Transport Aircraft

Those Combis are not available off-the-shelf. They are built to order and order books are pretty full.

No chance IrlGov would buy a Boeing, which leaves whatever Airbus could be bought and at this stage you are talking about a second-hand A320 series with older engine tech. And politically that is difficult for many reasons. And honestly, would we get the use from it to justify it?

At the moment, you're looking at a best case scenario of a large long-range bizjet, a smaller European range bizjet and the 295W already on order.

Though I must say I think the British Government have it right with the longterm wet-lease of the Titan Airways A321neo at ~Stg£ 20 million per annum.

Similar article below to the one i posted in the SAR thread. Its interesting to note the issue with slots for helicopter manufacturing. The current fleet of 139s must be coming close to end of life considering there useage since 2006 so you would hope some one in charge is planning there replacement before they get grounded in a few years and we are left with a capabilty gap again. I presume the slots issue is the same with all manufactures

An the Poles Leonardos will be carrying a serious punch as well

How much wear and tear have the existing ones had? Interesting though for the NMH project, given both its cuts and delays.

Yip you are correct

I would also imagine that, given the size of the French Air Force and the large number of air frames they have at their disposal, that this aircraft doesn't have anywhere near the hours on it that our G-IV had.

No disagreement on your second point. The French, with their aircraft-manufacturing industry, no doubt have a policy of buying French whenever possible. However I think the global success of the Dassault Falcon family is built primarily on the fact that these are very capable aircraft and that new models have continued to be developed, over sixty years or so.

So what's the chances when they get rid of the current learjet it will find a new lease of life and fly on with someone else?

Seen one of the CN 235's on the descent into Baldonnel earlier, is one or both of them still being used since the arrival of the 295s?

Must be getting cramped out there with four Casas??

Very quick turn around for the Tender with Mid December. The way its worded someone could offer an A320 or similar. The lack of media coverage so far they should have tendered for a another 3 casas

The tender, on initial viewing is not as tightly written as recent previous tenders that had a preferred outcome in mind. But look a bit closer...

The requirement for a new aircraft and an price indicated of €45m would rule out a commercial airliner. New: not enough budget. Second Hand, not allowed. We're looking at a bizjet.

4000nm range rules out small-medium bizjets. It is roughly the minimum range to go transatlantic. The domain of a large bizjet.

The ability the fit a DAS is preferred (as per the last three Air Corps tenders). This would suggest a manufacturer with military credentials.

The €45m price rules out the larger Global Expresses and Gulfstreams. They would exceed that figure by quite a margin.

One aircraft that ticks all of the above is the Dassault Falcon 6x. It has the range, is twin engined , has sufficient seating capacity, from a military manufacturer and is within budget.

That is one sexy beast!

It’s been long fingered for far too long as I think we can all agree, strange to see the tender pushed out just before the “Inaction Plan” this week though.

Ah the Journal Comments section, to quote a Jedi, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy"

It's also worth bearing in mind, this is a long delayed Gulfstream replacement despite the media blitz to a public used to being hit by the lazy Irish media with phrases like THE government jet and THE Air Corps Casa.

The Learjet itself will need replacing with an economical short hauler for EU work, as was it's original intended purpose. It was a secondary aircraft, only inheriting the primary role when the GIV was made an austerity era sacrificial lamb. Before that a King Air was doing the job.

Pilatus just happen to have a readymade replacement in the PC-24.