177702 (CA-2) Preparations

[Globesmasher]

Our second aircraft is off the assembly line and out of the paint shop.
Here is a quick snapshot of it undergoing some final preparation before it begins the acceptance test flight protocols.

Delivery is still scheduled for Oct 11th.

 

[GAP]

2/4

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Excellent news....and she's looking good. Will they be posting more folks into the Squadron or is everyone in place and ready to go?

 

[geo]

Excellent news.
This resource will permit the rapid deployment of replacement resources.
Ain't nothing wrong with that!

 

[BernDawg]

I laid eyes on 701 for the first time yesterday (it was in Comox) and I am proud to say that it sent a chill up my spine.  It's awesome to see the proof that we are moving in the right direction.
:cdnsalute:

 

[Globesmasher]

Excellent news....and she's looking good. Will they be posting more folks into the Squadron or is everyone in place and ready to go?

IHS:

We'll be "receiving" more people with this second aircraft.  The folks currently in the USA on the second phase of embedded seasoing with the USAF will be returning (repatriating) at the end of Oct to be additional crews for the second aircraft - this is for both aircrew and maintainer.  We should have about 6 qualified crews by the end of Oct to operate the 2 jets.  We should have 8 but 6 will do.

In the meantime we now have a steady stream of aircrew heading south for their Initial Qual course down in Altus AFB in Oklahoma.  The postings into the squadron are now entirely at the hands of the D Mil C folks as the CC177 is now a regular "posting" and the initial cadre selection process is over and done with.

We'll see a bit of a sruge with repect to training crews in the late fall and early spring as we get enough people ready for the delivery of CA-3 and CA-4 in Mar and Apr of 2008 respectively.  The Sqn should be more or less "on strength" by May 2008 - or at least that is the grand plan at any rate!!

 

[Bandit1]

With all this new traffic (which I'm stoked about!) is there any chance the new runway and extra room at Trenton will be ready earlier than expected?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Morale must be humming! Congrats to all and thanks for the hard work.

 

[C1302C17 TECH]

Oh I think this will be the new one for me, well we get home on the 10th of November, so it will be a month old.  Will still have that new plane smell.

 

[Globesmasher]

Things may be a little delayed with CA-2.
The aircraft itself is fine.
The issue is the fact that fuselage 179, right in front of us that is destined for Dover AFB, was delayed coming off the production line by two weeks.  This has had an obvious downstream impact on our aircraft, fuselage 180.

That being said, Boeing is doing their damndest to get us our aircraft as quickly as possible.
CA-2 flew it's first airborne, production test flight yesterday, Friday 5th Oct.
We're a few days behind schedule, but no cause for alarm just yet.
We had a minor snag shortly after takeoff, returned, fixed and then went airborne again.

Right now looks as if we'll slide a day or two to the right and be a little late for delivery.
In the big scheme of things - it's still "all good".
Even if we're a day or two late, by letter of the contract Boeing is still early with its delivery and providing us with excellent customer service.

 

[observor 69]

Repeat after me "it's all good."   ;D

Edit spelling.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Things may be a little delayed with CA-2.
The aircraft itself is fine.
The issue is the fact that fuselage 179, right in front of us that is destined for Dover AFB, was delayed coming off the production line by two weeks.  This has had an obvious downstream impact on our aircraft, fuselage 180.

That being said, Boeing is doing their damndest to get us our aircraft as quickly as possible.
CA-2 flew it's first airborne, production test flight yesterday, Friday 5th Oct.
We're a few days behind schedule, but no cause for alarm just yet.
We had a minor snag shortly after takeoff, returned, fixed and then went airborne again.

Right now looks as if we'll slide a day or two to the right and be a little late for delivery.
In the big scheme of things - it's still "all good".
Even if we're a day or two late, by letter of the contract Boeing is still early with its delivery and providing us with excellent customer service.

Of course good news will not make the evening news.....

Glad to see the contract working well.

 

[R933ex]

Again absolutely wonderfull to see. This is definitely a step in the right direction!

 

[Globesmasher]

177702

CA-2 landed in Trenton at 1825 local last night.
The CC177 fleet size has now doubled.

CA-3 is due March 2008 (third week).
CA-4 is right behind it and due April 2008 (first week).

The project is progressing well.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

No mention in the news I notice.

 

[Jammer]

What's newsworthy about it?

 

[vonGarvin]

What's newsworthy about it?

Nothing


Except that this delivery represents MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars that are going leaps and bounds to provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a strategic enabler for the very first time EVER. 

That's all, nothing important.

Having said that, I did note that Justin Trudeau's wife gave birth yesterday (or the day before).  Now THAT'S news.  And the latest OJ gossip, and the latest Britney Spears gossip.  Need I say more?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Gee I don't know, Canada receives a second strategic airlift aircraft in record time, increasing our ability to support our missions and to support humanitarian causes around the world. Reporting such would make the current government look efficient, compared to the sorry record of the previous one.

 

[Jammer]

I think the Harper Govt has already shown that it has the will, the backbone, and the foresight to continue the re-birth og the CF.
I don't see anyone clamouring in the mainstream media over the fact that Senator Colin Kenny has advocated sending the Griffon to Kandahar instead of aquiring the infinitly more capable....anything.
Time to re-focus out collective efforts.
For the record though...nice to see the C-17 wearing a Cdn roundel.

 

[vonGarvin]

I don't see anyone clamouring in the mainstream media over the fact that Senator Colin Kenny has advocated sending the Griffon to Kandahar instead of aquiring the infinitly more capable....anything.

The Griffon is more capable of "stuff" and "roles" than you attribute to it.  No, it cannot troop lift, but there are lots of other roles it could carry out "in the sandbox"...