Two workaday aviation folk in the media for political reasons today - with contrasting results.
On the one hand there's 'Sully' Sullenberger of Hudson River fame who it turns out was approached by the US Republican Party to stand for Congress. Thanks but no thanks, was his very sensible response.
Now this is not because of stage-fright. Sully, who until a short while ago was a largely unknown airline captain, had his moment in front of Congress and used it with devastating effect to help wake up the country about some of what has been going on in the airline business.
On the one hand there's 'Sully' Sullenberger of Hudson River fame who it turns out was approached by the US Republican Party to stand for Congress. Thanks but no thanks, was his very sensible response.Now this is not because of stage-fright. Sully, who until a short while ago was a largely unknown airline captain, had his moment in front of Congress and used it with devastating effect to help wake up the country about some of what has been going on in the airline business.
Then, being a smart guy, he had the good sense to go back to doing what he's good at
and helping others to do it as well as he does. He has pretty much
universal respect in the piloting community and the wider public.
On the other hand there's Flt Lt Victoria Anderton of the RAF is also now the darling of a particular political constituency, although in the UK. But you can be confident that she's not commanding the same degree of respect among her peers.
In the UK we don't really do the 'commander in chief' thing as in the US. I've got no strong views on that. But nevertheless if you're in HM Forces you do have a commander, and although She's not intimately involved in the conduct of the war, she has people working for her who are. The one of them who matters most is the Prime Minister, and it doesn't behove junior officers to show disrespect to him before a global audience.
Flt Lt Anderton's self-publicising, silly comments do her no credit at all.
In the Army commenters are divided on this.On Pprune everyone is so far oddly silent. Update: On Pprune they're also divided but markedly less sympathetic.
On the other hand there's Flt Lt Victoria Anderton of the RAF is also now the darling of a particular political constituency, although in the UK. But you can be confident that she's not commanding the same degree of respect among her peers.In the UK we don't really do the 'commander in chief' thing as in the US. I've got no strong views on that. But nevertheless if you're in HM Forces you do have a commander, and although She's not intimately involved in the conduct of the war, she has people working for her who are. The one of them who matters most is the Prime Minister, and it doesn't behove junior officers to show disrespect to him before a global audience.
Flt Lt Anderton's self-publicising, silly comments do her no credit at all.
In the Army commenters are divided on this.
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