Helcopter blunder - why?

[zoombini]

WIth regards to the recent helicopter blunder (or not so recent as I have heard)
Does anyone know what it is that prevents these choppers fronm flying in the clouds?

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by zoombini

WIth regards to the recent helicopter blunder (or not so recent as I have heard)
Does anyone know what it is that prevents these choppers fronm flying in the clouds?

From the BBC

The Chinook helicopters could be a risk to fly in cloudy weather because the software which enables them to do this cannot be properly tested

[Ramrod]

Bit of background to the case.

[zoombini]

Yet it still does not say exactly what prevents them from flying in cloudy weather?

Software? how can that be affecting it?

And surely there should be some redress against the manufacturers who have provided something thats not fit for the purpose..

Although the person responsible is no longer in government, surely this should have been overseen by a current MOD person who should have been aware of it.

Send em back.... say we want pink ones instead.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by zoombini

Yet it still does not say exactly what prevents them from flying in cloudy weather?

Here you go:

The Chinook Mark 3s were bought for their extended range, night-vision sensors and navigation capability. However, as work progressed, †œit became evident that displays for the weather radar and other systems . . . would not fit inside the existing (Chinook) cockpitââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ�.

One solution, the NAO said, was to have a totally digitised cockpit, the option chosen by the Royal Netherlands Air Force. But the MoD could not afford it, so a †œhybrid solutionââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ� was chosen: putting some digital equipment into the cockpit, while keeping other older analogue systems.

However, the decision for a mix-and-match of old and new proved unworkable, because the hybrid version failed to meet UK defence standards for safe flying. The NAO said the Chinook Mark 3 †œis currently restricted to day/night flying above 500ft in weather clear of cloudââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ�.

Pilots also have to fly the aircraft by looking out of the cockpit window for †œexternal reference pointsââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ� and cannot rely on flight displays.

†œThese restrictions mean that the helicopters cannot be used other than for limited flight trials,ââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ� the NAO said. To achieve the level of capability envisaged when the MoD bought the eight aircraft, the MoD now needed to spend an extra £127 million.

(taken from yesterdays Times)

[keithwalton]

they've been well and trully had. It certainly doesnt cost that much nor take that long to fix. Either part surely can be adapted to fit.
It cant fly in clouds and such because its radar and stuff doesnt work properly so it'll be flying blind all you'll see is cloud. Though there blaiming it on testing hmm, so test it !

[zoombini]

What a cock up..
Bring back the bit of rope & a lead weight (as used on olde ships)..

So we tired (in usual British fashion) to go for the cheap option & get a mish-mash of stuff in it & we have lost out.
But surely the manufacturers should have not delivered them to us in this state..

Perhaps they can be parked next to all those trains that cannot be used yet either...

[Xaccers]

If the contract asks for something but doesn't say it has to work, then you won't get the manufacturers pointing this out, they just want to be paid and know they'll be able to charge extra to get it fixed.
Happens all the time.
One company I worked for had their finance director write the spec for some software as he thought he was the bees knees.
Of course the software was to spec but wasnt expandable in a way we'd want it to be (an obvious way)
His attitude was "why didn't they write it to do that?"
Simple, because they knew they had him by the balls, either he pays them the extra, or he starts from scratch and gets another company to do it costing even more.