finner air station

[SousaTeuszii]

The Graveyard is over 1/2 a mile away and south of the centreline. Of more concern would be the high ground west of the airfield but this is only a problem if considering IF approaches. As EIFR is already about 400m a 300m extension would allow PC 9Ms (352m Ground Roll), C208s (416m) and pc12s (670m just!!)) to land there.
As for allowing AAA or AG firing there it will never happen. The area is to populated and you would never fit in a range template without covering populated land. A better idea would be to purchase a west coast island, face the template into the prevailing wind out to sea and give it socks.
The aircraft could still be based at EIFR allowing security for all aircraft and weapons while having a short transit time to the area. While EIFR has no IF approaches there are plenty of local civil airfields to allow for diversions for bad Wx secenarios.
Just a suggestion but I dont think it will happen. That might be confused with forward thinking

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Souza
What would be the ground roll of loaded PC-9s,etc.? Betcha it's more than 400m.I'd hate to have to try and squeeze a PC-9 into Finner with Carrickfin only a few minutes flying time away, with much better facilities.
regards
GttC

[Fouga]

Quote (sealion @ 10 Dec. 2005,05:42)

I can see it now. Cessna 172 crashes at the end of finner runway, 4 survivers, and 300 bodies recovered...

'>  Classic!

BTW what about Ramp area's etc?

Nobody thought about that did they?

[SousaTeuszii]

Hi GttC,
As in the post the Pilatus figure is 352m. Yes, very tight thats why I suggest a 300m extension. I agree that EIDL is better equipped but if we want to utilise and improve military airfields money needs to be spent, if not lets sell Baldonnel to the civies. Last man out pull the gate

[pilatus]

theres no real ramp as such theres just a small space in front of the hangar were the choppers used to sit and if they wernt there the fire truck and a couple of jeeps sat there!but there is alot of land about!the runway could easily be made operational again and extending the runway wouldnt cost that much!

[The Blue Max]

Hello Folks,

Done a bit of research there a few reasons why IAC could realistically not use Carrickfin mainly still because of internal security issues which many people still think is non existant which was this proven this week with the discovery that the subversives are still readily produce Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the state. This disproves that image that that the subversive threat has dissapeared and shows it would be more safe to keep operation in a more military secure area as the camp in finner instead of having forward deployed security assests as you would need if you were to base aircraft in a civil airport like Cearrickfin cause it mean that if the PC-9Ms were to operate from there armanents would have to be based in finner which would create more logistics problems etc.. So Personnally it would make more sense to update Fiiner Air Station extend the runway by bout 450metres to allow a full range of aircraft to utilize it i.e Future IAC aircraft C27J,Cessna Caravan etc...
it would also allow the Pilatus PC-9M to operate missions from the field there, along with the Casa CN235s could also land there if required i would suggest enlarging the ramp which wont cost that much to allow proper operations to continue instead of creating more logistical/security headaches for IAC.

[The Blue Max]

Interesting Facts:

Pilatus PC-9M  (Training/Operational Missions)

Take Off Run - 700m
Landing Run - 350m

Cessna Caravan 208  (Target Towing/General Utility Missions)

Take Off Run - 416m
Landing Run - 290m

FUTURE AIRCRTAFT - LOCKHEED MARTIN C27J (Support OPS)

Take Off Run - 640m
Landing Run - 690m

These are just a few possible that could operate from a enhanced Finner Air Station if it was to be upgraded to support future Training/operational missions etc..

[John K]

Blue Max, one thing you're overlooking is who would man the outpost? Jeez! I never looked forward to a posting to Finner and neither did anyone else from Heli Sqn. (Except Franz, but he had a good reason to look forward to Monaghan as well!)that's why the Dauphins spent hardly any time on the Eithne! Donners prefer to do the 9 to 4.30 Monday to Friday, with a little weekend work thrown in, but not away from the 'Smoke' for any more than a couple of days a year!

[pilatus]

the personnel should go to where ever they are posted!its part of the job!military life=you dont know were on the face of this planet were you could be sent tomorrow!thats putting it bluntly!

[Tech Crew]

Pilatus, cop on to yourself!!. Yes, as a member of the military you are subject to orders you don't like and at times have to put up with inconviences due to postings and duties. Nobody denies this. However as a citizen of this state you are still entitled to some form of civil rights. if the Df management were to operate on the basis of your theories there would be a mass exodus to civvy street. A happy worker is a productive worker in the DF or a civvy job. And thats putting it bluntly Comrade Pilatus

I hope you don't work in Hr in your job or God help the company

[pilatus]

i stand by my post!you join the aircorps to fly and if they want to post you in finner for flying duties then that should be that!you shouldnt be allowed to turn around and say wait a minute finner thats like about 150miles up the road!i dont want to go there!it doesnt suit me!its not like your leaving your whole life behind,rotate the units deployed!i dont see what the big deal is!you still keep your civil rights!its not like they dont feed you or deny you toilet facilities or anything!and like on all posts you would get your couple of days of so you could go home or do want you want during those days!

[Tech Crew]

Pilatus

You have not stood by your original post. You are now talking about rotating crews which funnily enough is what we always used to do. Oh by the way thanks for the permission to do what i want on my days off!!.  You're starting to get soft now!!

As for not feeding you i'm sure most of the lads who did Finner over the years preferred not to be fed by the army chefs(?) some of the time.
 '>  '>

I never said that i didn't want to go anywere. During my service i was probably deployed to every barracks in the country at some time or other and never had a problem with it. I do have a problem with your un informed attitude.

[RMR]

My aul lad was telling me that one time they went down there they didnt get fed at all they had to send one of their lads in to comandere the cook house !!!! Another time they spent the week there,he wasnt to happy bout that could've been worse as another time somewhere near dun ri they slept on a hanger flor  

[The Blue Max]

I have to laugh never have i seen so much anger given in peacetime by spectators about an Irish Air Corps Air Station, Calm Down Lads I think yous are slightly steering off the point off possible deployments/redeployments to Finner Air Station refer to rumours I heard over the last few months if Gormanstown was to be sold that the Air To Ground/Ground To Air range be locted in Finner that it would be as per it was in Gormanstown with Annual Shoot For Air Defence Regiment Assets and the Air To Ground shoots of Air Corps which are hrld throughout the year etc... I did mean to specilate that the IAC would perminatly redeploy to Finner, it would only be for short training periods etc.. (Aswell in info i heard about all this possible move ''If it Ever Happens'' that Air Corps pilots would be more than happy to operate from Finner as it provide some with new surroundings ( i.e For Training Situations) aswell as more Flying Time, So there no need for arguments wheter IAC personnel would locate there or not the simple answer seems to be YES if told thats were there going to be operating from i.e for Air To Ground Shoots (with PC-9Ms etc..) or if assiting the Army ADR  with their training shoots.

[John K]

Very well put, Tech Crew! That remark about HR had me laugh out loud! "Get your ar5e up to Finner!"
A couple of days weren't too bad but a couple of times the weather was too bad to get back after the week and the despondancy at not getting home was awful!
Don't forget, Pilatus, most of the lads who do the aircraft servicing are in their late teens-early twenties, so they have other interests (ie GIRLS/MOTORBIKES, etc) and to drag them away from the loves of their lives for more than a couple of days is hell!
Yes the pilots liked it being cosseted in the Officers Mess, but while they're having their evening meal we'd be putting the aircraft to bed-I was there before and after the hangar was built.
I do have some good memories, though. Running across the square in the early hours of St. Stephens day after a very long Christmas evening drinking in the mess, with a cold cooked turkey under my arm! We lived off that for the rest of the week! I often wonder who got the blame for nicking the St. Stephens day dinner! Surely it wouldn't be those nice, quiet Air Corps lads? Luckily we did a lot of flying that day so they couldn't ask! I had dinner in Rockhill!
When we got the new accomodation I was up there for the week with my old mate (who's now an RSM!) I was sitting in the little boys room having my 1/2 hrs peace and quiet, I heard the door open into the ablutions room but thought someone was going to have a shower. A few seconds later I heard what sounded like a strike of a match, then a thunderflash slid under the door, and a laughing sound dissappearing out of the room! BANG, I could hear tiles falling off the walls!
Ahhh, those were the days!