Has any of this been confirmed? Could be painted for a film for all we know - they painted one in Indian Airlines colours last year.... :ok:

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If you were painting an Airbus for a film, not sure a brand new A321Neo would be your best choice?
(but I've been wrong before)

Then there's the talk of a second ship, G-GBNI, bow ar Finkenwerder

As sensible a choice as some of the suggestions so far....

My point was there seems to be an awful lot of smoke and not much fire. Are the A.321's for 32 sqn, are they replacing the 146's? etc etc

That is indeed a good question!

Post retirement of the 146, No. 32 (The Royal Squadron) would appear to then consist of one helicopter, presumably being renamed The Royal Flight again. The A330 is not a Detachment of 32, but indeed part of the Brize/Airtanker orbat. How the A321 fits with anyone, at a remote location and under Titan’s management is undoubtedly causing some head-scratching at HQ Air.

The rest of Northolt, exempt 1 AIDU, is largely a collection of orphans from Uxbridge needing a home. And the costs are presumably partly subsidised by Heathrow-Lite, the Biz Jet facility.

It’s a conundrum

Why would they keep one helicopter as a 'Royal' Squadron when the Royals either use the S76 based at Odiham or a helicopter chartered from Starspeed at Fairoaks (convenient for Bagshot Park and the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park)?
As I said, I can see the airfield at Northolt being handed to a civilian contractor leaving the north side as an RAF enclave.

Northolt was resurfaced during summer 2019 I think - during Trump's visit, his helicopters were based at Biggin Hill.

They re-clad all 4 hangars at Bovingdon in 1968, then closed the airfield next year because it was too costly. The hangars were then demolished so as to build a prison so maybe that's how Northolt will end up.

Royal and ministerial travel is not a primary role of 32 Sqn; this was provided from 'irreducible spare capacity'. CSAT recapitalisation is, apparently, still in place; although less likely something shiny like a BD7500 or G600 is purchased now the government has access to a A321.

I wonder whether the cheapest way to procure VIP government transport isnt indeed by a charter from the private sector. By committing to a minimum number of hours per year you can secure a reasonable cost, and even get to call the shots on livery if you commit to enough hours. Im guessing that the market is pretty competitive at the moment. Rather like obtaining your car on PCP instead of purchasing it. Avoids the oncost of it being operated within the RAF, maintaining separate airfields, and all the squadron number / Royal flight mumbo jumbo. For those concerned about such important (?) people being flown by "civvies" isnt that the default option anyway?
All seems, for once, remarkably sensible to me.

But could you plaster a big Union Jack along the length of a chartered aircraft? Seems to be the goal, as much as anything.

They were on the earlier of the two flights each day but not the later flight which served dinner on the ground as described and ended with the usual unfriendly reception from JFKs customs officers. I assume the reasoning behind the Shannon pre clearance was to allow passengers to get into Manhattan earlier for business meetings; the later flight arrived in the early evening in time for a dinner meeting or drinks so time spent in JFK was less of an issue.

I really would much rather that you didn't - there's not enough to go round......:=

Jack

So who is using those government flights and couldn't they just book something from Heathrow? What groups are these beyound what the prime minister could use some Netjet or MRTT for?

Did not know that, thanks! :ok:

Netjets are often used by Royals living within 10 - 15 miles of Farnborough.
Basing the A321s there too would avoid the paparazzi.

Back to the original title of this thread, said aircraft ZZ336 just landed at Athens probably to disembark Prince of Wales.

Courtesy of flightradar24, it looks like it's been doing some real work while it's there.....

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....42ce8e6751.png

airsound

I had heard vague rumours about a BBJ order, but pushed back due to both the Defence Review and the MAX scandal

I actually started a thread on this subject about a year ago when I heard a rumour they would be leasing a pair of Airbus A220s which could operate from Northolt.