Nat,
Thanks for responding. I dont doubt your figures or your reasoning on expecting performance for price. There are even problems in the regular market, all due to expansion and forced inheritance of **** kit. I do Object however to a member of the military writing off XL's operation which you know very little about. However I will make allowances for the obvious severe case of "baggy green skin and black shiney feet." Or is it brown skin and desert boots these days.
Unfortunately even though I sympathise for you guys fighting an illegal war and getting dicked about, its to your own organisation that you need to look for blame. They renew the contract. The woes you lament are from my experince across 12 years a squaddie and 18 a pilot common regardless of the contactor, war or theatre.I have been a soldier in or flown in many operational theatres, so I see it from both sides , but obviously with a bias to my colleagues Commercially, companies will give you the minimum if they can get away with it. Be it XL , or transafrik,or any of the myriad companies contracting for agencies or governments. At least some of your colleagues are getting some extra cirricula activities. Lowest bid wins.
A late 767 is better than no vc10.
Be safe, its not personnal and say hello to saddamslovechild
PS "wendy on " ? I get the gist but I'm a bit out of date. A saying derived from what?