Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

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Giant
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Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by Giant »

Notice on the latest UK Serials update that all 3 Islanders are now back to their civvie reg's and owned by a company in Cumbernauld. I was aware that the Station Flight a/c were being crewed by AAC flight crew, so does that mean they've just defaulted to using AAC Defenders instead? I've not seen one overhead Uxbridge in a while if I think about it.

cg_341
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by cg_341 »

Civilian contract now

Giant
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by Giant »

Same aircraft just in civvie colours huh... reputedly progress I suppose..

Cheers

cg_341
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by cg_341 »

Using two Pa-31s, based out of the station flight hangar now I think. Not sure if it's the same two as used to live south side?

Giant
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by Giant »

Ahh ok, thought Id heard a lot of piston activity recently...

Thanks

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CJS
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by CJS »

It probably doesn't, but it moves the money spent to a different list somewhere which means some bean counters can say "£1.2million less tax payers money..." etc etc...that'd be my guess (although that's all it is!)
"There's only one way of life, and that's your own"

clearstone
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by clearstone »

Well, in theory:

You no longer employ the personnel for that task or have to maintain the equipment so that drives your costs down or frees up personnel for other tasks. Also, as the contracts are put out to tender the competition should drive down the price and force the contractors to seek other ways of having the most attractive tender (ie always using the latest technology, being the most efficent etc etc.)

As, I said - in theory.

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Red Dragon
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by Red Dragon »

clearstone wrote:Well, in theory:

You no longer employ the personnel for that task or have to maintain the equipment so that drives your costs down or frees up personnel for other tasks. Also, as the contracts are put out to tender the competition should drive down the price and force the contractors to seek other ways of having the most attractive tender (ie always using the latest technology, being the most efficent etc etc.)

As, I said - in theory.


Yep, and then in the small print (that the RAF won't read) will be some clause that states "due to some excuse (fuel prices, or just plain greed) prices will rise one year later" and so the RAF will end up paying more for a civilian contractor doing a Monday to Friday 9-5 contract than having its own 24 hour 365 day service.

That's "progress" I suppose?

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st24
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by st24 »

I'm glad they've disbanded the flight, those pesky RAF Islanders were everywhere, became quite boring, shot them so many times.... :tumbleweed:
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

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n0143773
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by n0143773 »

Red Dragon wrote:
clearstone wrote:Well, in theory:

You no longer employ the personnel for that task or have to maintain the equipment so that drives your costs down or frees up personnel for other tasks. Also, as the contracts are put out to tender the competition should drive down the price and force the contractors to seek other ways of having the most attractive tender (ie always using the latest technology, being the most efficent etc etc.)

As, I said - in theory.


Yep, and then in the small print (that the RAF won't read) will be some clause that states "due to some excuse (fuel prices, or just plain greed) prices will rise one year later" and so the RAF will end up paying more for a civilian contractor doing a Monday to Friday 9-5 contract than having its own 24 hour 365 day service.

That's "progress" I suppose?


Wrong.

jules48
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by jules48 »

The 2 Navajos involved are G-SCMR and G-SCTR

GertrudetheMerciless
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by GertrudetheMerciless »

aknott68 wrote:Can someone clarify how it is that running services such as this through civilian contracts saves the forces so much money?


Well I doubt a civilian pilot of a light twin's salary or pension will be anywhere near that of your typical fairly senior (particularly if AAC), well paid and pension accruing forces personnel. Same goes for eng support.

Of course it may well be that light twin pilot is an ex-forces person drawing a pension, but it's still cheaper!

Binbrook 01
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Re: Has Northolt Station Flight Disbanded?

Post by Binbrook 01 »

While the Army still has a couple of Islanders left in service, bear in mind they have already put one out to pasture in the museum at Middle Wallop (even if its in storage).

The RAF Islander have been around since 1990, as have the Army airframes (remember them going to a sandy place) So I guess its a cheaper option than the RAF buying Defenders.

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