Fouga 216

[Frosty]

Does anyone know who now operates Fouga 216, in the flying club in Cork. It seems in a sorry state. Would anyone have contact details for who is in charge of this aircraft? If you know, could you please send me a Personal Message.

[Silver]

It was loaned to a Cork tech school for avionics training (i.e. it is still owned by the AC), but was not been maintained as agreed, so it was moved to the airport pending a decision on it's future - or so I am led to believe.

They should hurry up and make a decision, before it starts to get rusty !  '>

[John K]

Rusty!!!!!!!don't let Bobby Gallagher hear you say an aircraft is 'Rusty'! You're not an aircraft person, are you Silver? Aluminium alloy 'corrodes'.

[John K]

But it is a very sad state indeed if they've just left 216 there without any thoughts of looking after it.

[Silver]

sorry JK .......'corrodes'  :'>

my background is in the motor trade, so I'm used to 'rusty'  '>

hopefully, the Corps will get 216 back to Bal soon !

[Frosty]

Thanks for that Silver.
It is such a pitty to see 216 falling into such disrepair. If the AC bring it back to Baldonnel, what will happen to it? Will they restore it for static display purposes, scrap it for spares for other projects, or would it be possible for it to be restored to flying condition. Are all the airframe hours used, or was it withdrawn from service before this?

[Silver]

Hi Frosty,

I presume that 216 would be put into storage, as there is already a Fouga in the museum.

Other possible options for Fouga 216 include -

- Use for swop with another museum
- Use as 'gate guardian' at Casement main entrance/carpark, or outside museum when opened to public.  
- Loan to Tech college for avionic studies
- Loan to another Irish museum, e.g. Leitrim and Cavan Railway Society, Dromod, Co. Leitrim (who already have a couple of former IAC aircraft - e.g. Provost, Vampire - and who wish to expand their collection).

There are differing opinions as to whether it would be possible to restore a Fouga to flying condition. Suffice to say it would take a lot of money to do so, something the museum doesn't have in abundance !

Regards,
Silver.

[Taj]

Not every part of the aircraft is made from aluminium.What parts can rust are rusting unfortunately.

[Hi Bypass]

Gentlemen,
on the sorry state of F216 I think I have heard enough.It is obvious to me that now is the time for action.I propose the setting up of a quasi militia type guerrilla group to be called the save 216 brotherhood.Our policies will be somewhere to the right of the all new socialist Fianna Fail party but not quite as far to the right as the armed wing of the legion of Mary.For our first taste of action I propose Christmas Day.We shall meet at Parnell square carrying nothing but copious amounts of WD40, 3in1 oil,wet and dry paper,allodine,allochrome,grey and dayglo orange paint.We shall march in a calm dignified and orderly fashion past the GPO,government buildings,the monasterevin by pass,the Jack Lynch tunnel and on to Cork Airport.After a picnic lunch of flasks of tea and hang sandwiches we shall vigourously set about returning F216 to her rightful former glory!We will de-rust her steel bits! We shall un-corrode her alluminium bits!Then we fly her back to Bal' intime for tea and medals!

Now thats my idea of a day out........

[clan]

Wheres Parnell Square, is in off the Glanmire road?'>

[John K]

OK Taj, I'm with you, Hi Bypass! Get the posse organised and we could push it back up the Naas dualer to Baldonnel!

[sealion]

I was in there earlier,Its no longer at the fenceline...the AN2 is gone also...