Army should not have choppers, and their maintenance and accident record would appear to prove this fact.
They've never known how to effectively use Aviation assets in a safe fashion and they never will.
Elpero, you have some information to back this up do you? I am all for a well ballanced argument on how the ARA could improve things on the aviation front, and there are always things to improve. Such a broad statement does not achieve anything. The maintainers I have worked with are top notch and turn out a good product. 1000 times better than GA operators I have worked with. If anything they are too fusy with maintenance.
On the 'accident' issue, do you have access stats on injuries/fatalities per hour flown? I think we could admit a small group of aviators have had the majority of mishaps in recent times, that is a side issue and does not reflect on the Army's safety culture as a whole. When was the last time we stacked a Kiowa? Considering we zoom around at 10ft AHO day and night its about as safe as we can make it. Considering we have a miniscule (per airframe) budget compared to our RAAF cousins, our capability output is as good if not better. When was the last time the RAAF deployed to a free for all battlefield? (and please, stooging around the MEAO 100NM away from the nearest contact does not count)
Too much on their plate if you've had anything to do with their project (ARH/MRH). Can't even sort out the ground based Flight Planning System.
They are off with a sub-standard "using local programmers" piece of crap! Such a shame! They were "Patch"ed.
So who do you think directs what aircraft we get and how it will be introduced? Does the Minister of Defence and DMO ring a bell? Keep in mind we are the end user, we get what we are given when DACI -A and the contractors make it so. The operators from the CO level down probabley would have chosen a different platform(s) given half a chance. 40 odd W model Cobra's with options to upgrade to Y model would be far easier for Army to digest, and they would be in theatre now. ElPerro if you are Army, go a bit easier and stop slagging off your fellow members, plenty of people frequent these forums that can make life difficult. If not, do some more research before making such grand statements.
The sooner the Army is out of aviation the better off (not to mention safer) the ADF will be!
Captain, its disapointing to see a statement like this coming from a senior member of these forums such as yourself. And your propossed solution to Army shutting up shop is?
Just my two cents...