BEags,

Thanks for recounting the ridiculous story. But, I'm sorry it can't possibly be true. It sounds like a complete disaster and I simply can't believe THAT could happen.

If that was the case it could fly AT routes with Pax then ?

I wonder why they put all those seats inside then and converted the hold to take Militay Cargo pallets ?

Anyway back on target any news on the nose landing gear issue that started this thread.........:O

There is one major supplier of L1011 spares in the US, they have pretty much all the new parts and those taken off retiring Tristar. In other words the RAF has to deal with a monopoly who can charge pretty much what they want for certificated parts. They know that the L1011 is stuck in service for a few more years and the RAF can't shop around for spares too much.

Sounds to me the RAF didn't like the sound of the price for a replacement landing gear is casting around in a desperate attempt to find an alternative.

Blue Bottle. Holds converted to take military cargo pallets for when the aircraft is used for the strategic part of the hub and spoke system the pallet can be transferred straight to the other types of aircraft in the RAF AT fleet without the labour intensive need to strip pallets and then rebuild them on another type thus speeding up the process of delivering equipment to its final destination.

So it can't tank yet but was contracted to fly passengers as a further role, why is it not taking said passengers on normal AT routes yet if it's sitting in a hanger on base and was due to be in service in Oct last year. Must be some bigger issues than just refuelling.

If it's anything like any other 'airline' introduction to flying Airbus, there's normally quite some delay due to the old farts with their 'but on the Vickers Vimy/Sunderland/Vulcan/VC10/TriStar we always did it THIS way' being told to f* off in fine pitch by Airbus, who actually know how the aircraft works...:ugh:

Fedaykin simply not true, I have three engines and reversers available, I even have a whole aircraft available and I am based in Scotland and not the states, the A/C is not in the states either.:ok:

Well that'll certainly help with the NLG problem then..:rolleyes:

Have a whole shipset available, just waiting for the call:ok:

The Cambridge mob have the contract, and they wanted a single source. Mr T sold himself very well and then died. All neatly sown up so the MoD get well stitched.