COALITION HONOURS - DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE CAMERON

No taking away the honour of gaining a gong in the new years honours list for those who really deserve some recognition but really some of the names put up by the Coalition are really just that, a bit of a mishmash.

Blindingly obvious omissions and a few names that really should not be there. Roger Carr for many years closely allied to Nigel Rudd (current chair of that great Spanish success Heathrow Airport) when they were City darlings building up mini conglomerate Williams Holdings, some may say at the time riding roughshod over small family firms ... and Carrs finest hour, in essence delivering blue chip Cadbury into the waiting arms of the ever caring Kraft Company.

Trawling through the lists, a lifetimes work rewarded by the Monarch and in many cases much deserved whereas others just kept the berth warm, taking out as much as possible, ramped up the expenses. This brings us to the recent BBC departure Mark Byford, services to broadcasting but better known for the expenses he managed to clock up all paid for by the BBC licence fee payer.

A poor list by any account but totally in keeping with the coalition ideal, no one really in charge and no doubt many names didn't make it through on political disagreement grounds. Some may ask why the Monarch is involved at all? On the 2010 report card "Cameron and Clegg must do better and listen to what people are saying...."

They won't and we all will suffer this year and for a few years to come. Now where did I put those cruise brochures? It's rapidly becoming cheaper to do a few winter sun type cruises than pay for food and heating oil in the UK, our US cousins pay far less in real terms although they may be catching up in recent months.

Oh, did I say VAT is going up on Jan 4th to 20%? No but there again, the figure of 20% is just the opening percentage, with routine price increases, it's looking near a 40% plus hike for all goods and services within the UK and none of us realise it..... and a very Happy New Year from Julian Bray!

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & sJulian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Arrest Made in Joanna Yates Murder Enquiry

Christopher Jefferies has now been released on Police bail without being charged but pending further enquiries by Police who continue to comb Mr Jeffries properties and vehicles.

The landlord of Joanna Yeates, has been arrested by Police on suspicion of her murder.
Police arrested Christopher Jefferies, 65, at his home in Canynge Road, Clifton, Bristol - the same property in which Miss Yeates rented a basement flat and lived there for some weeks with her boyfriend - and took him into custody for questioning over the 25-year-old's death by strangulation.

Joannas' corpse was found in a frozen state several days later after she was reported missing by her boyfriend who had just returned to the flat having visited his parents in another part of the UK.

The arrest at 7:30 am this morning, comes after Mr Jefferies, who owns several rental properties, a retired public school teacher and lecturer, appeared to make contradictory comments on Wednesday to TV reporters about whether he had seen Miss Yeates leaving her flat with two people on the night she disappeared. Police have also taken away a car said to belong to Mr Jeffries.

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

easyJet to deny UK Treasury £10 million in VAT over 3 Years...

According to the boffins at the IAG website, easyJet appears ready to launch a new low-cost tour operation outside the UK to save millions in VAT or put another way in future will deny the UK Treasury, millions of pounds of tax revenue.

easyJet Holidays, a joint venture between easyJet and Lowcost Travel, is likely to be registered in Switzerland in a bid to avoid UK VAT under the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme. Should this prove successful it could well lead to many other UK tour operators seeking to register overseas.

IAG claims the deal could save circa. £10million in VAT over three years. An easyJet spokesman said: ‘EasyJet as a matter of principle looks to structure its business efficiently and in accordance with any legislation. The exact structure is still being finalised and we will look to engage with Revenue & Customs to ensure they are aware from the outset how easyJet Holidays will operate.”

If this move is successful, then the Swiss can expect lots more business. IAG say this is a smart move against cloying government and rapacious taxes. The EU will also take note, as EU firms are likely to follow suit. Of course the folks in Brussels could make new laws to stop this leakage – but it will take them some time before they can put this into effect.

Julian Bray adds: The UK coalition government still has the option of withdrawing the new outfits operators licence on financial stability grounds and it remains to be seen if the new offshore easyjet set up will still offer holidaymakers protection under the UK domestic CAA scheme. The question of full refunds by credit card companies under the UK Consumer Credit Act when an Operator goes bust also needs to be looked at and quickly. There also seems to be no screams of outrage from ABTA as a wholesale move of this type could bury the remaining high street travel agents.

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Paranoia over power cuts and Heathrow controlled for £13.75

Why am I paranoid? The electricity has spiked three times over the festive period, I know because the answer machine robotically informs me "The answer machine is on ", the Sky box switches off and in extreme cases I have 30 seconds to defuse the burglar alarm. It can only be a matter of time before the gas goes off as well. That is probably why I spent £13:75 at the local chinese supermarket on a portable gas stove made by that well known brand Korea Foods... Still if Korea can knock out, ship and deliver a high spec unit like this, for under £14 this household is now virtually self sufficent and ready for the real snow and power cuts certainly due in mid January.

The paranoia also stems from what this coalition government is not doing. The fragrant Ms Villiers (Transport Minister) gained widespread news coverage on a slack news day over her assurance that airport operators would be fined huge amounts. The sweet youngish thing forgets that it has to go through parliament first by which time she will have sprogged several children, married twice and probably been elevated to the House of Lords. It really needs Cameron to call COBRA together to stir matters up, evoke emergency powers and ramrod the management and operations at Londons shabby Heathrow Airport.

Even on Health & Safety gounds it cannot be right that intending passengers are hounded out of the terminals (they make terminals look untidy and the retail people are probably complaining too) into a shanty city of poorly equipped tents.

Just as the RMS Titanic had the legally required number of lifeboats on board at the start of its fateful maiden voyage (the number of lifeboats having been drastically cut to the bare legal minimum so the sun deck remained uncluttered) the same should not apply to London Heathrow and any other airport operator for that matter, the bare legal minimum number of snow clearing units and aircraft de icers (if that standard does indeed exist), needs to be revised upwards to a level that puts a snow shower of just a few inches under control with the minimum of disruption to the schedules.

Heathrow also needs to take a look at the information delivery mechanism, the media relations joker who initially appeared in front of the TV cameras complete with frizzy perm was soon replaced by a poorly media trained head honcho Colin Matthews (on a remuneration package of over £1 million per annum) like his chairman had clearly taken their eye off the operations ball.

Greater co-operation with airlines to de-ice aircraft on the airport stands and a joined up major incident plan is needed. Clearly the one that exists (I know as I've seen it - a fw years ago admittedly) has either not been updated or someone lost the key to the file where it's now kept. Either way we should not accept it and crucially nor should the Coalition government and HM Opposition, on this they can all come together without any loss of face... action this day Papa November cleared for takeoff....not.

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Why Nigel Rudd should resign as Chairman from Heathrow Airport Operator BAA

Nigel Rudd is an honourable man, Chairman of BAA plc, he has even been a client of mine in the dim distant past but really Nigel it's time to stand up to the Spanish construction majority shareholder in the shambles known as London Heathrow and the other airport at the end of a poorly serviced branch line.

Whilst the Spanish construction industry trawls along the bottom, it is little wonder that the one profitable area, London Heathrow Airport is seeing revenues pumped back into Spanish hands. It can only be done if costs are kept to a minimum and on-site plant run way beyond its reasonable sell by date.

The CAA is a passive once in five years regulator (fixes prices nothing more) and who cares if the logistics and operational side of Heathrow is kept on a very short lead,starved of funding and investment? Clearly climate change is happening and we can expect longer and colder Winters, the lacklustre Environment Agency (favoured revolving door recruitment focus for Anglian Water!) has been banging on about it for at least a decade, although offering little in physical or practical resources.

There is a limit as to how you create flood defences, perhaps EA might like to use all the glossy publications currently stored in warehouses around the UK? But back to Heathrow, here is my suggestion Government sets up a Porterhouse style leasing operation for snow moving plant as the private sector did for trains and railway carriages (and made a fortune out of it), that plant is them rented to BAA and all other airport and marine port operators on a mandatory commercial lease rental, the minimum level of snow moving plant being decided by an external body.

The point being that whilst the bull fighteres might be out of pocket, the whole of this beleagured island is disadvantaged as airports shut down and ports are closed. Costing many, many billions more than a Spanish dividend...

It won't happen of course, this seemingly loose coalition government is getting weaker by the day, trouble is the alternative is just too horrible to think about.....

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct) G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Julian Bray, NUJ LIFE MEMBER? Me?

Julian Bray NUJ Life Member, MCIPR, Equity

It only seemed like yesterday, but the NUJ - National Union of Journalists accepted me Julian Bray as a member over 40 years ago, and have now awarded me Life Membership (shome mistake!) I've seen a revolution in news gathering during that time and well remember the look of horror and disbelief when I produced the very first laptop computer (a Tandy (Radio Shack) 100!) specially adapted for modem telephone transmission to telex lines, in Fleet Street, London, El Vinos' Wine Bar. The wine-bar owner Christopher Mitchell, tut tutted, and his bar manager, the late genial Geofffrey Van-Hay just raised his elegant nose and glided away..

In those early days large Imperial typewriters were physically chained to desks (stopped them being thrown at people), well oiled, under the table, journalists could dictate telephone copy to a battery of hard bitten copytakers who would make a highly reasonable story out the most garbled drunken rubbish... These days journalists are under the electronic thumb, a few drinks and what goes into the computer will also come out. Rubbish in, rubbish out... The same went for radio, midget EMI wire recorders (the size of a suitcase) gave way to the Uher Report, still heavy but could be carried on a shoulder strap, recording on reel to reel 1/4 inch 20 minutes on a reel of tape. Now I have a digital recorder the size of a cigarette packet and can happily waffle on for 50 hours or so before the SD card says its full or just had enough!

The union has been good to me and countless others, with information and practical help when its needed. The legal services team have also assisted from time to time and in recent years older journalists are encouraged to cross train and upgrade with a series of NUJ created training packages. Unions often get knocked and seem to be represented on TV by loudmouth dyed-in -the wool union 1930's throwbacks but in many cases the good work gets overlooked. Thanks NUJ the honour is much appreciated...here's to the next forty years...

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Coalition Blues get a Yellow Tweek

Encountered this Lisbon Tram five days ago, in festive mode, double click on
picture to see it full size, and explain to your children that if Santa (could be Vince Cable in disguise) is driving trams in Lisbon, he's not going to make it to the UK so no presents...sounds better than being stuck in a container from China on the high seas!

Honey trap! So much has been written about Vince Cable and his grandstanding in front of a couple of covert female journalists during a constituency surgery, but it bears further examination. Cable was in fact an economist with Shell before entering politics. Its not the first time the Cable Guy has upset the political apple cart and the latest inappropriate media event will take place over Christmas as the cable guy appears on a Strictly Come Dancing special, one can only hope he is teamed up with the former politician the astonishingly ugly Ann Widdecombe, who viewers might have forgotten wanted pregnant female prisoners to be handcuffed to hospital beds whilst giving birth. UGH! Finally, my partner has had the shock of her life, the Christmas edition of the Radio Times has been revamped. You only now seem to get detailed listing for evening viewing instead of a whole days comprehensive output.

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

NOT FIRST TIME A COLIN MARSHALL DENIED A BONUS!

Surfing above the Bay of Biscay on the FLOWRIDER just five days ago,

on board the RCI Independence of the Seas, the largest cruise liner in Europe
currently on an 18 night voyage around the Med....from Southampton. No airports or airlines involved!

Colin Matthews, the media robotic head honcho of the cash rich but logistically and operationally poor London Aviation adventure by a Spanish construction company - who paid over the odds for BAA, the Heathrow Airport operator - has seemingly wiped out his permed longhaired unshaven head of media and seemingly with little or no media training and a new 'Just for Men' darker hair colour is now fronting all Tv interviews.

Mr Matthews (salary circa, £1 million per annum) declared he is to give up his annual bonus (like the bankers eh?) after the absolute 'Horlicks' which is currently the state of the snow hit major London Airport.

Gatwick Airport was also sold off but the new owners of that operation in the last two weeks had a look at the long term forecast and quickly spent £8 million on snow movers and some of the newly acquired kit is already in operation at Gatwick (they spent eight times Colins annual £1 million Heathrow salary).

Meanwhile back at snowbound Heathrow, donning a pristine clearly brand new day-glo high viz jacket, nose running, standing in the cold, WHY?) we can expect in the coming days, the TV media routine to include our Colin physically shifting a token shovel load of snow.

He certainly won't be driving a snow mover/blower as Heathrow didn't order any new ones and the Spanish owners seeing the core construction business evaporate at home are not too willing to spend the money.

The Spaniards clearly like what Colin Matthews has done - relentlessly running Heathrow at over 95% capacity, wringing out every last dollar, pound, euro from captive would be passengers, but seemingly not too willing to put into operation a pre-drilled major disaster plan which the current airport situation really is. Heathrow even turned down the coalition government offer of trained disciplined troops and engineering equipment to physically clear the aircraft stands......why?

Coping with a massive influx of passengers can be caterered for but it needs strategic thinking, for what it is worth here is my suggestion. Hire in film location caterers, dining buses and large steel frames tents with beds and toilet/bathroom facilities all on site within hours. I know it is possible as I've done it!

But all this costs money and the newish owners sitting in warm offices in Madrid, are clearly not too bothered about events far away....perhaps we should just cancel Spain as a travel destination? Possibly switch to the new generation of mega cruise ships where a call of 160, 000 meals a day (YES I did say 160,000) is possible (RCI Independence of the Seas - round trips out of Southampton).

But in Heathrow, tens of thousands of passengers, all dossing down for another bleak night in the airport terminals and in some quickly errected cheapo party tents, so as not to litter the terminal with bodies. They've been issued with silver foil emergency blankets so looking like a group of turkeys ready for roasting. Which is probably the nearest they will get to any form of Christmas celebration. Spookily its not the first time an aviation linked Colin M. has tried the 'giving up my bonus ploy. Take a look at this Reuters 1991 report:

Pay Cut at Top for British Airways
BY REUTERS

Top officials of British Airways will take pay cuts this year to avoid the recent criticism of huge pay increases that has been leveled at other British company officers, The Financial Times newspaper said today.

The company's chairman, Lord King, will have his $890,000 annual salary cut by about $170,000 following the airline's poor results, the paper said. The chief executive, Sir Colin Marshall, will take a similar cut, putting his pay at around $540,000. A company spokesman was not immediately available to confirm the reported pay cuts.

So it's a Marshall and not a Matthews but instead of resigning, the bonus has again been waived. Merry Christmas.....

Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

STUXNET SUPER VIRUS OR SUPER HOAX?

The genie is out of the bottle!




The STUXNET virus that disrupted Irans Nuclear program has a new owner or possibly several new owners, its not the orginal virus but a copy of the application that did for Iran, the premise is that possibly Russian underworld gangs can now hold the West to ransom, close down hospitals and police computer networks and generally cause mayhem without a shot being fired or a life needlessly lost. I though the Bankers had already done that, hold us to ransom? Perhaps they are the one and same.



It does make you wonder why we have not done the same in Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and any of the hundreds of hotspots around the world? Totally mess up the Taliban computer network ans those of like minded individuals. The STUXNET virus is however a serious development and frankly none of us anywhere in the free world have an answer. It's a case of wait and see and possibly black money will change hands somewhere along the line and the good guy boffins will get hold of the virus source code and issue the fixes. Its not the complete solution and as soon as this one is fixed, an even worse one is waiting to join the merry throng.



Perhaps we do have an answer inasmuch that each and every one of us should religiously back up all our computer work hourly, most people don't bother until that fateful day when the the data just suddenly evaporates. Its happened here to me, now the data is all automatically backed up from the laptops to a 1 terrabyte stand alone hard disk the case about about the size of a decent hard back book... a couple more are about to join it .



Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

On Mother Kellys Doorstep... or Copper put the Kettle On

On Mother Kellys Doorstep......

Julian Bray, Security Expert writes: It seems the riot police in Londons Whitehall have more changes of costumes than Danny La Rue, well in the hat and stick department anyway. ....

The Met fashion show started off with standard issue peaked caps as worn by traffic cops, this changed to riot helmets with full visor, round riot shield and a night stick, then police regular helmets and regular truncheons, next followed a natty line in baseball caps, I particularly liked the chessboard banding and to finish this all off, the riot helmets were then low slung hung from belts or waistbands, where the pink community would normally wear a bunch of keys.

The Met Police handling - shown up by the ever present SKY News helicopter -seemed like a right high viz horlicks, and for heavens sake where was the recovery vehicle to get the broken down Police van out of the line of fire?

If that wasn't possible, then the other option would have been to physically push it with another vehicle. As for the bonfire in the middle of Whitehall, a forest fire fighting canvas bowser full of freezing water dropped from the hovering police chopper would have put paid to that. A couple more water drops would have immediately disbursed the rabble, who by that time had given up all aims of demonstrating peacefully and just hell bent on vandalism, smashing windows and so on. It was cold enough for the water to turn to ice, and certainly the need for kettles would be reserved for hot drinks.

It might be worth running the newsreel footage from the poll tax riots and the earlier vietnam series of demos in London. Dressing police up like contenders for a Buzz Lightyear competition has to be a no no. A bad look and uncomfortable for the wearer. The Met Police now seem to have more body armour than our troops in Afghanistan!

The TV pictures will now be beamed worldwide and again makes the UK look stupid. Ol' Bin Liner, sitting on his camel, half way up a mountain must be wetting himself, Whoever was Gold Commander on the day needs to quickly rethink the kettle sorry 'containment' strategy as following George Osbornes speech next week on how bad the cuts are really going to be, Police are likely to be faced with an increasing number of demos, not from bunking off school children but from well resourced service very fit public service professionals who won't offer such an easy target .

Heaven help the hapless police commander who decides to 'kettle' a few thousand firemen or other public service personnel facing the chop.... I would also get some of the wise old police heads out of retirement and learn a few lessons from how they tackled London demos from past years...the US Embassy Grosvenor Square demos, some 40 years ago, even had a certain Mr Jack Straw then a firebrand Student Leader being pulled through a hedge by police....

Contributor: Media, Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray

SKYPE: Julian.Bray.

UK Landline: 01733 345581

Mobile: 07944 217476

ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)

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PORTUGAL ALL ON STRIKE! NO OVERFLIGHTS EITHER...

Romanian Tarom locally assembled BAE 1-11 jet, often dry hired in during peak holiday season by failed holiday airline BIA and known in the BIA ops room as Muppet 1,2,3,&4 ....


Julian Bray Travel Expert comments: Portugal is effectively closed today (Wednesday 24 November 2010) as air traffic controllers and other transport workers go on strike. This also affects overflights so ensure your onward flight misses Portugal (and Madeira) completely.

Some aircraft have also been grounded in Portugal, which will have a knock on effect for the next week as flightcrew who have used up flying time allowances will have to be replaced by other crews, and aircraft will be flying empty to reposition them.

Further strike action is planned and holiday/Christmas flights could be hit. The strong advice is check with the airline and ensure your travel insurance will cover any disruption. It goes without saying you should used your credit card to pay for at least £101 of any total invoice in order to make a credit card company claim for the whole amount under the UK Consumer Credit Act. The so called 'ABTA financial guarantee' is in effect virtually worthless for a rapid refund.


Contributor: Media,Aviation & Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 downline +44(0)1733 555 319 (B'cast ISDN Remote Studio direct)G722/APT-X DualCodecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

BBC TRUST, Newspaper websites and the paywall question?

Remote Conference Facilities are nothing new.....

Am I really alone in thinking, the political outpourings of our newspaper commentators are to the delight of No.10 and HM Opposition are being diluted? I say this as many of them are now retreating behind paywalls slashing on line readership overnight in the hope of picking up some extra revenue.

So unless you subscibe, the acres of finely honed cutting prose by some of our 'celebrity' journalists (and other hard working hacks) is totally lost to casual observers and indeed many larger PR companies are no longer picking up individual press cuttings as they have to pay a hefty fee for a copy licence from another authority. They simply rely on written opinion digests and summaries which are not subject to additional fees

The joke is that the poor old hacks seemingly not realising their casual internet audience has vanaished, they all still add programmed tweets and helpful links as if the paywall didn't exist ! The Times, News of the World, Financial Times, Broadcast, Sunday Times. London Evening Standard have all dived behind the paywall and no longer feature on the radar.

I also doubt if many people will set up a variable direct credit card debit starting at £1 in order to access some of the websites. Even behind the paywall many of them are still stuffed full of advertising...

They'll also find PR firms will take (at the next client/PR agency financial review) them off regulatr press distribution lists as cuttings measurement firms (oh yes, they exist!) advise both client and the PR firm, the paywall protected publication is no longer worth servicing. Its estimated that each individual press release has a single unit cost of £60 when you take into consideration the cost of research, creating, printing, photography, list hire, postage, press cutting agency, collation, NLA copyright fees and so on.

Paywalls will continue to fail unless all websites go behind the wall, this would include the massive http://www.bbc.co.uk/ who provide news services from their own correspondents and also every wire service under the sun. Precisely the same agency sources used and now expesively protected by the paywall mob.

BBC TRUST

I should add that now the news seems to have been placed in the public domain. I am a confirmed candidate for the vacant BBC Trust Chairman appointment.

Should I be appointed, the Trustees, many hardworking, will be rapidly introduced to the wonders of video conferencing and remote contributions and submissions submitted by intranet and other web.2 delights. It works for many other major organisations and there is no reason why it cannot work for the BBC Trust as we already have access to a network of remote studios and uplink points.

I can assure everyone concerned , there will be no more repetitive dining of politicians and contacts at the same few top mega expensive London restaurants, but I will certainly be taking all the trustees on a short cruise, probably on the Independence of the Seas as that is the only way the Trustees will ever, ever experience a weeks worth of the car crash known as BBC World Television, complete with commercials. It's not broadcast within the UK and is supposed to project the image of the UK overseas. Car crash TV is just too kind.

It is one mightily expensive service we could all do without and perhaps our international stock in trade will improve overnight. I will also be questioning why every opt out requires it own channel on the Sky electronic programme guide and why they are all bunched up near the adult red light section at the end of the sky spectrum. I will also be questioning the roll out of digital in the UK being unertaken by the BBC and subcontracted to gas fitters and boiler installers EAGA and ask why thousands of voluntary neighbourhood watch teams all over the UK are being asked to attend (UNPAID) installations along with the EAGA organisation. who famously managed to mess up the nationwide "Warmfront"program....

In short, my mission will to deliver the BBC Trust mandated charter and bringing the BBC Trustees right up to date and delivering the whole BBC Trust package for a fraction of the current budget. Not rocket science but if the majority of billable time is taken up with travel, hotels and fine dining and subsistence no wonder the running costs are astronomically high. So it's not a question of blaming the Trustees (some have yet to claim anything) but fixing the system that causes the payments, all out of BBC Licence payers funding, to be triggered in the first place.


Contributor: Media, Aviation and Travel Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5 All Moral Rights Asserted

Lord no so Young falls on sword or was he pushed?

We've booked Lord Young on a short cruise.......


So the wine started to flow the discreet Daily Telegraph digital pocket sized tape recorder openly set out in front of the Peer and for the price of a 'free' celeb. chef lunch (no such thing you say) Lord Young can finally break out the slippers and dressing gown. His political career evaporated and in tatters and some may say not before time either.



Ironically Young is statisically correct, but you would think by now he would act like a politician and sugarcoat the pill? Not a bit of it, "More wine M'lud?" First the toe went in the mouth, then all the toes, the wine flowed a little more then Lord Young devoured his foot. The sheer slow motion car crash nature of it all is the most stunning, he (Lord Young) must have realised the game was up and wanted the last hurrah.



The media duly obliged and helpfully released the whole tape to the broadcast media. Still the old boy had a good innings, he now has lots more time on his hands. Expect the book, warts and all to be published soon . Hopefully history will be kind to him, his demise is after all stastically .0000000000000000000001. That at least should please some of the unemployed and those soon to be unemployed, just before Christmas too. 'Mere bagatelle' as the not so young lord might say. Then again Camerons' gagging order might even stop that as well....





Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters)G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Welcome to the Peerage - Peers List Announced!

The new intake of Peers (they sit in the House of Lords)
has just been announced, pink Gins all round!



Conservative Party



* Tariq Ahmad – businessman and former Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party

* Sir Robert Balchin DL - Pro-Chancellor of Brunel University

* Elizabeth Berridge – Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship

* Sir Michael Bishop CBE – career in civil aviation, Chairman of The Michael Bishop Foundation a charitable foundation

* Alistair Cooke OBE – career in education, authorship and politics

* Sir Patrick Cormack – former Conservative MP

* Michael Dobbs – author, presenter and adviser to Margaret Thatcher and John Major

* Robert Edmiston – businessman and charity campaigner

* Sir Reg Empey OBE – Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party 2005 – 2010

* Andrew Feldman – businessman and Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party

* Julian Fellowes DL – actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter

* Stanley Fink – Chief Executive of International Standard Asset Management and Chairman of Earth Capital LLP. Treasurer of the Conservative Party

* Howard Flight – career in finance; held various positions in Conservative Shadow Cabinet, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party 2004 -2005

* David Gold – senior litigation partner at Herbert Smith LLP

* Michael Grade CBE – past Chief Executive of Channel 4 Television and former Executive Chairman of ITV plc

* Rachael Heyhoe-Flint OBE DL – past captain of England women’s cricket team, currently public relations and sports marketing consultant

* Anne Jenkin – charitable and political work for the Conservative Party

* Sir Michael Lord – former Conservative MP and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons

* Rt Hon David Maclean – former Conservative MP; held a number of Ministerial posts; Opposition Chief Whip 2001 – 2005

* George Magan – career in finance; former Conservative Party Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party Foundation

* Sir Bernard Ribeiro CBE FRCS – retired Consultant General Surgeon; member of the Health Policy Research Advisory Board of the American College of Surgeons

* Fiona Shackleton LVO – lawyer specialising in family law

* Richard Spring – former Conservative MP

* Tina Stowell MBE – former Head of BBC corporate Affairs; past Deputy Chief of Staff to William Hague as Leader of HM Opposition

* Nicholas True CBE – past Deputy Head of the PM’s Policy Unit; former Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords; Leader of Richmond Borough Council

* Patience Wheatcroft – Editor-in-Chief of the Wall Street Journal Europe

* Gordon Wasserman – internationally recognised expert on management of police forces

The Queen has also been graciously pleased to signify
Her intention of conferring a Peerage of the United Kingdom for Life upon
General Sir Richard Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, Former Chief of the General Staff.
Sir Richard has elected to sit on the cross benches.

Liberal Democrat Party



* Dr Sarah (Sal) Brinton – Executive Director of the Association of Universities in the East of England

* Dee Doocey OBE – Chair of the London Assembly

* Qurban Hussain – Deputy Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Luton Borough Council

* Judith Jolly – Chair of Executive Committee of Liberal Democrats in Devon and Cornwall

* Susan Kramer – former Liberal Democrat MP

* Raj Loomba – businessman and campaigner for widows’ rights

* Jonathan Marks – commercial and family law QC with specialist interest in human rights and constitutional reform

* Monroe Palmer OBE – Liberal Democrat Councillor and Chair of Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel

* Jenny Randerson – Liberal Democrat Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Cardiff Central, former Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government

* John Sharkey – Chairman of the Liberal Democrat 2010 General Election campaign

* Nicol Stephen – Former Deputy First Minister of Scotland (2005 – 2007) and leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats (2005 – 2008)

* Ben Stoneham – Liberal Democrat HQ Operations Director

* Mike Storey CBE – Primary School Head teacher, former Leader of Liverpool City Council, Liberal Democrat Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Liverpool;

* Paul Strasburger – businessman and philanthropist

* Claire Tyler – Chief Executive of RelateLabour Party

* Dame Joan Bakewell DBE – writer and broadcaster

* Ray Collins – General Secretary of the Labour Party

* Maurice Glasman – Senior Lecturer in political theory at London Metropolitan University and for his work with London Citizens

* Jonathan Kestenbaum – businessman and Chief Executive of National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

* Oona King – Head of Diversity at Channel 4 Television and former Labour MP; currently journalist and presenter

* Ruth Lister – Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at Loughbrough University

* Eluned Morgan – former Labour MEP representing Mid and West Wales; currently Honorary Distinguished Professor at Cardiff University and for her work on low carbon energy

* Sir Gulam Noon MBE – Chairman and Founder of Noon Products and of the Noon Foundation

* Stewart Wood – former Downing Street and HMT special adviser, lecturer at University of Oxford; previously Fellow of Magdalen College and co-founder of Nexus

* Bryony Worthington – career focusing on promoting environmental and social changePlaid Cymru

* Rt Hon Dafydd Wigley – former Leader of Plaid Cymru; Honorary President of Plaid Cymru









Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters)G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Last chance saloons saved by a royal event

The most cruel and totally false headline,

the perils of putting a fake positive spin on events.

At a time when the Coalition government is promising an age of austerity and dire financial gymnastics for the decade ahead, along comes a gold covered figleaf to save the hotel and hospitality industry and now it seems a whole host of manufacturers too.

Already within days of the Royal engagement being announced, City brokers are packaging up bundles of industries and services likely to make a packet out of the expected increased tourist trade and if Prince William does decide to live in North Wales, it could be a new marker on the tourist destination map. It's also a short hop to Blackpool where a different set of Queens await the intrepid tourist!



I'm also delighted as my lecture series on CSI Princess Diana : Accident or Murder? is set to get a whole new lease of life, and a new set of audiences as I explain later.



In fact, so many industries will benefit from this Royal event that the republican biased few who decry the expense of it should allow the young Prince to raise the finance to pay for it, keep all the profits and take urgent action to protect his image rights and licence pottery firms and others who intend to ride on the back of the wedding. He will make a fortune and Uk will still bask in the glory of it all. It will also properly raise the profile of the UK , unlike FIFA world Cup, The Olympics and other events that carry so many strings and restrictions and devour the lions share of the profits. These sporting events have also become tained, just imagine the wedding party having to submit to drug tests...I don't think so...



I'm currently finishing of an investigative series on RMS Titanic and the launch of this new five part series will be on board the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas , some may question why would cruise guests flock to see a series on RMS Titanic? All I will say is that the most popular background for the ships photographer is a backdrop featuring the main staircase from ....RMS Titanic!



During the reasearch, the question of Second Officer Lightoller came up, it's crystal clear from the 1912 Senate Investigation into the sinking of RMS Titanic, that Lightoller did physically prevent men from boarding the lifeboats, claiming that his orders were 'women and children only'. The few lifeboats under his charge left the striken ship, half full or less..











Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters)G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

King Willie and Queen Kate? What ho Camilla?

Congratulations to the Royal Couple and it's fun to see how many so called Royal Watchers have been dusted down - some not so dusted - but simply ravaged by time, cigs and a good few gins....Gordons naturally - then thrust into the cruel television spotlight.

I have to declare my own Royal credentials. Royal Stewart clan on my mothers side and born in Glasgow... and I used to live just up the road from the then Lady Diana Spencer who shared a mansion flat in Earls Court with a number of other 'debby' types.

Prince Charles at that time had a secret love nest just off Flood Street in Limmerson Street, Chelsea (near Maggie Thatchers old house even), London. As the news was breaking and I was musing on the history of it all, an e-mail arrives to say that the National Union of Journalists wish to recognise my 40 years of unbroken membership by making me a Life Member. Some mistake, I can't be that old, but its true... as a young broadcast journalist, the Royals were just as big news then but there were strict rules in place, no one could directly interview a royal but you could interview someone who had been speaking to a royal and use this third party broadcast approach.... madness.

Charles was to discreetly maintain that Chelsea 'love tryst' address for many years to come, but not so discreetly his security people would drink in Finches pub in the Fulham Road, providing a running commentary, for all to hear on the royal antics, thereby neatly signposting that Charles was nearby 'entertaining.'

My particular area of royal watching expertise is that of Princess Diana. I present as part of a British Series lecture programme, an acclaimed lecture to diverse interrnational cruise ship audiences on 'What really did happen to Princess Diana ?' a kind of CSI Paris, her death (or murder?) in Paris and everything after that, right up to present day events. The security services didn't exactly cover themselves in glory and the Jury is still very much out...

But back to the happy couple, mercifully Catherine (as we must now call her...) is from commoner stock so hopefully many possible nutty traits that have been handed down by generations of narrow breeding by the Royal clan will have a refreshing new blood pool as it were.

They make an attractive photogenic couple, Prince William seems to have a well balanced independent head on his shoulders and is well respected in military and aviation circles. The taxpayer will stump up for a flash wedding with all the trimmings, there will be complaints but no mention of how the UK once again re-invented as an international tourist magnet and generating billions on back of the newly engaged Royals...... and at a fraction of the cost of the Olympics! Nothing changes.

The coalition government must also be in raptures, with the Royal publicity machine already off to a flying start and sweeping ALL other bad news stories off the news pages. Be prepared for bad economic news to be timed to hit the public arena just as the wedding and each subsequent issue (birth?) arrives.... magic days with a Royal twist... pass the Port..... God save the King! Well not quite yet King Willie!



(C) Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5 All Moral Rights Asserted.

Rolls Royce wishing for a takeaway...

Following the failure of a Rolls Royce Trent 900 engine on a Qantas A380 Airbus on 4 November, RR issued an all-operator directive requiring 'non-modification' inspections to be carried out. This to be completed before carriers conducted any further flights with the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. For each engine, the examination would typically take 9-14h for a passenger flight and 6 hours for what is termed a a non-revenue flight.

It then transpired that Rolls-Royce had directed carriers to carefully check for oil leaks in the engine, and that an oil fire in the high and intermediate pressure regions including a bearing box of the powerplant was suspected of causing the failure and shattering of a turbine disc located at the rear of the engine. The force of which shattered the protective engine cowling and punched holes in the upper wing surface.

European regulators then became involved and have since issued an emergency airworthiness directive ordering carriers to conduct extended ground-idle runs with the engine and inspect both the low-pressure turbine blades together with the intermediate (and high-pressure) structures within 10 flight cycles, repeating the checks at least once every 20 cycles.

The worries now are that with all the mandatory engine swaps taking place on several carriers, there will be few spare power units to fall back on in an emergency. All this has knocked the Rolls Royce share price and forced the company to issue a profits warning.



Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters)G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5All Moral Rights Asserted

Rolls Royce Trent 900 oil slick media relations

No-fly-by-wire more the seat of your pants... IWM Duxford has free admission

on Rememberance Sunday and will hold a memorial service

Julian Bray Aviation Expert reports: Central Television (ITV News) called earlier today as they like the rest of the travel and aviation community are having a really hard time getting a straight answer out of beleagured engine makers Rolls Royce.

RR have formally admitted a problem with one single component and this caused an oil leak and a fire...they say, but if you listen to the boss of Airbus you get a totally different story, broken bearing box and another component, a turbine disc shattered at the back end (business end) of the engine, this severed landing hydraulics and narrowly missed a vital spar....

Clearly time has now come for Rolls Royce to lay all its cards on the table, holding NOTHING BACK, stop treating us all as an afterthought, give a detailed technical explanation of what actually did happen and why. I appreciate the need to try and boost the share price and not cause general alarm but the current rumours running around the industry need addressing and very quickly.

First rumour: "The problems were known and remedial action has been taken on NEW engines leaving the factory but we've yet to get around to fixing up all the older Trent 900 engines currently flying hundreds of thousands of people all over the world daily.... "

Second rumour: "We've yet to write the software to detect an oil spill/ fire and when we do it will close down the engine to prevent a further fire."

Third Rumour: " We've talked privately to our investors and customers. We are quite happy to let them sound off to the media about the state of our products and we are happy to say nothing and let them fan the oil fire with a gallon of hubris"

Forth Rumour: "The Rolls Royce media relations team is far too busy to talk to the media, as we are all out of the office on a team building residental month sabbatical in Bali, the mobile signal isn't very good either."

Come on Rolls Royce, even if the Chairman is retiring shortly, you really can do much better than this!


Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert, Writer & Broadcaster Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line +44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5. All Moral Rights Asserted

The demo season unexpectedly starts a few months early...

The Demo season begins...unless you were in the thick of it during the 1970's, few Police Officers in the UK have had practical experience of full on angry UK demonstrators. I remember whist working for a number of broadcast organisations, BBC,and a few programme strands recording interviews on my trusty but heavy UHER 4000L- Report tape recorder at the very start of the Northern Ireland demos.

The troubles as they became to be known, really all started with a demo outside the Northern Ireland Office in Berkeley Street London W1. In those days policemen looked like policemen and not like Buzz Lightyear in a space suit, no high viz vests, no stab jackets, no shields and no full on blue riot visored helmets.

The police at the Northern Ireland Office formed a semi circle in front of the huge plate glass window. The demonstrators started throwing coins over the heads of the officers in an attempt to break the plate glass window. After about 30 minutes or so, the coin throwing slowed down to a trickle and a pile of 'coppers', rested behind the coppers so to speak. 

The duty Sargeant from West End Central at that time, who seemed to be on all the marches, then simply ducked under the cordon and started gathering up the coins, into his own pocket. A cheer went up from the crowd and the tension was broken. The crowd then became more compliant made a few more protests then started to drift away..  

But turning back to todays student riot at Millbank, the police were completely wrong footed, ill equipped and totally outnumbered.We've suggested on the Duckhouse Blog that civil unrest may break out in January when the cuts start to bite, they seem to have bitten a couple of months early.. we can only hope the cuts in Policer budgets will not affect the Olympics in London,the damage might well have been done as TV pictures are flashed around the world and newspapers carry the damning pictures...  


Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

Student Demo at Conservative Party HQ

This illuminating e-mail has been obtained and published by political blogger Guido Fawkes....

Post : Party Chairman Still Inside CCHQ



URL : http://order-order.com/2010/11/10/party-chairman-still-inside-cchq/

From: Sendorek, Alan


Date: 10 November 2010 16:33


Subject: Contact with journalists


It is vitally important, both for the quick dispersal of the crowd outside, and for the safety of people inside this building, that people do not contact journalists to give an account of what is going on. e.g. news reports that the Chairman is on site are extremely unhelpful. Any such leaks from CCHQ will be treated very seriously.

Add a comment to this post: http://order-order.com/2010/11/10/party-chairman-still-inside-cchq/#respond




Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

Airbus fly-by-wire explained by Julian Bray on ITV NEWS; an ITN London Production

JUlian Bray, Media & Aviation Expert, broadcaster and lecturer taped on November 4th and transmitted live by Anglia Television to ITN London from their Northampton Office, as a continuation of the ITV Lunchtime Live News package on the continuing Quantas Airbus/Rolls Royce Trent 900 engine uncontained blow-out saga. Now being offered by ITN Source to TV Stations around the world. This version is a webcam screen grab from a regular laptop screen. The orginal is in high-resolution.

Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

Rolls Royce in rapid firing line from both Australia and the USA



Rolls Royce Trent 1000 may have unwittingly incorporated
the design defects of the failed Airbus Rolls Royce Trent 900

 Australian airline Qantas claims that its engineers have discovered new problems with three Rolls-Royce engines on its new fleet of Airbus A380s that will keep the superjumbos grounded for a few more days, the airline's CEO said on Monday.  Quantas grounded its six double-decker A380s, the world's newest and largest airliner, after an engine burst minutes into a flight from Singapore to Sydney last week, scattering debris over Indonesia's Batam island. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Singapore.


Engineers conducted eight hours of extensive checks on each engine over the weekend.


“On three of the engines what we found are slight anomalies, oil where oil shouldn't be,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce speaking on ABC televsion said: .“We're trying to check what the cause of that could be. These are new engines on new aircraft and they shouldn't have these issues at this stage, so it's given us an indication of an area for us to focus on.” Joyce said the A380s will not fly until testing is complete and the airline is certain that the planes can fly safely, though that is expected to take days rather than weeks.
“Our top priority is making sure we have the continued safe operation of the aircraft,” Joyce said. “If this takes a bit longer, we'll take longer.”


Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, the other airlines that fly A380s fitted with Rolls-Royce's Trent 900 engines, also briefly grounded their planes last week but resumed services after completing checks.
The Qantas engineers are working with Rolls-Royce, who manufacture and maintain the engines, as well as Airbus.


Joyce said it still was not clear what caused the engine failure on flight QF32 last Thursday but believed it was not a maintenance issue.  “It could be a series of things. We think it could have could have been a materials issue or a design issue,” he said.  Investigators have concentrated  the search on a missing piece of turbine from the Rolls-Royce engine.  The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading an international investigation into the blowout on the A380, appealed for help from residents of Indonesia's Batam island to find the missing chunk of a turbine disc.

The island was scattered with debris last Thursday when one of the A380's four Trent 900 engines failed minutes into a flight to Sydney, with 466 people aboard. The engine was quickly shut down and the plane returned to Singapore and safely made an emergency landing.


“The recovery of that disk could be crucial to a full understanding of the nature of the engine failure, and may have implications for the prevention of future similar occurrences,” the bureau said in a statement.


It released details of a jagged and bent piece of turbine disc from the Trent 900 engine and asked that anyone who might have found a similar piece should hand it to police.


It said one piece of the shattered engine that had been found on Batam was being sent to Britain for examination by Rolls-Royce engineers, under the supervision of bureau investigators. Extra experts were being sent from Australia to Singapore to examine other debris.


Rolls-Royce Group PLC, has been heavily condemned in the media for leaving all the comment to the Quantas chief executive and seeming to take none of the flack directly for the engine blow out  but has said through a corporate spokesman the investigation is in its early stages and that it is too early to draw any conclusions. All this has come at a bad time for Rolls Royce as they watched more than a billion pounds sterling wiped off their share price. The UK Coalition government has also privately indicated that it would not financially bail out Rolls Royce.  


John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member was able to throw a little more light on matters. Golia, an expert on aircraft maintenance, said the photo showing the broken turbine disc indicates it was the disc that may have failed. The photo didn't show any signs of discolouration on the disc that would indicate overheating.  There are several reasons why a disc might fail, but they usually involve the metal used to make the disc or the manufacturing method, Goglia said. He cautioned that he was looking at one photo, which was not enough information to make a definitive judgment.

Julian Bray Aviation Expert comments: The embattled engine maker Rolls Royce has been served with legal papers by the USA rival engine maker Pratt & Whitney claiming that bits of the Rolls Royce Trent 900 and the newer 1000 are full of unlawfully copied engine parts, the design copyright of rival US Engine makers Pratt & Whitney. Lawsuits with P&W are nothing new they have been going on for over a decade but it does smack of opportunism that P&W should suddenly decide to file court papers; whilst one of the Rolls Royce engines concerned lies shattered following an uncontained blowout and grounded in Singapore plus several more engines are now said to be leaking oil...   It has also been suggested that a new Airbus deal with China for end assembly of Airbus jets, will hasten the end of complete Airbus wing assemblies in the UK on grounds of cost and logistics.    

Additional reporting CNS-Sapa-AP

Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

AIRBUS IN TROUBLE - JULIAN BRAY ITV NEWS 4 NOV 2010

Whenever there is problem with an aircraft the chance to say 'catastrophic failure' is at the top of the media pundits list. The truth is if the passengers and crew all land safety as they did with the Quantas Airbus at Singapore earlier today and the passengers leisurely strolled down the aircraft steps (as they did) then the pilot and the aircraft designers should breath a sigh of relief and rest assured that is not 'a catastrophic failure' it is simply a failure of one Rolls Royce Trent-900 engine, not the two or three to make it 'a catastrophic failure.'

What is however distressing is to find that warning notices had been issued several months about this particular aircraft and make of engine. Tellingly it is only the Quantas and Singapore Airlines fleet that are grounded. The rest of the Airbus output have American engines from two rival manufacturers. A friendly mole at the Airbus Hamburg plant confirms. (The damaged wing was made in Wales).

With The UK going through cut backs in the defence programme, this is bound to trickle down and impact on civil applications of once military technology. Kevelar for example is used for the engine cowlings, only today that cowling lies in shatters and I hope the Indonesian villagers seen carting away the bits are in negotiation for a massive finders fee for the safe return of the shattered A380 bits. Luckily no one was standing directly under the falling debris, all neatly labelled ready to be sent back but hopefully not like this.


The Airbus has had its share of problems, but it was actually designed to run on three engines and at a pinch two if one remains either side..... It 'flys by wire' meaning that without a battery of duplicated computers, the aircraft wouldn't be able to fly at ultra slow speed in the nose up stall position as it majestically did a few years back at Farnborough Air Show.

I really cannot understand the attitude of the Rolls Royce Public Relations machine, no one of note has come forward or currently doing the rounds of TV and radio newsrooms and there is scant editorial print comment from RR. No wonder the Rolls Royce share price has dropped like a stone. They left it to Quantas to make the announcements on the state of the RR product. Just plain daft, a few senior directors at RR should be considering their position.  

ITN who provide the UK national news for the ITV network and worldwide news outlets, called me at 11.30 am just as the first passenger videos of the fractured upper wing of the A380, were being transmitted, a fraught painfully slow 44 mile trip to the network studio housed at the Innovation Centre of  Northampton University and I'm wired up and doing my own fly by wire act.

PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate Massive Scrabble double word score and an Aviation security issue?

PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate. Massive Scrabble double word score

and an Aviation security issue. Will it stop aviation expansion? 

Julian Bray writes: I have worked with a number of airlines during my career and accordingly acquired detailed knowledge in certain areas of aviation security and air cargo handling systems. I've even revised emergency protocols "the book" for a major airline. A number of so called 'security experts' have suddenly crawled out of the woodwork, slicked back the thinning hair, donned demob suits and have been sounding off in the media about the poor state of security surrounding air cargo and freight. The saintly David Learmount , of Flight International, an exception - always worth listening to! 

Jet fighters recently escorted a passenger plane

(not BA) into JFK, this is far more elegant!.

Frankly some of the comments being carried on national and international TV and Radio networks, are just so wrong they should be reported to Trading Standards!    For the record:  Most suspect packages (including the latest batch, fuelled with PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) enter the world air freight and cargo system through distant remote, often corrupt third world country airports and minor freight hubs. 

Don't mention ze lack of Air Cargo Security Hans!

http://www.aircargonews.com/ Air Cargo SECURITY STINKS Straight Talking at Hanover, it's not looking good say Germans!

From left to right—Dr. Raoul Hille, Managing Director of Hanover Airport; Manfred Kuhne, Director Air Transport at the German Airports Association ADV; Fernando Gonzalez, Manager Key Account Development Automotive Solutions at Kuehne + Nagel; Hendrik Khezri, General Manager Airfreight Germany of forwarding agent Hartrodt; Volker Dunkake, Head of Global Sales and Services of Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency. The experts didn’t mince matters during a very frank discussion on pressing air freight topics. The subjects at Hanover-held Logistics Network Congress ranged from open security questions, unsolved labor matters, night flight restrictions in Germany and their implications; why air freight has a poor image and what should be done to turn it from negative to positive. Seated on the panel: were Dr. Raoul Hille, Managing Director of Hanover Airport; Manfred Kuhne, Director Air Transport at the German Airports Association ADV; Fernando Gonzalez, Manager Key Account Development Automotive Solutions at Kuehne + Nagel; Hendrik Khezri, General Manager Airfreight Germany of forwarding agent Hartrodt; Volker Dunkake, Head of Global Sales and Services of Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency. Interviewer was Heiner Siegmund. Around fifty forwarders, handling agents, airline managers and shippers attended the meeting. ACNFT: Is air freight secure in Germany? Hille: The effort the decentralized concept demands from shippers, truckers, agents, airlines, and airports is tremendous and disproportional to the advancement of security. The entire framework is monstrous and proves to be extremely costly. I presume that in the future most shipments will be x-rayed at facilities within the airports or at neighboring warehouses.

Crackdown? That is exactly what the terrorists are aiming for...

From www.scotsman.com

Date: 30 October 2010


By Julian Bray

al-Qaeda keeping up the pressure, lest we forget...

MOST airports have a separate cargo area that keeps normal passengers well clear - but this may also lead to security in these areas being weaker.


Given the number of packages being discovered in this latest security alert, it does seem to be part of a concerted effort to target cargo operations, possibly as a dry run for a more serious assault by al-Qaeda.


In the past, terrorists have managed to smuggle packages into cargo operations. This has been made easier, as you don't have the same number of people around as you do in passenger operations.

However, security still tends to be high in cargo areas in the UK and they are well policed, which may explain why this package was discovered at East Midlands Airport.


It could be the terrorists have reacted to the announcement by British Airways this week that they should no longer be checking shoes, and they are ratcheting up the angst factor.  One of the key factors is that this plot appears to have originated in Yemen, which is a focus for various terrorist groups. One would have hoped the security authorities would have tightened up their act, but obviously vigilance has to remain at the highest possible level with any flight from the Middle East.


The effect of all this, of course, is to cause widespread disruption. There will now be a major incident plan put into action both here and in the United States.


They put expert teams in and the idea is to do a thorough investigation and go through the various areas. But it won't just be the aircraft, it will be everything it has touched.


By the nature of it, this will be very disruptive - exactly the effect the terrorists desire.



• Julian Bray is a writer and commentator on aviation security.



Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

Haloween NO TRICK OR TREAT HERE!

It's almost that time of the year again (how did that happen)? We hope everyone has lots of fun.

However, if you don't want to be disturbed on the night please feel free to download this UK POLICE APPROVED NO TRICK OR TREAT DOOR POSTER from
http://www.cambs.police.uk/crimeprevention/advice/prevention/tricktreat_b&w.pdf to stick on your door or window.

Pres.OBAMA two live explosive devices found, one at East Midlands Airport!

Julian Bray Aviation Expert comments: President Obama confirmed late Friday evening that two explosive devices found, one at East Midlands Airport, the other in the USA.  The unfolding events surrounding the photocopier cartridges initially containing WHITE powder seemingly on board UPS cargo aircraft comes at a time when millions of tons of exposives are about to be set off all over the UK for Guy Fawkes Night and the asian community Dwali festival. leaving that ironic fact aside, Associated Press correctly reported a package containing EXPLOSIVES was siezed in the UAE from an UPS regional freight hub, meanwhile US jet fighters safely escorted a passenger jet from UAE with Yemeni cargo into JFK airport.

BBC Political Editor Rages at Board.....

Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

UK Government Spending Cuts - The Devil is in the Detail....

Chancellor George Osborne has announced the UK coalition government's four-year Spending Review to Parliament, with some of the deepest cuts in public spending in years.

"Gilt market rock solid following speech, mission accomplished"

says Citys' David Buick

Sterling holding up against US Dollar

Random Key Points:

Government cuts by 19% over 4 years
Labour had confirmed they would have introduced cuts of 20%
if they were returned to power...

SUPREME COMMANDER PARR EXPLAINS THE AIRCRAFT DEFENCE POSITION

Contributor: Media & Aviation Expert Julian Bray SKYPE: Julian.Bray.UK Landline: 01733 345581 Mobile: 07944 217476 ISDN2 down line ++44(0)1733 555 319 (Broadcasters) G722 & APT-X Dual Codecs GlensoundC5

Channel Fours' Funky Gary Gibbon catches out Treasury!

Gary Gibbon Channel 4 Political Editor writes:  I hear that the Chancellor was furious to discover that the wrong numbers were given out when he unveiled his child benefit changes to an unsuspecting Tory Conference a couple of weeks ago. When we reporters were briefed about the numbers, after George Osborne had announced the policy on BBC Breakfast, we were told that 1.2m higher rate tax payers were affected and it would save £1bn a year.



People have been scratching their heads ever since about those numbers as they imply an average loss of £1,000 per household. But the minimum loss should be £1,000.