The three new Pilatus PC-12 Spectres (above) parked up in Denver and destined for Ireland. One of the PC12s in flight (top).
Today.
The Irish Air Corps are expected to take delivery of three new Pilatus PC-12 Spectre aircraft, which have been based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Denver, Colorado, USA since February 2019. The contract was signed in 2017
Via Alan Dwyer in Flying Ireland:
They were delivered here [Denver] from the Pilatus factory in Switzerland to be fitted out with their mission equipment and testing.
The three aircraft took off within minutes of each other on Tuesday from their temporary home heading for Burlington, Vermont where they landed after a flight of almost five hours.
Following an overnight stop they continued on to Goose Bay in Newfoundland for another overnight stop off before the Atlantic crossing.
They are scheduled to continue on to Iceland then make the final journey to their new home in Baldonnel today.
On arrival, the aircraft will take up the Irish markings and the Air Corps roundel will be added to the colour scheme….
New Irish Air Corps PC-12’s Due for Delivery this week (FlyingIreland)
Pics: Skippyscage
Thanks Jack Jones
marvellous – just in time for brexit. can’t have them dirty tans coughing at us while they try to build a hard border.
*finger guns*
oh my ;)
Apparently it costs between $2.5 to $2.8 million an aircraft
Checked it out on the manufacturers articles then Add the so called costs of fitting Out staff training etc
Apparently they were charged €4.2 million Plus plus And plus yet again to bring up the contract to €32 million for 3 aircraft That should of cost a maximum of half that
Maybe an audit is needed so the taxpayer can see what the balance is spent on and why suddenly when Ireland buys anything they seem to pay way over the odds but hey the running costs are low for fuel but really
Hard to swallow the price
they look like they were built in the 50s
do Air Forces around the world buy planes with propellers
‘thought they were all Top Gun Stealth stuff
the giant transporters the size of Inchicore
and the mad looking Apaches types with the tank missiles
Too big for trainers, to small for recon / fisheries patrol that are typically twin engined, what are these for moving tds from kerry to Dublin?
The link to the FlyingIreland is good for more detail, but, hey, I hear you loud and clear.
The exec version is dreamy inside, sorr.
Piston engine reconnaisance planes would usually have two engines (in case one fails), but that’s less of an issue for a modern turboprop.
Pilatus market this as the best single engine plane in the world
https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/en/fly/pc-12
It has plenty of range e.g. Canada -> Iceland -> Ireland or Ireland -> Azores -> USA
The only reason to need to do the atlantic in one jump would be to transport governments ministers for paddys day.
Is the crane-operator’s toilet employed on long trips?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95
“The Tupolev Tu-95 (Russian: Туполев Ту-95; NATO reporting name: “Bear”) is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Aerospace Forces until at least 2040.[1] A development of the bomber for maritime patrol is designated Tu-142, while a passenger airliner derivative was called Tu-114. “
These planes are quite modern, they can takeoff / land on unpaved surfaces and can get away with shorter runways than equivanent sized jets.
Note the lack of swept back wings and the high T tail allowing easier vehicular access to the pallet sized cargo door from either the side or the rear of the plane. (that kinda accounts for the odd shape)
Also the propeller has variable pitch and you can use that for additional breaking on extra short landing, or even to reverse the plane into a hanger. try doing that with a jet!
so you’re saying they’re perfect for bombing the likes of a chinese super-trawler?
Yes, exactly, or call in the Naval Service to intercept the trawler, or launch a cruise missile from the hidden silo at Haulbowline.
Wasn’t there another one ordered after these three, but delivered post haste from Switzerland to Ireland earlier this year? Not fitted out then? What was that all about?
shhh – we only use that against the israelis.
Orderd three…the fourth one was bought after it was offerd at a knock down price after another client cancelled.
It has been used non stop for light cargo,medical & air ambulance…it’ll be painted and fitted out when the three new ones become operational.
matt pilates has a story about that
know what millie would do with one of these
Right up to the H spot
They wouldn’t hit G-force speed then?
Giggidy
No, the H spot is for helicopters.
that millie’s a divil for bending the rules
And colons.
asylum seekers back to whence they came?
Are the doors secure though?
For shipping covid tests to German labs