Hawkes Bay people will moan about anything...

[Dave Homewood]

... they should think themselves lucky to hear the sound ofm freedom above them. They all go to bed too early anyway!

From the Hawkes Bay Today newspaper...

Sleepless open fire at Herculean racket

24.01.2007


The drone of three Air Force Hercules aircraft kept Bay residents awake late into the night last night.

RNZAF 40 Squadron Leader Peter Rowe said he and colleagues received calls from concerned residents who were still left awake until about 11.45pm.

Rowe said while they do understand the concerns from the public, they have a job to do.

"We do apologise for that but it's all for a good cause," Rowe said.

"Although it's a nuisance, they have to practice approaches at night time for military operations. Sometimes the only way to access areas is at night for tactical reasons we've got to have somewhere to practice.

Mr Rowe said the airforce tried to keep the flights "short and sweet" with the Hercules but said he could appreciate the public's concerns.

"It's all for Queen and country so they get it right in real situations and come home safe."

The sleep-deprived can rest easy tonight though. Yesterday's night mission was the last.

[Dave Homewood]

I hate newspaper reporters who write the non-word airforce. Ahhhhhh

It's Air Force you two bit hacks!

I told our local reporter that too, and she gets it right now!

[Kereru]

Hercules didn't sound all that loud to me although I am going deaf. I wish I knew where they were exercising I wouldn't mind a couple of good action shots. Some people we met from Hawkes Bay at Masterton said they felt the vibration first then the sound and rushed out to see them flying below their house(80 metres above sea level) to the target area. They invited us over if we knew the time they would be exercising again. Good keen aviation people like us so no moaning from their quarter. Must be the minority again outside drinking their cappuccinos. ;D

Couple of shots from Napier airport. As you can see I love those blurred props on the Hercules. ;D





Colin

[Dave Homewood]

Nice shots Colin.

What's the French plane?

[Kereru]

A.net listed as Airtech CN-235...
JP listed as CASA CN-235

If anybody knows different please let me know?

Colin

[Dave Homewood]

I thought it looked like the CASA - the company (Spanish?) sent one over in the early 1990's as a demonstrator trying to convince the RNZAF to buy them to replace the Andover. By all accounts great aircraft, but at that time the Andovers had a lot of life left in them, we thought.

[beagle]

what do you reckon dave, a king air replacement, or too big.
Probably about the same size as a dash200.
leasing problems first of type etc etc
don't think so.

This is what i saw ay CHC the other day but wa sa bit further away, silly me kept thinking transall, what a dork.

[Dave Homewood]

It would do nicely to replace all the capabilities lost when the Andovers retired. I mean how often do the King Airs fly to the Pacific with aid for victims of bad weather, or fly in support of the Armyt, etc? Never? The King Airs are just pilot trainers. No. 42 Squadron has had its roles cut back significantly. I'm sure No. 40 Squadron would appreciate them taking up some of the slack again?

[phasselgren]

CN-235 can also be used in the inshore maritime patrol role as a complement to P-3.

www.airforce-technology.com/projects/cn235mp/

[Dave Homewood]

That role, used to be filled by the Andover for a time, then the F-27.

[phasselgren]

With the MP-version of CN-235 will get an aircraft with better survelliance equipment compared to Andover and F-27 but of course they will cost a lot more with this equipment. It´s even possible to arm them with Harpoon missiles.