Royal Flights
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Royal Flights
Bit surprised to see a picture of HM getting on a private Biz Jet (Sovereign, Chally or similar?) during recent Normandy celebrations......while most other statesmen and world leaders arrived in grand State branded aircraft flown by military or ex military guys.
Anyone know if this is a Royal aircraft or does the Household charter as and when?
Anyone know if this is a Royal aircraft or does the Household charter as and when?
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Yes they do charter as and when. 
As for the whys and what for? I don't know.
As for the whys and what for? I don't know.
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Simply put, the UK media (on behalf of most of the UK population I might add) would be up in arms if the UK Government / Royal Household decided they needed their own nice, new / newer Private aircraft.
Those old Hawkers won't last much longer - especially as the scrapping of one of them recently took place - given the Coalition couldn't predict a hail storm in Kandahar!
Yup, the UK has not covered itself in glory recently when it comes to aircraft - whether choosing "questionable" operators abroad or choosing to place nicely modified and very expensive BAe 146 aircraft in a war zone for one day, only for it to return after one flight with near scrapping levels of hail damage!
What a shower indeed!
Those old Hawkers won't last much longer - especially as the scrapping of one of them recently took place - given the Coalition couldn't predict a hail storm in Kandahar!
Yup, the UK has not covered itself in glory recently when it comes to aircraft - whether choosing "questionable" operators abroad or choosing to place nicely modified and very expensive BAe 146 aircraft in a war zone for one day, only for it to return after one flight with near scrapping levels of hail damage!
What a shower indeed!
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Many moons ago the government decided that the Queen would have to pay for the use of the Royal Flight. The prices quoted were more than the cost of hiring a civilian aircraft. Hence the use of charter.
However, some moons later, the National Audit Office lambasted the MoD /Royal Household for paying more on charter than it would to own/ operate their aircraft....
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Would be very interested to know where they get their pilots from then, in particular, who actualy is ensuring that only the best of the best are flying them and that the aircraft are maintained to the very highest standards?
If these are dedicated guys who are military or seconded from a major airline like BA then I see no issue. Their training and fitness would be beyond question.
If however they are being flown on ad hoc charters, who is actualy ensuring the guys up front cut the mustard if the worst happens?
Lets be honest, most GA operations have few if indeed any more than one TRE for a small fleet and standards are , shall we say, variable.
Given the importance of Her Majesty I would feel very uncomfortable if the only assessment of her pilot's fitness to fly her was on a recurrent sim check performed by a TRE who is most probably a subordinate of that guy who will doubtless be the most senior guy on the fleet!
In my book anyone who flies Her Majesty should have proven competence to the highest Military or Civilian standards and be subjected to rigorous and regular independent , non partisan, scrutiny in a simulator.
If these are dedicated guys who are military or seconded from a major airline like BA then I see no issue. Their training and fitness would be beyond question.
If however they are being flown on ad hoc charters, who is actualy ensuring the guys up front cut the mustard if the worst happens?
Lets be honest, most GA operations have few if indeed any more than one TRE for a small fleet and standards are , shall we say, variable.
Given the importance of Her Majesty I would feel very uncomfortable if the only assessment of her pilot's fitness to fly her was on a recurrent sim check performed by a TRE who is most probably a subordinate of that guy who will doubtless be the most senior guy on the fleet!
In my book anyone who flies Her Majesty should have proven competence to the highest Military or Civilian standards and be subjected to rigorous and regular independent , non partisan, scrutiny in a simulator.
seconded from a major airline like BA then I see no issue
Yep that will defo be an enhanced safety option!
BuzzB, you have obviously no clue what you are talking about. 
While "Nigel Longhaul" from the airline or Biggles Fighterpilot are excellent at what they do, that is no guarantee they would excel in a bizjet...In fact, they often don't.
"Bobby Bizjet" excels at flying bizjets safely because he does that for a living every day.
Most US and European charter companies are perfectly safe and operating to the highest standards.
I'm a 10000 hour bizjet pilot with an American (oh, the horror) company.
Our training standards, maintenance standards, pilot experience requirements are strict and on par with the airlines.
I have flown heads of state, ex-presidents and royalty. Flying HMQ would be just another day on the job.
PS: We require thousands of hours to even begin sitting right seat. In contrast to the airlines, nobody will get in here with just a few hundred hours and a self sponsored type rating.
While "Nigel Longhaul" from the airline or Biggles Fighterpilot are excellent at what they do, that is no guarantee they would excel in a bizjet...In fact, they often don't.
"Bobby Bizjet" excels at flying bizjets safely because he does that for a living every day.
Most US and European charter companies are perfectly safe and operating to the highest standards.
I'm a 10000 hour bizjet pilot with an American (oh, the horror) company.
Our training standards, maintenance standards, pilot experience requirements are strict and on par with the airlines.
I have flown heads of state, ex-presidents and royalty. Flying HMQ would be just another day on the job.
PS: We require thousands of hours to even begin sitting right seat. In contrast to the airlines, nobody will get in here with just a few hundred hours and a self sponsored type rating.
Last edited by keebird; 27th Sep 2014 at 17:14.
military or seconded from a major airline like BA then I see no issue. Their training and fitness would be beyond question.
Plenty of military pilots cannot pass an EASA Class 1 Medical, as they test different parameters. As for fitness - an ex RAF, now civvy mate of mine recently posted on his FB page that he had just run for the first time in his life more than 6km!
Military/Long-haul/bizjet pilots are all different sorts of flying. The best pilots for flying biz jets are biz-jet pilots.
