Canadian Forces cast about for used Hercules airframes

National Pest article at http://tinyurl.com/onwo.

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

"Andrew Chaplin" wrote in message
...
National Pest article at http://tinyurl.com/onwo.

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

The C-130 fire bomber crash in California put many of the airframes on a
course for being beer cans.

"Andrew Chaplin" ) writes:
National Pest article at http://tinyurl.com/onwo.

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

Seeing how the canForces has 3 of the last C-130(L100) made I think it's
unlikely they'll find any C-130 with enough life on the airframes to
provide spares for the 32 CC-130 we operate. Personally we should look at
the C-130J

The C-130 fire bomber crash in California put many of the airframes on a
course for being beer cans.


Not entirely true. Forest Service will not accept them for any retardant
tanker work. I believe some of the C-130As were used this summer, but outside
the country.


Ron
Tucson AZ
C-421 air ambulance

"Andrew Chaplin" wrote in message ...
National Pest article at http://tinyurl.com/onwo.

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

Depends upon what they want to pay. The UK has already disposed of
some of its K models to Poland and Austria, and is going to be looking
to get rid of more, and IIRC LMCO took some K's back as part of the
sale of J models, and would be looking to sell the older aircraft as
well. Unlikely to find any USAF, to include ANG and AFRC, C-130's with
enough hours left on them to meet Canada's needs, though they do still
manage to scrape a few out of AMARC periodically to provide to other
nations (Bulgaria and South Africa being recent recipients of B
models, IIRC). If they are willing to use them, there are also a fair
number of civilian L-100's out there.

Brooks

"Ron" wrote in message
...
The C-130 fire bomber crash in California put many of the airframes on a
course for being beer cans.


Not entirely true. Forest Service will not accept them for any retardant
tanker work. I believe some of the C-130As were used this summer, but
outside
the country.

I know people who retrofit C-130s and they are saying many will soon be beer
cans. The water bomber crash was bad for the C-130, but good for
Bombardier.

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 23:02:32 -0700, Hobo wrote:

In article ,
"Andrew Chaplin" wrote:

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

Why don't they buy the new Airbus military cargo plane?

Money. Rather, a lack of money.

Jordan wrote:

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 23:02:32 -0700, Hobo wrote:

In article ,
"Andrew Chaplin" wrote:

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

Why don't they buy the new Airbus military cargo plane?

Money. Rather, a lack of money.

And a decided unwillingness to spend what they have on the armed
forces.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

"Jordan" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 23:02:32 -0700, Hobo wrote:

In article ,
"Andrew Chaplin" wrote:

How realistic is this plan, anyway? Are there any C-130 airframes out
there to be had? Or, like John Cleese in the Cheese Shop sketch, is
this
an act of the purest optimism on the part of the procurement folks to
pose the question in the first place.

Why don't they buy the new Airbus military cargo plane?

Money. Rather, a lack of money.

I would say it's a case of priorities.......They can waste millions on
*political correct* projects but can put our troops into harms way, with
inadequate equipment !

BMC

Not entirely true. Forest Service will not accept them for any retardant
tanker work. I believe some of the C-130As were used this summer, but
outside
the country.

I know people who retrofit C-130s and they are saying many will soon be beer
cans. The water bomber crash was bad for the C-130, but good for
Bombardier.

And again, not entirely true

They are two different aircraft that would be best in two different
environments. In big wide open areas with lots of lakes, like much of southern
Canada, and Minnesota, those scoopers are great.

But in the western states, the scoopers would not be near as useful. Alpine
lakes surrounded by mountain peaks at around 10,000 MSL are not very good
places to be trying to scoop water, especially during a summer day.

There will always be a need for the heavy tankers with retardant..Might be less
of them in the future, but there will always be some around.

The ones to benefit the most from the probably elimination of C-130A and
PB4Y-2, will be companys and make and or operate SEATs, Single Engine Air
Tankers, like Air Tractors, Thrushs, Dromadiers.

I dont even think the USFS/OAS is going to card any additional P-2s, SP-2Hs for
retardant tankers..


Ron
Tucson AZ
C-421 air ambulance