sandhurst91 said:
Clarify crappy when, according to the CASA folks on their site (www.c-295.ca), they've sold a wad more aircraft than the Alenia folks... and some to serve similar SAR roles. heck, even Lockheed recommended the CN-235 for the US Coast Guard over their own airframe. Granted, each country has specific requirements - but crappy is I think a little strong.
This argument constantly amazes me. Should not the folks in Canada's North have some kind of say in this, as that is where the increasing number of incidents are happening? Yeah, the airframe should satisfy very specific requirements - which both do, if you compare them not against the status quo but against the realities of Canada's SAR environment now but also the future.
Clearly, all I'm hearing (and perhaps it's selective, so fire back please) are the folks at DND relegating Northern Canada to what they've always assumed it to be - a backwater not worth their time or efforts - using the argument that if you choose to live there, then accept the challenges that it presents. That's a crap argument - particularly for Canada's aboriginal communities, the companies that now work there and their employees, the airlines that fly northern routes, and the tourists that are making the North an increasingly desireable destination.
Sandy.
Sandy, I've been flying SAR for 10 years on the CC-115 and the CC-130, the issue here is not whether or not Canada should have a SAR base in the North. The issue is to provide the best-fixed wing SAR asset for the Canadian public and to give the SAR crews the best resource available to do it. If you based a C-27J in the north, say out of Yellowknife, (by the way if there was a posting there I put in for it tomorrow) the North and the rest of Canada would be better served by its performance and capabilities, than that of the C-295. If you tasked both the C-27J and C-295 to fly from Yellowknife to Alert a distance of 1423nm the C-27J would arrive on scene and could be searching 1 hr ahead of the C-295. Time and speed in response of an emergency is a critical factor and should not be compromised. If you look at the stats, the C-27J outperforms C-295 in every way, (Check the comparison www.C-27J.ca) the C-295 doesn't even have an APU, and I've been into a few airstrips where a power cart wasn't always available. It's pretty hard to start an aircraft without a power cart or an APU!
The main 3 sales pitches the C-295 has is:
1 It's cargo space, it clams is compact and perfect for SAR and the C-27J 8ft 6' roof clearance is just extra space never needed for SAR and will double the cost of the FWSAR project. I find this sales pitch Ignorant to what we do and misleading to others. I can tell you on our CC 130 SAR birds we have SAR equipment containers that are well over 8ft. The reason for this is to optimize floor space for rigging of air droppable equipment and dressing. I've talk with SAR Techs that have seen the cargo space of the 27J and the 295 and there back aches at the thought of working out of the C 295. To give you some insight as to how we are dress for a Para rescue operation, we have a 55 lb parachute plus 60/70 lbs of equipment and 15 to 20 lbs of environmental or protective clothing depending on what we're jumping into, that's 140 lbs +or - of equipment. Being able to stand and move freely with that type of weight is not a nicety it's a necessity and a mater of safety.
2 C-295 also claims of be being so much cheaper and cost effective, even claiming C27J is twice as expensive. If this is true why haven't they provided any fanatical figures to prove to the Canadian public of the great deal there getting? What is the comparison of cost between the two aircraft? Does any one know? Is the cost in savings worth the compromise, remember this new SAR asset will be around for many years to come, 30, 40 years? Another thing to keep in mind about the other countries that have purchased the C-295 is they do not have Canada's massive land expanse and they do not carry out Para-Rescue operations. The only other country to carry out Para-Rescue operations is the US air force PJs and they use a HC-130 as their SAR bird.
3. Its other claim is that if it is purchased, that for it to be an effective FXWing SAR platform for Canada it would have to be located in the Northern Communities, there fore giving better SAR coverage than the C-27J. I find this funny because about a year and half ago I heard a rumor that came out of the FWSAR project in DND. That rumor was that nether the C-27J or the C-295 had the same endurance as the CC-130 and they were looking at positioning the new SAR aircraft further north, Cold Lake / Yellowknife? At that time C-27J was on its way to being fast tracked as the new SAR bird and projected to start delivery of the first 27J in the fall 2004/2005 until the program was stalled. Just because the C-295 jumped on the Northern bandwagon, doesn't mean it's their idea and the two go hand in hand. I think a C-27J in Yellowknife would be a great Idea.
As for the C 295 being a crappy Joyce? In comparison to the capability of the C-27J I guess you could call it that.
If you could give the CC-115 the cruising speed of the CC 130, its pressurized cabin, and a little more width and range you'd have the perfect aircraft for SAR in Canada. Seeing how this plane doesn't exist the next best thing is the 27J. I'd rater make the compromise of flying the SAR fleet that we have in place now for the next 20 years that procuring the C-295. But given the currant situation this really isn't an option.
Quote, Sigh... I fear that the gov't will once again select the crappiest of the lot, just to appease those who may see choosing a vastly superior airframe as favoritism. KJ Gully Nicely worded and funny enough it has the ring of truth.
