"Blairforce One"

[robert arndt]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm

Rpb

[Keith Willshaw]

"robert arndt" > wrote in message
m...
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
>
> Rpb

There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
Iraq.

There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
made

The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.

Keith

[Darrell A. Larose]

"Keith Willshaw" ) writes:
> "robert arndt" > wrote in message
> m...
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
>>
>> Rpb
>
> There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
> gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
> seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
> got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
> Iraq.
>
> There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
> transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
> made
>
> The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
> the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
> from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
> use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
>
The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.

[Keith Willshaw]

"Darrell A. Larose" > wrote in message
...
> "Keith Willshaw" ) writes:
> > "robert arndt" > wrote in message
> > m...
> >> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
> >>
> >> Rpb
> >
> > There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
> > gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
> > seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
> > got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
> > Iraq.
> >
> > There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
> > transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
> > made
> >
> > The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
> > the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
> > from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
> > use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
> >

> The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
> fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
> VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.
>

Buying a one off is a bad idea as it raises the cost of ownership
since you have to hold a separate spares inventory , train
personnel to fly and operate it etc etc.

Using standard RAF transport with reconfigurable seating
would seem a better option.

Keith

Keith

[Peter Twydell]

In article >, Darrell A. Larose
> writes
>"Keith Willshaw" ) writes:
>> "robert arndt" > wrote in message
>> m...
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
>>>
>>> Rpb
>>
>> There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
>> gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
>> seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
>> got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
>> Iraq.
>>
>> There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
>> transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
>> made
>>
>> The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
>> the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
>> from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
>> use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
>>
>The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
>fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
>VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.
>
>
>
The last thing we want is to encourage the slimy git to act even more
like a president.
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

[Simon Robbins]

"Darrell A. Larose" > wrote in message
...
> The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
> fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
> VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.

Gold faucets would never do. Blair's "supposed" to be a socialist for god's
sake. He should be made to sit on a spike and eat an inflight meal of raw
turnip. (And be thankful.)

Si

[av8r]

>>The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
>>fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
>>VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.

Hi

It is actually s/n 15001 that was fitted out as a limited VIP aircraft.
I've been on it and there's nothing spectacular about it even though the
current Prime Minister Jean Chretien described it before he was elected
as a Flying Taj Mahal.

Cheers...Chris

[Richard Brooks]

"Darrell A. Larose" > wrote in message
...
> "Keith Willshaw" ) writes:
> > "robert arndt" > wrote in message
> > m...
> >> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
> >>
> >> Rpb
> >
> > There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
> > gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
> > seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
> > got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
> > Iraq.
> >
> > There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
> > transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
> > made
> >
> > The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
> > the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
> > from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
> > use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
> >
> The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
> fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
> VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.

I saw two Ju52s flying at Duxford!


Richard.

[robert arndt]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message >...
> "robert arndt" > wrote in message
> m...
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
> >
> > Rob
>
> There's actually a larger requirement than just a flying
> gin palace for the boy Blair. The RAF's VC-10's are now
> seriously long in the tooth as are the Tristar tankers and both
> got a lot of flying hours lately supporting ops in Afghanistan and
> Iraq.
>
> There's a real need to replace both in the refuelling and
> transport role. Its my understanding that 2 bids have been
> made
>
> The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
> the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
> from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
> use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
>
> Keith

The EADS A330-200 sounds reasonable since the current tanker version
is competing for the UK's FSTA program. EADS could also provide an
A310 VIP conversion through EFW if an order were placed...

Rob

[[email protected]]

av8r > wrote:

>Hi Gord
>
>It was a slightly lenghtened North Star airframe with DC-6 landing gear
>and the Merlins replaced by P&W's. Canadair only built one of them.
>Too bad because any of the pilots that flew them that I talked to had
>nothing but the highest praise for it. Apparently it was incredibly
>luxurious inside. There was stiff competition to fly the aircraft too.
> Just to be a First Officer on the aircraft, you had to have Atlantic
>crossing experience and a minimum of 3,000 hours of which 1,000 had to
>be four engine time.
>
>Cheers...Chris

Thanks Chris, I know almost nothing of this a/c. What engines did
it use?, I know that they were radials, perhaps R-2800's?...what
became of it?...not scrapped surely?...
--

-Gord.

[av8r]

Hi Gord

The C-5 was powered by four P & W Double Wasp R-2800 engines.
The C-5's cabin was pressurized to 8,500 feet. The one and only C-5 was
retired from service with the Royal Canadian Air Force on the 28th of
August 1966. This after a $383,000.00 refurbishment which also included
$40,000.00 to overhaul three spare engines. The aircraft was
subsequently sold to an American for $49,000.00 bucks.

The new American owner could not get FAA certification so he stripped
the aircraft of any useful parts and sold the rest for scrap metal.

Sound all too familiar Gord???

Cheers...Chris

[Darrell A. Larose]

"Simon Robbins" ) writes:
> "Darrell A. Larose" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The RAF could buy the CanForce CC-150 Polaris, #05 (A310-304F). This was
>> fitted out for long departed Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, as a
>> VIP Air Force 1 type of a/c. It even has Gold faucets in the bathroom.
>
> Gold faucets would never do. Blair's "supposed" to be a socialist for god's
> sake. He should be made to sit on a spike and eat an inflight meal of raw
> turnip. (And be thankful.)
>
Our current Prime Minister (Jean Chretien) thought this a/c was excessive,
so he flies short hauls in a CC-144 Challenger (Canadair CL-601/04) or one
of the other 4 CC-150 Polaris's that aren't refitted as a flying Taj
Mahal. Our Gov't has been trying to sell #05, but it looks like Air Canada
will refit it back to a combi configuration

[av8r]

Hi

Why do some people keep on saying that it was 05. It was 01 (s/n
15001). As I mentioned in a previous post, I was on this aircraft. The
first time I climbed aboard it I said, "holy **** what hell is Chretien
talking about". What a real disappointment. The aircraft had a rather
spartan VIP suite compared to some rock stars aircraft. CC-150 Polaris
s/n 15001 was once describe as no more luxurious than a good motor home.
When compared to the ass end of a C-119G in frosty February at 13,000
feet, yeah it was a Flying Taj Mahal.

Cheers...Chris

[Andrew Chaplin]

" wrote:

> In Canada's Centennial year celebrations (1967) many heads of
> state from foreign countries visited Canada and were squired
> around the country by RCAF Squadron 412 based in Uplands
> (Ottawa). We used Convair 580 'Cosmopolitans' (CC-109's). We had
> two fitted out with VIP seating (11151 and 52). They were pretty
> nice little a/c. One memorable trip was with King Hussein of
> Jordan (who is a ham radio operator, like me). I had a nice
> little chat with him about that.
>
> The airforce also had a VIP a/c which I know very little of, it
> was, I think, a C-54, and was known as a C-5 (I think).

I saw a Cosmo over Ottawa yesterday afternoon. It had red panels on
the horizontal stabilizers and outboard on the wings. Unmistakable
engine note, too.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

[[email protected]]

Andrew Chaplin > wrote:

" wrote:
>
>> In Canada's Centennial year celebrations (1967) many heads of
>> state from foreign countries visited Canada and were squired
>> around the country by RCAF Squadron 412 based in Uplands
>> (Ottawa). We used Convair 580 'Cosmopolitans' (CC-109's). We had
>> two fitted out with VIP seating (11151 and 52). They were pretty
>> nice little a/c. One memorable trip was with King Hussein of
>> Jordan (who is a ham radio operator, like me). I had a nice
>> little chat with him about that.
>>
>> The airforce also had a VIP a/c which I know very little of, it
>> was, I think, a C-54, and was known as a C-5 (I think).
>
>I saw a Cosmo over Ottawa yesterday afternoon. It had red panels on
>the horizontal stabilizers and outboard on the wings. Unmistakable
>engine note, too.

Really?...the RCAF stored 6 or 7 of them at Rockliffe(?) sometime
in the seventies I think. It was one of these (I believe) that
was rescued near Australia by the USAF(?) awhile ago. Perhaps
they've found a home for them after all this time?, they're a
lovely little a/c, pistol hot performer, way overpowered, fun
aircraft. We took one to 45,000 feet once on a dare/bet, 'course
we were young, foolish and full of P&V then.
--

-Gord.

[Paul J. Adam]

In message >, Kevin
Brooks > writes
>"Keith Willshaw" >
>wrote in message >...
>> Using standard RAF transport with reconfigurable seating
>> would seem a better option.
>
>That would seem a bit too utilitarian for VIP transport. I have this
>vision of the PM and his entourage esconced in nylon web seats...

If it's good enough for combat-bound troops, isn't it sufficient for the
PM and his entourage? ;)

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam

[Tiger]

robert arndt wrote:

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2980910.stm
>
> Rpb

If he was a real cool guy, he would use Hugh Heffner's old jet. Then his
popularity would rise, with bunnys included of course!!!

[The Revolution Will Not Be Televised]

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 19:19:49 +0100, "M. J. Powell"
> wrote:

>>>That would seem a bit too utilitarian for VIP transport. I have this
>>>vision of the PM and his entourage esconced in nylon web seats...
>>
>>If it's good enough for combat-bound troops, isn't it sufficient for the
>>PM and his entourage? ;)
>
>PM would probably accept it, but the press wouldn't!

I think we can all compromise on strapping him and his entourage to
the leading edge of the wing. Or prop blade.

Gavin Bailey

--

"...this level of misinformation suggests some Americans may be
avoiding having an experience of cognitive dissonance."
- 'Poll shows errors in beliefs on Iraq, 9/11'
The Charlotte Observer, 20th June 2003

[Nick Pedley]

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" > wrote in
message ...
> On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 19:19:49 +0100, "M. J. Powell"
> > wrote:
>
> >>>That would seem a bit too utilitarian for VIP transport. I have this
> >>>vision of the PM and his entourage esconced in nylon web seats...
> >>
> >>If it's good enough for combat-bound troops, isn't it sufficient for the
> >>PM and his entourage? ;)
> >
> >PM would probably accept it, but the press wouldn't!
>
> I think we can all compromise on strapping him and his entourage to
> the leading edge of the wing. Or prop blade.
>
That would put a new spin on things... :-)

Nick

[Matt Clonfero]

In article >, M. J. Powell
> wrote:

>>If it's good enough for combat-bound troops, isn't it sufficient for the
>>PM and his entourage? ;)
>
>PM would probably accept it, but the press wouldn't!

Then let them fly cattle class on Virgin... and pay for it themselves.

Aetherem Vincere
Matt
--
To err is human
To forgive is not
Air Force Policy

[Matt Clonfero]

In article >, robert
arndt > wrote:

>> The first from EADS, RR, Cobham and Thales involves
>> the use of Airbus 330-200 airframes while the other
>> from BAE Sysytems,Boeing and Serco involves the
>> use of Boeing 767-300ER airframes.
>
>The EADS A330-200 sounds reasonable since the current tanker version
>is competing for the UK's FSTA program. EADS could also provide an
>A310 VIP conversion through EFW if an order were placed...

Or, we could buy the same tanker that the USAF is purchasing, and save
ourselves a lot of trouble.

Aetherem Vincere
Matt
--
To err is human
To forgive is not
Air Force Policy