The Coast Guards. Part-One.

Multi-Role.

Nearly every nation has a rescue service of one kind or another, from being embedded within their police or military. Some are a separate division dedicated to its own provisions of equipment and personnel.

We have mountain rescue, coastguards, Royal Life boat institutions (R.N.L.I.) and many others. Each one plays a specific role on water, in the air and underground. Some fire service units are equipped in this way. There is close cooperation between all the emergency services, during storms, earthquakes, major incidents-accidents and terrorists attacks.

The sea borne operators in the U.S. double up with their vessels to assist narcotics enforcement, apart from search and rescue. This is becoming more so now across the globe with more navies having to deal with people smuggling and ship hijacking.

Cracks...

A380 Wing Cracks.

It is now reported that all 29 European Airbus A380's have been grounded, after hairline cracks were found in their wings. 

We have been reassured that its not serious. But I think it is very serious, because it is usually those small things that lead to big disasters. 

Does the problem lie in the design or the workforce at the Flintshire factory in Wales? 

Another question is do we today still need such giant passenger aircraft, such as the A380 and the Boeing 747-8?