

Straight from the Vulcanair website....
The A-VIATOR is the simple, safe, yet not obvious answer to a large number
of operators. Up till now operators did not have any alternative than spending
fortunes in very old gas guzzling twin engine antiquated aircraft or having
to revert to less safe single engine turboprop aircraft.

..... that is an unfortunate statement..... suggesting that the P68R is old gas guzzling .... antiquated.... not intended of course...!!!

The A-VIATOR is an economical non pressurized twin engine turboprop
answering to a multiple array of needs from private/charter operations to
advanced airborne surveillance and aerial work missions.
The A-VIATOR design is derived from the smaller P68 Series and
its legendary flight qualities have been maintained.

The fuselage has been stretched to allow more space on board
and 2 turbine powerplants replace the piston engines allowing
the aircraft to operate in areas where AvGas is not
readily available.

The retractable landing gear improves the already excellent speed characteristics,
and the stretched fuselage allows a more efficient use of cabin space, resulting in
a maximum seating capacity of 9 passengers and 2 pilots.

rather than one pilot and a TFO perhaps....

But is it cleared for flight into known icing I wonder....? Someone will know.


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Old 3rd Aug 2019, 20:44
  #110 (permalink)  
 
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From Vulcanair PDF file:
Vulcanair

De-icing
The A-Viator, in its standard configuration, is equipped with a pneumatic de-icing system for both wing and tail leading edges and with an electrical de-icing system for propeller blades and engine nacelle air inlets.
Either a hot plate or an alcohol de- icing system can be installed on the windshield.

But no explicit about certification.
Price indication from Wiki is factor 2,5
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Old 4th Aug 2019, 07:46
  #111 (permalink)  
 
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Piston twin, just an MEP rating required, get the turbine and a Type Rating is required which would cost a lot more.
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 19:07
  #112 (permalink)  
 
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Recruiting now, both rotary and fixed wing.
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Old 27th Aug 2019, 13:41
  #113 (permalink)  
 
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Is that joke of a police officer still running NPAS, or has he been suitably removed and demoted in line with his pathetic misdemeanours?
Because if he is still running the show - who in their right mind would want to work for NPAS, these days?

On a separate note - is the Cayman Island chopper repaired now?
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Old 27th Aug 2019, 21:06
  #114 (permalink)  
 
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TC you have not been keeping up with your reading tasks have you?

Disappointing, I had you listed as THE other reader....

Mr Joyce, if that is whom you are enquiring after, is fit and well and running another department now. The pain from the tap on the wrist with a fluffy feather having now gone. I believe there are those that thought there was going to be a result that they would cherish.

Anyway we have another leader of menin position now and I have had no reports as to whether the experience is good or bad. He has not been in post long and I am unsure whether the transfer of power from the stand-in, OD, has actually taken place yet. So much to learn to be the Accountable Aviation Manager.

The organisation seems to be have many pilot retention issues.... but that is pretty common everywhere these days. Why work for an evil taskmaster when there are many to choose from?

NPAS Doncaster is still not operational [they also need many pilots of the fixed wing variety]. There again it is supply and demand, theycan pick and choose their employer based on elements nothing to do with actually flying and near neighbours [2Excel and DEA] seem to be offering a cushty surveillance job if they want one..... Operations commence in January 2020 but I still await the sight of a circling P68R near London to convince me that might happen.

In direct contrast the Cayman Islands goes from strength to strength. Their EC135T1 is beyond economical repair so they now have a nice newish H145 in service an another one on order. I would suggest that is what happens when the operator has the confidence of the bean counters..... they find the money. That is how police air support in the UK used to exist.
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Old 29th Aug 2019, 09:33
  #115 (permalink)  
 
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Thanks PANews.

Little to contribute these days, having been retired for over a year now!
But always interested in watching and listening re - NPAS, as I invested so much of my life into Police Ops only to watch a warped and twisted cop drag it down to barely functional level. But hopefully they have now turned a corner with someone new in post.

Keep up the good work.....TC
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Old 31st Aug 2019, 08:05
  #116 (permalink)  
 
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NPAS were advertising for rotary pilots a
month or so ago. Salary of £56-59K. They obviously didn’t get many applicants, as they are readvertising with the same salary plus a £7k market factor payment. 🙄. Subject to an annual review. 🙄🙄
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Old 31st Aug 2019, 09:27
  #117 (permalink)  
 
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They have had to have a realignment of their new pilot marketing strategy. The basic salary is about average and the same for rotary and fixed wing so that 'temporary' £7K adjustment makes sense as a carrot. It will be difficult to withdraw though....

There have been other issues with employment and conditions of service that offered one thing but delivered another. A year back the deal appeared to offer some attractive annual leave packages but when the new pilots turned up they found that the number of days annual on offer was severely restricted by the truth. A mix up of perceived days off and 12 hour days. Anyway they have reworded that now in the new advertising so the number jumping ship should lessen.

Lots of other rumours of course but nothing in the way of second source that allows me to use them in print.

Positive is that I will never be short of scuttlebut material but the negative is that it is really getting boring for everyone after all these years! It is really about time they pulled their socks up.
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Old 31st Aug 2019, 10:28
  #118 (permalink)  
 
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Hi All
I am looking at the fixed wing positions, I am reasonably local to Donny and have the requirements and the sense of humour this position requires.
However I have failed at the first...I cannot find the application form online!
Never thought I was that much of a pnumpty, but they only state to send in medical, licence and last page of the log book.
Not sure if the link is being hidden by cookies but does anyone have a link to the application form, or should I keep my application for MacDonalds in?
Thanks
T SH
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Old 31st Aug 2019, 10:38
  #119 (permalink)  
 
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I note these positions are advertised suitable for job share.

does anyone have any experience with this or know how a job share works in this instance?
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Old 31st Aug 2019, 16:29
  #120 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Trojan Spoonhouse
Hi All
I am looking at the fixed wing positions, I am reasonably local to Donny and have the requirements and the sense of humour this position requires.
However I have failed at the first...I cannot find the application form online!
Never thought I was that much of a pnumpty, but they only state to send in medical, licence and last page of the log book.
Not sure if the link is being hidden by cookies but does anyone have a link to the application form, or should I keep my application for MacDonalds in?
Thanks
T SH
Try here:
https://westyorkshirepolice.tal.net/...3keKfynDll_zVA
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