Messages

1

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: November 14, 2008, 01:20:48 pm »

Agree with Buran, and with the White Paper and decision to move towards a proper military capability rather the utility/ATCP role for the IAC pretty much everything had to go. 

Incidentally there are now several videos on the ex-IAC Dauphins available to view on You-Tube.  And when you consider the transport costs and time and effort involved in getting them to the USA, then a fair price probably was paid.  Even keeping the last 1 or 2 Dauphine going for the last few months was excessive for what they gave you.

Seems like the rest of the free world agrees with me,

2

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: February 07, 2008, 11:52:55 am »

... of course upgrading extends the life.....

Upgrading avionics tends not to extend structural life limits.
Nothing wrong with there structure, the avionics were the problem

...A 1975 Ferrari, will out perform a 2008 S2000...

On a once around a track maybe. But will it out perform an S2000 on a trip from here to the south of france? How many clutches do you think you would need replaced?
One the one that was in the car unless you cannot drive, and if you cannot drive you will also burn out he clutch in the S2000 except you will burn it out quicker then the ferrari, an older car you will find has a much more robust clutch then a new car


Old does not mean useless. This is quite true.
But old usually means more expensive to maintain. And having a fleet with a few of this and a few of that increases your operating costs. So at some point you say "screw it, lets just sell the old ones and be done with it".

Yes it can be more expensive, depending on how it is maintained, if it is maintained well the cost should be no different.

3

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: January 23, 2008, 10:54:11 am »

To upgrade the dauphin avionics to modern standards, was going to cost 1.5m per aircraft. This would not have extended the service life of the 22 year old machines.

Eh How did you come up with that idea, of course upgrading extends the life. plus stripping the aircraft down would have extended the life of the craft, demonstrated by Rotorleasing in the work they did on the aircraft.. Just because something is old does not mean it is useless or of no use, or does not perform to the ability of newer machinery, in flying in Ireland iT stated the SA air force had to buy two different types of helicopter to carry out the role previously done by the A111. A 1975 Ferrari, will out perform a 2008 S2000, 33 years in age difference yet the technology in the S2000 is far more complex then the Ferrari. You can buy a car with all the electronics you want, sat Nav, Blue tooth or the new Zigby, Intelligent Indicators etc or you can can buy a Tata or Renault Logan, wind up windows, a radio and as cheap as chips, both get you from A to B.
Same principal for an aircraft, hence why you see, S61's built in the seventies still going strong and as are C130's and that is  why you will see the Irish Dauphin around for many more years, but in someones else hands.

4

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: January 20, 2008, 10:37:43 pm »

I agree something is only worth what so someone is prepared to pay for it, but you still do not have to sell if you do not need too and we did not need to sell them. Just because something is old does not mean it is useless, it has been said many's a time that they should have been stripped of the expensive electronics and a use could have been found for them or give them to another state agency i.e the Navy. Or re-equip them yourself and sell them on like rotoleasing is doing. But they should have been kept with the EC 135 and the six AW139's not instead of one of them, that would have given the Air Corp 12, decent helicopters for a multiude of tasks. But that is my humble opinion.

5

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: January 16, 2008, 10:10:35 pm »

Thanks Joe for the explanation  and yeah I did indeed know the Dauphin is a french aircraft, but i did'nt know the rest. My point been and I have read many threads both here and IMO about it is, did we get what they were worth and I personnally think no, should we have sold them again I think No. I have read all the prices been knocked about stripping them, giving them to the Navy, upgrading the electronics but as someone pointed out none of this could have happened as they were seen as a mistake in purchase. Shortfinals, I am implying that the work carried out on the aircraft could have possibly have been done here and I am asking why did we HAVE to sell them, when we clearly did'nt have to as the money received for them was basically peanuts.
We have no problem storing voting machines.

6

Irish Air Corps / Re: Anyone recognise this heli?

« on: January 16, 2008, 03:26:52 pm »

Its now for sale at 1m3 USD, major mistake from the Civil servants, who got a pay rise last year for such fine decisions

7

Irish Air Corps / Re: AIII's

« on: January 13, 2008, 08:42:07 pm »

My guess would be c.€30 - €50k each...

Would they sell them individually or would who ever offers to buy them all get preference.. Because at around 30k+ each they migth not be a bad price .

8

Irish Air Corps / Re: AIII's

« on: January 13, 2008, 07:37:43 pm »

I know a very stupid question, but just for reference sake. I read(I think) the four Dauphins were sold for less they 500k. How much would one A111 go for? at a guess.

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Irish Air Corps / BAL visitor 11/10/07

« on: October 17, 2007, 01:53:09 pm »

Quote (Badger @ 16 Oct. 2007,07:13)

That KingAir was the blue calibration one. http://www.irishairpics.com/database/photo/1006302/

It was also in Shannon Monday morning.

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Irish Air Corps / Alouette retirement

« on: October 03, 2007, 08:52:58 am »

Quote (202 @ 01 Oct. 2007,16:31)

Michael B, there was a TV crew from TV 3 there, not sure  what footage was actually broadcast. As a previous poster said there were letters from An tUachtarain and An Taoiseach prominently displayed at the event. In addition some weeks earlier an AIII had been assigned a MATs tasking, the last to be undertaken by an AIII. By sheer coincidence the Minister in question was Minister O'Cuiv whose grandfather President De Valera had been one of the first Irish public representatives to fly in an AIII in 1964. The Minister posed for some pictures with the crew. These pictures were also on display on the occasion and are now part of the Air Corps archive.

There was quite an extensive bit on TV3 News, with interviews with new and Old pilots, aerial shots and shots from inside the hanger and aircraft.

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Irish Air Corps / What next aircraft?

« on: August 09, 2007, 03:28:07 pm »

I have been reading with interest and maybe I am been stupid here, but we are the most western island facing the Atlantic and we have considerable air traffic over our island, we should be able to deploy jets to any incident in that region. If we do not see the need for them, why did we buy the PC 9's what  warranted the expense of these expensive trainers and what are there roles, training for what? On the transport aircraft I can see requirement as long as they could double up the casa's for dual roles, but what exactly can a C 239 carry and how good is it to transport equipment, it does not look like it can carry an awful lot, more helicopters yes but why buy brand new, second hand or nearly new would do just fine. Did'nt the RAF take over 5 Merlins from the Danish airforce, could we not do something similar with Pumas or something similar. Cessna's should have been replaced a long time ago with some medium range twin engined aircraft. But before you think about new aircraft, the AC needs its house in order, and uses what it actually has. I think I read somewhere a comment from Dermot Earley, that he was not sure what the AC do to assist the state unlike the army or Naval service who do there bit etc. My impression as a Jo Soap, is the AC is a  9-5, 5 day a week flying social club. I may be miles off but I do not think I am. Buy second hand, yes some risks, but not a lot and you get more for your buck, but before you even thinking about buying a new Tyre, sort the staff levels out , make shifts, off site training, foreign training and be a 24 hour 7 day a week force like other air corps around the world.

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Irish Air Corps / Alouette 3

« on: July 30, 2007, 10:12:49 am »

There was an A3 flying over the Corrib on Saturday and Sunday, in Air Corp grey but it did not seem to have the Tricolour on it. Was this a private one?

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Irish Air Corps / Sea King over Galway

« on: August 26, 2006, 12:13:25 pm »

I Spotted this also, but just thought the old eyesight was playing up. Fantastic looking

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Irish Air Corps / Salthill Air Show 2006

« on: June 23, 2006, 03:12:29 pm »

I might be totally nuts here, but I have just seen what looks like an AB139 in green with a small tricolour over the side door flying over Galway, I am not joking either.

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Irish Air Corps / AB139 Pics

« on: April 07, 2006, 09:59:43 am »

Cheers Sealion.