Airtanker reservist pilots
Tourist, I have been out of the AAR game, and the RAF, for a handful of years now, but I don't believe that the RAF Airbus tanker will be capable of onloading fuel from another tanker.
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Mr B,
Indeed it won't - and in this sense it's a backwards step.
More interestingly, buying the whole PFI nonsense contract out should be on the table for the SDSR on the basis that FSTA PFI is cr*p value for money, and that we should buy the bl**dy jets.
If this (entirely sensible) decision is made, then the reservist crew issues could go away in a hurry.
S41
I don't believe that the RAF Airbus tanker will be capable of onloading fuel from another tanker.
More interestingly, buying the whole PFI nonsense contract out should be on the table for the SDSR on the basis that FSTA PFI is cr*p value for money, and that we should buy the bl**dy jets.
If this (entirely sensible) decision is made, then the reservist crew issues could go away in a hurry.
S41
Squirrel 41,
As sensible as it might be to actually buy the jets, it just ain't going to happen. Until the stupid system* by which the Treasury runs the country's finances is utterly overhauled, there won't be money to buy the jets.
*A system that forces departments to spend what remains in a pot of cash, before financial year's-end, in order to prevent it being clawed back by the Treasury. If 'excess' cash could be saved, and wisely used on another project, in other than a current financial year, this country might make massive savings. But the civil service mandarins wouldn't like that loss of control, would they? Chimps.
As sensible as it might be to actually buy the jets, it just ain't going to happen. Until the stupid system* by which the Treasury runs the country's finances is utterly overhauled, there won't be money to buy the jets.
*A system that forces departments to spend what remains in a pot of cash, before financial year's-end, in order to prevent it being clawed back by the Treasury. If 'excess' cash could be saved, and wisely used on another project, in other than a current financial year, this country might make massive savings. But the civil service mandarins wouldn't like that loss of control, would they? Chimps.
More interestingly, buying the whole PFI nonsense contract out should be on the table for the SDSR on the basis that FSTA PFI is cr*p value for money, and that we should buy the bl**dy jets.
Squirrel 41, you can bet that there would be fairly punitive financial terms attached if that happened.
FSTA will not equipped to operate in the receiver role.
The KC-30A is fitted with a boom system and UARRSI receptacle; the RAAF intends to operate in both tanker and receiver role.
Does the FCS cope? Yes - and there is an option to modify the control laws in the receiver role. Or at least there was planned to be - I don't know if it ultimately proved necessary:
Gallery
FSTA will not equipped to operate in the receiver role.
The KC-30A is fitted with a boom system and UARRSI receptacle; the RAAF intends to operate in both tanker and receiver role.
Does the FCS cope? Yes - and there is an option to modify the control laws in the receiver role. Or at least there was planned to be - I don't know if it ultimately proved necessary:
Gallery
A refuelling probe was in the original spec but was subsequently deemed un-necessary by the powers that be.
I think that another Black Buck would be quite possible.
A330 MRTT
I think that another Black Buck would be quite possible.
In a deployment mission, the A330 MRTT enables four Eurofighters, to fly 3,600 nm by refuelling them en-route, or, when carrying 20 tonnes of payload, to fly these four fighters a distance of 2,800 nm.
The A330 MRTT can also be used on towline mission, whereby it can be on station at about 1,000 nm from its base for some 4 hours 30 minutes, with the capability to provide 50 tonnes of fuel for needing receivers. Or to provide 60 tonnes of fuel while remaining on station for 5 hours at 500 nm from base. This exceeds by far what any other current tanker can offer
The A330 MRTT can also be used on towline mission, whereby it can be on station at about 1,000 nm from its base for some 4 hours 30 minutes, with the capability to provide 50 tonnes of fuel for needing receivers. Or to provide 60 tonnes of fuel while remaining on station for 5 hours at 500 nm from base. This exceeds by far what any other current tanker can offer
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Beagle, I agree with your points about a lack of aptitude testing and a lack of standardized testing for airline entry wholheartedly:
That is just talking out of your back bottom! You'd be hard pressed to name an airline almost anywhere in the world that doesn't have a former member of the evil empire working for them.
You've posted at length about your dislike of the airline in terms of the passenger experience and of your dislike of the CEO, fair enough. Just try not to let your bias and what I suspect is also a xenophobic/racist leaning get in the way of the truth.
For example, most 'proper' airlines won't even look at a CV which includes the word 'Ryanair' - it's the kiss of death....'If you lie down with the Devil, you will wake up in hell'. Perhaps AirTanker are equally prescient? I don't know.
You've posted at length about your dislike of the airline in terms of the passenger experience and of your dislike of the CEO, fair enough. Just try not to let your bias and what I suspect is also a xenophobic/racist leaning get in the way of the truth.
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Concur. Beags generally speaks a great deal of sense but in his earlier post my 'master twaddle caution' illuminated. Beags may be interested to know where Emirates have just headhunted about 100 new flight crew from (and it wasn't the shiny fleet, that's for sure).
His petty prejudice against the evil yellow and blue is his own prerogative but is an absolute irrelevance to this thread. I trust that Beags would have the professionalism, if he was in a position of influence in recruitment, to distinguish a pilot's merit and qualification from the customer service standards of an airline for which he previously worked. RYR isn't short of ex-mil pilots either, Britmil et al.
His petty prejudice against the evil yellow and blue is his own prerogative but is an absolute irrelevance to this thread. I trust that Beags would have the professionalism, if he was in a position of influence in recruitment, to distinguish a pilot's merit and qualification from the customer service standards of an airline for which he previously worked. RYR isn't short of ex-mil pilots either, Britmil et al.
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BEagle
AFAIK, it's rather more complex than it looks on the financing side. The NAO report suggests that buying the jets will cost £75m, along with the costs of the ground works and the posh new shed at BZN. It's going to be interesting to see how the numbers fall out based on the demand for AAR from the post SDSR front line, especially if the FJ fleet contracts signficantly.
And given that the NAO tellus that the self-protection suite will ensure that Timmy needs to keep flogging out to Afghanland for a while yet (2016? 2018?), the number of A330K and their delviery schedule should all be up for grabs - meaning that buying out the contract with ATr looks like better value as it increases flexibility.
And for TS
Do you have any evidence for this? IF (and I stress a very big IF) the contract runs through to termination (and I'd be really surprised if this was the case), I suspect the MoD would probably buy the jets at that point.
S41
Squirrel 41, you can bet that there would be fairly punitive financial terms attached if that happened.
And given that the NAO tellus that the self-protection suite will ensure that Timmy needs to keep flogging out to Afghanland for a while yet (2016? 2018?), the number of A330K and their delviery schedule should all be up for grabs - meaning that buying out the contract with ATr looks like better value as it increases flexibility.
And for TS
Maybe - but then the RAF would still be flying them sixty years later when completely clapped out and inefficient. At least with the PFI plan, at the end of the lease-term, they will replaced by new aircraft.
S41
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Even if the contractor does own the assets the contract could contain a handover clause at the end of the contract.
Unless you know the details then the permutations are legion.
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I think we ought to settle this one here and now - on one hand we have Beagle, old, a bit doddery, possibly getting a bit chubby and going mutton. On the other hand we have Mikey the ***** "evil empire".
Who would you rather fly you home???
Despite not having the pleasure of meeting him, Beags gets my vote every time. Even though he's an old fart.
Ryanair pushes the limit of every law they think they can get away with - with an attitude like that how much do you want to bet maintenance is cost/benefitted out as thinly as possible.
Wny do they buy new jets - less things to break and therefore less cost to maintain (for now)
Who would you rather fly you home???
Despite not having the pleasure of meeting him, Beags gets my vote every time. Even though he's an old fart.
Ryanair pushes the limit of every law they think they can get away with - with an attitude like that how much do you want to bet maintenance is cost/benefitted out as thinly as possible.
Wny do they buy new jets - less things to break and therefore less cost to maintain (for now)
Red On, Green On
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Ryanair pushes the limit of every law they think they can get away with
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Much better to buy outright and run for 40-50 years; corner the world market in spares as sole user and get them cheap.
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OK, your opinion I'll ignore. Ryanair and easyJet pilots are among the most sought after by the legacy airlines, as the targeting of both by Virgin, BA and Emirates has demonstrated for some time. The airlines may have a bad way of treating their staff, but that doesn't mean their pilots aren't good - they have very high quality experience in the airline world, given how many sectors they operate into postage stamp airports in mountainous regions, using non-precision approaches to contaminated runways. The legacy carriers don't do that.
With 10,000 hours flying for those two, I think I have more experience of multi-engine jet ops than a lot of service pilots, but if you can't do anything but slag of your civil colleagues then I hope you find yourself unemployed soon.
I was in the RAF and got about half way through pilot training before being chopped, but times were tough in the mid 90s and only a few of the 50 pilots recruited that year made it to the end - too many defence cuts and a lot of front line guys extending their commissions because the recession meant there were few airline jobs (sounds familiar, doesn't it), meant that they had to chop students left right and centre because of the backlogs in the system.
For what it's worth, I have flown with ex-RAF truckies, and their quality has been quite varied, just like within the airline world, and some of them have seemed to show pretty poor ability, so let's have less of the arrogance.
With 10,000 hours flying for those two, I think I have more experience of multi-engine jet ops than a lot of service pilots, but if you can't do anything but slag of your civil colleagues then I hope you find yourself unemployed soon.
I was in the RAF and got about half way through pilot training before being chopped, but times were tough in the mid 90s and only a few of the 50 pilots recruited that year made it to the end - too many defence cuts and a lot of front line guys extending their commissions because the recession meant there were few airline jobs (sounds familiar, doesn't it), meant that they had to chop students left right and centre because of the backlogs in the system.
For what it's worth, I have flown with ex-RAF truckies, and their quality has been quite varied, just like within the airline world, and some of them have seemed to show pretty poor ability, so let's have less of the arrogance.
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a_a. Thats exactly my point - they haven't YET.
I would not to put money on when and how bad. Let me suffice to say there is my airline **** list - Ryanair might not be at the top but it's on there.
Pontius - my point was that if they buy new and shiny so they can cut back the spanner monkeys then there are less spanner monkeys available to do any task. Add in some pressure and demands from some accountant shiny arse and people will start trimming the odd corner. one thing leads to another.
Can you say the engineers at whoever does Mikeys maintenance will turn round and say, sorry skip - you can't have the jet we are not done with it on anything other than a blue moon??
I would not to put money on when and how bad. Let me suffice to say there is my airline **** list - Ryanair might not be at the top but it's on there.
Pontius - my point was that if they buy new and shiny so they can cut back the spanner monkeys then there are less spanner monkeys available to do any task. Add in some pressure and demands from some accountant shiny arse and people will start trimming the odd corner. one thing leads to another.
Can you say the engineers at whoever does Mikeys maintenance will turn round and say, sorry skip - you can't have the jet we are not done with it on anything other than a blue moon??