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What next for the don a few leonardo m-346fa ????????????????
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Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. -
Nah, it'll be a PC-9Z to replace the Ms. Even the Italians have balked at buying more 346s and have bought warmed-over Siai s-211s.Comment
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The 346-fa look to be a good little aircraft. The FA version i believe has yet to get a launch customer. I believe they are about 30 million per air frame not sure if that is a good or bad priceStrategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.Comment
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Nothing for years to come at this stage. At the most I would guess perhaps some naval rated helicopters if the EPV is to be fully utilised at some stage.Originally posted by madmark View PostComment
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Nothing.
The Air Corps fleet of the 1990s has been completely replaced.
Only a sudden security or environmental crisis will see any major changes to the inventory for the forseeable future.
Helicopter fleet
Eurocopter EC135: Expect to see it in service for another 20 years
Agusta Westland AW139: Same timeline. The EPV deck will be big enough to land one on, when in port, without preparation. Any other use will be someone elses aircraft landing on during overseas RAS or other operations.
Fixed Wing
Pilatus PC9: Only heavy use and too much aerobatics will shorten the lifetime of this type. The Aussies only just decided to upgrade theirs to PC21 having been in service since 1987. 30 years of hot and dusty compared to our cool and relatively dry. I predict 2050.
Casa C295: If the CN235 is being retired having been in service since 1994, one can expect that the 295 will be expected to live on until 2050 also.
Pilatus PC12: We got 40 gentle years from their predecessor, I expect no less from these, whose special avionics will require cosy hangers and plenty of maint downtime.
Lear 45: This is the only unknown. Originally a backup for the VIP transport G4, the G4 was never replaced, and the Lear gets used less and less in a time when unnecessary use can draw vocal criticism from environmentalists and beancounters united. It is fine for the quick hop to the UK or Brussels, but too small for a transatlantic trip, with VIP assistants. Could we see in the future a larger A330 type, set up to be used for a multitude of tasks? Small bizjets are so 1990s. Airliners, with VIP areas are where its at, swap out the seating easily, and deliver the UNIFIL rotations. At a push you could even manage a cargo door and carry some military freight. Imagine it....
And all for a military air arm that has more squadrons than aircraft.For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.Comment
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A more pertinent question to this thread is whether or not the current CN 235 aircraft have any future with the IAC, stripped of MPA equipment in a transport capacity.
Given that we see 40 plus year old P-3 Orions and Atlantiques having their service lives extended beyond 2030, the effects of operations in a saltwater environment are sometimes overstated for well looked after aircraft.Comment
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Of course not. They will be returned to EADS, stripped out, repainted, and conducting freight ops elsewhere before anyone notices they are gone.For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.Comment
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In the hands of a Libyian warlord to go along with his ex Irish Naval vessel .Originally posted by na grohmiti View PostDon't spit in my Bouillabaisse .Comment
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Does anyone have any insight into what's included in the contract, particularly around the Maritime Spec, Palletized, are they going to recycle equipment from the current FITS setup in the -235 ETC..
The Model Aircraft at the contract signing shows a Radome above and below the fuselage... is this representative of the Spec, my understanding that this was an ASW configuration??Comment
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This was the RFP (doesn’t necessarily mean what we are getting)
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You may find this interesting as it directly relates to what you suggested.Originally posted by na grohmiti View Post
In 2015, ST Engineering of Singapore signed an agreement with Airbus and Elbe Flugzeugwerke for the launch of the A320/A321P2F conversion programme.
The A320/A321P2F programme includes two variants – the A320P2F and the larger A321P2F. The A320 and A321 allows bulk cargo or containerised freight to be carried in belly holds, delivering more loading flexibility.
The A320P2F, with 11 main-deck positions, is capable of carrying 21 metric tonnes of payload, while the A321P2F, with 14 main-deck positions, is able to carry up to 27 metric tonnes.
A number of companies have the STC for B737 P2F conversions for under around USD$5m plus donor aircraft so that maybe a guideline for the A320P2F. Airbus offer Additional Center Tank (ACT) Installation in the aft cargo hold on the A320 family thus extending the range. An ex Aer Lingus A320-200 or similar wouldn't be a bad option to consider as a potential P2F conversion as there is scope to contract out the depot level support and sim time locally.Comment
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Cockpit armour, RWR,LWR and MAWS? Excellent if accurate.For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.Comment
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The thing about converting Airbus A320s to freighters has been going on since God was a dog. What has happened,in effect,is that older,larger freighters do the bulkof freight work and ATRs and sundry turboprops do the rest. In that airframe size,B737s dominate the market and right now, it's worth more to scrap an A320 than convert it. They are even talking of scrapping A380s and even A320s as young as 10 years old have been scrapped........as for the potential duration of PC-9 life, the engine is the determining factor as it's not a new model of that engine and is itself a very basic unit. Either they upgrade the engine or they go down the PC-21 road,which is what Pilatus would love. A PC 21 is a generation ahead.Even the PC-12 engine is way ahead of the current PC-9 unit.......... Regarding the PC-12s avionics,they should be fine. Just park the aircraft out of doors like every other PC-12 in the world. If they fail to function in the morning, boot the tech rep out of bed and start tapping the contract off his head until the kit is back in action,which usually involves powering up the aircraft with ground power and getting it heated up. This tends to cure 9 out of 10 morning problems.The overdependence on hangars is a critical failure of the Don,not the aircraft.Comment
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In by-gone days the idea of taking an ex-Aer Lingus A320/A321 could have worked but today Aer Lingus is owned by IAG so the aircraft to be converted would have to sourced on the open market. At the moment the feedstock is very limited due to some issues with B737... However once that clears up the should be A320/A321 available.Originally posted by Anzac View Post
However the P2F conversion removes a lot of what such an aircraft should do in IAC service as part of the conversion process is removing almost everything needed to transport passengers. The forward main deck cargo door is however an attractive addition to an A321. If they would offer a A321PF-Multi-Role-Transport then that would be a good fit. It would need to have capabilities similar to the RNZAF B757, VIP, troop transport and cargo. With an ACT or two it would have the range to fly non-stop from the Don to Beirut. And the price would be that same as a super-mid sized business jet.Comment
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