Hmmm, is not the RAF capable of keeping their nine L1011 types in...reasonable service?
And, if not, WHY not?
If our small adhoc charter airline can keep our one lone L1011-500 fully serviceable for the last 200+ revenue hours, why the hell cannot the RAF actually...do the same?
The biggest problem they face is a severe lack of spares. The parts are out there but the MoD just won't pay the going rate for them. At the end of the day you get what you pay for as more often than not, a lot of components received were fail on fit.
Out of curiosity 411A, what kind of hours and cycles has that machine you're operating accumulated? Is your maintenance done in house and do you utilise a flying spanner on flights?