HOW THE EUROPEAN PATENTS OFFICE TWISTED DEFAMATION LAW IN A FAILED BID TO SILENCE TECHRIGHTS

How the EPO Twisted Defamation Law in a Failed Bid to Silence Techrights 

Summary: Using external legal firms (not the EPO’s own lawyers), the EPO has been trying — and failing — to silence prominent critics

THE EPO‘s war on journalists has been covered here for almost a week. 5 days after WIPR broke the story it is still the most popular topic at that news site and this story has since then attracted wider and further media attention.

There are 5 large threads in Reddit right now, in five different sections, posted by numerous individuals and groups we don’t know and aren’t typically focused on legal matters. This is going mainstream!

We are starting to find out some interesting things from interesting people. Another news site told us, “you are not the only person coming under pressure from the EPO right now.” It also prudently responded and advised us by saying “do assume, if you are not already, that your private e-correspondence is being monitored and read.” Recall the following older articles of ours:

• More Utter Shame Unveiled at Battistelli’s EPO: Intimidation Tactics With Help From ‘Control Risks’
• Süddeutsche Zeitung Article About the EPO’s Investigation Unit and Control Risks Group
• The EPO Sinks Deeper in a Scandal After Paying Public Money for Military-Connected Control Risks to Stalk Journalists and Staff
• EPO May be Creating Its Own Lawless NSA (or GCHQ) With Control Risks Group Deal
• EPO Officially Confirms That It Specifically Hired Control Risks Group (CRG) to Spy on Journalists and Their Sources
• EPO Corruption Compared to FIFA Corruption While ‘Control Risks’ Helps EPO Hide/Suppress Evidence of Corruption; Calls on German Authorities to Crack Down on Both
• The European Patent Office Has Become Militarised
• EPO Reluctantly (and Privately) Confirms Giving Public Money for Military-connected ‘Control Risks’ to Spy on Journalists and Their Sources While Techrights is Under Fresh DDOS Attacks
• EPO Data Protection Officer ‘Just a Dictator’s Minion’, Approved Keyloggers and Hidden Cameras
• European Patent Office (EPO) Now Uses Keyloggers to Spy on Staff
• Investigation Unit a Complete Farce Inside the EPO
• Süddeutsche Zeitung Says Talking Helps While EPO Management Back-stabs Other Side of the Table
• EPO Surveillance, Threats, and Patronisation of Dutch Legal System Covered in Dutch Article From De Volkskrant
• Techrights Confirmed as a Target of EPO Surveillance, With Help From Control Risks Group (CRG)

This article will present my solicitor’s response to the EPO’s lawyers, who are actually — like much of the EPO's staff these days — from a private company that we won’t even mention. What the EPO has done here is amazing. It’s amazingly stupid. They took a crisis that mostly involved the ‘IP’ community into a mainstream audience. The EPO is now a laughing stock in many circles and emergency funds are now being retrieved from the taxpayers’ pot to hopelessly undo the damage (it will only backfire again, we can guarantee it).

Read then weep, the full amazing detail is here: http://techrights.org/2015/11/29/epo-twisting-defamation-law/




JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog   

American B763 near London on Nov 28th 2015, cracked windshield: Trans States E145 at Montreal on Nov 24th 2015, smoke in cockpit. Latest Aviation Incidents.

Insel MD82 at Sint Maarten on Nov 18th 2015, engine shut down in flight

An Insel Air International McDonnel Douglas MD-82, registration PJ-MDC performing flight 7I-534 from Sint Maarten (Sint Maarten) to Curacao (Curacao), was climbing out of Sint Maarten when the crew needed to shut an engine (JT8D) down due to the...

Read full story »

American B763 near London on Nov 28th 2015, cracked windshield An American Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N393AN performing flight AA-199 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was enroute at FL320 about 170nm south of London Heathrow,EN (UK), still in French Airspace, when the crew... Read full story »

Dragon A321 at Yangon on Nov 25th 2015, bird strike A Dragonair Airbus A321-200, registration B-HTF performing flight KA-251 from Yangon (Myanmar) to Hong Kong (China) with 131 people on board, was climbing out of Yangon's runway 03 when a bird impacted the right hand windshield and caused it to... Read full story »

Skywest CRJ9 at Spokane on Nov 21st 2015, rejected takeoff due to overheating brake A Skywest Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N817SK performing flight OO-4468/DL-4468 from Spokane,WA to Minneapolis,MN (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Spokane's runway 03 when the crew rejected takeoff reporting... Read full story »

Trans States E145 at Montreal on Nov 24th 2015, smoke in cockpit A Trans States Airlines Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N623AE performing flight AX-4151/AA-4151 from Montreal,QC (Canada) to New York La Guardia,NY (USA) with 25 passengers and 3 crew, was in the initial climb out of... Read full story »

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com   Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog  

Arabic graffiti found daubed on inspection panels covering fuel tanks on several Easyjet planes parked in France

BREAKING NEWS:

The Sun is reporting that Arabic graffiti was found daubed on panels covering fuel tanks of easyJet planes at French airports.

An investigation is being carried out into who made the inscriptions, which were written on four planes in France. The airports cannot be identified for security reasons.

Lisa King, easyJet cabin safety manager, alerted company employees to the graffiti with an email informing them of the discovery of " four aircraft in France with written inscriptions on the inside of the fuel panel, and toilet door in Arabic script."

Julian Bray an Aviation expert commented: "This is not unusual, often locally employed airside workers in remote airports, will informally 'tag' aircraft, when refuelling or cleaning out the cabin. It's only when the 'tags' contain religious messages or possibly threats, then a major investigation gets underway.

"EasyJet will probably now require local ground teams to make extra checks, which of course adds to the aircrafts turnaround time. The airline confirms that in their view safety was not compromised but clearly the act of tagging is against the accepted rules and standards of professional behaviour the airline should expect to be observed in a restricted security area."

A spokeswoman for easyJet said the matter was not considered to be a threat and no passengers had to be removed from the aircraft.

She said: "EasyJet assessed this issue, each time working in full consultation with the authorities, and is entirely satisfied it is nothing more than graffiti.

"EasyJet takes very seriously any security related issue and would not operate a flight unless we are entirely satisfied it is completely safe to do so.

"EasyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in full compliance with all regulations. The safety and security of its passengers and crews is always easyJet's highest priority."

The graffiti was found less than two weeks after 130 people were killed in terror attacks in the country's capital.



Source: PA, The Sun, CNS,


JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com   Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog  

HAVE I SEEN THIS NEW 2015 AIRBUS PATENT IN A FAR OFF LAND A LONG, LONG, TIME AGO?

A new 2015 patent from Airbus 'drop and ship out' preloaded cabin. No, seriously... 

Thunderbirds are go...Thunderbirds 2 the 1960's inspiration  for a 2015 patent application? Neater too!

What’s the worst part about flying? The waiting, in reality you may spend more time getting to the airport and then onto the plane than actually flying.

No one likes delay and that includes the boffins at Airbus who spend their time dreaming up new ideas and filing patents, eventually the US Patents office gets around to stamping them.  But this time a 1960's  'supermarionation' childrens TV series THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO! must be given some credit for the latest wacky Airbus idea.   


Every second a plane is stationary it is lost revenue time,  not making money. The boffins at Airbus says cutting an airplanes' at the airport, on the ground “turnaround” by just 10 minutes improves utilization level 8.1 percent. Not a lot, you say, but scale it right up to many thousands of flights worldwide daily, then its an eye watering amount of money .

Or put another way, in an industry that typically earns a profit of just £10 per passenger; Airlines need you to be seated and strapped in ASAP. Or in terms of airfreight, loading and unloading of air pallets is also time consuming.



Time is money... so did the Airbus boffins catch the Thunderbirds TV series?  Probably best remembered for  the runaway best selling Christmas toy ever Tracey Island, which rapidly became out of stock, and BBC TV Blue Peters' helpful suggestion that making one in time for Christmas with sticky back plastic was easy ( it wasn't although a young Konnie Huq would have you believe otherwise).



So decades later Airbus looking at the whole the boarding and loading process 'acquired' the bright idea of turning the cigar tube  aircraft cabin into what amounts being handled like a shipping container. You've heard of zoo class, enter cattle class...

Airbus, manufacture the A380 and very popular A320, 
but this latest patent idea—filed in February 2013 but only approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office earlier this month, shifts the focus from seats to the cabin itself.

Airbus proposes “a removable cabin module, comprising a floor, an upper aircraft fuselage portion connected to the floor, and a first and a second end wall, wherein the first and second end walls, the floor and the upper aircraft fuselage portion form a cabin for transport of passengers, luggage, freight or combinations thereof.”



In other words, it’s Gerry Andersons THUNDERBIRD 2, instead of cargo pods,  Airbus suggest detachable cabin pods allows passengers to board inside the terminal then is lowered into the aircraft frame while its at the gate.

In the make believe Thunderbirds world, the aircraft just lowers itself onto the pod, to my mind, a much better idea! Totally self contained, even.

At your destination the process is reversed  the still loaded Airbus cabin pod is removed, and another pre-loaded immediately takes its place, and the plane is set for take off... The time spent on the ground is thus drastically reduced.

Airbus has called this the “aircraft pod concept,” saying “passengers could be pre-seated in cabin pods before the plane actually arrives, ready for integration on the aircraft, saving time and making processing much simpler.”

The “Method for boarding and unloading of passengers of an aircraft with reduced immobilization time of the aircraft, aircraft and air terminal for its implementation” might not be coming to an airport near you any time soon, but there again Thunderbirds 4 had the removable pod idea licked way back in 1965. Thunderbirds 4 was the yellow runabout jet which fitted into Thunderbirds 2 Number 4 pod...do keep up.

As Pilot Virgil would say F.A.B!  or Forget Air Bus, we thought of it first...

Now that Tracey island... just need a few yoghurt pots, bit of chicken wire...sticky back plastic......string..

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com   Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog  

Military lasers being routinely targeted at UK civil aviation pilots says BALPA

Julian Bray Aviation Expert writes: Pilots complaining of laser pens being shone into the cockpits of landing aircraft is nothing new, but still highly dangerous as the laser beam will bounce off any glass surface and could easily damage eyes.

The new very disturbing development is the easy availability of military scoping lasers on the internet, and the higher strength spinning lasers used by builders to establish level wall height markers. It seems that adults rather than children are buying these items. Clearly something has to be done and quickly or some airports may be declared no go areas by pilots and their airlines purely on safety grounds.

___________



A British Airways pilot has reportedly been left with significant damage to his eyesight after a “military-strength” laser was shone into the cockpit of his plane landing at Heathrow, in what appears to be the most serious laser attack to date in the UK.

 The pilot suffered a burned retina in his right eye and has not worked since, according to the British Airline Pilots’Association (Balpa).

 The incident has escalated concerns over the problem of laser attacks. Balpa claims that one in two pilots has been in a plane targeted with lasers in the last 12 months.

 

 

 

                                                                           

Typical Amazon listing:

M**MOC Military Green Laser Pointer Presenter Pen Aiming Sight infrared laser sight Dot Scope with Adjustable Bracket 11MM, 20MM                                           

                                                                                                                                              

---

Price:	£35.49
Sale:	£26.67 & FREE UK delivery
You Save:	£8.82 (25%)

 
The unnamed BA pilot was in the co-pilot’s seat as the plane was landing at the London airport in the spring, and was later treated for eye injuries at a hospital in Sheffield, Balpa’s general secretary, Jim McAuslan, said.

 British Airways said it was investigating the claims: “The safety of our crew and our customers is always our main concern. We urge our pilots to report such incidents so we can make the authorities aware.”

McAuslan said the incident showed the dangers that pilots now faced from lasers, which have become easy to buy on the internet. He said that one tenement block in Glasgow was now known as “laser block” to pilots and police from the number of planes targeted from there while landing at the city’s airport.

 Less severe incidents have often been ascribed to children or youthful delinquency. McAuslan said the “kids’ ones” were not powerful enough to cause physical harm, but he said lasers used in weaponry had now become available on the black market.

 He said: “We’re very concerned about it. When something as strong as this comes on the scene it starts to worry us.”

According to figures compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the number of reports of laser incidents in the UK has remained relatively constant at about four to five a day on average over the last four years.

 But McAuslan said that in a poll conducted for Balpa, half of all the pilots in his union had reported a laser attack in the last 12 months, and warned that even weaker lasers could have serious consequences if pilots were distracted by the beams when landing planes: “It’s a critical point in flight, you have to have complete concentration. When it comes into the flight deck, it bounces around the walls of the cockpit.”

A spokesperson for Balpa added: “Lasers are one of the growing threats to flight safety faced by pilots along with fatigue, weakening regulation and security.

“We are also aware of concern around the ease of access to lasers, the increasing power of the technology and the potential they have to cause injury.”

More than 400 incidents were reported in the UK in the first six months of this year, according to the CAA, with the highest number of incidents around Heathrow – although in proportion to air traffic, regional airports including Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle and East Midlands have a far higher frequency.

 In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration said the number of incidents had grown steadily since it started collating information on laser attacks in 2005. More than 3,700 incidents have been reported in the US this year.

 The FBI has released public information films to warn about the effects of laser pointers, explaining how beams can blind pilots at night, with their effects intensified as light is dispersed by the cockpit windows. A Californian man was sentenced to 14 years in prison in March this year for pointing a laser at a police helicopter.
Sources: CNS, BALPA, The Guardian, CAA

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com   Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog  

LATEST AIR INCIDENTS: Safair B734 at Cape Town on Nov 26th 2015, suspected tail strike. Virgin America A320 near Denver on Nov 25th, smoke in cockpit

Safair B734 at Cape Town on Nov 26th 2015, suspected tail strike A Safair Boeing 737-400, registration ZS-JRK performing flight FA-130 from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (South Africa), was climbing out of Cape Town's runway 19 when the crew was informed of a possible tailstrike, smoke had been seen from the tail... Read full story »

Ural A319 at Ekaterinburg on Nov 25th 2015, could not retract landing gear An Ural Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration VP-BTE performing flight U6-270 from Ekaterinburg to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) with 71 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Ekaterinburg's runway 26R when the crew received indication that not... Read full story »

Virgin America A320 near Denver on Nov 25th 2015, smoke in cockpit A Virgin America Airbus A320-200, registration N631VA performing flight VX-193 from Newark,NJ to San Francisco,CA (USA) with 129 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 20nm south of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit... Read full story »

American B752 near Santo Domingo on Nov 22nd 2015, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Boeing 757-200, registration N204UW performing flight AA-876 from Charlotte,NC (USA) to Aruba (Aruba), was enroute at FL390 about 140nm westsouthwest of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) when the left hand engine (RB211) failed... Read full story »

Austrian F70 near Krakov on Nov 22nd 2015, technical problem An Austrian Airlines Fokker 70, registration OE-LFQ performing flight OS-689 from Vienna (Austria) to Minsk (Belarus) with 75 passengers, was enroute at FL310 about 70nm southsouthwest of Krakov (Poland), still in Slovakian Airspace, when the crew... Read full story »

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

Untaxed UK road vehicles more than double after paper tax discs withdrawn

The number of UK motorists failing to pay vehicle excise duty (VED) (and as a consequence are driving around in uninsured vehicles) has more than doubled since the end of the paper tax disc, official figures show.  An estimated 560,000 vehicles on UK roads are evading tax, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

The RAC described this as a "worrying" increase on the previous figure of 210,000 which was recorded in 2013 before the paper disc became obsolete. The latest data from a survey in June shows that 1.4% of vehicles in use are unlicensed, which could cost about £80 million in potential lost revenue each year, although some of this will have been recovered through enforcement activity or payment by arrears.

The figures for the overall loss are in reality much higher as detection is by a network of fixed and in police car automatic number plate recognition cameras or by police checking VED data information. This multi million pound IT adventure also needs to be included in the loss of revenue Recovery is unlikely to happen as public sector jobs are being slashed and police forces back offices merged and jobs cut, and have no financial incentive to chase up VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) dodgers.

The 2013 figure was just 0.6%, costing £35 million. When the paper disc was ended in October last year the Government said it would eventually save the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) around £7 million a year.

But motoring groups expressed reservations that it could lead to an increase in the number of motorists failing to pay duty.

Commenting on the latest figures, RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: "These are very worrying and disappointing statistics indeed.

"Sadly, the concerns we raised about the number of car tax evaders going up at the time the tax disc was confined to history have become a reality."

He warned that the UK cannot afford the growth in lost revenue to continue "for the sake of both road safety and the country's finances".

DVLA chief executive Oliver Morley said: "Almost 99% of all vehicles on the road are correctly taxed: that's around £6 billion in vehicle tax passed to the Treasury every year.

"We write to every registered vehicle keeper in the UK to remind them when their tax is due and we have introduced a range of measures to make vehicle tax easy to pay.

"At the same time we are taking action against those who are determined to break the law."

The DVLA said 75% of motorists pay tax online or over the phone, including 11 million who have switched to direct debit since the paper disc was ended.

Motorists who have not paid their tax can be spotted on automatic number plate recognition cameras or by police checking VED data information.

Mr Bizley called for the traffic survey to be repeated in a year - rather than the normal two-year period - to establish whether the increase in tax evasion was a "temporary result of the new system".
If not, then "action will have to be taken swiftly," he added.

Source; PA, CNS, BBC,

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com
  Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

Russian Jet shot down...where do we go from here, as Russia calls up some very heavy defence support ?

Julian Bray writes: I've so far refrained from commenting on here as yesterday at 9:30 am (UK time) I did a live very early morning comprehensive round up of all the current strands concerning the shooting down of the Russian SU jet by Turkey on the RT TV news programme, and hopefully the multi million world TV audience, will consider it was a fair and balanced report.

Something the florid faced  UK based 'Russian Expert' plastered all over the ITN bulletins might like to dwell on. When I tuned into ITV News, I've really never heard such a slanted, unchallenged polemic, (and repeated later) that seemed to date back to the 60's during the darkest days of the Cold War.  

The fact that America has now backed the Russian view that the Jet was over Syria is awkward ( admittedly it did pass over Turkish airspace - a land peninsular - for some 17 seconds)  but I do think President Putin has this time the right idea; he's just told Russians not to holiday in Turkey or even visit it.


Using an economic cosh against Turkey, and possibly taking out the ISIL controlled oil pipeline to Turkey ( who allegedly seem to be financially propping up ISIL with 'under-the-counter' purchases of oil ) would complete the retribution and save the hopes of further building a strong coalition to tackle ISIL.

In practical terms Russian President Putin has now ordered state-of-the art air defence missile systems to be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria following the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey, a move that raised the threat of a military confrontation between the NATO member and Russia.

The S-400 missile systems, which will be sent to the Hemeimeem air base in Syria's coastal province of Latakia, located just about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the border with Turkey, are capable of targeting Turkish jets with deadly precision. Consider that if Russia shot down a Turkish plane, NATO would be required to intervene...Normally when challenging a war plane that has 'strayed' into your airspace, the defending jet will try several different ways of  chasing off the errant intruder:  By making visual signals- cockpit to cockpit, wing waggles, radio communication, rolling over to display the missiles carried, firing warning shots, electronically locking on and off and finally if all else fails firing a weapon.

The Turks say they warned the Russian SU Jet ten times. Something I find difficult to reconcile, then and only then, fired on the Russian SU, two Russian pilots bailed out. Clearly Turkey had a right to defend its airspace, and Russia has been known to test out national boundaries, often resulting in defending warplanes being scrambled and 'words of advice' offered.

But with intensive multinational air strikes in the region being carried out around the clock and with some very heavy weaponry deployed, a measure of diplomacy clearly has to be exercised, but at the same time a high level of communication and sharing of military intelligence is required.

Short of banging a few heads together perhaps someone will broker a more rational way of operation and the real enemy targeted?






Russian JetJULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

Aviation Incidents: EASA issues AD for A318/19/20/21 for excessive forces possibly causing separation of tailplane

Kelowna DC10 near Gander on Nov 22nd 2015, electrical problem A Kelowna Flightcraft McDonnel Douglas DC-10-30 freighter, registration C-GKFD performing flight KFA-206 from Moncton,NB (Canada) to Brussels (Belgium) with 4 crew, was enroute at FL330 over the Atlantic Ocean about 400nm northeast of Gander,NL... Read full story »

Jazz CRJ1 near Quebec City on Nov 21st 2015, smoke in cockpit A Jazz Canadair CRJ-100, registration C-GMJA performing flight QK-8833 from Moncton,NB to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 22 people on board, was enroute about 85nm southsoutheast of Quebec City,QC (Canada) when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and... Read full story »

Jazz DH8A at Quebec City on Nov 19th 2015, an extremely powerful engine A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-FGQK performing flight QK-8733 from Quebec City,QC to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 9 passengers and 3 crew, was in the initial climb out of Quebec when the crew noticed the left hand engine (PW120A)... Read full story »

KLM Cityhopper E190 at Amsterdam on Nov 20th 2015, double lightning strike A KLM Cityhopper Embraer ERJ-190, registration PH-EZE performing flight KL-1891 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Nuremberg (Germany), was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 24 when the crew requested to level off at FL060 reporting they had a... Read full story »

EASA issues AD for A318/19/20/21 for excessive forces possibly causing separation of tailplane The European Aviation Safely Agency (EASA) issued an airworthiness directive (AD) on Feb 26th 2015 (adopted by the FAA on Nov 24th 2015) regarding all Airbus Models A318, A319, A320 and A321 stating:During design reviews that were... Read full story »

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

DAVID CAMERON flips back to the UK from Paris to deliver the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence, Security Review for the next five years. RMT Union not at all impressed over substantial job losses..

The Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP. Drone alone..

Julian Bray Aviation Security and Ops. Expert writes: Prime Minister David Cameron has just sat down and Jeremy Corbyn is launching into his response... so what did Cameron say and how is he the best person to decide on the UK's future security needs? He is after all quitting in a few years time... 

There are still gaping holes in his proposed strategy, and not a word on where the soldiers, sailors and airmen of tomorrow are to come from. These days you have to be highly qualified to operate the technical kit,  the forces are expected to use. No matter how up to date your 'x-box' is.

But here goes: The Prime Minister set out details of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review for the next five years.

 

There will be £178billion of spending on defence equipment over the next decade, which is £12billion more than planned.

The plan is to create 2 new 'strike brigades' but they won't be fully up to strength until 2025. They will be resourced to be rapidly deployed, thousands of miles away if necessary.
 
A new SCOUT range of vehicles, including some 600 armoured vehicles, will be available to the strike brigades and other military units. 

9 new USA built Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircraft to carry out surveillance at Sea and help track submarines and ships, in addition protecting Britain's nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers.

The shopping list includes USA built 42 new F35 Lightning stealth fighter jets, including 12 operating from each of the new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. 

At least one new aircraft carrier to deploy all year, with 24-hour air operations.  Two additional Typhoon squadrons are being created by substantially extending the life of the aircraft for 10 years through to 2040, seven in total with 12 aircraft each. Plus a few Drones...


On the down side is the news that new Type 26 combat ships built in Scotland are to be cut from 13 to around eight. A modest 15 percent increase in the 12,700-strong staff of the security and intelligence agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.  Recruitment of an additional highly trained 1,900 personnel is required. 


A major change is that the UK Foreign aid budget 'to be refocused on fragile States which poise a direct threat to British security.' So on first reading, if you want to benefit from UK aid,  you now have to pose a threat ?

After five years of austerity, the Prime Minister is spending billions more on defence equipment to meet the defined NATO target of 2 per cent of national income being used for defence purposes.

 

David Cameron  also pledged to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid, insisting the development budget should be refocussed on fragile states which could pose a threat to Britain.

 

There will be more fighter jets, warships and armoured vehicles, while 1,900 'spooks' or spies  are to be recruited in the fight against terror.

 

Some 10,000 military personnel will be available to support the police in dealing with the type of terrorist attacks we have seen in Paris. He confirmed longer-term plans to create two fully resourced 5,000-strong 'strike brigades' which would be able to deploy anywhere in the world from 2025.

But he claimed the immediate threat posed by ISIS has triggered a rethink of the role of the armed forces in a marauding gun attack in the UK. Senior police chiefs have repeatedly warned against cuts, and one has taken early retirement, all worried about additional cuts to forces' budgets in this week's spending review. The main fear is they might struggle to cope in the event of an attack in Britain.

 

Mr Cameron told a packed House of Commons, he had authorised a 'new contingency plan to deal with major terrorist attacks'.

 

He added: 'Under this new operation, up to 10,000 military personnel will be available to support the police in dealing with the type of shocking terrorist attack we have seen in Paris. On a lighter note no further mention of his new toy CONAIR One or as we prefer British Cameronian. Clearly many former British colonies are going to see a substantial reduction in aid from the UK. So many 'charity' projects and lavish palaces may be put at risk.  

Meanwhile the review has upset the RMT Union as there are substantial job losses. Maritime union RMT warns over threatened cuts to Royal Fleet Auxiliary from Government Defence Review

The RMT commented "With speculation growing that civilian defence faces the prospect of the loss of up to 12,000 jobs from this afternoon’s Defence Review announcement, alongside a programme of privatisation, maritime union RMT, which represents staff across the Royal Navy supply lifeline, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, has warned of the consequences of any attack on the organisation."

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash added: “RMT has fought off successive attempts by previous Governments to privatise the Royal Fleet Auxiliary but the Tories, as ever are threatening to go one step further and slash thousands of civilian jobs, including in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which is the key to maintaining the UK’s international defence capability. Cutting or privatising the RFA would be a disaster for the UK’s security capacity at this dangerous time and for the future of UK merchant navy seafarers.”

“RMT will fight any programme of cuts or privatisation at the RFA if it emerges this afternoon that that is what the Government are planning.”

National Secty. Steve Todd added: “RMT needs the full details of what this Government is planning but the timing of this announcement is not encouraging. The Government consultation over their plans for the UK’s future defence strategy only closed 10th November and the public should be made fully aware of the risk to the long term security of the UK from short term, rushed decisions over defence funding. Cutting civilian support to the military, including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which is the largest employer of civilian UK seafarers would be a terrible betrayal of the country’s long term maritime security needs.”

 

Defence review raises prospect of over 600 jobs losses and privatisation at Royal Navy lifeline the RFA

Royal Fleet Auxiliary union RMT warned today that the Royal Navy’s supply line, the RFA, faces job reductions of over 600 as part of a 20,000 jobs cull at the MOD – along with the possibility of wholesale or part-privatisation.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“RMT has fought off successive attempts by previous Governments to privatise the Royal Fleet Auxiliary but the Tories, as ever are threatening to go one step further and slash thousands of civilian jobs, including in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which is the key to maintaining the UK’s international defence capability. Cutting or privatising the RFA would be a disaster for the UK’s security capacity at this dangerous time and for the future of UK merchant navy seafarers.”

“RMT will fight any programme of cuts or privatisation at the RFA if it emerges when the details are confirmed that that is what the Government are planning.”

National Secretary Steve Todd added:

“RMT needs the full details of what this Government is planning but the timing of this announcement is not encouraging. The Government consultation over their plans for the UK’s future defence strategy only closed 10th November and the public should be made fully aware of the risk to the long term security of the UK from short term, rushed decisions over defence funding. Cutting civilian support to the military, including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which is the largest employer of civilian UK seafarers would be a terrible betrayal of the country’s long term maritime security needs.”

 

Sources: BBC, CNS, PA, Daily Mail, RMT,


JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

Latest Air Incidents: Fedex B772 near Tokyo on Nov 20th 2015, cargo fire indication

Canadian North B733 at Calgary on Nov 18th 2015, bird strike A Canadian North Boeing 737-300, registration C-GCNW performing flight 5T-1748 from Calgary,AB to Fort McMurray,AB (Canada) with 134 people on board, was climbing through 500-600 feet out of Calgary's runway 35L when the left hand engine (CFM56)... Read full story »

Qatar A332 at Jakarta on Nov 19th 2015, rejected takeoff A Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200, registration A7-ACG performing flight QR-957 from Jakarta (Indonesia) to Doha (Qatar), was accelerating for takeoff from Jakarta when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed and returned to the apron.A... Read full story »

Southwest B737 near Tallahassee on Nov 20th 2015, electrical odour in cabin A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N257WN performing flight WN-206 from Atlanta,GA to Tampa,FL (USA) with 143 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL370 about 70nm north of Tallahassee,FL (USA) when the crew reported an electrical... Read full story »

Canadian North B733 at Calgary on Nov 18th 2015, bird strike A Canadian North Boeing 737-300, registration C-GCNW performing flight 5T-1748 from Calgary,AB to Fort McMurray,AB (Canada) with 134 people on board, was climbing through 500-600 feet out of Calgary's runway 35L when the left hand engine (CFM56)... Read full story »

Qatar A332 at Jakarta on Nov 19th 2015, rejected takeoff A Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200, registration A7-ACG performing flight QR-957 from Jakarta (Indonesia) to Doha (Qatar), was accelerating for takeoff from Jakarta when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed and returned to the apron.A... Read full story »

Avianca A332 near San Jose on Nov 19th 2015, hydraulic problem An Avianca Airbus A330-200, registration N342AV performing flight AV-929 from San Salvador (El Salvador) to Lima (Peru), was enroute at FL390 about 100nm west of San Jose (Costa Rica) when the crew decided to return to San Salvador due to a... Read full story »

Lingus A321 at Dublin on Nov 20th 2015, brakes problem An Aer Lingus Airbus A321-200, registration EI-CPE performing flight EI-583 from Malaga,SP (Spain) to Dublin (Ireland), was on final approach to Dublin's runway 28 when the crew went around from about 1500 feet MSL reporting a brakes problem and... Read full story »

Avianca A332 near San Jose on Nov 19th 2015, hydraulic problem An Avianca Airbus A330-200, registration N342AV performing flight AV-929 from San Salvador (El Salvador) to Lima (Peru), was enroute at FL390 about 100nm west of San Jose (Costa Rica) when the crew decided to return to San Salvador due to a... Read full story »

Lingus A321 at Dublin on Nov 20th 2015, brakes problem An Aer Lingus Airbus A321-200, registration EI-CPE performing flight EI-583 from Malaga,SP (Spain) to Dublin (Ireland), was on final approach to Dublin's runway 28 when the crew went around from about 1500 feet MSL reporting a brakes problem and... Read full story »

Fedex B772 near Tokyo on Nov 20th 2015, cargo fire indication A Fedex Express Boeing 777-200, registration N853FD performing flight FX-90 from Shanghai Pudong (China) to Memphis,TN (USA), was enroute at FL310 over the Pacific Ocean about 250nm eastnortheast of Tokyo (Japan) when the crew received a cargo fire... Read full story »

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog

Defence Spending Review .... substitute mega omnishambles... but KINDLY hold off until 2023! New fighter aircraft 'orders to be speeded up' says TREASURY

"A lick of paint, change the oil, just like new Gov!"

Julian Bray writes: The defence spending review is due to be published on Monday and it will be the one of the biggest mistakes this Government is likely to make. The mistake will be along the lines that 'a camel is a horse built by a committee'.

Too many sectional factions have had a finger in the financial pie and advance drafts of the final report suggest that it is trying to please all people and Treasury austerity policies  but in the process falls well short of what is required to keep us safe in a dangerous world.. 

Military men and women in uniform simply distrust the men in suits and frankly this isn't about effective highly adaptable defence strategies for this island but  a cobbling together of existing cut back programmes and a financial policy which seeks to skimp on the final delivery of each module.

Simply it is a disaster that will please no one except Jeremy Corbyn and that is on the basis none of the new bits really fit, so  if a major event occurred, we would be hard pressed to  mount a joined up defence.

The problem seems to be having already announced so  many changes to our defence strategy, the spending revue can never start with a clean sheet, so it has to skirt around existing projects and circumstances rather than allocate defined clear cut budgets with a properly set out timetable, so some essential long term planning can be undertaken.

They've done the same to the railway industry. And there is even confusion over who will present the defence spending review. It will fall to the Prime Minister, who knows diddly squat about defence in general.

So that is why Jeremy Corbyn will be silently thanking the Tories as he well knows, this is a curates egg, only the Curate quit long ago and Mother Superior (Mrs May) has effectively taken over with the Chancellor looking over her shoulder. Omnishambles....No Mega Omnishambles.... 
   
UPDATE SUNDAY

I've repeatedly pointed out that when we do get finally get an aircraft carrier, there will be few aircraft to put on it and thankfully the Treasury is now following this blog, indeed skilled technicians are currently being laid off by British Aerospace Systems. Well as the Treasury now seems to be running the Ministry of Defence procurement programme. Some better news has just been reported by Press Association: 

Last updated: 22 November 2015, 00:40 GMT

The purchase of new fighter jets is to be speeded up, Chancellor George Osborne said, as he promised funding to ensure the Royal Navy can deploy one if its new aircraft carriers at all times by 2023.

Ready! Aye! Ready! But not until 2023, and then we need some aircraft...

The Ark Royal (stripped of its HMS) on its final voyage - to the scrapyard, to be broken up...

Details of the upgrade will be at the centre of the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), due to be set out to the Commons by Prime Minister David Cameron tomorrow.

Mr Osborne said the move would put the UK second only to the US in carrier capability and mean it could respond to threats "wherever and whenever necessary".

The Government had proposed to have only eight of the US-built F35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft available for deployment to the new carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales by 2023.

That has now been trebled to 24 - all in strike roles if required - with the 18 others on order being used in the training fleet or in maintenance, the Chancellor told the Sunday Times.

Capability could be temporarily "surged" to 39 jets to respond to specific threats.

Defence spending received a boost in the Budget, when the Chancellor declared that the UK would continue to meet a NATO  target to devote at least 2% of national wealth to defence.

It has already been announced that the SAS and other special forces will get an extra £2 billion to improve their equipment, the RAF will double its number of drones, an extra £1.9 billion will be spent on cyber security and 1,900 new spies recruited.

The SDSR is also expected to reveal that the expected cost of renewing the UK's nuclear deterrent has risen - with the SNP warning against cutting the number of anti-submarine frigates to be built in Scotland to compensate.

Enhancing the carrier capability to ensure at least one is available would enable the UK to contribute to international missions such as the one against Islamic State (IS) from the Gulf, source said.

It was also claimed, the Sunday Times said, that it would mean the UK was able to respond to any future attempt by Argentina to invade the Falkland Islands, something critics have claimed Britain can no longer do.

Mr Osborne said the policy "was also [possibly] worth £29 billion to the UK businesses" in the supply chain, including BAE, Rolls-Royce and ejector seat manufacturer Martin Baker.

"My spending review this week is all about security - national and economic," he said ahead of unveiling spending plans for the rest of the parliament on Wednesday.

"The decisions we are taking to restore sanity to the public finances left by Labour mean we can invest in our priorities - including world-class defences so we can protect our interests and our people.

"By bringing forward the purchase of the world's most advance stealth fighter jets, we will enhance our ability to respond to threats wherever and whenever necessary.

"With more jets on board, our independent aircraft carrier capability will be second only to our closest allies, the Americans.

"These are versatile multi-role fighter jets, able to engaging in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, giving us the ability to deal with evolving threats.

"And of course, British businesses and workers will benefit from this decision too, which is [possibly] worth £29 billion to the UK supply chain."     

JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581, Aviation Expert, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 (ALL CODECS) e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 iPhone 0743 530 3145 www.aviationcomment.com   Contrib. Account #104764 53 FEED: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog