I've spent a couple of weeks going through the fleet putting aircraft back on home bases. Aircraft relocated have had no current pilot (they've left the VA for whatever reason) and/or have been off station for longer than 12months. There are very few types we operate that are short on numbers but can I ask you all to have a look in our stats/aircraft away from base (location or status e t c.. it doesn't matter) and note what you've left loafing with a view to getting it back home again at some point in the not too distant future ;-)
You will notice we have a large amount of 'new' aircraft off station at their point of delivery. I've brought a number of these home (ones where numbers are short) but otherwise, I left them alone. To the best of my knowledge, we should have no more than 5 'in use' aircraft showing as off station which are actually ON station. 3 Vikings in the Med, 1 York at Gander ready for the South American run (I may bring this back home) and 1 x 1-11 G-AVMR at Dusseldorf (EDDL) for pilots wishing to do the German domestic routes
Before I get ticked off for being the last pilot to fly one of the 146's at Munich and the 707 at Manchester.. these are delivery airports. The 707 had no home base when I did proving flights and I still find the 146 so bad to fly.. I didn't have the stomach to fly that one home.. not that anyone flies the 146's anyway
Eee Ben.. you've got more patience than me. There are a number of others there too (146's that is) :roll:
I ended up at Munich.. saw the 146's there and thought I'd take one for a quick spin to see if I still hated the FD. I did and thus returned it back to Munich I was really hoping the latest JM version was going to be a vast improvement but I can't see it. There can't be many more LESS used airframes on the fleet than the 146's which is a shame. We have some great routes and we have good knows how many airframes but there you go.
OK mate.. no panic ;-) A number of the aircraft off station are only relatively recent movements.. it's the ones that have been away from home for 9 months plus I was getting concerned about. It's easy to forget what you've flown when you see another opportunity (possibly from an airport you've just landed at) then off you go flying that. Done it myself many times ;-)
