|
|
Post by bazzaboeing on Apr 20, 2011 17:48:15 GMT 12
Just saw on Prime news the palava re the PM using an Iroquois to get from the Hamilton V8 races to a dinner at a golf club in Auckland. I am not going to comment on the rights and wrongs of him doing this (am not really worried either way ) but the fact that they showed a Seasprite in the news clip when mentioning the helicopter type used which really irks me. Can these so called news teams please at least get the chopper type correct when they report about them. I notice that it is only the opposition that are really complaining about it as when they asked people around Wellington they did not seem very worried about it at all. If you were the PM in Ausy you would travel everywhere in a private jet so I do not know what the problem is in NZ.  Cheers Bazza |
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Apr 20, 2011 18:27:15 GMT 12
Purely a political fight.
There is, of course, no cost impact. The military helos (not choppers please) are funded to fly for a specific number of hours per year. This flight simply comes into that allocation.
It is just being stirred up as 'Not a good look' during times of supposedly financial stringency.
|
|
|
|
Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 20, 2011 18:37:35 GMT 12
He has every right. Just another job for the air force.
Why not Choppers, flyernzl?
|
|
|
|
Post by The Red Baron on Apr 20, 2011 19:32:48 GMT 12
They should buy him something decent......arriving in an Iroquois by air woukld be akin to arriving by road in the back of a truck.
|
|
|
|
Post by obiwan27 on Apr 20, 2011 20:26:43 GMT 12
He should be proud to ride in an Iroquois. Storm in a political teacup. At least it wasn't a convoy of police cars and limousines speeding along the road putting the public at rest. Flying by Air Force helicopter is a fairly efficient way of getting somewhere efficiently if you are the PM. No speeding and no reliance on someone else's timetable.
|
|
|
|
Post by bazzaboeing on Apr 20, 2011 21:26:44 GMT 12
Yes the opposition has small memories as wasn't it Auntie Helen that was speeding along public roads to get to a Rugby game a few years back and putting the general public at risk!!!
Cheers Bazza
|
|
|
|
Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 20, 2011 21:31:40 GMT 12
Well they have the Kingairs to transport him round NZ, why not use them?
By the way, learnt that at ATC, so correct me if I'm wrong.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Apr 20, 2011 22:23:15 GMT 12
Why not Choppers, flyernzl? This is a chopper  This is a helicopter  See the difference? |
|
|
|
Post by 11SQNLDR on Apr 20, 2011 22:39:01 GMT 12
This is Chopper;  And to 99% of us this is also nicknamed a 'chopper'...  See the difference ;D What a silly beat up this story is, but hardly surprising that the first to whine was a Greens party leader closely followed by captain nobody from the Labour party. |
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Apr 20, 2011 23:10:30 GMT 12
What a silly beat up this story is, but hardly surprising that the first to whine was a Greens party leader closely followed by captain nobody from the Labour party. Conveniently forgetting that Helen used the Air Force practically all the time. Anyone remember that marginal weather incident involving a King Air on the West Coast? I don't remember the details but it was a much worse look than this. Or Key could have just used the limo and 'not noticed' how fast they were going..... ;D |
|
|
|
Post by 11SQNLDR on Apr 21, 2011 6:53:05 GMT 12
Or when queen Helen went all 'budget-conscious' and charter a Piper Aztec whose door came open in flight, only to be "saved' by her two DPS cops.... I bet those lads got merry hell from their colleagues for not 'seizing the chance' ;D But at the time the public / press were asking why she was flying in an old jalopy when the Air Force has suitable options such as King Airs for her to get from A To B when the situation called for it  |
|
|
|
Post by The Red Baron on Apr 21, 2011 7:39:36 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by beagle on Apr 21, 2011 8:49:29 GMT 12
I remember when Helen was in Sydney and it must have been the time regards the Ansett debarcle and she wasn't going to get home so rang 5 Sqn and got an Orion to come pick her up.
|
|
|
|
Post by adzze on Apr 21, 2011 10:05:08 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Parrotfish on Apr 21, 2011 10:51:37 GMT 12
Jeez guys... get over it. Climb a tree and have a smoke ;D The polis will always score points and suck the public in. Helen is gone (even if her speeding crime was one of being a speeding Labour PM through a staunchly National electorate. Trust me- I saw the Jenny S crown car doing the same numerous times when I lived on the route to the airport). There will be someone else for everyone to complain about I promise ;D
|
|
rod
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 80
|
Post by rod on Apr 21, 2011 11:29:42 GMT 12
I think its great, its a way better chance for him to find out about the cut backs he makes, and a real good chance the ageing chopper might fall out of the sky with him and his cronies in it
|
|
|
|
Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 21, 2011 14:12:55 GMT 12
But (again asking) aren't the Kingairs used for this sort of thing?
|
|
|
|
Post by Naki on Apr 21, 2011 17:24:20 GMT 12
Because they can't take off or land vertically  . I suspect he flew straight from the airport or wherever to a spot near the race circuit. The pollys do use the King Airs when there are airfields nearby that can take them I guess from next year the A-109s wil be used for VIP transport...they should be cheaper to run than the Huey |
|
|
|
Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 21, 2011 18:05:31 GMT 12
Ah..fairly obvious when you think about it.
|
|
|
|
Post by beagle on Apr 21, 2011 18:51:43 GMT 12
The VIP kit for the A109 is already under action with some new sheepskins seat covers, i-pod dock, walnut tea trolley, and fluffy slippers on some suppliers "to do" list marked "URGENT"
Do we still have Suppliers ?
|
|
. I suspect he flew straight from the airport or wherever to a spot near the race circuit. The pollys do use the King Airs when there are airfields nearby that can take them 