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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 8, 2007 15:44:03 GMT 12
I was thinking about how after trying for some time to get the NZ Government interested in setting up an Air Force with no luck, Sir Henry Wigram basically set up his own air force privately in the Canterbury Aviation Company - training pilots for combat duties in the RFC and RNAS, etc.
I wonder, could someone set up their own private air force now? Sure you can establish a flying school, but what about having a SAR branch that contract out to, say, hospitals or whatever. And then a security branch that contracts to do maritime patrol, etc.
Money could be raised by training pilots on the side, hauling freight, doing other non-military helicopter operations such as pylon work or sight-seeing, etc.
There are private police forces that work alongside the proper police. But is it legal to establish your own air force along military lines to work alongside the RNZAF? I wonder....
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Post by phil on Jul 8, 2007 16:58:50 GMT 12
Might prove tricky to have ordnance.
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Post by Damon on Jul 8, 2007 17:08:05 GMT 12
Hmm ,perhaps our NZ Warbirds .Considered by some as NZ's current strike capability at the moment!
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Post by flyjoe180 on Jul 8, 2007 19:30:13 GMT 12
Companies contract military work in the US so no reason why it couldnt be done here. Except for government meddling and resistance. The 'Air Force clone' may attract too many people away from the original service.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 8, 2007 19:55:40 GMT 12
Indeed Joe, and I wouldn't want to see it happen for that reason. But then it'd be better that the RNZAF lost people to a company doing the same work for NZ than having all their best people leave to go to airlines, etc I suppose.
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Post by phil on Jul 8, 2007 21:22:54 GMT 12
I'd be more than happy to do the job I do, but as a civvie. No parades, no uniform inspections... Just get on with the job.
However a civvie firm might find it hard to match the conditions of service - free medical/dental, a subsidised super scheme that pays more than you do into your accounts (10% of your salary), subsidised mortgage assistance ($5k a year extra just because I own a house!) unlimited sick leave, just about as much time as you want to go and play sport in work time, free clothing...
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Post by 30sqnatc on Jul 8, 2007 21:35:02 GMT 12
I'd be more than happy to do the job I do, but as a civvie. No parades, no uniform inspections... Just get on with the job. However a civvie firm might find it hard to match the conditions of service - free medical/dental, a subsidised super scheme that pays more than you do into your accounts (10% of your salary), subsidised mortgage assistance ($5k a year extra just because I own a house!) unlimited sick leave, just about as much time as you want to go and play sport in work time, free clothing... So between your parades, uniform inspections, attending free dental and medical appointments, being on unlimited sick leave (probably fixing your house), playing sport and picking up free clothes do you do any real work ;D ;D |
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Post by lesterpk on Jul 9, 2007 19:47:07 GMT 12
Nah, he's an armourer ;-)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 9, 2007 20:21:37 GMT 12
Don't tease Phil, he has bombs... You forgot to mention time allocated to surfing the forum too.  I fully see what you mean though Phil, and I have to say the benefits now seem a lot better than my day when they wanted to get rid of as many airmen as they could in the years of the cutbacks. |
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