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  • #16
    It is impossible to maintain a CASA in the air 24/7 and/or on call with only 2 aircraft.... a civvy company couldn't do that (safely).

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    • #17
      well today say one casa is out of action in Kerry thank all crew are OK that leaves one aircraft operational is this not a bit much ??

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      • #18
        Hi there,
        You should be able to get a minimum of 8 hrs/day out of a Casa, if you wanted to. This is the international average for airliners, which the Casa should easily be able to achieve.
        regards
        GttC

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        • #19
          Originally posted by easyrider View Post

          The aircraft are based at Inverness Airport and responsibility for providing aircrew and maintenance is contracted out to Highland Airways.
          Who entered into Administration on 24 March 2010.

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          • #20
            It is impossible to maintain a CASA in the air 24/7 and/or on call with only 2 aircraft.... a civvy company couldn't do that (safely).
            And right there is the reason that the Air Corps is the way it is!

            Of course its possible to safely have a 24/7 standby 365 a year and fly at least one patrol per day with 2 aircraft. The fact that the Air Corps cant and uses excuses such as the above is testament to how mis managed and behind the times it is.

            PS The Garda currently have 24/7 on call and fly every day (Safely), whats the magic.

            1. The drive from above to do so.

            2. A maintainance system thats allows them to and

            3. People above them barking if they dont.

            Even this semi civviy organisation can do it because they dont except the useless hard luck story that permeates the Air Corps.
            Frankly, I dont care, Im just an outside observer. If it falls apart because of the prevailing poor mouthing culture thats their own fault, dont blame anybody else (as usual).

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            • #21
              Tadpole is hitting the nail on the head. Its the attitude, lack of committment , lack of accountability of the officer corps in general. Why, its a jobs for the boys or girls syndrome, old civil service mentality, that is more concerned with cushy numbers overseas , getting the kids , officer cadets( university fees paid by the taxpayers and getting out of that main gate as early as possible evey evening. The occasional 24 duty that justifies everything. Military effectiveness , patriotism , committment with a few exceptions not there. Try to act like a soldier and u are put down as a warlord, rambo type. This of course is influenced by national and political attitudes to the non creation of an effective military force.
              I have seen it as a serving soldier many years ago but also when I meet the genrlemen overseas on their cushy numbers particularly when they do not know that I am an ex PDF.

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              • #22
                Hi there,
                It's easy to blame only officers but they are not the only ones at fault. No shortage of lead-swingers in the enlisted ranks, either.From my experience, the Don in the 80s/90s was professional-by-happy-accident rather than professional by design. There were fundamental flaws in training, equipment, hangarage, tools, vehicles, schooling of apprentices, duty cycles of technicians and a whole pile of other things. It's infinitely better these days, in so many ways, but there's still, to my mind, a shortfall in attitude in places. Some of it is related to the DF, others to institutional attitudes.
                Incidentally, when I read histories of the place, they tend to gloss over the unpleasant news and avoid controversy.
                regards
                GttC

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                • #23
                  The Air Corps operate an a very laid back and go slow mantra at Baldonnel from my experiences from past visits to the base and talking to personnel there. Having served as a soldier in the army years back I was amazed at the contrast in even the basic things such as smartness and discipline on show at Casement compared to what one would see in say Cathal Brugha Barracks during my first visit to the place.

                  There was very little military pretext to the service - uniforms were tatty and un-ironed in a lot of cases, Officers were barely saluted, Flight crew strutted around the ramp doing their best Tom Cruise imitations yet at the same time seemed to have inferiority complexes, technicians were spending as much time tinkering with their cars and even on a few boats as they were on aircraft in some cases. A lot of emphasis seemed to be put on the lunch break.

                  Although I am sure there are those that work hard and push for improvements the overall impression one got was that it was a cushy number and most personnel seemed to be very aware of the fact - I remember one guy admitting that if someone actually wanted to work they should go and join the RAF... It was what I would imagine a flight school with associated maintenance support would be like if it was run by the civil service.

                  That said their was a good vibe about the place and people were well informed when it came to their jobs. I have to say I am positively suprised the Casa's actually hit the 250 missions a year mark from everything I have seen though.

                  The Air Corps is a service that does need a big change in work ethic and practice in my opinion.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Helihead View Post
                    Tadpole, you have pretty much hit the nail on the head. Top cover will be the next one to be contracted out, as of now that isn't available 24/7 365.
                    What other nation in the world is able to operate top cover over an area of sea the size of ours (in addition to various other operational taskings) with 2 aircraft? 2 Casas in the entire country is the real disgrace here.
                    "Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied."

                    Otto Von Bismark

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                    • #25
                      i remember seeing the RAF do top cover for us of the west coast and im not going back years .......

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Eddie Dillon View Post
                        What other nation in the world is able to operate top cover over an area of sea the size of ours (in addition to various other operational taskings) with 2 aircraft? 2 Casas in the entire country is the real disgrace here.
                        Is the cover the AC providing with 2 aircraft even near adequate?

                        New Zealand has an area just under 4 times that of Ireland.

                        They have 6 P3-K Orions doing the job
                        "The Question is not: how far you will take this? The Question is do you possess the constitution to go as far as is needed?"

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                        • #27
                          disgraceful to be honest 2 planes 8 ships for maritime work but a shxt load of mo-wags and RG32s coming we should be looking after our interest at home first. lets get it right at here before we go rushing of to help other ?..........

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                          • #28
                            Its very, very simple. Use what you have properly before whining that you don't have enough.

                            The disgrace here is that the 2 that the Air Corps have are completely under utilised so how under utilised would a fleet of 3/4/5/6 be. Cop on, until the AC get their act in order they shouldn't get anything more.

                            As for this:
                            disgraceful to be honest 2 planes 8 ships for maritime work but a shxt load of mo-wags and RG32s coming we should be looking after our interest at home first. lets get it right at here before we go rushing of to help other ?..........
                            Do you actually realise that 1 139 is equivalent to 12 Mowags. Yet 6 AB139s, 8 PC-9Ms, 2 EC 135s, a Learjet and 2 midlife upgrades on the CASAs have gone into the AC in recent years. Lets see thats about 170 Mowags worth of investment that in general sits in a hanger most of its life. Well worth the DFs hard earned budget!!!

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                            • #29
                              Jesus don't tell this to the army plus you never priced a ship in them cost did u run out of money

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by zone 1 View Post
                                i remember seeing the RAF do top cover for us of the west coast and im not going back years .......
                                RAF Nimrods used to Provide Top Cover for long range SAR, however they were all retired at the end of last month.


                                Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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