Contracted Out Military Tanker Business Sector Upd
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Posted On: 09/12/2020 10:44:43 PM
Contracted Out Military Tanker Business Sector Update - September 12, 2020.
It looks like - as expected - any retired military tanker aircraft are being bought up and returned to airworthy condition - given that the main new build wide-body turbofan powered option is an A330-MRTT at $300M a copy with the production line already taken up for the next 4 years with outstanding orders.
Next to the ex-RAF Tristars in capability are the ex-RAF VC-10 tankers.
The ex-RAF VC10 K3/K4 tankers are superior in capability to converted civilian KC-707 (as used by Omega). In particular, they do not have a marginal take-off performance due to the superior performance of the Rolls Royce Conway engines - as also used on the Victor B2 bomber / Victor K2 tanker.
It became apparent about 3 weeks ago that a company started buying up VC10s from preservation groups and museums - along with the associated simulators.
Remember that the USN MAC allowed all Pilot In Command time for qualification on type to be acquired in a simulator.
Keplar Aerospace - of Midland, TX - acquired VC10 K3 ZA150 from the Brooklands Museum Trust at Dunsfold, UK "with a view to returning it to flight as a refuelling aicraft."
Ownership of aircraft has now been transferred to GJD Services Ltd which acquired the aircraft and two simulators on behalf of Keplar Aerospace and will carry out the work required to get the aircraft flight ready.
The VC10 tankers were retired by the RAF before the Tristars and the survivors have received less maintenance than the Tristars.
GJD Services Ltd is also the company that was responsible for maintaining the ex-RAF Tristars in airworthy condition up to the time of sale to Tristar Air LLC in 2018.
The proposed plan at present is to fly VC10 K3 ZA150 from the Brooklands Museum, Dunsfold, UK - on a one-flight only permit with the undercarriage down - to GJD Services maintenance facility at St Athan, UK where it will be prepared for delivery to Kepler Aerospace in TX.
An as yet unconfirmed rumor is that the 2 x VC10 at Bruntingthorpe may be bought as well. The VC10 Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe will be publishing details on the future of their aircraft in due course. The details of any negotiations are currently "Commercial in Confidence".
Known surviving VC10s that were not scrapped are:
VC10 K3 ZA150 - GJD Services Ltd - Dunsfold > St Athan.
VC10 K3 ZA147 - Bruntingthorpe - in storage
VC10 K4 ZD241 - Bruntingthorpe - VC10 Preservation Group
VC10 K3 ZA148 - Newquay - Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre [spares source - Conway engines returned to UK MOD].
VC10 tankers arriving at Bruntingthorpe after retirement by RAF - note the short-field performance capability and reverse thrust - significant advantage over the KC-707:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaLIIbyc9Ik
ZD241 - taxying in 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3X43zFhfbA
ZA150 - taxying in 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJ5kcrzKhI
ZA148: http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/news/vc-10-to-n...-of-za148/
Just before retirement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBT799281AQ
Take Off Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aujEsOop40I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPTUZOx9ESc
ZA150 going into storage at Dunsfold:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNAqlsHESuY
I will continue to be monitor developments as follows:
- VC10 ZA150 authorization for flight from storage location to GJD Services - how was this managed by UK CAA / US FAA [obvious read across to same methodolgy for Tristar fleet].
- Any timing / cost details that are announced for the work on ZA150 by GJD Services.
- Any purchase announcements for the Bruntingthorpe based VC10 K3 ZA147 and VC10 K4 ZD241.
It looks like - as expected - any retired military tanker aircraft are being bought up and returned to airworthy condition - given that the main new build wide-body turbofan powered option is an A330-MRTT at $300M a copy with the production line already taken up for the next 4 years with outstanding orders.
Next to the ex-RAF Tristars in capability are the ex-RAF VC-10 tankers.
The ex-RAF VC10 K3/K4 tankers are superior in capability to converted civilian KC-707 (as used by Omega). In particular, they do not have a marginal take-off performance due to the superior performance of the Rolls Royce Conway engines - as also used on the Victor B2 bomber / Victor K2 tanker.
It became apparent about 3 weeks ago that a company started buying up VC10s from preservation groups and museums - along with the associated simulators.
Remember that the USN MAC allowed all Pilot In Command time for qualification on type to be acquired in a simulator.
Keplar Aerospace - of Midland, TX - acquired VC10 K3 ZA150 from the Brooklands Museum Trust at Dunsfold, UK "with a view to returning it to flight as a refuelling aicraft."
Ownership of aircraft has now been transferred to GJD Services Ltd which acquired the aircraft and two simulators on behalf of Keplar Aerospace and will carry out the work required to get the aircraft flight ready.
The VC10 tankers were retired by the RAF before the Tristars and the survivors have received less maintenance than the Tristars.
GJD Services Ltd is also the company that was responsible for maintaining the ex-RAF Tristars in airworthy condition up to the time of sale to Tristar Air LLC in 2018.
The proposed plan at present is to fly VC10 K3 ZA150 from the Brooklands Museum, Dunsfold, UK - on a one-flight only permit with the undercarriage down - to GJD Services maintenance facility at St Athan, UK where it will be prepared for delivery to Kepler Aerospace in TX.
An as yet unconfirmed rumor is that the 2 x VC10 at Bruntingthorpe may be bought as well. The VC10 Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe will be publishing details on the future of their aircraft in due course. The details of any negotiations are currently "Commercial in Confidence".
Known surviving VC10s that were not scrapped are:
VC10 K3 ZA150 - GJD Services Ltd - Dunsfold > St Athan.
VC10 K3 ZA147 - Bruntingthorpe - in storage
VC10 K4 ZD241 - Bruntingthorpe - VC10 Preservation Group
VC10 K3 ZA148 - Newquay - Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre [spares source - Conway engines returned to UK MOD].
VC10 tankers arriving at Bruntingthorpe after retirement by RAF - note the short-field performance capability and reverse thrust - significant advantage over the KC-707:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaLIIbyc9Ik
ZD241 - taxying in 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3X43zFhfbA
ZA150 - taxying in 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJ5kcrzKhI
ZA148: http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/news/vc-10-to-n...-of-za148/
Just before retirement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBT799281AQ
Take Off Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aujEsOop40I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPTUZOx9ESc
ZA150 going into storage at Dunsfold:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNAqlsHESuY
I will continue to be monitor developments as follows:
- VC10 ZA150 authorization for flight from storage location to GJD Services - how was this managed by UK CAA / US FAA [obvious read across to same methodolgy for Tristar fleet].
- Any timing / cost details that are announced for the work on ZA150 by GJD Services.
- Any purchase announcements for the Bruntingthorpe based VC10 K3 ZA147 and VC10 K4 ZD241.
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All posts are my opinion - trade at your own risk.
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