What aircraft would you like to see in AC service?

[pilatus]

compared to the stream of newer aircraft now coming online the jag international will be outdated!mig29smt2 would be perfect and is capable of turning and burning with any aircraft its manouverability is unbelievable which is why itwas given the name Fulcrum!and its cheaper than the f18 f16 gripen etc with the same capabilities! '>

[pym]

The A-10 is a complete non starter - people would go nuts at the prospect of having an aircraft that used depleted uranium shells. The costs of its weapons would be prohibitive. And it would be a grossly overpriced clay pigeon to any aircraft that met it - i.e. we still wouldnt have anything near capable of an intercept.

What would I suggest? Well this potenital solution has been doing the rounds for an eternity, not that anyones listened. Either the Mako, Mig AT, F/T - 50... insert your modern advanced trainer capable of carrying AA missiles and travelling at transonic speeds here.

[Buran]

Turkey
maybe you could explain how an indian licence build jaguar that dates back to 1979 is that much of an advance over the original UK/French build that dates from the ..70s?

as to the Mig29
how would that fare in terms of spare parts availability?
where would they be overhauled (and dont say baldonnel)?
how would the IAA be in terms of certifying something like that?
or am i just thinking too practical

[IAS]

Do the IAA really certify military aircraft?

IAS

[Dublin Spotter]

I honestly taught that the IAA only certify civil aircraft once they have either beed approved FAA or the EU equivlant. I have never heard of a military aircraft being certified by the IAA (Once the aircraft was still in full military build, I do not mean old aircraft purchased and de-militarisied).

[Turkey]

The IAA have frig all to do with certifying military aircrafts.
I certainly do think that Jag internationals that appear to be still in production do represent a better deal then aircrafts which were built in the '70's
And yes it is a touch out of date compared to a F-22, but I do not think we need a F-22.
And as for the  Mig 29's, personally I would not be in favour of them, but to say that they could not be maintained in Bal' is just plain stupid.
The people in Bal' have managed quite well since 1922 with all kinds of odd and ends, given the training parts and money, there is no reason at all why they should not be able to look after FJ's

[Buran]

ive no idea if the IAA have anything to do with it or not
if not, substitute the head honchos in the dept of defence or whoever

about Mig29s being overhauled in baldonnel
ok it COULD be done in baldonnel, like we could launch a mission to mars from baldonnel too, but
the investment required would make it nonsensical
again, im no expert, but ive read on this board that the dauphins were overhauled elsewhere.
why? because it doesnt make sense to tool up a small outfit like the air corps to do it
but even if we did want to maintain some capability in the don, these aircraft were designed with a total different philosophy than western aircraft. so who would do the training? do someone like honeywell offer a complete refit of the avionics? if not, where do we send the LRUs when they fail tests? etc
im just saying if its not typically feasible for a western airline to operate eastern airliners for all of these reasons
then it stands to reason that its probably not that feasible with military aircraft
i know examples do contradict this, but these usually include large numbers of aircraft where the manufacturer wants to get a foot in the western world and would generally back it up with great support. i dont think a handful of aircraft to the air corps would really be worth it from the manufacturers point of view.
sure the aircorps dont even have the space to house the aircraft they have now, right? they would need new hangars for fast jets, let alone new maintenance facilities

[Guinness]

Quote (Buran @ 16 Nov. 2004,04:51)

ive no idea if the IAA have anything to do with it or not if not, substitute the head honchos in the dept of defence or whoever about Mig29s being overhauled in baldonnel ok it COULD be done in baldonnel, like we could launch a mission to mars from baldonnel too, but the investment required would make it nonsensical again, im no expert, but ive read on this board that the dauphins were overhauled elsewhere. why? because it doesnt make sense to tool up a small outfit like the air corps to do it but even if we did want to maintain some capability in the don, these aircraft were designed with a total different philosophy than western aircraft. so who would do the training? do someone like honeywell offer a complete refit of the avionics? if not, where do we send the LRUs when they fail tests? etc im just saying if its not typically feasible for a western airline to operate eastern airliners for all of these reasons then it stands to reason that its probably not that feasible with military aircraft i know examples do contradict this, but these usually include large numbers of aircraft where the manufacturer wants to get a foot in the western world and would generally back it up with great support. i dont think a handful of aircraft to the air corps would really be worth it from the manufacturers point of view. sure the aircorps dont even have the space to house the aircraft they have now, right? they would need new hangars for fast jets, let alone new maintenance facilities

Quote

im just saying if its not typically feasible for a western airline to operate eastern airliners for all of these reasons

What about the GAF.

They where oh so happy to lay their hands on a few dozen.

And budget for maintainin' '>?

What about all these African countries like Ethiopia who operates the MiG 29??

Guinness

[Turkey]

Apart from the fact that the Mig-29 is, at best a second rate aircraft, by western standards, and is amongst the last things I would like to see in IAC colours.....................:
I am pretty sure that the Dauphins have been overhauled in Bal', I am sure I have seen them stripped to 'bare bones in the hangers there, as I have seen A111's, Marchetties, Vampires, Chipmunks,Hunting Provests, I dimly, probally long before many of you were born remember seeing a Spitfire fuslage sitting on wooden trestles as a gang worked on it, ja**s  I must have been less then 6 at the time.
Mind you, the semi dismantled Casa, I seen about 2 years ago was a suprise to even me.
The recent series of rush overhauls given to the A111 fleet in Marsaille were not a reflection on the IAc 's abilities, but rather something very common amongst military avaition services; a 'need for speed'.
I cannot see any problem with the Irish Air Corps operating and maintaining FJ's since almost every 3rd world s**t-hole is doing so.
I do not mean to cause offence but,IMHO,comments about the likelyhood, or not, of the IAC launching missions to mars are, irrelavent, immature, and quite frankly; bloody stupid.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
Forget fast jets.It will never happen.For a real, useful fleet,try the following:  A Casa 212 or Shorts Sherpa for light cargo and para ops.....A couple of Cessna Caravans for patrol/para/light cargo/soft-runway operations....six single-seat Hawks for armed defence( they could intercept any airliner, are missile-capable and are very mission-flexible)......a pair of EC135s for the Navy, on a reactivated heli-deck......a light, composite-structure, turbine-powered aircraft as a flight screener/basic trainer,six of.......a down-the-line replacement for the Casa 235s......the transfer of the Garda helicopters to the Gardai and the voluntary transfer of associated personnel......AB139s painted green and operated by the Army and not centred in Baldonnel.....the best of the Dauphins stripped of excess weight and cleaned up and refitted as a permanent VIP flight....sell off 240(it's well overdue to be sold before it becomes a complete junkheap) and buy three new-build C-90s for use as multi-engine trainers/light transport/light cargo.....sell the Marchettis, Alouettes, Gazelle, Dauphins while they're still worth something.........have I missed anything?...oh,yes. Buy a few Mig-29s from the Ethiopians and hide the cost in the foreign aid budget.Even the Don can't make a bags of a Mig.
regards
GttC

[Guinness]

GoneToTheCanner for GOC !!!!!!!

Well done GTTC.

I like the plan.
Maybe switch the Hawks for Alpha-Jets but on the other hand.... :'>

Guinness

[Imshi-Yallah]

bah hawks for air defence,

Rotary wing: NH90 and Tiger or A129CBT for o/seas support

Fixed wing: CN235 TT or C295 TT

[FiannaFail]

A few F18s should ripe open the sky a wee bit!
FiannaFail

[FMolloy]

Where's the jets you were promising us FF?

[Bitch]

The former IAC Sk 61 257 which was on the "military Reg" has just been re-certified by IAA and now back on the civvy reg EI-CXS flying SAR from Sligo, both mother and baby are doing fine. '>