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Post by beagle on Sept 14, 2018 13:01:36 GMT 12
Has anyone heard about "words in the air" (rumour)that when 5 Sqn take their P8 Poseidon to Ohakea, that 3 Sqn will move back to Whenuapai
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 14, 2018 13:15:36 GMT 12
Sounds like bullshit
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Post by beagle on Sept 14, 2018 13:21:25 GMT 12
yes sounds a bit silly with army close by and purpose built facilities there, but its only money
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Post by l29 on Sept 14, 2018 21:53:22 GMT 12
Tender is out for new hangars hard stands and other infrastructure in preparation for the move.
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Post by frankly on Sept 14, 2018 22:08:12 GMT 12
It's BS. Existing hangars aren't built for anything bigger than choppers.
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Post by pjw4118 on Sept 15, 2018 10:21:01 GMT 12
The goss here is that more Beechcraft will be bought to cover nav/aw training and also to fill the Pacific maritime patrol gap as the new P8 cant get into many of the island airfields the P3 currently does. These plus a new light transport will all be based at Whenuapai .
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Post by horicle on Sept 15, 2018 12:05:38 GMT 12
The helicopters at Ohakea won't move because "Chopper World" at OH is such a specialised investment. It is the old parts of the Base that are under utilised.
Then there is the using of the new Cessnas as a secondary maritime asset. Only as good as the suitability of their weather radar to find a small fishing boat. Anyone seen specs for that piece of kit? But the Cessnas would probably not leave Ohakea because of the training role.
The hint of a new smaller transport aircraft is interesting. Bring back 1 Sqn. More activity at Whenuapai from that.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2018 14:44:11 GMT 12
New Cessnas? What do you mean?
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Post by gibbo on Sept 15, 2018 14:59:29 GMT 12
The helicopters at Ohakea won't move because "Chopper World" at OH is such a specialised investment. It is the old parts of the Base that are under utilised. Then there is the using of the new Cessnas as a secondary maritime asset. Only as good as the suitability of their weather radar to find a small fishing boat. Anyone seen specs for that piece of kit? But the Cessnas would probably not leave Ohakea because of the training role. The hint of a new smaller transport aircraft is interesting. Bring back 1 Sqn. More activity at Whenuapai from that. Cessnas!?! - you mean Beechcraft... same parent company but not Cessnas! Yes chopper investment in OH is way too entrenched & expensive to consider a move, and agree 42 sqn training best kept in OH for training IMHO. For Pacific patrol there is looks like a new option coming into play: www.ffa.int/node/2129 (at least the Aussies put there $$$ where their mouths are Winston!). It is plausible a small fleet of B350 dedicated to ligth MPA could end up in WP but that won't happen until circa 2025 when P3K2 leave us. Light transport is a Beechcraft... goss might refer to a medium transport ala 1 Sqn. However might I suggest we wait until the forthcoming review is published & not get into another rabid set of 'what if' fleets  (mods at the ready!) p.s. Last sentence not taking a dig at you Horicle... just you had some good points to reply to. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2018 16:13:21 GMT 12
So Cessna and Beechcraft are owned by the same Chinese company now?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2018 16:16:43 GMT 12
Yes chopper investment in OH is way too entrenched & expensive to consider a move Oh lord, I just had a flashback to 1991 when all of us at Wigram thought the same thing when the new runway was opened and we were then told either Wigram or Woodbourne would need to close. "They'll never close Wigram due to the huge investment just made", we thought....  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2018 16:17:54 GMT 12
Imagine the noise complaints from all those new houses at Hobsonville and butted right up to Whenuapai if they moved the NH90's in there permanently. bahaha
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Post by gibbo on Sept 16, 2018 11:09:38 GMT 12
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Post by gibbo on Sept 16, 2018 11:10:40 GMT 12
Yes chopper investment in OH is way too entrenched & expensive to consider a move Oh lord, I just had a flashback to 1991 when all of us at Wigram thought the same thing when the new runway was opened and we were then told either Wigram or Woodbourne would need to close. "They'll never close Wigram due to the huge investment just made", we thought.... Crikey good point... I forgot that one completely irrational & unpredictable factor - politics! |
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Post by horicle on Sept 16, 2018 15:34:41 GMT 12
New Cessnas? What do you mean? Apologies. Life's a Beech. |
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(mods at the ready!)