MAGAZINE OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY STEAMSHIP GROUP
Issue 6 | Autumn 2021
Delivering for Scilly
Behind the scenes at Skybus engineering Introducing the team looking after Skybus at Land’s End Airport
Congratulations Victoria Scillonian III Chief Officer becomes our first female Master Mariner
Annual maintenance programmes Find out about our vessels’ yearly maintenance programmes and why they happen.
Steamship St I S L E S O F S C I L LY
GROUP
Isles of Scilly
Delivering for Scilly
#WeFishForLitter In September the crew on our freight ship, Gry Maritha, found a dinghy and fishing nets on their way back to Penzance from Scilly. The nets and dinghy were retrieved from the sea and brought back to the port. Fishing For Litter is a marine initiative which aims to reduce litter in our oceans – well done to the crew for doing their bit!
In this issue of Delivering for Scilly Welcome to the autumn issue of Delivering for Scilly magazine, full of the latest company news. Summer has been a busy and eventful season for us all, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you, as Isles of Scilly Steamship Company Limited, Steamship House, Quay Street, Penzance Cornwall TR18 4BZ Delivering for Scilly is produced by Isles of Scilly Steamship Group inhouse marketing and communications team.
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always, for your continued commitment. In this issue, you can read about Land’s End Airport experiencing its busiest July on record on page 14; learn about our new partnership
T +44 (0) 1736 334240 marketing@islesofscilly-travel.co.uk
with The Island Haven on page 4 and get an insight into our Skybus engineering department on pages 8 and 9.
With grateful thanks to all team members who’ve helped contribute articles and photos. Opinions expressed are the authors’ and not necessarily those of the company. Whilst every effort is made to ensure total accuracy Isles of Scilly Steamship Group cannot be help responsible for any errors or omissions within this magazine. When you have finished with this magazine please pass it on or recycle it.
Financial Performance Update The Company has made a profit to 31 August 2021 of £4.2m which includes £905,000 of Department for Transport Covid-19 funding received earlier in the year. EBITDA is £4.8m to date. Despite a slow start, we have seen a strong season overall and passenger numbers to August 2021 are up 19% compared to budget. As a result, the Company is above its financial targets to date. September and October passenger numbers also look relatively good due to the season extending this year. October forward sales are almost 50% higher than 2019.
Health & Safety Update Over the recent months Covid 19 has remained a significant challenge and potential threat to our operations. The full reopening of hospitality and easing of restrictions, combined with an influx of visitors for the summer holidays, not surprisingly resulted in Cornwall having amongst the highest virus rates in England. The removal of mandatory face coverings on public transport added to the challenge.
employees and its services through a number of steps, such as changing its terms and conditions to require passengers to wear face coverings, joining the critical workers scheme and continuing to provide employees with lateral flow tests. The company has also updated its employee information following changes to isolation requirements for the double vaccinated.
Despite these challenges, our services have remained outstandingly resilient throughout. As yet, since the beginning of the pandemic there has still been no in-company transmission or outbreak of the virus amongst our workforce.
It is thanks to the on-going hard work and dedication of our employees that the company has been successful in minimising virus transmission and avoided service disruption throughout this very challenging period.
In recent months the company has sought to protect its
Being a seasonal business, the profits and cash generated during summer sustain the Company through the lossmaking winter period. As the main season draws to a close, the Company will turn its attention to ensuring costs are minimised over winter in order to retain as much profit and cash as possible.
Bookings Although the summer holidays did not seem particularly hot, the weather was just right for day trips and the additional visitors to Cornwall have meant that Scillonian III has had a very good summer. Passengers on Scillonian III in August were up by 16% on 2019 and September up by 13.7%. Across the group, we were up by 1.3% for August and 5.5% for September. Looking ahead to October and the shoulder season, advance bookings are currently up by 33% on where we would expect for this period in time.
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Community We look after the world around us. We do what we can to reduce any harm our work causes to the planet.
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Supporting The Island Haven We are delighted to be supporting The Island Haven, a charity aiming to provide a place to stay on the mainland for islanders undergoing medical treatment. Steamship Group customers can now help the charity’s fundraising efforts by making a voluntary donation when booking travel via our website. The Island Haven is fundraising to build and equip a place for the people of the Isles of Scilly to stay when they require medical care on the mainland. They may need a place to stay during prolonged outpatient treatment, or their family, friends or carer may need a place to stay to accompany their loved ones. The need for islanders to pay for hotels, guesthouses or B&B accommodation impacts family life, finances and general wellbeing at a time when stability is needed most. During Cornwall’s main tourist Delivering for Scilly
season, accommodation impossible to find.
can
be
For some islanders, this has meant extended stays in costly guest accommodation, lengthy time on friends’ sofas or even the prospect of not being able to be by their loved one’s side. The Island Haven will provide a “home from home” near the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro for the use of islanders and visitors to Scilly when they need it most. Bryher residents Tom and Jo Matthews had to find somewhere to stay near the hospital for several weeks when their son Ollie was born prematurely in January 2019. Jo’s waters broke at 27 weeks on December 21st 2018 and the family was flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. Ollie was born at 30 weeks on January 13th 2019 and was in the special care baby unit until March 1st when he was allowed home to the islands. Tom said: “We know from experience just how stressful and emotionally exhausting it can be to find a place to stay in an emergency situation like ours. At times, it felt impossible. “When a loved one needs urgent treatment of ongoing care on the mainland, the last thing you have to
worry about is where you are going to stay. The Island Haven will take away that worry, allowing islanders to concentrate on what matters: being there for their loved one when they need it most.” Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, said: “It is entirely fitting for us to be supporting The Island Haven in this meaningful way. It is an extremely worthwhile cause, one close to the hearts of many islanders, including our own employees.” Patricia Matthews, a Trustee of The Island Haven, said: “The Steamship Company’s support can really make a vital difference to The Island Haven in our efforts to provide a place to stay in times of need, because its support will help build a successful outcome for us. We are so grateful to you all. Thank you.” The Steamship Company gives back around £1 million per year to the local community, supporting a huge range of groups, good causes, sporting events, subsidised travel for island residents, medical flights and off-island freight. Since April 2019, the company has helped raise more than £54,000 for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust through voluntary donations when booking travel via its website.
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Scillonian Chief Officer becomes company’s first female Master Mariner
People
Scillonian III Chief Officer Our values Victoria Bolitho has joined an elite group of seafarers after gaining her Master’s unlimited certificate – the highest qualification for professional mariners.
PEOPLE
It means the 33-year-old can take command of virtually any ship, of any size, sailing anywhere in the world. Just two per cent of merchant navy seafarers are women - and an even smaller number become Master mariners. Captain Pete Crawford, who is serving his 39th season on Scillonian III, said: “We are all so proud of Victoria. I know just how much hard work it takes to gain this qualification and I know how much hard work Victoria has put in. I had no doubt she would pass. “She will make a very deserving captain one day.” Victoria joined the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group three years ago, first working on the freight ship Gry Maritha, before moving to Scillonian III as Chief Officer. From a young age, Victoria had dreamed of being an equine vet. But following a degree in equine science, she had a change of heart and realised a life at sea was beckoning. “I literally Googled ‘how to join the merchant navy’ and enrolled in a three-year cadetship at Warsash Maritime Academy,” explained Victoria. “My first ship was a Fred Olsen cruise ship – it was like embarking on an exciting adventure.” After four years with Stena Line Ferries in the Irish Sea, where she met her partner Chris, Victoria moved home to Cornwall and joined the Steamship Group. “I love driving Scillonian III,” said Victoria. “It’s such a pleasure taking people on holiday every day. There are lots of exciting possibilities open to me in the future, but for now I’m happy taking stock. “I’ve been working towards my Masters ticket for 11 years. It involved a two-hour oral exam, which was hard work and extremely nerve-wracking, but I’m so proud of myself.” Delivering for Scilly
New home for
Collaboration
Islander
We are pleased to have completed the sale of one of our Britten-Norman Islanders to Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS), which is planning to retrofit the aircraft with hydrogen fuel cell technology.
CAeS is the UK SME leading a consortium which is developing a commercially viable, retrofit powertrain solution for aviation. The arrival of the Islander marks a critical step towards the world’s first regulatory-certified, zero-emissions, commercial passenger-carrying aircraft.
The company can now commence test flights on the existing engines to record full performance and then start making alterations to remove existing powertrains and install and test the revolutionary hydrogen powertrains.
Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, said: “We are committed to working towards a zero-emission aviation industry and being an early adopter of this cutting-edge technology. “We are excited about Cranfield Aerospace’s project and we look forward to the development of their new hydrogen fuel cell aircraft.”
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Factfile: Skybus in numbers •
Skybus fleet of seven aircraft – four Twin Otters and three Islanders
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Twin Otter Aircraft fly around 780 hours each year, and the Islander aircraft fly around 350 hours
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CAA Audits every 6 months, internal audits monthly.
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Basic weight of a Twin Otter on average is 7,650lb and Islander is 4,300lb (without fuel)
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60 flights a day during busy periods
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Skybus carries more than 90,000 passengers a year
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Behind the scenes at Skybus engineering Did you know? Aircraft can put on weight and must be weighed every four years to re-establish the basic weight and its centre of gravity? Things that can affect an aircraft’s basic weight include modifications, full aircraft re-paint, interior changes and avionic equipment upgrades.
Safety is the number one priority of Engineering Manager Mick Yould and his team of nine – including engineers, aircraft fitters, two stores’ supervisors and one technical records supervisor. The busy department is responsible for the maintenance, safety, and airworthiness of Skybus’s fleet of four Twin Otters and three Islanders. Mick, who has been with Skybus for 27 years, said: “Every day ‘post’ various maintenance requirements, we sign the aircraft as being airworthy. It’s a huge responsibility, and one we take extremely seriously as our passengers and crews’ safety is paramount. The maintenance of the fleet is carried out to the highest standard possible.” It’s no small task. The aircraft have pre and post flight inspections daily. The team operates a six day a week shift pattern that begins at 6.30am to get the aircraft ready for the first flights of the day and can finish at around 8.30pm when they put them to bed. Each day they clean the aircraft, check everything from oil levels to lighting, and deal with any technical issues and deferred defect rectification. The Twin Otters, the fleet’s 17-seater aircraft, also have routine maintenance after 200 flying hours – or after 93 days, whichever is first. Each aircraft flies on average 780 hours each year, so this happens every four to five weeks. The inspection on each aircraft takes the whole team of engineers and fitters three full days to complete. The eight-seater Islanders, the aircraft used for freight and ambulance flights, have routine maintenance after every 50 flying hours or 62 days, whichever is first. This maintenance can vary in complexity and again takes the team up to two days to complete.
On top of this, each aircraft spends a month during the quieter winter season having its mandatory annual maintenance and progressive work that is carried out on a cyclical basis. After a major inspection the aircraft are taken on either a general handling flight or a full test flight. During the test flight they are loaded to the maximum take-off weight capacity, which includes full fuel and individually weighed sealed containers that are strapped into the seats and baggage holds to simulate passengers and luggage. This is to check the aircraft flying characteristics meet the mandatory performance specifications for the aircraft type. The department is highly regulated and is audited every six months by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and internally monthly. Reams of paperwork, which must be kept for the life of each plane, are stored in an archive on site. Mick said: “Our oldest aircraft is a Twin Otter dating back to 1977 and the newest is a 1993 Islander. People may think they are old, but the Twin Otters have new wings, and both the Islander and Twin Otters have new landing gear and engines throughout their lifetime. The oldest part of the aircraft is the stainlesssteel plate that shows the aircraft’s manufacturers’ serial number. Except for the fuselage, nearly everything else is or can be replaced throughout its lifetime in service. “For example, Twin Otter wings are replaced after 33,000 flying hours and the main frame station 218.8 is replaced after 39,000 flying hours. “The finite life of our Twin Otter aircraft is 66,000 flying hours, or 132,000 flights, before they have to be retired from service. It’s an incredible operation and one I am proud to be part of.”
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Listening Event Our values
TRANSPARENCY In September we held the first in a series of listening events on the islands. The two-hour drop-in session gave residents the chance to meet our team, discuss their views and hear about our future plans. Present were Stuart Reid, Chief Executive; Judith Piper, Chief Financial Officer; Kevin George, NonExecutive Director and Chairman of the Marine Asset Replacement Committee; Eldred Banfield, Freight Services Manager; Sharon Sandercock, Marketing and Communications Manager; George Farrington; Project Manager and Sarah Duncan, Passenger Relations Supervisor. Stuart said: “This is something we are keen to do more of. St Mary’s was our first port of call, and we are looking to hold similar events on the offislands soon.”
New passenger information system Our values
EXCELLENCE In August we adopted a new passenger information system for our air and sea operations – Online Flight Board (OFB) supplied by Airtec Engineering. OFB will be used at Land’s End and St Mary’s airports for Skybus flights to and from the Isles of Scilly, and onboard Scillonian III. Showing both arrivals and departures, the flight board will be a focal point for customers. Chris Pearson, Manager of Land’s End Airport, said: “Online Flight Board provides a single solution for all passenger information which is simple to use and configure with very low set-up costs making it easy for our passengers to access up to date travel information.” Simon Logan, Commercial Director at Airtec Engineering, added: “We are very pleased to be able to announce the adoption of our passenger Delivering for Scilly information solution by one of the leading transportation groups in the South-West of England.”
Tour of Britain success Our values
COMMUNITY
At the beginning of September we sponsored the Cornish stage of the prestigious Tour of Britain cycling event after being approached by Cornwall Council. Early indications show 170,000 people lined the county’s streets for the UK’s biggest bike race, which featured professional international riders. It is thought the event gave a significant boost to the local economy. We also supported the community events in Penzance over the weekend, with bike races taking place at amateur level from children to adults. Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, said: “We were delighted to sponsor the Tour of Britain. This was a major event for Penzance - departure point for the Scillonian III and Gry Maritha - and what better way for us to show our commitment to, and close ties with, the local community than by supporting this event. It is important that as a business, we are supporting events which match our community values. “It was wonderful to see Penzance in the spotlight, playing such a significant role in the race. It’s one of the ways we are giving something back to the community we are so proud to be part of.” Cllr Stephen Rushworth, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for the Economy, said: “I applaud the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group for generously sponsoring the Tour of Britain. Scillonian III and Skybus are synonymous with travel and adventure, so it is entirely fitting that they supported this major sporting event that brought Cornwall a day of high energy, excitement and local pride.”
Latest news on our vessel replacement project Members of the vessel replacement project team including Stuart Reid, Kevin George, Chris Lingham, Dave Redgrave and Mike Hardy visited Appledore and Cammell Laird shipyards in July. The visits were overseen by Simon Robinson of Blair Reid, specialists in vessel procurement and yard selection. The visits consisted of a formal presentation in the morning which covered yard design capability, delivery timescales, quality and experience followed by an afternoon inspection of the yard facilities and equipment. We have three European yards to assess as part of our selection process which are based in France, Croatia and Romania. Visits to the yards were put on hold due to travel restrictions and the presentations were held virtually. Our deadline for selecting a preferential yard is the end of October.
Incat Crowther is in the process of updating the general arrangement of the Lyonesse Lady II to include navigational, lifesaving equipment and crane specification. This is not a final design but has sufficient detail to allow our two preferential yards - Pendennis and Isle of Wight shipyards - to now provide updated costings for the vessel. Design Work BMT and Spear Green Design have been retained to progress the design work of Scillonian IV and the new cargo vessel. BMT’s work will focus on propulsion and stabilisation as well as holding further discussions with the classification society and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Spear Green will build on its interior design work, looking at specification and quality requirements of seating, crew areas, the wheelhouse and retail areas.
Excellence We aspire to the highest standards at all times. 11
Excellence
Customer
Our customers are at the heart of eve share some of our recent comments wit to all our employees for making th
We travelled as members of a large group which, weather permitting, was due to fly on Skybus on the morning of 4th August. Due to strong winds we transferred to Scillonian III. I was extremely ill, as were many others. I just wanted to say how very impressed we were with the way the crew dealt with what was a very unpleasant situation. They were professional, helpful and sympathetic whilst carrying out some very unpleasant tasks. Please pass on our thanks to those involved.
I want to say a genuine and heartfelt thank you for the extremely kind and sensitive way you dealt with my upset yesterday. I am a single parent with four children so to be able to save and provide them with such a special treat was no mean feat and it was utterly heart-breaking to fall at the final hurdle. You totally understood that and were so lovely beyond measure and I wanted you to know how hugely I appreciated your genuine warmth on such a difficult day. Your fantastic customer service left me feeling so positive about the organisation for which you work and the wider ethos of customer service.
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On Saturday 26th June my husband and I were booked on the 3.50pm flight from Land’s End. Despite leaving our home at 8am, giving us plenty of time to get to the airport, we were held up on the M5 as there had been an accident and the motorway was closed between junctions 24-25. We duly telephoned you a couple of times to let you know the situation as we were convinced we would miss the flight and as you can imagine we were very stressed. About 3.30pm someone rang to ask how far we were away, which was one mile and he kindly said they would hold the flight for 5/6 minutes. It was such a relief to get to the airport knowing we would not miss our flight and I just wanted you to know how very grateful we were to all concerned and wanted to express our thanks for your excellent service. Please ensure that our gratitude is passed on.
Thank you to all staff on Scillonian III on both of our journeys. Both crossings were well organised, and we felt that the procedures put in place re Covid were well managed. Thanks again and we’ll be back next year.
Feedback
erything we do and we’re delighted to th you here. A big thank you, as always, hese comments so commonplace.
I am just amazed at the help I received today. Your response was immediate and I wanted to thank you Phillipa.
The refund has come through today. Thanks so much for your help with this. I’m really impressed with the service you have given and grateful for your assistance.
We had a marvellous day yesterday. Thank you and your team for making the arrangements run smoothly.
I just wanted to drop a line to thank all of the staff from Isles of Scilly Travel. The Covid procedures put in place were very well managed. The operations on Penzance Quay worked really well and in fact were less stressful on our return than ever before. With the disembarkation of the boat staggered it made collecting luggage a much more pleasant way to go. I hope these procedures stay in place after Covid as they worked well.
After our recent trip to visit family on the Isles of Scilly we made our normal trip back on the Scillonian on 3rd August. Whilst waiting to leave Scilly we received a message that our car battery would be dead due to an internal light being left on (I’ve learnt my lesson to triple check the car!). We were told to look for a man in a high-vis jacket on the quay who would follow us to the car park with jump leads and assist us. This chap turned out to be Pete and we wanted to email to say how much we appreciated his help. He was an absolute star, transporting my young boys, husband and I to the car park so that we could stay together and helping us to jump start the car not once but twice! We got away in the end largely due to his help and kindness and made it to our hotel in Newquay for the night before driving home to Kent the next day. My eldest son made Pete a card to thank him. We’re so appreciative of Pete’s help that evening and generally thankful for the service that enabled us to get home.
I am just amazed at the help I recieved today.
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Busiest July ever for Land’s End Airport Land’s End Airport recorded its busiest July ever, with more than 8,500 passengers passing through the doors. The previous best was in July 2018. The company has also seen a significant rise in passengers taking day trips to the islands from Land’s End Airport, with a total of 1,541 passengers in July alone.
“We are extremely proud of our service and would like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of passengers who have flown with us this year.” Land’s End Airport handled 15,042 aircraft movements (11,177 airport movements and 3,865 overflights) and 64,000 terminal passengers
Skybus has flown more than 31,000 passengers from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter airports so far this year, with more than 11,000 booked to travel so far in August.
in 2019, making it the 36th busiest
Chris Pearson, Manager of Land’s End Airport, said: “It has been our busiest July ever, which shows that although aviation may be going through a difficult time, people’s appetite for travel is still as strong as ever.
UK’s busiest flight route – busier
airport in the UK. In April, the flight between Land’s End and St Mary’s was named the than London Heathrow to New York’s JFK. The Skybus flight overtook major airports and international airlines to head the list of the top 10 routes from UK airports, according to global travel data provider OAG.
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Making Waves: A Future of Shipping
At the beginning of July we took part in the filming of a currentaffairs programme called Making Waves: Future of Shipping on board Scillonian III. It tells the story of the issues and opportunities facing the shipping industry at a time of environmental crisis, and profiling the professionals and organisations who are dedicated to creating a cleaner future for shipping. It walks through the design for
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Scillonian IV, highlighting the green aspects of the vessel and showing how it has been designed for tomorrow, based on the realities of today. It also focuses on the background of our relationship with BMT and the importance of working in partnership. Working with our naval architects BMT, the programme was released during London International Shipping Week in September.
To view it, please visit the UK Chamber of Shipping’s YouTube channel or www.makingwaves. ukchamberofshipping.com
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Explained: Gry Maritha and Lyonesse Lady annual maintenance period The Gry Maritha and Lyonesse Lady commence their October maintenance schedule on Monday 18th October.
vessel’s Master and Chief Engineer, together with the Technical Superintendent, who plans the schedule of work for the refit.
All ships are subject to annual and periodic surveys by their country of registration (flag state) and a classification society to verify compliance with international maritime organisation (IMO) and flag state regulations.
This includes booking surveys, organising service companies, parts, haulage and cranage, to achieve the tasks in a set time period and within budget.
Similar to an MOT on a car, although more complex, these surveys and inspections are performed to ensure that the vessel and its machinery are in good order, safety requirements are in place, working conditions are met and environmental impact is controlled. Both Scillonian III and Gry Maritha are registered in the UK so come under the authority of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). There are a number of different classification societies, but we currently use Lloyds for both Gry Maritha and Scillonian III. In addition to the statutory requirements for a ship, there are many planned maintenance tasks and occasional unplanned work that needs to be performed to keep the vessel and its machinery operational. A lot of this maintenance is done whilst the vessel is in service, both at sea and in port, but some tasks are more disruptive and require more time than is available during a normal port stay. A list of these larger maintenance tasks (refit list) is compiled by the Delivering for Scilly
The dates for a refit are determined by a combination of the urgency of maintenance tasks, the due date window for the survey renewals and the operational demands for the vessel. In the case of Gry Maritha, the refit periods selected for late October and late March are influenced by the availability of Scillonian III to provide cover, together with the Freight Services Manager’s knowledge of the annual freight requirements. While the Gry Maritha is out of service there is minimal requirement for the Lyonesse Lady so the opportunity is taken to maintain this vessel at the same time. October’s refit on Gry Maritha includes crane maintenance, upgrade of the pallet hoist (cargo handling) hydraulic and electrical systems, tank cleaning and inspections, hull cleaning and inspection and engine maintenance. Scheduled maintenance on Lyonesse Lady in October includes, crane maintenance, navigational aid servicing, electrical upgrade and topside cleaning and painting.
FEATURE WRITTEN BY: CHRIS LINGHAM Technical Superintendent