NPAS News 2021
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 920
Likes: 18
From: Manchester
NPAS Fixed wing to be ditched ?
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 19th March 2021 at 09:34. Reason: Add quote
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 28
Likes: 7
From: Yorkshire and The Humber
Not Even Surprised
To be brutally honest I am not surprised that the fixed wing aircraft are heading for the bin, we could all see this coming. Well, anyone with common-sense could, it's something that NPAS has always lacked, that and keeping people of industry within close proximity of the organisation... the bread and butter of police aviation treated like absolute crap and quite rightly fled. I instantly had a face palm moment when I first acknowledged that NPAS were proposing of replacing the MD902s with P68Rs, this could possibly be one of the worst decisions ever made in NPAS history, even the MD902s didn't spend this much time sitting catching dust in a hangar feeling sorry for themselves. It really does pose several questions: Is West Yorkshire Police in a fit state to be accountable of NPAS? Could there be a better force to take control and make NPAS a better organisation? What is the final straw for NPAS to be disbanded?
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
From: SW
"They [planes] cannot hover above the ground"
Daily Mail right on the money there.
Anyone shed light on the claim that it can't land at most airfields as it needs a long runway, Wikipedia quotes a TODR of 400m LDR of 600m which isn't long (unless compared to a helicopter!).
Daily Mail right on the money there.
Anyone shed light on the claim that it can't land at most airfields as it needs a long runway, Wikipedia quotes a TODR of 400m LDR of 600m which isn't long (unless compared to a helicopter!).
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,111
Likes: 1,085
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
"They [planes] cannot hover above the ground"
Daily Mail right on the money there.
Anyone shed light on the claim that it can't land at most airfields as it needs a long runway, Wikipedia quotes a TODR of 400m LDR of 600m which isn't long (unless compared to a helicopter!).
Daily Mail right on the money there.
Anyone shed light on the claim that it can't land at most airfields as it needs a long runway, Wikipedia quotes a TODR of 400m LDR of 600m which isn't long (unless compared to a helicopter!).
As far as "all weather" is concerned, these aircraft had no advantage over the incumbent helicopters. They had no icing clearance so exactly the same weather limitations applied. This had to be obtained later, at the user's further cost. But the NPAS hierarchy knew best, ignoring the advice of those who actually knew what they were talking about and sacked the ones who spoke out.
It's time an inquiry is held into exactly who was pulling the strings with respect to the highly flawed decision to purchase these aircraft and the connections between them and the aircraft manufacturer.
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 4
From: uk
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 482
Likes: 44
From: 3nm SE of TNT, UK
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,932
Likes: 143
From: Warrington, UK
Lots of interesting reading in February's Police Aviation News:
http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Ac...ary2021PAN.pdf
http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Ac...ary2021PAN.pdf
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 16
From: Waltham Abbey, Essex, UK
If I am not being wildly mislead I think it may be nearly all over.
After scrambling through the mud and brambles alongside Lippitts Hill this morning I was able to see a several work crews on site playing with a nice new set of doors on the main control room hangar and new windsocks by the pad.
April 1, All Fools Day, is beckoning. That may be Metxit, but, like the European problem, I am not sure this one has a life giving vaccine to save the virus that is WYP.
After scrambling through the mud and brambles alongside Lippitts Hill this morning I was able to see a several work crews on site playing with a nice new set of doors on the main control room hangar and new windsocks by the pad.
April 1, All Fools Day, is beckoning. That may be Metxit, but, like the European problem, I am not sure this one has a life giving vaccine to save the virus that is WYP.
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 4
From: uk
Having been one of the TFOs that was given marching orders for daring to not toe the party line at the beginning all I can say is I will dance a little jig when it finally falls.
I was literally marched out of the unit with zero notice having turned up for work that morning as usual, with the news that NPAS had rescinded my secondment with immediate effect. Ten years of ASU service ended on the whim of a Supt who knew nothing about my job.
the treasonable action I committed was to openly say what everyone new. That the only thing you get with less... is less ..!!
Hopefully the flames will lick higher sometime soon.
I was literally marched out of the unit with zero notice having turned up for work that morning as usual, with the news that NPAS had rescinded my secondment with immediate effect. Ten years of ASU service ended on the whim of a Supt who knew nothing about my job.
the treasonable action I committed was to openly say what everyone new. That the only thing you get with less... is less ..!!
Hopefully the flames will lick higher sometime soon.
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,111
Likes: 1,085
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
BTTB,
Sounds like they wanted you out because they feared that you would be proved correct with time.
Having helped set up one ASU from scratch, and become the CP (and I know we all did a very good job) I’m so glad I took my chance to leave police aviation on my terms, rather than theirs, before NPAS began.
Sounds like they wanted you out because they feared that you would be proved correct with time.
Having helped set up one ASU from scratch, and become the CP (and I know we all did a very good job) I’m so glad I took my chance to leave police aviation on my terms, rather than theirs, before NPAS began.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 6
From: York
A fixed wing aircraft is OK for surveillance so long as you can get the height and stand off like the very successful GMP Defender routinely did. They are not very effective at helicopter heights.
Why was the GMP Defender ‘very successful’? Was everyone else’s not successful?
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 199
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From: england- up north (where it's grim)
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 6
From: York
it was the crews that made it successful. I loved every minute of it. We had a blank canvas to start with and we made it work brilliantly.
NEASU did that many years before GMP! 1995 if I recall correctly?
Hampshire and Cheshire even earlier than that.
There’s an awful lot of blinkered and largely misplaced hubris in police aviation.
Along with the predilection for empire building which is in the police DNA, it’s all part of the problem
Last edited by 4468; 26th March 2021 at 22:55.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 199
Likes: 0
From: england- up north (where it's grim)
I completely understand. But don’t you agree, nobody should make the mistake of thinking only GMP could get ‘brilliant’ results from an aeroplane!
NEASU did that many years before GMP! 1995 if I recall correctly?
Hampshire and Cheshire even earlier than that.
There’s an awful lot of blinkered and largely misplaced hubris in police aviation.
Along with the predilection for empire building which is in the police DNA, it’s all part of the problem
NEASU did that many years before GMP! 1995 if I recall correctly?
Hampshire and Cheshire even earlier than that.
There’s an awful lot of blinkered and largely misplaced hubris in police aviation.
Along with the predilection for empire building which is in the police DNA, it’s all part of the problem