Who's who in the zoo?

[AAL]

Note with amusement that Air Charter Express (ACE) which is just a re-invention of convenience of Cargo Plus Airlines performed a DC-8-63(F) with reg no 9G-AXA, a cargo flight from the United Kingdom to Bagram Air Base in Iraq last week for the British Ministry of Defence.

Will be remembered that Cargo Plus, Memphis Air, Aerogem, Fab Air, Phoenix - list is endless but all usualy conveniently registered in Ghana have been linked to a notorious gun runner. Most recently B707 9G-AOL was still delivering arms to the USA's erstwhile enemies in Somalia, now this same crowd is flying military logistics for the British MOD.

So who's fighting who actualy?

[AAL]

The silence is deafening!!! OK, so whats the next step - is the EU now also going to ban Air Charter Express or just another case of duplicity and diabolical expedience?

[Lemper]

Read Rosebud (by JOAN HEMMINGWAY & PAUL BONNECARRERE).
Or else: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_interest

[AAL]

Lemper, certainly enlightening. If duplicity and hypocrisy can be justified by national interests and expedience - certainly then we must not becry the most desperate and despicable methods embarked upon by those who try to fight back with whatever means at their disposal.

For evil to truimph good men merely have to do nothing - duplicty has no place in our global village society today.

PS: I am not a fundamentalist of any sorts by the way - only believe in fair and equal treatment and consistency.

[CR2]

No names. Thank you.

[Lemper]

I am not condoning duplicity in the name of National Interest.
Simply noticed that some (failed) humans use it for their own aganda.
Unfortunately, because democracy has become the tyrany of the cowards and the mediocre, WE elect those humans.

Missed saying this: I mentioned Rosebud, and I would have mentioned Costa Gravas (La Raison d'Etat = National interest) film maker, because they denounce this poor state of human affairs, not condone it.

[AAL]

Thank you Lemper, my thoughts and feelings on the matter exactly. Hence the post. We will lose the moral high ground (and the world) if we act with duplicity and hypocrisy.

You will/might have noticed that I am an African and very familiar with many of those mentioned. Dont know if you saw the movie Lord of War (based on faction - and sponsored by who know's funds although I have a fair idea - not truely Amnesty International). It is certainly true that much of the weapons of destruction that has turned Africa into the mess it is in, was flown in here with Russian planes, but dont be fooled, as many or much more came in on Western owned DC-8's and B707's. Some on those very same ones belonging to the very same people now flying new registrations of convenience, like last weeks flight from the UK to Bagram.

Dont tell me the MOD is not aware, I would be horribly dissapointed.

Mr Mod; thanks for allowing this - again I am sincerely sorry for jumping my mouth the way I did - hope I can prove and make up one day!!!

[ZooWarden]

Well, at unawares my "callsign" corresponds to the topic...:}.

And I even was flying in Africa, as well in Iraq and Afghan, though our crew always rejected "that" cargo.

It's getting more clear nowadays that an idea of feeding ammo to Africa, Iraq and Afghan doesn't belong solely to "Lord of Wars" (yes, I've seen that movie).

But I doubt you or me will be able to stop that sh*t, as I beleive there are a lot of NGOs involved, who have hidden governmental financial and political support.

It's wise and honest to allow no ammos on board. Okay, what next? How about russian birds? Russian crews have been flying to areas with ongoing mil activity for ve-e-ery poor bonus with ammo on-board. Even keeping in mind two IL-76s recently shot up in Somalia.

I gave up. I won't carry such cargo, and there is nothing we can do more.

[AAL]

Hi Zoowarden, welcome to the club. Title was very randomly chosen please dont take it personally.

Yes this kind of cargo will always be flown I have absolutely no problem with that. I also have no problem also with this specific requirement that was flown last week - would have done so myself.

My problem in this very case is that it is, was, and in future is probably again going to awarded/consigned to one of those mentioned who played such an important role in feeding the murder and mayhem frenzy in Africa and in the rest of the world - that which the British Government stood so harshly in judgement about.

If we/some are then going to be absolute hypocrits why not give it to the old man with the converted L1011 bulkloaders to fly - believe me he needs it - even flying for below IL-76 rates these days I hear. But perhaps he cant fly it because the British Government wont allow him into the UK and have slapped a travel ban on him for the last he flew into Liberia. Thats double standards as Johnsons are in the same league, still contracted by Heavylift, just as Cargo Plus and now their new re-invention Air Charter Express is.

If someone in position of authority in relevant contracts department in MOD sees this, Dear Sir - please comment - or is this par for the course in the duplicit world we live in today! :confused:

[ZooWarden]

Thanks for welcome, AAL.
You're absolutely right - we live in the world of double standards. But I can do something - I will not accept any ammo on board. I will even refuse to fly, though I am not a Captain.
You know - lots of sh*t is going on "under the carpet". Do you really wanna stop it? Don't dash against the rock. :ugh:
Some time ago I saw a request to drop 120 tn of stationary :confused: to Mogadisho from Saudi Arabia. Hmm...no comments on that **** :mad:

Have you seen "Hotel Rwanda"? UN did nothing to stop that massacre. And that's just one of hundreds "episodes". My friends tell me some terrible stories from time to time about what they observed in Africa. I was a witness of some Mid-East' dirty stories too.

That's just my opinion - we can do nothing unless it has a support of some governments, who tell "highly true stories" to newspapers and for the same time support those who they criticize.

[AAL]

The stationary originated in Yogjakarta, we were also requested to quote direct into Mogadishu. We offered to fly to a more respectable (safer) airfield closer to Mogadishu and take in, in controlable volumes with more suitable 20 ton planes. This was not acceptable. Seems like the stationary is after three or four months then still now stuck in the UAE or Saudi.

Know GST well who blindly flew in the two IL-76's that were lost. They were lost due to bad intel on ground, no area cover, and exactly because of this duplicity I am speaking about, the arms that Johnsons and their brother cronies had flown into Mogadishu.

Yet the USA supports the new Nationalist Government of Somalia, and/yet/but last week the Brtish MOD used the same people and airline that was flying this sh!t into Mogadishu, to fly mil log from UK to Bagram.

I am confused - very confused - used to look up to the Brits to uphold standards and integrity - something big amiss here!.

[ZooWarden]

Those unhappy IL76s did belong not to GST, but to TransAviaExport of Belorussia. Anyway, you're right - there was significant lack of ground back up. Ukrainian IL76 evacuated that dead crew out of MGQ under fire... Very strange to see this all nowadays. Death and Feat.


Yet the USA supports the new Nationalist Government of Somalia, and/yet/but last week the Brtish MOD used the same people and airline that was flying this sh!t into Mogadishu, to fly mil log from UK to Bagram.

I am confused - very confused - used to look up to the Brists to uphold standards and integrity - something big amiss here!.

This was/is/will be very profitable business, man!

[merlinxx]

Check who the broker was! UK MoD use brokers & not direct ctc.

[AAL]

Broker was Heavylift or Chapman-Freeborn. But ignorance is no excuse. How's British MOD going to explain to USA that same crowd who were weeks ago (and this not the first time) flying arms into Somalia thats now being used against US Forces.

The British Security Services are allegedly and probably the best in the world, they are experts at sniffing fundamentalists out at thousands of kilometers, how can this happen at home right under their noses?

[merlinxx]

UK MoD. Ever heard the old expression "thumb up bum and mind in neutral" ???:}

[AAL]

"UK MoD. Ever heard the old expression "thumb up bum and mind in neutral" ???"

Merlinxx, what a let down. Here in the dark continent we have always looked up to you guy's, believing that your best practises would somehow someday rub off.

Please understand again, no problem with the flights and commodities, just seriously agrieved that the worst of the worst seems to be getting the contracts, as if for reward for all the mayhem and destruction that their flying has in the past caused all over the world. There are other worthy, honourable and capable operators that can also perform these tasks.

In South Africa similar flights are farmed out by the DoD through an "ostensibly" transparent tender process. This for peacekeeping operations accross Africa which anyway get funded by you "sometimes gullible" Europeans. We have long ago given up tendering to perform such peacekeeping support flights at clearly lower prices than selfcost. Only when we studied the extra "have to ask for to see" fine print did we notice provisions for claiming extra charges afterwards. The same lot seem to be awarded the flights every time at clearly below self cost but then claim their "substantial profits" as aditional expenses afterwards.

This tender process is fundamentaly flawed.

Clearly if there is a propensity by the British MoD to favour the same group of service providers and even reward these dubious air companies, something is seriously wrong not necessary with the organisation, but perhaps rather a clique of persons or perhaps old-boys. It would be unfair to generalise.

For evil to truimph - good men merely have to do nothing. Speak out and protest where you can. Instead of rewarding these people with government contracts they should be banned from EU skies - just like their predecessors (and former companys) were.

One of the mod's recently pointed out that this has been covered in the media before and is a worn topic - clearly it made no impact and not so worn at all as the practise is continuing with impunity and unabated still todayl.

[good spark]

AAL
i heard a rumour that the old man with the tristar now has a 747 100 any truth in this?
gs

[AAL]

Goodspark,

Heard he was shopping for finance in the UAE to try upgrade, but then it was for a 767. Dont know when last you saw him but he aint well, dont think there's any colateral left in him for anybody to advance him such funds. Allegedly also owes huge debts in UAE. But he is a resourceful fella. You must also realise (and we all know who we are talking about) that some nefarious types are looking for fronts through which to buy aircraft - its not impossible he's being used for this. Look up some on thread "New cargo outfit starting up out Cyprus to see some more".

Saw there is one of his machines standing in Ndjamena (Chad). Doubt very much if they can fly anymore.

This exactly my argument about these flights "of convenience?" now for MoD. Wonder if anybody has done any homwork to determine real owners and sponsors of the aircraft. I am pretty sure not - and on the other hand bitterly dissapointed.

It shouldnt be left there. I expected more!

[good spark]

AAL
thanks for that, looks like an interesting read, i used to work for him on the 8s like you say a very determined man but i fell out with his son so that was that!
gs

[AAL]

Goodspark, Everybody falls out with him eventualy. Which son did you have fall out with the Harley Davidson Mechanick selftaught A&P Engineer?

[good spark]

AAL
thats the one, the old man is a good engineer he can can make something out of nothing and i have respect for the man for that, but the son is basicly a redneck.
gs

[dionysius]

Clearly if there is a propensity by the British MoD to favour the same group of service providers and even reward these dubious air companies, something is seriously wrong
AAL, this is the first time that MOD have used this operator, probably due the fact that other similar proven operators are refusing to op to iraq/afghanistan as it is becoming more dangerous on a daily basis.
If you have a serious beef with the morals of this particular company and have proof, take it to the press or the CAA of the country where they currently base their aircraft (I know for a fact there is a very strong anti- aviation organisation at that particular airport).

[AAL]

CUT IT OUT. ABUSE NOT WANTED/TOLERATED HERE,

9G-AXA performed a log flight from UK to Bagram last week. 9G-AXA now Air Charter Express is Cargo Plus in disguise and Jonsons Air and all the rest before.

LAST WARNING

Dear Mr Mod, I sincerely apologise but if big boys pick a fight they must not come running and crying. This gentleman should waste his valuable time counting the positive and negative threads on the forum and will then see a propensity to complain and point problems, discuss them, and offer advice to rectify (what is humanely possible and in our collective powers) instead of only singing praises.

I truly believe some might have hit closer home than what was comfortable.

Your kind tolerance is never the less appreciated.

[Lemper]

Noted Lemper.

CR2.

[Varipitch]

This is one topic that never fails to produce a whole spectrum of opinion-long may that continue.
My imput is based purely on experience-can't really say that I learned anything from it though-the circumstances changed, the aims different on each occasion and the pay reflected the risk!
Take Rhodesia as an example. Did the U.N. sanctions ACTUALLY acheive much-or were they ever enforced? The answer to both is NO. We had a scheduled DC8-55F service between AMS and LBV (and beyond) plus a regular SAY-MCT service with A40-PA for a number of years. Both carried many a ton of 'sewing machines'.
Did the crews revolt or mutiny?
Then we turn to Libya in the late 70's and early 80's when UAA bought CL44's and a 707 openly operating them in Europe and Africa despite the so-called blanket sanctions. We carried everything but blankets!
Then Libya recruited Edwin ****** a well known ex CIA agent. The USA allowed 2 C130's to be exported thru this character despite his known track record.
What the Hercs did is pretty common knowledge but again how far up the ladder did that knowledge go?
Moving on-plenty of speculation surrounding the 9G register and Johnsons Air and Heavylift (make it clear here that it is not the Heavylift Cargo Airlines that ops out of Oz). Everyone is aware who heads that one.
I recall Sky Air Cargo too-a 707 out of BZN daily on behalf of the MoD during Gulf War Episode 1-despite that a/c having a past as coloured as Jacobs coat.

If we return to the high ground-I tried that-with Zimex out of Khartoum supporting the starving in the south of the country-felt the need to do something-trouble was the Gov't of the day wouldn't let us fly. Spent weeks there-flew a handful of flights before the cost became too much-so we went to Vimy, did a weeks charter work for the French free fall team and made lots of dosh!

I am sure someone out there can make sense of it.

[ZooWarden]

This is one topic that never fails to produce a whole spectrum of opinion-long may that continue.


You're right, rrtyne!

Anyway, don't you guys think all those "sewing machines" might have "sewed" / would "sew" yourselves?
That's the problem as I see it. Feeding the crazy so-called rebel forces with "sewing machines" and "grain combines" can boomerang on us if we're not careful.

P.S. Saying "us" I meant the whole airmen' community. Whom should we claim on for killing UNWFP/Red Cross/HRW pilots in southern Sudan? And how about Sierra Leone? Or Somalia? Or Mil Mi-26 down in Afghan?

Well, I really don't think all this kind of ops will have been ceased one day.

[undiemole]

About four years ago a Rwanda-based company called Silverback Cargo Freighters emerged on the scene with two DC-8-62 freighters. The aircraft, it seemed, had been acquired from the United States for a "symbolic" price of £10 million each in a complex and untraceable financial deal.
:bored:


For a time one of its aircraft also was sub-leased to a Liberian registered, International Air Services, operating out of the Ras-al-Khaimah free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates.
:ooh:


But it soon became apparent, authorities said that in addition to its regular commercial activities Silverback Cargo Freighters also was operating regular flights carrying arms shipments from Eastern Europe to Kigali in Rwanda in clear breach of a United Nations arms embargo.
;)


The airline got its wake-up call last summer when Belgian authorities "named and shamed" several airlines it banned from its skies over safety concerns. Silverback Cargo Freighters was high on the list.
The move effectively barred the African carrier from Europe and placed it high on the "suspect" list of other aviation authorities.


One of Africa's finest :oh:, and isn't International air services associated with the former owner of LWA/Ducor ???

[AAL]

Undiemolie,

Unfortunately you are wrong.

But at least you state "that apart from their normal commercial flying activities"!

Let this fact now stand out and be known: If Silverback ever flew any Military Equipment, it was for their Government to overcome a bitter and extensive War, like any other country's airline, for a war that followed the Genocide in Rwanda, the origins and instigators for which also unfortunately allegedly are seated in Europe, is still in contention and a matter of International Legal Action.

The time flights contracted to fly for IAS, was when one another VERY NOTORIOS EUROPEAN was operating International Air Service (IAS). Silverback flew fresh Nile Perch fish to Europe from Mwanza under contract to IAS.

Silverback's "wake up call by the Belgians" as you so flippently refer to is a complete political matter, because of the accusations of the instigators, originators, and orchestraters of the Rwandan Genocide, peoples who's lives meant nothing in the course of, you guesed it, expedience. It had nothing to do with Silverback's operation and standard of service and aircraft.

Your memory is also vey short, I remind you of the SN Brussels aircraft that was grounded in Kigali because of its technical condition, I never posted the photographs of the condition of the aircraft out of common decency, repect for Belgium and SN Brussels - but I assure you that the issue and matter about this Airbus's condition reverberated through Belgium's Parliament.

If you want to debate on these matters you are free - but then at least get your facts straight because you have a skewered perception and version of the matter and events.

If you dont know the facts - it and you are dangerous. Get your facts and get them straight. You seem to have an axe to grind with Silverback, have also noticed in the past, and I am sure that if we scratch very lightly under the surface, we will easily discover why. I think I do - and I think I know who you are.

This thread started because about 10 days ago the British Government (MoD) expediently contracted known Gun Runners that even they wanted to persecute, to fly military material for them to Bagram.


AAL, names again CR2.

[undiemole]

Just one question, is Silverback banned in Europe ???

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/pdf/list_en.pdf

[AAL]

Yes, for reasons of political expedience - because the Government of Rwanda persistently accuses Belgium and France for having done nothing during and in their physical presence on the ground in Rwanda, even aiding the Hutu soldiers and rebels that were performing the genocide, and doing nothing to stop the slaughter.

Please dont talk about matters that you dont know - why is SN Brussels interested to buy a into Rwanda Express, Silverback's sister company - if they are not good enough!!!

FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCE!