Well.. as close as this year, EADS were again entering a bid for what the Yanks thought they wanted so all is not as dead as it was. It seems unlikely that Hank will/would ever order anything not U.S. built even though the U.S. version would be built in the U.S. but time will tell
DaveB wrote:Well.. as close as this year, EADS were again entering a bid for what the Yanks thought they wanted so all is not as dead as it was. It seems unlikely that Hank will/would ever order anything not U.S. built even though the U.S. version would be built in the U.S. but time will tell
Close Dave, but EADS submitted a bid for what EADS thinks we "need", not what the request asked for, despite being told that this time they wouldn't receive "bonus" consideration for exceeding the requirements they exceeded in the first one that gave them the "win". EADS should have submitted the A300 Tanker and they probably would have won anyway, but since they decided to submit the A330 again despite it being almost 50% larger than the specs call for, it's unlikely they'll win.
I guess it makes sense for them to submit a design already accepted by other air forces even though it exceeds the original remit as it would require only minor tweaks here and there to suit the individual nation/customer A 'wise one' who frequents this very forum has said that the RAF have no idea what they're getting.. such is the aircrafts massive potential over what we currently use That said, we are not in the same situation as the U.S. so are more likely to take what's on offer if the price is right
I think that by the time Tonks retires from the RAF, he'll be too old to fly in civvie street mate and there are other things to consider. Having spent years as a Captain, he'd have to go back to being second fiddle with not enough years available to become a line Captain again and I honestly don't think he'd want that. Much better to nip down to Oxford in the motor a few days a week instructing in a Piper or something of that ilk. A nice bit of pin money and home every night
HA ha ha... that's my career sorted! I have done 4 hours in the sim and it is an amazing ac, but I will certainly miss the 10! Still, hope to fly the old girl for a few months yet!
Tonks wrote:HA ha ha... that's my career sorted! I have done 4 hours in the sim and it is an amazing ac, but I will certainly miss the 10! Still, hope to fly the old girl for a few months yet!
Tonks
You're a VC10 pilot? I'd love a flight on one of those. I wonder if you might be able to get me on board?
That said, we are not in the same situation as the U.S. so are more likely to take what's on offer if the price is right 
