Hi Chaps, at the risk of being slightly off-topic here, I have the first of the selection interviews for the NPAS external pilot role. Getting information as to what is heading my way has been difficult, any ideas on areas to prepare? Likely flight test items?

Many thanks,

B

If only it were but, unfortunately, Norfolk is not an isolated case.

I thought of both and decided that Norfolk wasn't an isolated case in either instance.

If I recall correctly, Norfolk never had it's own Air Support, nor was it part of a consortium. I believe that it just used to hire ad hoc support(Sterling Helicopters???). In the latter days prior to NPAS, I think it used to get help from Suffolk.

In any case, it was never a hotbed of helicopter activity.

MG, I understand that these days the county is supported by an NPAS helicopter based as far away as Leicestershire.

Norfolk did have its own ASU but it was never full time, operating just day shifts and not every day. It was a Sterling Helicopters Squirrel. Outside those times Suffolk was the first port of call. The Norfolk ASU did take part in a couple of trials of borderless air support in the eastern counties which, unfortunately, contributed to the creation of NPAS. Four counties in the east plus Kent acting as the control room, tried out all of the plans for NPAS, found that, as expected, they didn't work at all and then watched open-mouthed as NPAS started to implement everything that didn't work in the trials.

Further away than that at times, I would think. My ex colleagues are on a Cooks tour sometimes.

Consider this! In 2008 the UK had one of the best Police Air support systems in the World. From memory 33 Helicopters operating from 27 bases provided excellent and efficient coverage over most of the UK. Despite the machines themselves being owned and operated by independent Forces or consortiums of forces, we all recognised the importance of mutual support because inevitably due to planned or unplanned maintenance we would have down time, so our neighbours would provide cover, in the knowledge we would do the same when they were down. It worked!
The development of equipment was continuously improving and training for both Pilots and crew members was good.

Then along came NPAS, reduced the fleet and bases by over 50% and tried to convince everyone that it would be better! It could never have been better or even as good given the greater distances that all the aircraft had to fly. The Concept of a National Police Air Wing was a good one. But it needed to be managed Regionally and as a way of improving coverage and efficiency by way of standardisation of training and purchases in bulk etc. NEVER solely as a way of saving money, and to hell with beating crime and providing cover to hard working coppers on the ground.

NPAS never did understand what POLICE Air support was all about. That is why it has been an abject failure!

TF

PAS was designed to a standard (to provide a specific level of service), NPAS has re-engineered that service down to a price and it doesn't work - much like the NHS.

It's the same as building a car either up to a standard or down to a price - they are both cars but one will be reliable and the other won't - false economy but driven by a broke Govt trying to balance the books.

I have nothing to add to what TF said, it's just that it was such an accurate summary of what happened it deserved to be said twice. I had the pleasure of meeting TF when police air support was at its height and was saddened by his downfall for speaking the truth.

NPAS P68 cockpits
 

Haven't seen much about the NPAS observers view from the inside of the new P68 planes? There is a photo of the 4 NPAS planes sat in the hangar on PAN.

The cockpit view of a P68 Observer a/c looks different and has better visibility than the Islanders. Are they planning to use the P68 on grass runways around the country?
Any photo's of where the TFO's will be stationed in the back?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...IS_7_-_010.jpg

Have they chosen the variant with the good visibility.