Corsair banned from troop ferry?

[Bubbette]

French block airlift of British troops to Basra
By Henry Samuel and Michael Smith
(Filed: 16/09/2003)


The French government has told an airline that it is not to ferry British troops to Basra, a ban that will be seen as reflecting Paris's opposition to the occupation of Iraq.

Corsair, which has been chartered numerous times to transport UK forces around the world, pulled out of a contract to fly reinforcements to Basra at the weekend.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/09/16/wcors16.xml

[crewmeal]

I wonder why the Govt are using a French carrier for our troops. Dare I ask why they are not using a British one?

[Gaza]

Probably down to cost. The Corsair 747 has an all economy config of around 580 seats. EAL 742's have less seats. Apart from EAL do any other British carriers have the capcity?

[Gordinho]

I know Air Atlanta were doing Kabul trips last year. Are they not doing Basra too?

[irishcc]

Air Atlanta operate many charters for the Government for trooping flights , and are currently operating form Basra to Hanover and Brize norton.

[Gordinho]

How wise is it flying heavy jets into Basra? Given the near certainty that the same Iraqis shooting up troops around Basra, Fallujah and Baghdad have ready access to stinger missiles and the lengthy approach a 747 needs to land isn't this a dumb way to bring troops in?

Would it not be wiser to stage the troops somewhere more secure like Kuwait and then make the final leg in military transports like C130s or C17s that can make tactical approaches?

I remember watching US jet transports practice that type of approach at Roswell a few years ago and it was mighty impressive.

[davethelimey]

What is a tactical approach? :confused:

[Onan the Clumsy]

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[Random Electron]

So now you know. a tactical approach. And there was me, silly, thinking that it had something to do with chatting up a lady.

[Boy_From_Brazil]

Tactical Approach - also known as a Khe San approach developed by Herc pilots in Vietnam.

C17 pilots in a tactical approach, select full flaps with full reverse thrust at around 40,000ft and descend around 25,000ft/min at an incredibly steep angle. Pretty exciting for the pilots, but terrifying for the grunts in the back.

Could tell you more, but..............

BFB

[robmac]

BFB

25K fpm, are you sure ?

And why start from 40K feet, not much to touch you up there from manpad, the rest to be seen on RWR.

Stand to be corrected.....if so does everyone take spare underwear.

[Human Factor]

......full reverse thrust at around 40,000ft and descend around 25,000ft/min at an incredibly steep angle. Pretty exciting for the pilots, but terrifying for the grunts in the back.

BA used to do that with the Trident!! :E

[FougaMagister]

Now that the anti-Froggie salvo has passed, may I add that the reason the Corsair flight was not allowed to take place was that the DGAC considered Basra to be too unsafe an airport/area to sanction a troop-carrying flight there and risk an F-reg A330, its crew and passengers.

Before I read posts from anyone accusing the French of playing on anti-coalition sentiment, how many of the airlines that were willing to restart services to Baghdad (BA, Virgin, Gulf Air, etc) have actually resumed (or started) services? Answer: none.

Cheers