NPAS News 2020
Educated Hillbilly
"so those two fixed wing jobs will have a Q applying regardless of how NPAS HR play their cards."
Well you may find there is actually quite a narrow band of candidates that are suitable, the ex Airline types of which a high proportion went straight from 200 hours out of school to a multi crew position aren't going to be that well suited for operating Single Pilot in a piston twin. There will be a small number that did the AirTaxi work or survey prior to moving into the Airlines but the job requires the MEP to be current, so are going to have to spend money getting the SPA ratings current again.
There may well be a lot of VFR instructors out there that will meet the total time requirement but won't have the IFR time.
The most suitable candidates are those currently working as ME/IR instructors or currently flying SPO work (stating the obvious). So the number of suitable candidates isn't as large as the market would suggest. The pay is on par with what ME/IR instructors were getting pre-furlough. The roster and pay is a lot better than most of the other SPO operators.
Well you may find there is actually quite a narrow band of candidates that are suitable, the ex Airline types of which a high proportion went straight from 200 hours out of school to a multi crew position aren't going to be that well suited for operating Single Pilot in a piston twin. There will be a small number that did the AirTaxi work or survey prior to moving into the Airlines but the job requires the MEP to be current, so are going to have to spend money getting the SPA ratings current again.
There may well be a lot of VFR instructors out there that will meet the total time requirement but won't have the IFR time.
The most suitable candidates are those currently working as ME/IR instructors or currently flying SPO work (stating the obvious). So the number of suitable candidates isn't as large as the market would suggest. The pay is on par with what ME/IR instructors were getting pre-furlough. The roster and pay is a lot better than most of the other SPO operators.
Thread Starter
Earlier this week, a friend and former TFO who I worked with, was killed while out cycling. He was still a serving Police Officer, and a memorial service took place at his Station this morning.
NPAS were asked if the local Base could do a flypast. No, came the answer. In fact the crew at the base were specifically told not to go. Apparently it was the new GOD(Ground Ops Director), otherwise known as the Chief Untalented NPAS Tosser, who made the decision.
NPAS were asked if the local Base could do a flypast. No, came the answer. In fact the crew at the base were specifically told not to go. Apparently it was the new GOD(Ground Ops Director), otherwise known as the Chief Untalented NPAS Tosser, who made the decision.
In case anyone has the slightest interest any more I rattled the cage on my 2019 request earlier this week and had a reply.
My FOI of 2019 returned the Strategic Board minutes to the NPAS website [momentarily] but it did not last of course, no minutes this year and we are still awaiting the December 2019 version.
The reply I had this morning was:...they have advised that the joint 18/19 and 19/20 NPAS Annual Report will be published to the website in early Autumn.
The minutes are currently being reviewed with the OPCC before they can be published.
So two questions...... when is an Annual Report not an Annual Report?
How long does it take for the OPCC [the WYP Crime Commissioner] to redact 3 sets of minutes?
Perhaps the Redaction Department has been furloughed?
My FOI of 2019 returned the Strategic Board minutes to the NPAS website [momentarily] but it did not last of course, no minutes this year and we are still awaiting the December 2019 version.
The reply I had this morning was:...they have advised that the joint 18/19 and 19/20 NPAS Annual Report will be published to the website in early Autumn.
The minutes are currently being reviewed with the OPCC before they can be published.
So two questions...... when is an Annual Report not an Annual Report?
How long does it take for the OPCC [the WYP Crime Commissioner] to redact 3 sets of minutes?
Perhaps the Redaction Department has been furloughed?
Thread Starter
I've got my usual FOI request for annual stats plus a request for the 2018/19 Annual Report. I've had the usual "we have received your request" reply.
I asked about the report back in March. I was told that it was ready for signing but Covid was causing a delay.
I asked about the report back in March. I was told that it was ready for signing but Covid was causing a delay.
"Cost is likely to be the answer to my question but have NPAS got RNAV approaches setup to their bases?"
You are correct....it is extremely expensive to have an Rnav approach approved for an airport. As most of the Npas bases are at airports it's down to the airport operators/owners to pay for them, it's nothing to do with npas!
However, there are Rnav approaches at; Birmingham, Doncaster, Exeter, and Newcastle for NPAS to use....if you have an IR with a PBN endorsement?
B.
You are correct....it is extremely expensive to have an Rnav approach approved for an airport. As most of the Npas bases are at airports it's down to the airport operators/owners to pay for them, it's nothing to do with npas!
However, there are Rnav approaches at; Birmingham, Doncaster, Exeter, and Newcastle for NPAS to use....if you have an IR with a PBN endorsement?
B.
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Thats such a waste! I thought that was the great thing about PBN approaches: little needed in the way of kit or regular maintenance/ flight checking etc, so it was going to open up loads of opportunities for IFR heliports/ airfields where they would not previously have been viable. If PBN approaches have been priced out by CAA, thats a shame.
Thread Starter
Only Exeter, Bournemouth, Doncaster, Birmingham, Hawarden and Newcastle are airports. The rest are a mix of RAF airfields, a minor airfield and an aerodrome. Picky, I know. 
Thread Starter
So, for those that are still interested here are the NPAS stats for 2019-20.
The downward spiral continues. Costs are up, Actioned Calls(where an aircraft arrives overhead a job) have gone down by nearly 4000 from 20,990 to 17,135. Correspondingly, hours flown have reduced from 14,166 to 11,545. Prior to NPAS flying hours were around 24,000. So that’s a reduction of over 50%
Total costs to Forces prior to NPAS was approximately £43M for 33 aircraft flying around 24,000 hours. Now it’s £42M for 15 aircraft flying 11,545 hours. How many more years of increasing costs and declining flying will it take before the whole thing becomes completely uneconomic?
As always there are winners and losers. West Mids seem to be the biggest loser, with their costs going from £1.8M in 2018-19 to £3.0M for 2019-20. Meanwhile, their number of Actioned Calls have plummeted from 1372 down to 585.
Northumberland appear the biggest winner. their costs have reduced by nearly 25% with an increase in Actioned Calls of 28%.
Overall though, most Forces are paying less than before NPAS, but nearly half are paying more. However, the vast majority are paying more than last year with a reduction in the number of Actioned Calls.
The downward spiral continues. Costs are up, Actioned Calls(where an aircraft arrives overhead a job) have gone down by nearly 4000 from 20,990 to 17,135. Correspondingly, hours flown have reduced from 14,166 to 11,545. Prior to NPAS flying hours were around 24,000. So that’s a reduction of over 50%
Total costs to Forces prior to NPAS was approximately £43M for 33 aircraft flying around 24,000 hours. Now it’s £42M for 15 aircraft flying 11,545 hours. How many more years of increasing costs and declining flying will it take before the whole thing becomes completely uneconomic?
As always there are winners and losers. West Mids seem to be the biggest loser, with their costs going from £1.8M in 2018-19 to £3.0M for 2019-20. Meanwhile, their number of Actioned Calls have plummeted from 1372 down to 585.
Northumberland appear the biggest winner. their costs have reduced by nearly 25% with an increase in Actioned Calls of 28%.
Overall though, most Forces are paying less than before NPAS, but nearly half are paying more. However, the vast majority are paying more than last year with a reduction in the number of Actioned Calls.
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Thanks MightyGem - very interesting and saddening figures.
How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.
How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.
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Thanks MightyGem - very interesting and saddening figures.
How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.
How this is allowed to continue I do not know. It can only be that no-one actually cares that both the public and police forces are getting such a poor service for such a poor price. Much the same as no-one cared when this was all predicted nearly a decade ago. Of course, I never thought it could be quite this bad.
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If the figures are correct for West Midds, put simply ( I know its not that simple )
but over £3 million for 585 actioned calls is around £5,200 PER ( actioned ) CALL.
That's more than 4 times the amount West Mids used to charge
for Mutual Aid Air support to an outside force prior to NPAS !
Surely it can't go on much longer before my prediction comes true
and a Chief Constable / Police & Criime Commissioner somewhere
realises they could have their very own Air Support Unit, which would be
"More Efficient, and More Cost Effective" than NPAS ?
but over £3 million for 585 actioned calls is around £5,200 PER ( actioned ) CALL.
That's more than 4 times the amount West Mids used to charge
for Mutual Aid Air support to an outside force prior to NPAS !
Surely it can't go on much longer before my prediction comes true
and a Chief Constable / Police & Criime Commissioner somewhere
realises they could have their very own Air Support Unit, which would be
"More Efficient, and More Cost Effective" than NPAS ?
Thread Starter
If the figures are correct for West Midds,
"More Efficient, and More Cost Effective"
