Originally Posted by
cessnapete
The 14 RAF A330 Voyager Tanker/ Transports, are owned by Air Tanker a civilian Company, and leased to the Military. Some are also on Lease to UK airlines (Thomas Cook and Jet2) and are able to be reconfigured as Tankers at relativity short notice if required. They are ETOPs approved at build. So no problems with routings when the VIP configured aircraft is used, for example, direct UK Argentina.
Not only does the design have to be ETOPS approved, but so do the maintenance procedures. Of course, many consider it good practice to maintain all aircraft in the ETOPS style (separate work on each engine instead of the same people working on both, and os on) and have a reduced rate of problems and maintenance errors as a result. But it's not just buying an ETOPS-stickered aircraft and doing nothing different from then on.
Originally Posted by
Denti
I don't think the german government will buy a non-EU build aircraft for their fleet, except in cases where there is no other choice. Which one could of course argue was the reason for procuring four Global 5000. Not to mention of course, that buying from Lufthansa, let it be refurbished by Lufthansa and maintained by Lufthansa props up their precious "national champion" as well.
They couldn't possibly buy a Falcon 7X or 8X?
I have to say, a lot of operators have their maintenance done by Lufthansa Technik so they can't be that price-uncompetitive. It's a reasonable choice, even if it does support their national airline a little.