Occasional Aviator

Quote:

'but when, oh when will the RN stop blaming everything bad that happens to the FAA on the RAF??????'

When the RAF stop trying to take over all military aviation because they think they know everything about it, especially after only one deck landing!

Lets see how long the FAA or the RAF get beyond their respective 100th bdays!

Back to the topic. There was a proposal from a contractor about 5 years ago to replace the RAF Jetstream multi-engine trainer a/c at Cranwell with J31's to be operated on the civil register by Eastern Airways. Serco won the contract instead and they purchased King Airs. Nevertheless, couldn't there be a "call off" contract with someone like Eastern to provide a similar service. Pay for a given number of hours, with additional flights above that being charged at a pre-agreed additional rate.

I think the problem is funding has been withdrawn, period.

Tourist, absolutely no bite - it was the plan for the Cranwell Jetstream replacement about 5 years ago, but as I said another contractor proposed a different solution and that was the one that was taken up. The concept of "call off" contracts with "take or pay" levels (manhours, flying hours, tug movements etc) and banded additional variations whilst the contractor takes "third party" useage risk is a well worn path in many contracts to the MoD. Don't see anything wrong with that myself, although I accept that if there is no money in the pot at all because the requirement has been written out then that's tough.

Tourist, I am aware of that but the aircraft are on the military register, housed and maintained at Yeovilton and can have no third party income generation. The difference is that if someone like Eastern Airways or a Biz jet type operator ran them on a call off basis they could fly civvy trips and thus up their utilisation & lower their cost of ownership per flying hour & just be used for MoD tasking when actually required.

QUOTE !

Rent some ex civvy' J31s' or even J41s' from BAe Leasing

Why ?

The Jetstream aircraft probably the most economical/green aircraft in the entire inventory has been retired from service on the whim of an Air Ship! who has just construed to rid the Navy of their Air Transport purely because he has a personal problem !

The funding to upgrade the aircraft was in place only to be withdrawn on the say so because it didn't suit ! Shocking decision....... !

:ugh::ugh::ugh:

So when does Heron Flt cease to be?

End date for Heron Flight is 30 Sept 2008

Have a look at page 45 of this week's Flight International if you want to buy a cheap J31! At least some one still has a sense of humour!:D

HWT

Just out of interest, have you ever worked in the Equipment Capability Customer (or what ever it is called this week) community?:suspect: