Future of Alouettes?

[Silver]

I believe the AIII's are to be retired next month.
(Just saw one flying over my place an hour ago actually ... it will be a sight and sound that will be missed in our skies!)

Anyhow, I read over on IMO that only '212' (the one in the museum) is to be retained for preservation?!?  

Would it not be a fitting tribute - to all the years of service to the Air Corps AND to the country - to keep another AIII as an airworthy example to be part of an 'Historic Flight' to go along with the (soon-to-arrive??) Avro Cadet ?!

They can't be worth that much in monetary terms anyway, so retaining an airworthy example would'nt make much of a dent in the finances of the DoD. (I read that the Swiss have been trying to sell some of their AIII for ages without success)

[Fouga]

Thats all fine for a historic flight but as some have said and i totally agree with is the IAC have to move away from the "Nostalgic" and "historic" stuff and concentrate on proper Mil duties they are a Military asset and should be used as a Military asset first and foremost.

[Silver]

The AC is improving - just one look at the new aircraft which have arrived in recent times would tell you that.

However, that doesnt mean that they should do as they have done in the past, i.e. sell off or scrap their withdrawn airframes!

It would be no big deal for them to retain an airworthy AIII as part of the museum collection (with the possibility of future airshow appearances by this AIII).