hmm

[Fouga]

Was anyone else listening to Radio 5 Live around ten to six this evening? Peter Allen read a news item stating that the Swiss Air force are to auction off their (13?) Mirage III jets!! Apparently to highest bidders, but a figure of Sfr3000 or E1900 was mentioned!! Has anyone else heard about this from any other source? What do you reckon? Airworthy? Would the CAA approve? Would anyone be likely to bring one to the UK? Brunty perhaps? Any other big classic jet operators?

JUST SAW THE ABOVE POST ON WWW.AIRSHOWS.CO.UK

[sealion]

I heard before that the main problem with buying former military aircraft(In ireland anyway) is that the Ejector seat is disabled,due to the fact that it contains rockets that could be used for illegal purposes.

[Claudel Hopson]

Nonsense

If military aircraft could not be sold to Ireland with ejection seats how did we get the PC9's.

The Swiss have semi-retired their Mirage 111, BAe Hawks and some Northrop F-5 but they are kept in operational condition by civilian contractors to the Swiss Air Force.

When we were in Pilatus on our courses we were brought into their ground running bunker while they were ground running the aircraft. Very impressive set up and noisy too.

[Imshi-Yallah]

Quote (Claudel Hopson @ 12 Oct. 2004,07:13)

Nonsense If military aircraft could not be sold to Ireland with ejection seats how did we get the PC9's. The Swiss have semi-retired their Mirage 111, BAe Hawks and some Northrop F-5 but they are kept in operational condition by civilian contractors to the Swiss Air Force. When we were in Pilatus on our courses we were brought into their ground running bunker while they were ground running the aircraft. Very impressive set up and noisy too.

Er he means that civilians cant buy ejector seats for ex military aircraft.
Why oh why would we cripple our puny defence budget for obsolescent fighters?