On Thread
 

PAN,
What makes you think that the pilots have not been consulted or that there isn't a pilot on the project team?
One of the main aims of the project is to reduce airframe weight to enable more fuel to be carried. Remember, with 10 less aircraft, those that are left are going to need to fly further and for longer.

Silsoe,

We are talking about flying helicopters here under a PAOC. And one of your roles as a pilot is to ensure the safe outcome of the flight for those ONBOARD.

We're not talking about saving the universe or discovering the South Pole. We are not talking about great feats of human endurance. We are not talking about being in a war zone.

As a professional pilot, regardless of the job you are doing, you have a duty of care towards your passengers who may well themselves be over envolved in the task THEY are trying to complete - YOU are ultimately there to provide the platform and there are times when you must say NO. :=

Your Unit's FSO must surely understand this?!?

Unfortunately people have pushed the boundaries far too often and this has resulted in their deaths, the deaths of their passengers and even more rules and regulations for the rest of us.

An Oop Norf ASU regularly has visitors who fly so you could say its a common occurrence there (disclaimer - all pax meet guidelines as laid down in CAP612).

And as for Soaps, dramas, movies - usually the directors have an idea of what they want to see from the mock police aircraft! Can I direct you to a great Bollywood film called Tez (3.7/10 on ImDB). Their portrayal of a UK Police helicopter had a TFO with a GPMG hanging out the side firing bullets all over the shop! Oh I know why - for DRAMA!

Maybe you're in the wrong job, maybe you should work in TV/Film instead!

Tonight on Emmerdale, pilot Sid is running low on fuel whilst chasing Sandy on his electric scooter. Should he land with minimum fuel allowed? Should he land below minimum fuel? Should he return to base to refuel? What does his Ops Manual say? Is it acceptable to bust the limits? Are the limits there for a reason? Oh no, the low fuel light is ON. How much time has he left? (Cue adverts).

There is an old saying SS..'If you don't like the heat get out of the kitchen'.

As I said earlier you make a drama out of nothing in all your posts.
You obviously are not happy with the job and it's term and conditions but seem to know all the answers. Have you thought of a job in management

Just a quick retrack for Mr.B eat al;

What do you think happens when the 145 goes away for servicing or 'tech'?
... and finally on the PCSO side of things, don't you think it funny that you have more 'entitlement' to a 'jolly' than a PCSO?

"d) holder of a current pilot's licence who intends to act as a member of the flight crew of an aircraft flying under and in accordance with the terms of a PAOC and who is being carried for the purpose of training and familiarisation;"

Where have I said otherwise?
Don't forget the additional responsibility for the safety of persons outside the aircraft !

Where have I said otherwise?
Don't forget the duty of care to any other persons that may be affected by the aircraft !
There are often times when I say no!

Of course he/she does, as does every member of our unit and every other unit world-wide !

We run a visitor scheme that also 'regularly' flys visitors within certain time of day and year parameters.

I prefer the real life option thanks.
However if I ever do go into TV/Film, I will be getting in touch to ask for your advice based on your experience ;)

Every day is a learning day, so thank you for your advice on Captaincy :ok:

If you had to do this every day SS in an R22 with no padded seat you'd know what an an easy life you have.

Mr.B, you really are entertaining;

A. What is wrong with landing with MLA?
B. No he shouldn't
C. Ideally, however any refuelling location is fine
D. It doesn't say 'where' you have to land with your MLA
E. What 'limits'?
F. Limits are always there for a reason
g. 10 minutes

YOP;
Who said I don't like 'the heat'?
How wrong you are. As far as a management position .... What! And drink even more tea ;)

YOP;

Of course, I came straight into this job with no prior experience and not one sandbag to pull up to the camp fire :rolleyes:
(Memo to YOP: purchase cushion)

I find it quite entertaining that on one side I have Mr.B telling me about Flight Safety and Captaincy, and on the other YOP telling me I should 'man up' while posting videos of some of the most unsafe flying practises going.

Herding cattle that way in an R22, are we supposed to be impressed? Concerned maybe, but certainly not impressed.
Try herding elephants in a Gazelle :ok:

SS

There is danger evident in this thread.....

FOUR of the last five posts have been you [talking to yourself].

This thread has lost its way...................

Turn the lights out S.S.............:(

Agreed TC.
(please notice that it wasn't me that brought up the logging and herding. I'm only replying to what is being asked)

PAN, the reason for that is, as always, rather than cover lots of replies to different people on different issues in one long post, it makes it easier on the eyes to do it that way. Would the editor of a publication have the letters page answered all in one reply, or address each point & person individually?

http://www.coolnotions.com/AGifs/Lights_05.gif

Silsoe

I'm sure you are a good pilot and a nice bloke but we only have one life and if you don't like what you are doing then perhaps you should try something else.

Looking at the numbers a typical UK police pilot is going to spend most of his working week sitting on the ground. That is the nature of the job just like a dog handler.

The UK is never going to be New York or Miami or even Sydney.

Most of your work will involve petty crime and missing persons who usually turn out to be not missing.

All jobs end up being routine and you'll just have to accept the terms and conditions.

If you want something more interesting then join the crew on the air ambulances who get results every day and do not come on here moaning.:ok:

Ye Old Pilot
Ambulance boys not on here moaning, they are obviously better than police pilots as they don't need to go to The Scilly Isles to recce landing sites, just to bring the thread back on course :ugh:

Sorry for the delay in getting back to your post YOP, I've been on duty for the past 4 hours and in the air for 3 of them. Only just on my third brew now :ok:

Wow, that's one huge assumption on all of those points you've made there YOP! Having done that job, I know which one I prefer ;)
You have just proved that assumption is the mother of all ****-ups :=

And exactly the same 'nature of the job' for one of your beloved air ambulance pilots. I'd like to see your air ambulance/police pilot flying time figures. (See the first line of this post) I'd also really love to see where you got your dog handler information from, but probably not as much as a dog handler would :eek:

IMHO, The only 'petty crime' is the one that happens to someone else! Ever hear the phrase, from little acorns might oak trees grow? Much the same for 'petty crimes', they tend to lead elsewhere!

Just because a police ac gets deployed to a misper job, doesn't necessarily mean that we expect to neccesarily find that person. Surely the main unquantifiable part of all of these searches is being able to clear vast areas quickly, enabling the officers on the ground to follow other leads of enquiry ultimately leading to the successful location of that person, instead of that time being spent on the massively time consuming ground searches. It also allows those units to clear and be despatched on other jobs. (The thin blue line is unbelievably thin!) And for your info, we do actually end up finding some of these missing people, usually in locations where ground officers wouldn't.
:ok:

Hughes500;
I thought they were there to re-survey the sites, sites like the air ambulance bases and hospital LS's that require re-surveying at least every year. Just like the air ambulances, believe it or not, police ac ad hoc landings also take place in the same way ..... Think about it, after the air ambulances and their crews are tucked up for the night, who do you think the ambulance control centres can contact for a casevac? :ugh: (not moaners...indeed!)

Perhaps that's the reason we carry stretchers and calculate the loading figures for a stretcher cas. & medic before each duty, day & night, 24/7. And to maintain 'on thread', that won't change with NPAS :ok:

SS

My comment was to get things back on track as you have been getting a rather unnecessary hard time !!!

oooohhh.... that's a tricky one, let me think......I know it begins with S..........oh and ends in earch and Rescue;)

I've done both jobs in the last 10 years. You get more flying time on a police unit, you get more time out on the job with the air ambulance (sitting at scene while the paras do their work). Police helicopters get called out of hours for casevac when the air ambos have gone home (that will change soon with night ops).
In reply to the statement that the uk is not New York, Miami or Sydney...... no its not, its a group of countries many many MANY times larger than those cities put together. London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle have quite a bit of action you know. Its not just missing persons either, there are some exciting jobs too, and some very, lets say, technical jobs that require cunning and skill at being invisible.
We had some quiet times, but generally Liverpool kept us busy most days, if you think most of the working week is spent sitting around, you went to the wrong unit. There are some very misinformed comments being made at SS, I don't personally know him, but he does talk with some reality on what is happening. He also tries to answer all comments made about him, unlike some.
If you have watched Skycops or police/camera/action, it doesnt make you an expert...........

NPAS must love you two: SS and JT2. Between you, you've managed to deflect all the crap coming their way.
Can we start a new thread perhaps: A police pilot's blog....or something.

What is NPAS up to these days anyway? Any dirt on them or are they getting the job done quietly?

I'm not trying to be unnecessarily critical of you 2 or anyone else who overly frequents this thread lately but look back and count how often some protagonists are posting on here!!!
Let's try extra hard to post juicy NPAS 'stuff' making it worthwhile instead of dribbling over miscellaneous useless drivel.

Are there any national meetings where NPAS updates all the partners?
Are any stats being recorded?
Have the MET joined?
Are some forces still refusing to join?
Have annual flying hours gone up due to 'sharing' cabs between regions?
Is PAS servicing the 135 still?

Ah: Police Camera Action: Am I still in it?;)