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Post by madmac on Apr 9, 2020 21:03:43 GMT 12
One suspects the new C130's are gone. Particularly when one notes the following
The Dollar is down 20% since November & likely to fall farther (It would be nice to think the Gov took a huge position on USD but won't hold my breath),
Moneys tight and offered the choice P8 or C130, the former is the harder to otherwise acquire asset.
NZ/ AirNZ owns a bunch of late model airliners that are worth stuff all and there is capacity to convert them in country (not much choice if you want a cargo door, one images every current freighter conversion line on the planet is booked out for the next 3 years at least).
The RNZAF operating a ZK reg transport sqn for a few years might not be a silly idea (back to the bad of days or early NAC).
Airliner parts and fuel are cheap and will remain so for the next few years, so if they keep most of their operational budget the actual flying hours should stay at current levelsd (the B757 parts will probably get rarer for a while with the spike in air freight with the decline passenger flights).
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Post by saratoga on Apr 9, 2020 22:36:09 GMT 12
We then come back to using comm. air for tactical purposes, given that the Air Force usage is much less than commercial, so have the same problems of downtime(ie,757) albiet with a more modern fleet. Maybe merge RNZAF and AirNZ transport (Royal Air New Zealand Air Force)...
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Post by nighthawknz on Apr 10, 2020 10:23:13 GMT 12
Considering the contracts were still put forward for the P8A's and they have said that the c-130 were on the top of the list... and we just sent one to Vanuatu, which means we problably only have 1 left flyable in NZ (maybe maybe not who knows the state they are in) and they have stated all through out the process that they are the highest priority...
It would not surprise me if they are still a go-ahead, but with reduced features...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 10, 2020 10:47:56 GMT 12
Can you guys please all just stop speculating and rumour-mongering about the future of the C-130 deal!
Right now NOBODY here knows the actual state of play, the financial situation of the deal, the thoughts of the government and Parliament on the purchase, or how much contingency for unseen events such as this is actually held in the capital purchases budget, and we will find out in the future when ACTUAL decisions are made and new of that is released. We do not need people here causing undue alarm and panic with their own guesses and speculation.
If you have any ACTUAL news, post it. Anything else I will remove!
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Post by 30sqnatc on Apr 10, 2020 17:05:13 GMT 12
As I posted before COVID19 appeared WAIT FOR THE BUDGET!
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Post by lesterpk on May 14, 2020 19:32:26 GMT 12
From a budget article:
Defence gets $1.77b which may surprise many. Most of that (898m) is contingent capital funding for C-130J Super Hercules airplanes – but Cabinet is yet to approve a business case. Ron Mark said “progressing the procurement of the C-130J Super Hercules continues to be my highest priority as Minister of Defence.”
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Post by novascotiaboy on May 15, 2020 8:15:22 GMT 12
Will there be difficulty with the additionallength of the C130J-30 fitting into the hangars at Whenupai
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Post by Calum on May 15, 2020 10:35:29 GMT 12
Will there be difficulty with the additionallength of the C130J-30 fitting into the hangars at Whenupai One would hope part of the project is new facilities. |
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Post by novascotiaboy on May 15, 2020 12:23:31 GMT 12
The concrete hangars are more than 80 years old now but by all reports in good condition as heritage buildings. With all thats been discussed in the past decade concerning the pressures on Whenupai from Auckland growth is such an investment in major infrastructure a likelihood? Or would investment be made into refurbishing the existing hangars?
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madmark
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 78
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Post by madmark on May 15, 2020 15:03:27 GMT 12
I wonder if any hangar upgrade project could be regarded as "shovel ready"(ghastly term) by our dear leader?
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Post by gibbo on May 15, 2020 16:10:32 GMT 12
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Post by 30sqnatc on May 15, 2020 17:25:40 GMT 12
<correction> - looks like J-30 is 22cm taller at the fin than a H...again hardly a biggie. As they will be based in Westy land just fit low profile tires, that should get them in the hangar  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2020 19:10:31 GMT 12
They may not need to spend so much time in the hangar as the 55 year old current ones.
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Post by gibbo on May 15, 2020 19:42:36 GMT 12
They may not need to spend so much time in the hangar as the 55 year old current ones. Good point. Mind you by the time they start arriving 5sqn might almost be out of Whenuapai so 40sqn might get to have the use of 2 hangars. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2020 19:52:33 GMT 12
I hope they do not do anything to change the concrete hangars, they are fantastic historic buildings. Built by hand and wheelbarrows.
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Post by 30sqnatc on May 15, 2020 20:13:12 GMT 12
As I posted before COVID19 appeared WAIT FOR THE BUDGET! As I said. People are busy working their best to make this happen. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2020 20:19:52 GMT 12
Well there's no alternative really. We simply can't not buy them.
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Post by alanster on Jun 6, 2020 0:23:52 GMT 12
It'll piss the Americans off but 2x of these and 2x unwanted Air New Zealand B777s would do the trick. |
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Post by saratoga on Jun 6, 2020 10:25:32 GMT 12
We're still paying off the COVID-20, don't think we can afford the Y-20 as well.
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Post by nighthawknz on Jun 6, 2020 13:46:36 GMT 12
it will never happen... it would just alienate us from our allies and remaining friends. If we were (which we aren't) going to go down that path I would prefer the Kawasaki C-2.
Also; Apparently they are so under powered that the reoprted weight they can take is no where near what they stat it can do... (sorry I can't find the article on that...)
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