I guess this is the same thing that will happen with C-130''s. I just hope they will not wait to change for a new transport airplane until one crash with people onboard.
With pratically all the fleet of Hercules grounded because they found cracks in the wings. How the pilots feel about that?
I just remember the crash last summer of a C-130 tanker in US. Just think if it was a CAF C-130 in an exercise loaded with paratroopers..............will they ever learn??????
[SIZE= 14pt]Copter plans 'plain stupid,' expert says[/SIZE]
Lowest bid not always the smartest deal, former public works deputy minister says
By DANIEL LEBLANC
Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - Page A4
OTTAWA -- The federal government is being "plain stupid" with its handling of the $3-billion purchase of naval helicopters to replace the 40-year-old Sea Kings, a former deputy minister of Public Works said yesterday.
Retired civil servant Raymond Hession said Ottawa is providing no incentive to industry to offer a top-notch aircraft because it is looking only for the lowest-priced machine that meets requirements -- not the best value.
"The lowest-cost compliant is plain stupid," said Mr. Hession, who was hired earlier this year to fix the $1-billion firearms registry, another controversial federal program.
"I don't know how else to describe it. Why would [the government] ever think that, as a design authority, it knows everything that is out there that has benefits?"
[SIZE= 24pt]Helicopter procurement tainted by PM's politics[/SIZE]
May. 14, 2003. 06:48 AM
The $3 billion contract to build new helicopters for the Canadian armed forces is perhaps the single most important procurement decision facing the federal government. Yet it is taking on a bad odour.
The contract is for helicopters to replace the technologically obsolete and increasingly risky Sea King helicopters. The helicopters should have been replaced by now, but for political reasons they won't be replaced before the next decade.
Not that they need to dream up an excuse, but I see one coming down the road already. "Gentlemen, we cannot purchase the EH-101 because the hangars on the Frigates are too small for them. We could not afford to take a Frigate off the line for that length of time and the costs for the enlargement of that hangar would be more than we could afford. We must look for a helicopter that is no bigger than the SeaKing, as a result".
'Copter deal may bring hundreds of jobs[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 14pt]Lockheed Martin in Owego could build helicopters if partnership deal approved[/SIZE][SIZE= 14pt][/SIZE]
Thursday, May 15, 2003
By Todd Mcadam Press & Sun-Bulletin
OWEGO - Hundreds of manufacturing jobs could come to Owego equipping helicopters for the U.S. military under a partnership announced Thursday morning by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration. The jobs come as Lockheed Martin teams with Bell Helicopter of Texas and AgustaWestland of Europe [SIZE= 12pt]to bring the European company's EH-101 helicopter system to America as the US-101. The helicopter would be built for the Air Force and Coast Guard, flying search-and-rescue missions, and for the U.S. Marine Corps as a replacement for the 30-year-old Marine One helicopter. [/SIZE]
The first contract is expected to be awarded next year, when Marine One, which flies the president on short trips, is due to be replaced. It's not a large contract --$157 million for 11 helicopters --but the publicity could spin off into major work. ... ... ...
EH Industries have actually since rectified the height of the aircraft. The maritime version squats down to go into the hangar and would thus fit into our current frigates.
(This is by no way a personal endorsement. I myself would be very happy to see another Sikorsky)
I don't know details about where the frames will be manufactured but if I recall well a post from CTD in the “other†Forum, concerning a speach somebody from Bell made to Congress about buying french or foreign helicopters to US forces, all manufacturing from them is now in Canada. So this would mean that a lot of jobs would be maintained or some rehiring would be done at Mirabell where 300 or so people were let go last year. Also, it wouldn't hurt Bell's prestige to be deeply involved in the manufacturing of a 35 pax helicopter...
If this is correct and considering that Eurocopter is in Ontario and Bell in Quebec where the 101 engines are also built at Pratt & Witney Canada, it could turn out to be another reason much in favour of the three engined bird. A lot of money would go to Quebec...
Anyway, considering the arrangements that Lockheed Martin made for the NH90 with Eurocopter and Thales systems of Ottawa (see above "[color=" #00366f msobidifontsize 90pt"]Lockheed Martin pursuing contract for Sea King replacement" [/color]- April 09) and now for the US101 with Bell, [SIZE= 12pt](see above “[color=" #003366"]Lockheed Martin in Owego could build helicopters if partnership deal approved[/color][color=" #003366"]†– May 15)[/color][/SIZE] and considering also that Sikorsky failed so far to come up with some production sharing scheme, something extremely important nowadays, the winner might well be... ... Lockheed Martin !!!!
Just let's see what Paul Martin says about it:
Quote "There is no doubt we need new helicopters now . . . we should place the order as quickly as we possibly can. It should be absolutely the best helicopter we can get, based on what the military itself decides we need, with the greatest capacity and greatest reliability." Unquote
Who screwed up the helicopter procurement?
By HUGH WINSOR
Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - Page A4
Whodunit? Who screwed up one of the longest-running and most expensive capital projects in government procurement history -- the bureaucrats? The generals? Or the politicians?
Speaking of new helicopters,
Here in Gander yesterday, they had 5 (that is right FIVE) cormorants flying in formation! The latest two to arrive from over on the right side of the pond, teamed up with the "old" ones from 103Sqn, looked really nice . Biggest rumble I have ever heard!
Wish you all could see it, and when the pictures fall out of the camera, I might send them to Kyle!
OTTAWA - A Liberal backbencher with close ties to Paul Martin has blasted his own government for delays in replacing the Sea King helicopters, arguing the bid process will take too long and result in a mediocre product.
... ... ...
In a speech in Halifax on May 15, a day before Mr. Volpe sent his letter, Mr. Martin distanced himself from the government's position of selecting the cheapest bid.
"If we're going to ask people to go into a theatre of war for us, we have the responsibility to provide them with the very, very best equipment, period," Mr. Martin said.
[SIZE= 14pt]French defend maritime copter[/SIZE] [COLOR= #0b3053]Globe and Mail[/COLOR][COLOR= #0b3053]
[/COLOR][COLOR= #0b3053]By Daniel Leblanc And Alan Freeman
Friday, May 23, 2003 - Page A4 [/COLOR]
[SIZE= 10pt] [/SIZE][COLOR= #0b3053][/COLOR]
OTTAWA and PARIS -- A French-led helicopter consortium went on the attack yesterday to counter allegations that it is offering an inferior product to the Canadian Forces while benefiting from political favoritism in the $3-billion race to replace the Sea Kings.
NHIndustries broke its silence after weeks of negative publicity.
[COLOR= #0b3053] Full story:[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0b3053][color=" #3333ff"][url="http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030523/UHELIN//?query=helicopters"]http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/Articl...ery=helicopters[/color][/URL][/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0b3053] [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0b3053]P.S.
No word so far from MagSeal, but he is expected to make a stand soon... [/COLOR]