Demise of the Jetstream
 

At long last, looks like the replacement has been officially announced:-

DATE:18/07/08
SOURCE:Flight International
FARNBOROUGH 2008: By Craig Hoyle



Cobham's FR Aviation subsidiary is to supply a new fleet of Beechcraft King Air 350ERs to deliver observer training services for the UK Royal Navy, after being named as preferred bidder for the requirement.
A deal for an undisclosed number of aircraft should be signed in October, according to the Lockheed Martin UK/VT Ascent consortium, which during May received a contract to deliver the UK Ministry of Defence's 25-year Military Flying Training System.


The new type will replace the RN's current fleet of around 12 Jetstream T2 trainers at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. The King Airs should be ready for training use one year after contract signature, with operations of the current type to halt during 2010.
FR Aviation was selected during June following a competitive and assessment process of around 18 months, defeating one other bidder to the public-private partnership deal. The company will provide modified aircraft and deliver maintenance support, says David Harrison, divisional commercial director for Cobham Aviation Services.
The selection of the King Air 350ERs - which Harrison says have already been secured - was made by the MoD, but he adds: "It's absolutely the right choice for this task." While declining to detail the required modifications to the aircraft, he says these will be "quite extensive, but well within our capability".
Cobham's success in securing the RN requirement could lead to further opportunities within the MFTS programme, such as for a second-stage rear crew and multi-engine trainer to enter Royal Air Force use in January 2014.
A contract for this work will be awarded during 2011, according to Ascent.
"We will use this opportunity as a real litmus test for Ascent and the MoD to see what we are capable of," says Harrison, who adds: "We will do a good job." Possible export opportunities for similar services could exist in Australia and the Middle East, he says.

What about Heron flight? Will they be equipped with the King Air as well?

Demise of the jetstream
 

Spheroid
You are well out of date! Surely you have heard that CAS didn't like being seen getting out of an RN Jetstream at an RAF base so he told his underlings to get shot of the T3s, despite the fact that the Crabs are in desparate need of AT and the T3s are so cheap to run compared to the 146 or the 125. And they can move 16 people all over Europe!
Look at the savings - £5 mil over 10 years to run Heron Flight versus a annual £3million uplift in MODs travel budget by getting rid of the T3s. Now that is the kind of cost saving I like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:ugh:

Never let it be said that this wasn't a tribal decision.

Keep you friends close, keep you enemies closer, keep the crabs even closer!

WDD:*

How on earth can the RAF be responsible for the demise of Heron Flight?

A great pity if it does go - I remember those DH Sea Herons chugging around the UK when the FAA had a decent number of bases. Then they went and along came the T3s.

This sounds like another crass decision....:rolleyes:

Perhaps it's more to do with the fact that the Jetstream is very old and might soon be unsupportable.

I understand that the tri-service UKMFTS project only exists to replace aircraft used for training, so unless the RN finds funding to replace the Heron Flight, I suppose its demise is inevitable. :ouch:

Demise of the Jetstream
 

The reason that the RAF can get rid of the T3 is that they control the support through the training aircraft IPT. And no the T3 isn't very old. its OSD was supposed to be 2018!

Wonder who is going to buy the old 'Streams and then hire them back to MOD as taxi's, for bazillions of taxpayers dosh?:rolleyes: Bet they turn up in Iraqistan painted grey!:ooh:

Maybe the FAA will use the same sleight of hand that got them the T3s in the first place? The 'T' was supposed to be for training after all?

"No money for new communications aircraft to replace the Herons"

"Er, we have a need for more observer training capacity"

"OK, here's some money for Jetstream 31s, call them T3s"

"Thanks, er maybe we don't need so many observer trainers after all"

Or am I being cynical?:)

Surely that can't be true. CAS wouldn't dare waste that much tax payers money just because his pride was hurt.

Where is that Journo when you need him. Surely we should start a petition to save Heron flight from the RAF.

Boo hiss, nasty old RAF eh?

Poor little Royal Navy, give it a hug.:rolleyes:

That wouldn't be the tri-service training aircraft IPT would it?

Never let the truth get in the way of a good rumour:rolleyes:

PPssssssstttttt :cool: Wanna buy one? yours for £45 Grand :}

EVERETT AERO - Aircraft/BAe JETSTREAM

Or do it yourself for £12 grand plus change

EVERETT AERO - Aircraft/BAe JETSTREAM

Do you a nice Dominie for forty big ones

EVERETT AERO - Aircraft/BAe Hawker 125 Dominie

or perhaps you're in the market for something a bit for sporty? a nice Sea Harrier perhaps or failing that at the lower end of the sports dept, how about the Mighty Jaguar :\?

EVERETT AERO - Aircraft/BAe SEA HARRIER/FA2/JUMP JET

EVERETT AERO - SEPECAT JAGUAR

All one careful owner and low miles ;):ok:

Unfortunately MOD 'Centre':mad: don't like VIPTAX. Senior RN Officers can catch the train despite studies saying opposite (and senior RAF doing the opposite)! Never mind all the other things that Heron Flt do. He who holds the purse strings controls the fate of Heron Flight.
I know a lot of lobbying went on to keep the Jetstreams but the Option was taken despite the most senior FAA people kicking up a hell of a fuss. Mind you, which colour blue heads up the show(for another two years)?
Wrists being slapped all round for not knocking it on the head sooner.:*

Everyone will miss it when it goes and another facet of Naval Aviation gets removed by those people who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.:suspect:

:) PC 12'S anyone?

Leaving your MOD laptop on a Jetstream must be better than leaving on a train. :E

I am genuinely astounded at the power the RAF has. Reading the above posts, you would think that it controls MOD(Centre), the DsEC, and the IPTs!!!! no wonder the RN are being shafted, as they only run a small operation out of Whale Island.

The fact is that the Jetstream (like the SHAR) is an old aircraft and is going out of service. I don't know the background to the decision to cut Heron Flt, and it looks to me as though it wasn't terribly well thought out, but when, oh when will the RN stop blaming everything bad that happens to the FAA on the RAF??????

PS - WhiteOvies: I see far more Army officers getting out of military aircraft for meetings than RAF....

Rent some ex civvy' J31s' or even J41s' from BAe Leasing, they must have more than enough sitting on the ground awaiting work.

OA

WhiteOvies obviously hasn't worked in The Centre.

ISTR that the DEC who controlled the Jetstream T2 and T3 is/was a Royal Ai.......... Marine officer. In fact I think the last 2 DsEC DSR have been RM!!! :hmm:

Royal Marine officer you say?
Aren't the RM the WAFU version of the RAF Regiment? Aren't they in effect being shafted by one of their own?
Would the RAF ever allow a rock be in a position to make decisions over aircraft operations?

I knew that'd get a rise. These fish heads are far too easy to catch.