Queen's visit to Ireland
 

Anyone know why she arrived on a civilian ARJ and not a 32 Sqn BAE 146?

Maybe Sec State for International Development was using 'em to export another couple of GBP billions worth of "aid" to the dictatorial despots of the world....

Perhaps G-RAJJ was a nostalgic look back to the days of Empire.

Nice observation, handsfree!

But seriously... ?

Irish Link
 

Bae 146-200 G-RAJJ is an appropriate aircraft to carry The Queen over to "The Auld Sod" in that it was on the Irish Register in a former incarnation as EI-CWD operated by Cityjet

There are so many possible reasons that might have played a part in the final choice/decision, too many perhaps to come to grips with.

Perhaps 32 sqdn might have to start give some frequent flyer points or something similar :hmm:

Two possible reasons I can think of :

1 Cost
2 Maybe it was felt that, given the sensitivities of this visit, a british military a/c landing at an Irish base on a non-emergency basis might have been felt inappropriate.

Contrary to press reports, it is not just a few hotheads who are opposed to this visit, although only those few will take direct action. A large part of the population feel that the country cannot afford the €30m+ this and the O'bama jaunt is costing us, with no real pay back apart from journos hotel bar bills (large though these are likely to be); and a significant number are not overly happy with the situation in the six counties even today although they are opposed to a violent resolution.

My thought was how could a one-aircraft company run by an Indian businessman in Birmingham garner such a high profile contract.....

MD

Contrary to the previous post which is clearly a personal opinion, most people are not against the visit as several polls have indicated. Just the usual hotheads, diehards and the occasional anti monarchist. But it's still a free country despite their best efforts to end that

I too was puzzled as to why a 32 Squadron aircraft wasn't used. Again contrary to the above post, British military aircraft routinely visit Baldonnel. Indeed the RAF are frequent visitors to airshows. It's can hardly be considered some kind of offence for an RAF aircraft to turn up carrying the Monarch.

Whatever the reason, it's not that.

In April 1995, following amalgamation with The Queens Flight, the Squadron became No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron.

So who's to blame for the national embarrassment of using a commercial 146 on a state visit, and I mean blame. Any ideas?

(PS. And I'll bet the commercial version doesn't have the odd airframe bulge here and there. Was that factored into the decision?)

Call me cynical in my old age but I guess that it is all part of a deliberate plan......

The bean-counters are thinking ahead, postulating that if HMQ can find alternative transport then so can her children/children-in-law and other miscellaneous Royal hangers-on! It then follows, what is the justification of having a Royal Sqn? (Look what happened to HMY Britannia)..... No justification means that it can be cut OR become the sole play thing of senior ministers and misc. polititians. :ugh:

The more likely scenario was that all the EW gizmos (chaff/flares) , DASS etc. were not needed and that a bog standard 146 would do well enough. This would allow the the other ac (doing other jobs in AFG or other dangerous places) to do the less glamorous work of 32 Sqn when they are not always in the public's eye. :ok:

MB

I must say I appreciate the way the Queen travels.

Wish Barry would take notes!

Nice to see your post Corsair, expressed in the usual good sense that we always expect from your offerings.

MidlandDeltic, we know Ireland is skint so I suppose you have a point on cost grounds, but no other, surely. There comes a time when you have to accept where the situation is, and just move on.

Btw, re O'bama (as referred to in your post), would he be one of the Connemara O'bamas? ;)

TT, much speculation about wrt our dearest Barry, so could well be :)

He has more aircraft and personnel for his personal travel alone than the RAF.
(not a dig at the RAF)

Anyhoo, back to HM.

I expect Air Miles Andy is using the family jet ....

Possible reasons:

She wouldn't remove her hat for a bone dome to arrive by Hawk?

Wills is on his honeymoon and she did not trust anyone else to winch her down onto the tarmac?

No longer red tailed, but very smart. :ok:

RAF - 32 Squadron

Not that colour scheme for some years, probably for just that reason.

I would have thought an aircraft landing in the RoI with the Queen aboard would need all the DASS they could bolt onto it? Unless they though a nondescript-looking civvy paint job was enough to give them the slip?

You really wouldn't need much in aircraft recognition skills to work out that the Queen was due into a quiet military airfield around 12. All the spotters knew and were lurking nearby, cameras and notebooks at the ready. In any case the dissidents don't have missiles, Gadaffi being otherwise occupied.

She wasn't in any danger at all. Even my friend, dissident though he is, (yes I have an terrorist friend, funny country this), thought the protestors were a bunch of thugs. He's old school, after all.

The security is heavy handed and fascistic. There is more good will towards the Queen than ill.

It's been an interesting few days.

I too was surprised to see a civvie 146 arrive. I thought they would use a 32 Sqn machine with all the bells and whistles on to put off any unwanted stingers!!
I believe the reason is that the Royals now have to fork out for they're own transport. Interesting to see what Heli turns up this morning to take her to Cashel (She's been travelling by road so far). Maybe they'll use one of our own AW-139's??
Interestingly, David Cameron turned up in a 32Sqn 125 on Wednesday as his privately hired one (G-IFTE) had gone U/S. Must not have been too bad as it came down the glideslope not ten minutes later to relieve the RAF machine!!

With regards to British military aircraft landing at Bal, we often get them. Linton have they're annual piss u......I mean Nav-ex into here and we get the odd Army Gazzelle, RN Seaking, Merlin, Big Yellow Valley bird.



Cheers,
BW