03 Jul 2002
A joint Royal Air Force/BAE Systems/CGEY team has won June's Race Across America cycle 'ultrathon'. The team took a total of 6 days 45 minutes to make the ride from Portland, Oregon to Gulf Breeze, Pensecola, averaging more than 20 mph over the 2992-miles course.
Many of the team work in joint industry/MOD teams supporting the RAF's aircraft in their 'day job' and will use lessons learned from the event to improve support to current front-line aircraft such as Tornado, Harrier and Jaguar and Eurofighter in the near future.
BAE Systems and CGEY (Cap Gemini Ernst & Young) sponsored the team and provided members of the back-up crew, which followed the riders on their odyssey - matching the evolving nature of partnerships in defence. Dave Cook from BAE Systems' Samlesbury site rode in the team.
Their success came despite race team captain Dave Green crashing out of the race with a broken elbow.
With the two Daves in the four-man race team were RAF riders Corporal Steve Wilcox and Corporal Keith Jackson. They led from the front, took an early lead in the climb up Mount Hood and won the prize for the fastest four-man team from Portland to Maupin by 17 minutes.
Conditions were tough: riders were battered by heavy head winds during the first half of the course and mountain stages were freezing during the evening which brought danger and discomfort in equal measure on the long descents.
The round-the-clock nature of the event brought logistical challenges. Riders had to eat, sleep and wash in a large camper van, constantly on the move. It sustained three punctures, including a double blow-out - the riders were shaken, not stirred! The roof of another support vehicle started to unzip but the support team was able to use their RAF aircraft battle damage skills (and lots of gaffer tape!) to make a temporary repair.
During the evening of day three, a strong, blustering cross-wind pushed race team captain Dave Green into slippery rail lines crossing the road and he was thrown forward over the handlebars. Dave sustained a broken elbow and was taken to hospital for surgery but was able to rejoin the team for the finish line celebrations. No substitution rider in the race was permitted and the remaining three had to continue the battle to the finish line.
Richard Nevill, director of materiel support for BAE Systems and part of the support crew, was greatly impressed by the professionalism of the crew and its ability to run smoothly in times of stress.
"Running a convoy of four vehicles and 22 staff across the USA non-stop is a great way to learn about team work and logistics support under pressure," he said.
"Everybody, despite the difficulties, remained focused on the task at hand, everything was planned with military precision and the chain of command was very clear. These are lessons that we in industry need to learn if team-working with our customer is to be a success."
Photograph:
The Winning Team:
From left to right pictured: Corporal Steve Wilcox, Corporal Keith Jackson, Dave Cook of BAE Systems and Flight Sergeant Dave Green (in vehicle).
