Who is Jim Ferguson??
 

Over recent years, whenever there is any kind of aviation incident (in the UK), journo's various seem to wheel out "Aviation Expert", Jim Ferguson. Is this guy actually an aviator, because judging by his b&$%*ks comment, he learnt everything he knows from a ladybird book. He seems to thrive on feeding the media frenzy with wild speculation .... Vent over and feeling a lot better now!!

Don’t know his background but doubt he was an aviation professional.

As a lot of the people in the industry I don’t take much notice of what he says, but from speaking with some journo’s friends of mine they say the reason they use him all the time is because he is always available for sound bites to use as filling in their reports (most of the time there aren’t much official statements when the accident / incidents just have happened).

He's certainly never been an aviation professional of any kind - someone did once tell me his background (it was unimpressive and i've since forgotten) but it did not include any relevant professional expertise. I have met him a couple of times and he talks a good story but it's surface knowledge and name-dropping with little or no substance.

At best, he's a well connected spotter - at worst, he's an ignorant "Walt' who opens his mouth and lets his stomach rumble.

I think that he's already been the subject of a discussion on Pprune in the past.

Surprised not to have heard him holding court over the latest tragedy in the Moray Firth - it's only a matter of time.

OH

He's a complete idiot who speculates and feeds the media frenzy every time an accident happens north of the border with absolute rubbish and ill informed comment.

He HAS! See my comment in the Tornado accident thread in the military forum about him talking to the Telegraph.

Jim Ferguson is a Scribe
 

The nearest jim Ferguson got to an aircraft was in the Royal Navy as a Scribe at RNAS Yeovilton, he is not an expert and I cringe every time he is pulled out of the draw to comment on a subject he knows nothing about.

He used to be a crew member of the Aberdeen lifeboat if that helps!! ;)

A quote from a recent article in the Scotsman newspaper....

James Ferguson is an aviation writer based in Aberdeen.

I remember an old Bristow pilot telling me on a long boring flight how Jim Ferguson used to badger the office for a "look see" every week. After a while they banded him form the premises.

I had a technical problem one flight and RTB'ed after informing ATC of my intentions. He then wrote an article for the local rag and LIED, his technical knowledge is woeful to the point of liable

He should be banned from all airports

ITI

Upland Goose posted the following in the McRae Crash & Fatal Accident Inquiry thread.

James Duncan Ferguson was born near Udny Station in Aberdeenshire in July, 1938. He was educated at Robert Gordon's School, Aberdeen and Gordonstoun School.
Service in the Clerical Branch of the Royal Navy followed, between 1957 and 1963, with a number of Fleet Air Arm related postings. Always keenly interested in military and civil aviation matters, he became a specialist writer on the Aberdeen oil-support operation from its ealriest days in the late 1960's. He is Scottish and European aviation correspondent for various British and US publications (Rotr & Wing) as well as a regular contributor to a wide range of specialist magazines. A crew member of the local life-boat and he also covers aviation and rescue matters for both press and radio. He is married to an art teacher, and has lived in Aberdeen since 1963.

When 8 Sqn (Shackleton AEW) formed up at Kinloss, one of our first tasks was OP Tapestry, which was a regular patrol of the early oil rigs/fields in the North Sea. Mr Ferguson was introduced (sic) to us as 'an expert' by Bristows at one of the first meetings at Aberdeen Airport on deconfliction between ourselves, rotary and other mil traffic in what was then a free for all piece of airspace. Certainly he visited us, and seemingly wrote lots of articles about North Sea ops, which appeared in both local press and some aviation magazines.

When I was on 819NAS at Prestwick late 70's he visited and wrote an article for some spotters' rag. One line raised a bit of a laugh in the crew room. Probably not 100% word perfect but the gist was -- " I was to fly on a night ASW exercise but at the last minute it was decided that the back of a Seaking at night was no place for an observer -----" :D:ok:

Jim Ferguson
 

I remember Jim Ferguson from the late 70's when I worked for a handling company on the eastern side of Aberdeen Airport. He would roll up regularly on his scooter, dressed in his rain mac & armed with a bagged lunch. At that time he wrote freelance aviation articles for the Aberdeen Press & Journal.
Back then he collected his own sound recordings of every aircraft & chopper at Dyce, including a Skyways DC3 coming in on one engine. Surprised he's still at it!

So what you are saying is that he was in fact a Navy Sky Pilot! :E

I once appeared in one of his articles, he is a lying little turd, if he would like to make something of my comment he is welcome to P.M me and I will happily see him in court.

Aviation expert my a:yuk:

SND

I don't think i've ever seen a thread run for this long on Rotorheads where everyone is so largely in agreement! :E

Just a shame that this individual and many like him have such influence on the public perception of our industry. :(

Safe flying one and all, if for no reason other than to avoid giving this person a chance to talk about your mishaps!

OH

"Just a shame that this individual and many like him have such influence on the public perception of our industry."

Yup. It is an industry largely influenced by the uneducated. :)

Phil

I have known Jim Ferguson since the mid 1970`s when his day job was running a paint shop in Rosemount Terrace in Aberdeen as well as covering matters aviation for various publications. He is a knowledgeable and intelligent guy but at the end of the day he is a journalist. He was a regular visitor to Bristows where he blended in very easily and gleaned some very juicy background material from certain gobby individuals with axes to grind. Bristow management then thought it would be better all round were he to make an appointment and be accompanied on visits.
He normally takes a lot of trouble to research any story or article and has never been prone to making it up if he doesn`t know for sure. Over the years his reporting of aviation has been factual and accurate, particularly with regard to offshore helicopters. He may not say or print what some people would like him to say but he is rarely wrong.
In my view he is someone offshore operators would do well to cultivate in order to get their version in first.

Snarlie,

I'm afraid I would have to disagree. Would I by spending a period of time reading medical books and hanging around hospitals, have the moral authority to pass myself off as a medical expert - not at all. You can read about aircraft and being a pilot / aviation engineer, all you like, but unless you have actually worked in the industry, the gaps in your knowledge are huge. Unfortunately he does'nt seem to refer to himself as an Aviation Journalist but as an Aviation Expert - there is a huge difference. An Aviation Expert is supposed to presumably provide insight, pithy comment and answer questions from the point of view of an Aviation professional. All of the comments I have seen would support the fact that whilst he may of read alot and have spoken to aviation professionals he has no experience of being one ....

Perhaps you can provide your definition of working in the industry?

Snarlie,
you must know a different Jim Ferguson than the rest of us.