A330 Future Tanker
 

Well one large procurement programme is definitely going ahead:
Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Equipment and Logistics | Maiden test flight for RAF future aircraft

I happened to be landing in Toulouse that day and saw it bimbling around the circuit.

Does anybody have any more info than is available on the airtanker website about crewing levels? The website says that there will be a mix of RAF and civilian/sponsored-reservists aircrew. I'm interested to know how this will work. If RAF aircrew only fly the aircraft when it is on RAF ops, then the manning rota is going to be inefficient and messy. But if RAF are also required to fly the aircraft when it is on civilian charters, then this presumably means that they will have to be provided with an ATPL.

What? This old thing....
 

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../2/1309217.jpg

I'll assume you've looked up the RAAF for info...but, I think that grey suits them! :ok:

(Sorry about the size. Image wouldn't resize for me)

Er, no ... I don't think he meant that "old thing" at all. The "old thing" is RAAF whilst the opening post is about the RAF. :E

Personally, I don't think that there will be civilian charters as the RAF demand will take up most of their time.

Civil aircrew (who will be sponsored reservists) will also be used on RAF ops but I understand will be kept away from 'dangerous' zones. They will do all the boring day to day stuff....

I can't see that making for a very cohesive team - especially as if the civilian crews are paid the market rate for A330 long-haul pilots then they will be making more than their RAF colleagues.

Why, anyway, would sponsored reservists be kept away from "dangerous zones"? Other reservists carry out front-line jobs. I'd hazard a guess anyway that most of the civilian pilots will be ex-RAF anyway, and therefore potentially still on the reserve list.

And ours don't have the "tailhook" for deck landings :ok:

...We don't have decks....:(

but we're still tied into this bl**dy PFI or Pay for it Indefinitly


Maybe the next Govt should nationalise it.

That's the funniest looking 747 I've ever seen! :E




(Referring to the number on aft section of fuselage)

Does my Boom look big in this? ;)

THe aussie model still looks better than ours!! - Look at that logo!!

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../6/1545604.jpg

Civil aircrew (who will be sponsored reservists)???

That would be FTRS then??? and if they take the Queen's shilling they should go where they are told!!!!!:cool:

No, the mercenaries, sorry 'sponsored reservists' are not under the same conditions as those serving as FTRS.

Yes, I know. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

The markings on the KC-30A are far better looking than the daubings on the side of the FSTA prototype...:yuk:

When will that awful logo be binned - isn't it time the RAF's aircraft had rather more military markings? Like every other country's military aircraft....

I really must pay more attention. I didn't realise there were optional donks available on this platform.:confused:

Is the RAF going for the same package as the RAAF? (Boom + hoses)

I believe that of the fourteen aircraft, some will have the tailhook. Most will have just the hoses though.

Gotcha! :ok:

No, the Rental Air Farce's rented A330MRTTs won't have a boom.

Some will have a centreline hose though.

It has a French registration!!!!!!!!!!

That's because it's still under test conditions before flying to Spain for military mods later next month.

Nice to see the RAF/Air Tanker are using the best engine on the A330...:ok:

The "Air Tanker" with the French registration lacks a certain je ne sais quois.