agustawestland and blair
 

hi helicopter enthusiasts,

i am a journalist trying to do a story about the labour party using helicopters during the last election. i think they mainly used agustawestland but can anyone remember?

many thanks

katherine

If you were a journalist surely your keyboard would have a 'Shift' key?

Most journalists who I know take pride in the appearance of their written English.

I don't remember seeing his Blairship alighting from a Merlin, but I do remember him unfolding himself from a French job.

Yes, you are correct, it was one of Bond Offshore Helicopters AS332L2's I believe.

katherine,

Let me apologize on behalf of all ppruners for the impolite Mr. M. Mouse, who added nothing to the discourse, and quite a bit to the rudeness shown you on our Main Street.

Please feel free to CAPITALIZE, lower case or even italicize your posts!

Nick

Poor old joe public footing the bill for Tonies Tours or trips or vacations.????

Hopefully the next election will sort some thing out??

Just out of interest whats wrong with the PM using helicopters or aeroplanes Bush has a small fleet of both.I am not saying by the way that I am a Labour fan far from it but have you tried getting about by car ??

How about the old saying trains,planes and automobiles not at the tax payer???:ok:

Mr Lappos

Thank you for apologising for my rudeness.

I should have been a little less cutting in showing my dislike for the laziness some people seem to have developed that saves them the effort of following normal written conventions. It causes the reader more effort and to read slower, I also happen to think is rude.

I also dislike the muck racking journalism focusing on a relatively inconsequential cost, in the overall scheme of things, which serves to belittle and diminish the importance of the real issues in the stinking world of British politics, despite me despising Tony Bliar in the first place.

That is of course assuming 'katherine' is a real journalist.

Thank you again for apologising on my behalf, very kind.

to katherine.

First, not all of here are "helicopter enthusiasts" because sometimes, like you, we have a bad day at work.

Here's yours.

With a little Googleing you could find out much more information......suggest you use the terms "Lord Haughey", "Premi Air" (a suitable title don't you think?), "JCB" and "McAlpine". This, you will find, covers the 2 main political parties and their rotary supplies.

A quick search of Declaration of Members' Interests database will elicit plenty of free air travel for our leaders. (Obviously J Prescott is only listed on Declaration of Interesting Members).

And finally, call some fellow journos and ask how much they were charged for their seats on political helicopters during the last Election. Then ask to see a copy of the AOC for Labour and Conservative parties. And while you're about it - apparently the PM's office has been selling seats on aircraft recently. Ask to see their AOC.

All of that should mean that you will always remain katherine, and never be Lady Katherine.

Cobblers
 

Actually many news reporters ("journalists") I have seen both on an international or national level or agency don't always have the best WRITTEN skills. They are skilled at information gathering (who said getting it wrong in the cheap seats), articulating the key points and ferreting out information but their technical language skills can be variable. That is why there are the often rare specious called Sub Editors. Of course in this digital age where the world and his dog can publish the older craft skills are lessened.

But to pick on a journo here for a typo is a bit pissy. What about the great pilots who pay attention to detail. Should they be picked on for routine typo failiures. Else should one assume a typo here is just the same when putting info in the flight computers. Of course not.

But let's find out where the fragrant inquisitor is from first before casting oil :)

Bloomin' 'eck love, she was only asking which helicopters were used. Hardly muck raking.

http://www.edendale.co.uk/ANW/BTN.HG14.html

In these pictures, he appears to be using a Sikorsky76.

Headsethair raises an interesting point but, were the journalists being charged for the helicopter flight or for the pleasure of the politician's company and the politician happens to be on board a heli!

Cheers

Whirls

...no; but you have misspelled squirrel :}




(Warning: a Twin Squirrel has two engines but only one 'l')

now THAT'S inexcusable !!

Is there a helicopter type available in the UK with sufficient lift capacity for Mr P ?

I'm not sure but I think the Chinook might be the only one!

Cheers

Whirls

... and then he could also be known as "two rotors," along with all his other "two" appellations - "two Jags," "two houses," "two women," etcetera, etcetera. (Or should that be "two etceteras"?)

Never did i think i'd live to see the day that i'd find a group of people who could scare away a journalist!

Katherine

From memory -

Blair used a Sikorsky S-76 and (I think) a Eurocopter Super Puma during the last Election.
He used a Super Puma in the February preceding the Election for the launch of the Labour party's pledge card - whatever that was.

http://www.m3fe.com/images/helicopterdepart.jpg

PS:
You are, of course, free to write as you wish. However, it does seem a little odd that a professional wordsmith doesn't use capitals where appropriate.
Do you write for the Grauniad? ;)

Is there a special offer at Threshers I've missed ?