By
Ted Thornhill
14:48 EST, 20 April 2012
|
14:49 EST, 20 April 2012
The pilot of a coastguard helicopter has been suspended after images were posted online which appeared to show the aircraft stopping on a Scottish island to collect some beef from a butcher.
An investigation has been launched after the Shetland-based helicopter was filmed landing in a field at the back of the shop on Orkney.
Aberdeen-based firm CHC Helicopter provide search and rescue services to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the company insisted the aircraft had finished a training exercise at the time of the incident.
Touchdown: The helicopter lands near a butcher’s shop on Orkney
Footage appears to show the crew collecting a parcel from Craigie Butchers before getting back on the helicopter.
A CHC spokeswoman said: ‘We can confirm that a pilot has been suspended pending the results of a formal investigation.
‘We expect high standards of professionalism from all our employees and if we find these have not been met, we will take the appropriate action.
Steaking a claim: The pilots collect their meat from Craigie Butchers
‘While the aircraft was previously engaged in a training exercise, it was operating a non-revenue flight at the time of the incident in question.’
As the exercise had been completed, the flying was not on behalf of the coastguard, meaning CHC would cover the costs met as it does for all non-operational flying.
A spokesman for the MCA said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving a Coastguard helicopter based at Shetland and have asked our contractor, CHC, to investigate as a matter of urgency.
‘The MCA regards any misuse of these assets as completely unacceptable and await the outcome of this investigation.’
Having a cow: The pilots walk back to the helicopter with their dinner
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Good – can we expect to see Police officers suspended for queuing in McDonalds while parked on double yellows too?
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Give the guy a break, they risk their lives to save people in dangerous circumstances. So remember that mr pen pusher before you ruin his career.
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I seem to remember Prince William misusing a a giant Chinook with a full crew diverting from a planned route which had been issued to military and civil air traffic controllers to pick up the beer from the Middleton’s farm for his Stag Party.
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1. It is the winch op and winchman who exit the helicopter not the pilots.
2. They have to complete a certain number of landings in different conditions (i.e. not at the airport) each month to retain their jobs. If it happens to be beside a butchers, so what.
3. It’s not like they landed in their girlfriends parents back yard or gave their brother a lift to a stag do.
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Keep the Pilot, and sack the Jobsworth administrator who was clearly born with no sense of humour .
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but its ok for a certain prince to land a raf helicopter in his inlaws garden
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These heroes save many peoples lives, unlike the pen-pushing jobsworths who have targeted this poor bloke, what harm was he doing anyway?
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Bit petty as far as I am concerned – it could easily be justified as ‘a training exercise’ to assess posibble landing zones, approaches in bad weather information etc….. leave the crew alone – no one was harmed…..
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These guys go out in all weathers and perform a service a great deal of humanity would not have the guts to do….On a par with the RNLI….Sorry! along side the RNLI…..How many of those in the long list of the rescued would begrudge these over brave guys a little sideline pleasure….That butcher must have something excellent for that crew to risk an investigation….Any comeback Gents….I’m X-MN….DM knows whtre I am….I’ll pay your fuel charge….as any boss would be proud to do so….Have DM call me!
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