Quote:
What do you think the RAF AT fleet has been doing quite succesfully for an awful long time, stumbling round the world giving the passengers a mars bar!?
Don't know about the 'mars bars', however, this thread started with the thought that the RAF L1011's were...AOG, did it not?
Previous comments here on this forum seems to indicate that the RAF 'service' (such as it is/was) provided was somehow deficient/delayed etc.
The USDoD long ago decided that civvy operators could provide superior/reliable air transport service, for US service personnel.
Perhaps it's time for the UKMoD to actually...wake up?
OMG...shock/horror
I will repeat, civvy operators, properly chosen, are successful.
Omni International is one such airline, with their old (but reliable) DC-10's.
Also, when the last L1011 was retired at Delta, a senior VP there admitted to me, face to face that, and I quote..." the L1011's Delta operated (69 in total, as I recall) were the most reliable and generated the most profits than any other type that Delta has ever operated, to date.'
The L1011 gets a bad rap from...those operators that simply don't know how (hello...RAF) to maintain and crew the type, on a reliable basis, for the long term.
BA?
These folks were fools, operating the type...they costed it that same as the fuel consumed was equivilent to a B747.
Nope, not true.
Seat for seat, the L1011 250/500 are more economical, on a seat mile basis.
A proven fact.
Now, having said all this, some B767-200ER's (and 300ER's) are now coming available, with reduced operating costs.
However, the upfront purchase/lease costs are certainly more.
A LOT more expensive...and certainly more costly for the ...RAF.
A330?
Lots of luck with this type.
