Visitors

[Stinger]

Maybe the dutch are interested in buying our Sf.260's

[Fouga]

who else operates the Marchettis in Europe?

[Tony Kearns]

Thank you Fouga23 for the correction. I only mentioned it because that was what the pilot told me.
Regards.
Tony K

[Guinness]

Stinger,  

why should we ( the Dutch )be interested.
We fly the PC-7 for basic trainers.

Guinness

[Irish251]

The Italians also (perhaps naturally) operate the SF.260 as a trainer.

[P.Doff]

I mentioned it in another post but a U.S VC-9(the VIP version of the C-9!) visited the Don earlier this week. Nice looking a/c in the same colours as Airforce 1. Have to laugh though the way the pilots and crew dress like M.I.B's with trench coats,dark glasses and the rest!!
Just a point of intrested we may not be seeing anymore visits like this after the summer as the C-9 is in the process of being replaced by the Boeing BBJ (cant remember its mil designation!) and this will be complete by september!
I know the BBJ can land here but it would have a hard time taxing with the big wings and low slung engines(the taxiways are narrow here so the taxiway lights would be very close to the engines, I think, but I may be wrong??)
I know the 737-200 can taxi here(Ryanair bringing the lads dunker training a few years ago) but thats much smaller.

[Irish251]

Actually Baldonnel has hosted a Boeing 707 (5N-TAS, for TV/film work) some years back, so maybe it could cope with the C-40 (military B737-700).

[Snapper]

The Boeing 737-BBJ can and has used Baldonnel.
A US Navy C-40A 165834 was present on the first weekend of April 2004.

Snapper '>

[202]

Caught sight of something landing at Casment about 1845 yesterday evening, long wing spin and bright lights towards each tip, may have been the Islander but not certain.

[P.Doff]

Yis are not listening to me lads!!!
The runways and their connecting taxiways can take large aircraft(I was there when that heap of a 707 landed!!) but the ramp access,i.e Alpha and Bravo taxiways are narrow with armco barrier at the end of the bravo were the retired fougas were stored for a while. And, most importantly, the ramp is not big enough to park our a/c and large visiting a/c without causing a major headache for the ramp crew.
You see, pre 9/11 the visiting a/c were parked up on the Charlie's(taxiways along side R29) out of the way but now they have to park on the ramp or be hangered if possible because of security issues.
Dont get me wrong, its great to see visiting a/c on the ramp, but when the lads have to start playing "Musical Aeroplanes" because a VIP wants to come over for a game of golf its a bit much.
Personnally ,I would remove the GAA and football pitchs, that are behind the tower,to over near the officers mess and just concrete the whole area to make a second ramp.
But that would be the sensible thing to do!!

[Irish251]

Seems to me that 9/11 is used as a cover-all excuse for all sorts of "security" over-reactions.  It must cover everything from toothpicks to WMD, and perhaps GAA pitches as well.....

[Head]

Quote (Short finals @ 08 April 2005,22:21)

Seems to me that 9/11 is used as a cover-all excuse for all sorts of "security" over-reactions.  It must cover everything from toothpicks to WMD, and perhaps GAA pitches as well.....

yeah, you are not allowed have some fun any more....terrorist this, terrorist that...