Donald Trump to start Ireland-Scotland helicopter service?

[Cyrano]

I admit this puzzles me.

Colourful US billionaire Donald Trump has recently bought Doonbeg, a golf resort near Shannon Airport, to add to his pair of Scottish resorts. He visited Shannon earlier this week and the Irish Times quotes him directly (http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/commercial-property/trump-card-property-tycoon-lays-out-big-plans-for-doonbeg-1.1792102) as saying:
The billionaire New Yorker said he plans on creating a golf circuit from the Greg Norman designed Co Clare course, to the Open Championship course at Turnberry and on to his resort on the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.
“Turnberry will be part of the Trump Triangle as we call it. And the other is my course in Aberdeen — literally a straight line from here to Turnberry and on to Aberdeen,” he said.
“We are already in contract for an incredible helicopter that will connect the three dots with guests and we think that is going to be a tremendous amount of business.”

To a first approximation, SNN-PIK is 230 nm and PIK-ABZ is 130 nm further.

What "incredible helicopter" out there is best suited to providing a halfway comfortable ride for leisure travellers over a sector as long as 230 nm? An S-92? Is that really able to give a reasonable level of comfort for that kind of sector length? (That's before I ask about the economics - clearly conventional aviation economics won't apply here.:hmm:)

[paco]

I guess he could call it Inter-course Helicopters :)

[Ian Corrigible]

If PIK's too far to fly, he could always add a helipad in Wigtown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtown). :E

I/C

[mdovey]

Maybe Mr Trump was using "incredible" in its literal sense - i.e. not credible!

Matthew

[Sir George Cayley]

V22 Osprey?

SGC

[grumpytroll]

What is wrong with a 60-70 minute flight in an S76 or Eurocopter or other similar aircraft maxed out in luxury. I imagine the views would be very lovely. 6-8 folks can sit very comfortably. 10 - 12 if its a cattle car operation. Trump doesn't generally go that route. 2 hours may not work.

Cheers

[Hedski]

Given he hired an AW109 from the London area to fly him from EINN to Doonbeg and back (less that 10 mins flight) in the west of Ireland, anything is possible….

[Arnie Madsen]

.
Relentless 525 ???

http://bell525supermedium.net/


.

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

EC225 VVIP no problem, 1hr 45 with 1hr 45 left in the tanks

[chopper2004]

He used to have S-61N, AS332l1 ( both for Trump Casinos ) and even a BV234 and S-76

Donald Trump biography, net worth, quotes, wiki, assets, cars, homes and more (http://www.bornrich.com/donald-trump.html)

Cheers

[cattletruck]

Bell 222 or 430 :E

(Well, they really do look great decked in VIP kit)

[helimutt]

S92, soon to have extended range tanks (sponson size increase), and increased payload capability. :ok:

Watch this space. ;)

[Winnie]

Bell 230!

I just got it on my license, can carry four golfers and is quite fast!

Even got room for the clubs in the back!

[5711N0205W]

Well he took his 757 from PIK to ABZ yesterday so cost effective is obviously not a concern..

[EC145Pilot]

Well, Airbus Helicopter is bringing the 175 next week to Aberdeen for a few days of demo flights around his golf course, so they must think they stand a chance!

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Well the grotesque haircut will do anything for some publicity. How about the need to fly in known icing at least 4 months of the year. I used to live where the current ABZ course is, he f***ed over the residents with the help of Salmond, and is still using bully boy tactics round there.


Come and charter from me you ignorant piece of weird haired s*** and see if you get further than halfway across the Irish Sea. oh and bring your immersion suit, stass, dinghys and all the other kit required for PT over water.


Man is an utter c**k, and I reserve the right to write that as I've told him it to his face before now.


SND

[Hedski]

End rant…...

[DOUBLE BOGEY]

SND - with the attitude and demeanour you showed in your last post I pity anyone who charters from you! Clearly progress upsets you. Maybe you should lie down in the road when they start the ABZ bypass as well.

[OvertHawk]

Sorry DB - i'm largely with SND on this.(although i'm not sure i'd ditch him mid-route - too much paperwork and the C of G shift might be a flight safety hazard!)

Trump treated the people of Meanie with utter condescension and contempt.

He seems to consider Scotland to be some kind of theme park that should exist entirely for his convenience and his complaints about offshore wind-farms and the planning process are hypocrisy at the highest level when set against what he has done to the locals around his golf resort.

His level of arrogance is astounding and offensive

OH

[cyclic]

Yep DT knows what he is up to. There was never any plan to put a hotel on the course but now that he has outline planning for housing, his land is worth 5x what he paid for it. The wind turbines issue was just what he needed to cash in. The land was a SSI that the Scottish government destroyed in the name of greed. Following the democratic process with our elected representatives, planning would never have been granted. How many skilled, well paid jobs has this course brought? A handful at the most. Shame on President Salmond and Swinnie.

[Richard Taylor]

...not forgetting a certain Jack McConnell, a previous Labour FM now Lord Whateverheis, who approached The Thatched One in the first place...