From Tom Podolec:
https://twitter.com/TomPodolec/status/1 ... 8422046725

Looks like CBC is now picking up the story...a week later!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prime- ... -1.5381367

The actual investigation report (so far):

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/assets ... 5nov19.pdf

Ain't good news for the VIP fleet, considering there are issues with the Challenger fleet, which we've discussed here:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1434657

Cruiser wrote:

Looks like CBC is now picking up the story...a week later!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prime- ... -1.5381367

Ouch...

N14AZ wrote:

Cruiser wrote:

Looks like CBC is now picking up the story...a week later!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prime- ... -1.5381367

Ouch...

Class B damage per the accident report, and aircraft out of service till August 2020. It doesn't sound good.

ThePointblank wrote:

N14AZ wrote:

Cruiser wrote:

Looks like CBC is now picking up the story...a week later!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prime- ... -1.5381367

Ouch...

Class B damage per the accident report, and aircraft out of service till August 2020. It doesn't sound good.

This is something I don't understand. Quote from this report:

ThePointblank wrote:

The actual investigation report (so far):

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/assets ... 5nov19.pdf

Once the aircraft reached a position in front of 10 hangar, the tow crew stopped the aircraft, set the chocks and the parking brake. During the tow tractor change, while no tractor was attached, the aircraft started moving forward and over the chocks.

The aircraft went over the chocks?!?! With set parking brake? Something doesn't add up.

N14AZ wrote:

ThePointblank wrote:

N14AZ wrote:

Ouch...

Class B damage per the accident report, and aircraft out of service till August 2020. It doesn't sound good.

This is something I don't understand. Quote from this report:

ThePointblank wrote:

The actual investigation report (so far):

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/assets ... 5nov19.pdf

Once the aircraft reached a position in front of 10 hangar, the tow crew stopped the aircraft, set the chocks and the parking brake. During the tow tractor change, while no tractor was attached, the aircraft started moving forward and over the chocks.

The aircraft went over the chocks?!?! With set parking brake? Something doesn't add up.

I have a feeling that the ground wasn't level where they stopped to park the aircraft, and the parking brake either wasn't strong enough, or failed.

I also expect that they probably only chocked the nose wheel, since all they were doing was exchanging the tow tractor for a different one; they probably would not have chocked the main landing gear unless it was really windy out.

However, in the midst of all of this, somehow the aircraft started rolling and jumped the chocks...

And the problems just keep on coming for the CC-150 Polaris fleet:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politic ... e-problem/

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bad luck with planes continues.

He was forced to use a backup aircraft Monday to ferry him to London for a NATO summit because the usual prime ministerial jet was damaged in a hangar accident last month.

But after he got to London, the Royal Canadian Air Force discovered a problem with one of the engines on the backup plane during a postflight inspection.

The RCAF says that plane, a CC-150 Polaris, is being repaired but is temporarily “unserviceable.”

So, the RCAF has commandeered another CC-150 Polaris – which was in Italy with Gov. Gen. Julie Payette, who has been on a European tour of her own – to take Trudeau, his entourage and accompanying media back to Ottawa.

Another plane will have to be found to bring Payette home in time to read Thursday’s speech from the throne to open the new session of Parliament.

So, first the VIP configured Polaris is damaged as a result of a accident, so they've commandeered the second jet so the PM can fly to London.

Then, upon arrival in London, the PM's jet is discovered to be unserviceable due to engine problems, so they've commandeered the third Polaris that was already in Europe supporting the Governor General's European tour to get the PM and everyone back to Ottawa from London.

And they'll need to find another plane to get the Governor General back to Ottawa before Thursday...

ThePointblank wrote:

And they'll need to find another plane to get the Governor General back to Ottawa before Thursday...

Perhaps the GAF could lend them this..... .....


https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/96114_1569764568.jpg


Or one of these from the AdlA..... .....


https://farm66.static.flickr.com/65535/ ... 7be088.jpg

The accident happened on 18 October.

kc135topboom wrote:

The accident happened on 18 October.

Yeah, but the aircraft is going to be out of service till August 2020 due to the extent of the damage and the investigation. It's causing a lot of headaches for the air planners as it means that the two remaining jets are going to drawn upon much more heavily for the VIP transport role, as the two tanker-configured jets cannot be easily configured for VIP transportation, and the upcoming issues with the existing Challenger fleet are also going to create even more chaos.

Honestly at this stage it's a good opportunity to single source 2-3 A330s, a handful of A330 MRTTs, and call it a day. When Merkel's plane broke down, forcing her on a civilian flight, the Germans didn't waste time ordering A350s. There is precedent for single sourcing aircraft, the Harper minority government bought 4 C-17s in record time at the height of the war in Afghanistan.

Bonus: Trudeau could call POTUS and brag about his higher defense spending... Plus the RCAF would gain true flexibility. As it stands right now the Polaris can only refuel aircraft equipped with probes, so USN yes, but virtually no USAF fixed wing. So a new MRTT capability would do wonders for NATO interoperability, or even moreso for Canada's NORAD commitments.

It's honestly a no brainer but then again this is Canada, so they'll make it needlessly complicated and last 5 years at minimum.