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Author Topic: Agusta A109M  (Read 2535 times)

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Offline alpha foxtrot 07

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« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2004, 01:43:38 am »
fouga
i hate to rain on your parade but the callsign 'dustoff' doesn't come from the departure you talked about. the first medivac chopper the US army lost in vietnam went by the callsign dustoff, the name stuck for that role. you know how the americans are about nameing stuff after dead people.
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Offline Silver

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« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2003, 03:48:10 pm »
IAS, that's what I initially though he meant - but the AC have always (since 1963) operated only helis and fixed wing  '<img'>

If Blackhawks are on the way, it's brilliant news - long overdue ! (For the record, I don't think scorpy is 'doing a FF').

Good idea Bailer - would be great to see naval ops going again !

clan,
I think I've heard that 109 also - boy is it loud !!

Scorpions and Spartans for the price of a Mondeo '<img'>???
When was this ? Why didn't the Army take 30 or 40 of them (even to put 20 in storage) ?
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Offline Guinness

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« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2004, 01:12:07 pm »
AF 07,

If the yankees like to name stuff after dead people.............

Isn't it time for a George W. Bush airport then?  '<img'>

Guinness
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Fouga

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« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2004, 01:06:22 am »
I know and thanks for replying but im just saying what i know, thats what they were using, they were going low due to bad weather.
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Offline alpha foxtrot 07

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« Reply #19 on: January 04, 2004, 05:16:27 pm »
George snr and jnr aren't pushen up daisys yet so know airport
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Offline Silver

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« Reply #20 on: December 24, 2003, 02:21:13 pm »
It would seem, from the Irish Independent article in the 'Air Corps News' section, that the Air Corps still want the Augusta A109M to replace the current light heli fleet ?

It would certaintly be a good choice as it would also allow the option for naval heli ops to return.
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Offline Silver

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« Reply #21 on: December 24, 2003, 07:00:03 pm »
Agusta A109M.





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« Reply #22 on: December 24, 2003, 11:05:41 pm »
Silver,

as I mentioned before..... there's a rumour that the Belgian Army want to sell a few as of cutbacks.

Maybe the IAC are looking into those choppers.

Guinness
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Offline Silver

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« Reply #23 on: December 24, 2003, 11:11:57 pm »
Guinness,

Any idea how old those A109's are (low hours?) ?
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« Reply #24 on: December 24, 2003, 11:15:17 pm »
Silver,

the Belgians are flying these things for about 8/10 years now.
I can't tell you the hours.

Guinness
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Offline alpha foxtrot 07

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« Reply #25 on: December 25, 2003, 12:31:14 am »
i still think the a109 is a weak military airframe. the USCG use it for its speed, its fast enough to stay with the drug fast boats, but as far as carrying troops, SAR and so forth its not great. i still think they should get something along the lines of the blackhawk, it's so versatile and the corps would have one airframe that can do all the required mission and do them well.
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« Reply #26 on: December 25, 2003, 10:11:02 pm »
AF 07,

the Belgians use them as combat Heli ( anti-tank) and as recon. platform.

for both these tasks the A109 is quite capable.

If the IAC is looking for a hlicopter wich has ALL (!!!) capabilities e.g. SAR, C-SAR, trooptransport, recon. etc. I agree that a platform as the UH-60 will do a better job.

Guinness
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Offline Silver

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« Reply #27 on: December 25, 2003, 10:25:03 pm »
I suspect that the long-term plan is to purchase 5-8 A109's for light utility work, and 5 medium-lift (Cougar?) for TT + SAR etc.
They should go for 8 A109's, as this would allow the possible overseas deployment of 2-3 light helis without leaving the Corps (too!) short of helis for daily ops.

I believe the DoD would not accept the operational costs of the Blackhawk (for example), for everyday on-island taskings.
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Offline alpha foxtrot 07

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« Reply #28 on: December 26, 2003, 07:20:08 pm »
guys the simple fact is that a single airframe fleet is alot cheaper in the long run. everything from the ground up just works better. thats why im a big advocate of the UH-60. it can do all the missions that you can think of.
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Offline IAS

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« Reply #29 on: December 29, 2003, 05:10:32 pm »
Silver, as he was talking at the same time as SAR was discontinued, I thought maybe he meant the AC "to continue to operate". I haven't heard his comments myself, I don't live in Ireland, however, if the AC only operates two types of aircraft, one fixed wing and one rotary wing, then the logic is MATS and Maritime Patrol will also go, then why do we need PC9s, what are they training for, only to fly a chopper (surely a cheaper trainer would suffice - the Italians I see are buying NEW SF260s)?

Blackhawks would be a great/the best multi-role asset, however they are costly both to buy and operate and would seem to go against everything the DoD stands for. I think the only way they, the DoD, could be sold on them is as a replacement for the 3 current types and the proposed medium lifts, but....

IAS



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