C 130

[Spook]

Just reading about Austria's new Herc's.They are ex RAF refurbished by marshall's in U.K.They cost appox E10m for 3 and will be used for EU RRf and humanitarian missions.They should be good for 20 years.This would seem to be a great example to follow,the need is there for an irish airlift capability EU /Un missions.There are a number still stored with marshall's 10+, they would take the transport mission from the casa's.
Just an idea lad's
Comment's please

[Silver]

€10 million for 3 ?

Sounds like a bargain to me !
I agree, would be an ideal solution for our transport needs.
Put's Bertie's €60million jet in the shade !

[EagleEye]

Could we not buy 4 and convert one to VIP standard or would this possible with this type of Aircraft..

[Come-quickly]

We'd need to have a reserve aircraft that means to have one or at best two inb the air one would have to be on the ground at any time for maintenance, beside a VIP herc makes about as much sense as being a neutral country with no self defence capacity

[yooklid]

Hmmm... could we buy someone else's surplus and have them refitted to our own standard?

[Turkey]

Converting a C-130 for VIP use, sounds a bit like the bride arriving at the wedding on the back of a tractor.
The truth is that, in reality, we have no use for a co-called VIP aircraft in the Air Corps, by any stretch of the imagination, however we do have need of an aircraft which can be used for what I would call 'speical requirments', as Paul G's example from a while back, the flight of Brian Keenan from leb'.
I see no reason why some kind of a convertion kit can't be made up for this requirment, also for those hospital trips to the UK, and back again, one advantage the C-130 has over fancy ex' jets is it has loads of room.
Also there is the huge ramp, which among other things is ideal for parachute operations, or dropping off political whales like Harney, no parachute required.:D

[John]

You could get a containerised accomodation system and load it onto the plane as required.

[Thorpe]

A vip c130would be ideal for Mary Harney:D :D .
I could see nothing relly wrong with surplus c130s for the air corps as long as they are structurally sound.

[Gunner Al]

i think its a great idea!!

its about time they started spending their money wisely - we need a compromise between price and technology.

[paul g]

Well we also have a president and commander in chief, do we as a nation expect our head of state to fly Ryanair, and only go on state visits on a tuesday? more important is the need for an air ambulance capable of flying patients to the U.K, sick children often require threatment that is only AVAILABLE IN CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE like great ormond street in london. therefore there is a need for a Beechcraft replacement,distinct from any new transports for service overseas, personally buying a beechcraft replacement is fine, its replacing the Gulfstream is another matter . .

[Turkey]

Agreed, Paul, totlly agreed, would a Cessana Caravan fit this role? think one was in Bal' monday.Someone is checking for me.

[Bud Fox]

Get out the begging bowl....

Pass this on to Bertie...i was gona tell him to call Ken (see bottom) & buy the two C130's on finance... but then I saw this. Me thinks that Shannon is worth at least 4 C130's & a few old jets (F16's)...ahh sure just give us everthing you got!! well even take a some of dem ships...


http://www.globalpolicy.org/security...l/afr-arms.htm

The article says "Since 1996, the US has been providing, on a cost-free basis, large quantities of secondhand surplus weapons from its army, navy and air force inventories. But most of the give-aways have to be refurbished, serviced and maintained by the cash-strapped countries"

"The largest number of giveaways was to Botswana, one of the few African nations whose economy is on the upswing. The US equipment included three C-130 transport planes, 261 towed howitzers, and 100,000 rounds of 20 mm ammunition. Additionally, Botswana also purchased 18 secondhand US-made F-5 fighter planes (some of the them transferred from Canada with US permission) at a total cost of some 28 million dollars".

The US also gave away...

4 Lockheed C-130 military transports to Ethiopia
10 Bell helicopters to Ghana.
2 C-130 transports to Zimbabwe, along with seven torpedo launch control panels and 88,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition

**

LOCKHEED HERCULES C-130 AIRCRAFT 20,357.8 Hrs TT
These were former U.S. Airforce Weather Planes. They have low hours, good maintenence, and have been upgraded. They have had airframe heavy checks, they are wing compliant, and have instrument upgrades. These are Rare
aircraft, seldom on the market and must be sold to qualified buyers only.
Please call for full 19 page specifications proposal.
We are currently offering (2) of these aircraft for sale.

.: Proline Sales
KEN MICHAELIS
7339 NW 32nd Ave
33142 - Miami
Florida
USA
Phone : 954434 2294 office 954 274 5401 cell

E-Mail : Prolinemarketing@aol.com
Webpage : http://www.PROLINESALES.net

[Come-quickly]

Don't they need a twin engined replacement to act as a twin trainer for the CASA's?

[Silver]

They probably expect pilots to be trained on one of the CASA's !


Ah, sure, a jet for Bertie (Beech replacment) is more important then training pilots don't you know

[John P Hannon]

I think the C130 will be here when the Lord returns,we had "A" and "E" models,the "A" models lasted twice the time they were supposed to and the "E" kept flying for more than double their original planned time.The R.A.A.F has more modern C130s now and they are a fantastic,we have used them for sea rescues as in a search plane and then drop rafts and supplies etc.One was once used to chase a plane full of drugs so the pilot reckoned his C130 was an 'interceptor'.
Hanno