Not all of it. In fact, contract VERTREP has had a shaky history, and some of it will NEVER go away (not saying, you don't know this, but maybe others don't).
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Civilian Maritime Tailhook Aviation
- Thread starter FlyingOnFumes
- Start date
Not all of it. In fact, contract VERTREP has had a shaky history, and some of it will NEVER go away (not saying, you don't know this, but maybe others don't).
I can't see the navy ever being comfortable with civilian 'hookers, because of the (real or perceived) lack of control and supervision over quals and currency. Since USNS boats are ostensibly civilian, I guess that makes it different.
WRT contract COD, here are some other examples of military flying that are at least partially contracted nowadays or have serious proposals to do so:
-strategic lift
-USNS VERTREP
-adversary (not only a/a)
-tanking
-various combat support in the 'stan
Whether it's even a good idea, I'll defer to TheBubba, HAL, and Fester and their comments. Whether it's viable, phrogdriver and 2sr2 kinda covered it.
-strategic lift
-USNS VERTREP
-adversary (not only a/a)
-tanking
-various combat support in the 'stan
Whether it's even a good idea, I'll defer to TheBubba, HAL, and Fester and their comments. Whether it's viable, phrogdriver and 2sr2 kinda covered it.
Where is the incentive or cost savings to commercializing the COD service? I know how much a COD detachment costs & I'm not sure a private entity could do it cheaper. There also isn't a civil aircraft capable of replacing the COD making the startup expense very high for a bidder.
The Navy is looking to put more civilian mariners on ships. Right now they are on a few, like Mt Whitney and Blue Ridge, but the Navy is looking at putting them on Amphibs (in the engine room) in the near future. There is also discussion about merchant mariners on surface combatants. Lots of issues involved about this topic, but if they are looking at the POSSIBILITY of putting civilians on CRU/DES ships, I don't think a civilian COD crew would be unthinkable.
Lots of issues, yeah, but it could enter the discussion.
Lots of issues, yeah, but it could enter the discussion.
A few years ago the Navy wanted to contract out the COD maint. The end conclusion was that it would not be a fiscally sound choice. The COD community operates very lean and has proven to be efficient. I think a commercial operator would not be able to provide what a CVN demands. For many reasons.
I'm not saying this because it's my community, I just don't see how it would be commercially viable. A replacement aircraft would be required. That alone would likely be a deal breaker.
I'm not saying this because it's my community, I just don't see how it would be commercially viable. A replacement aircraft would be required. That alone would likely be a deal breaker.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
I think HooverPilot will be jumping ahead of you for that one. I'm too big for an S-3 Ejection Seat, so I'm SOL.
add.
In what ways would US-3s offer advantages over the C-2s (certainly not in cargo/pax capacity, or range/endurance???). Just askin' as an ol' C-1A COD driver ...not that familiar w/ C-2/US-3 types! :slug_125:
BzB :sleep_125
In what ways would US-3s offer advantages over the C-2s (certainly not in cargo/pax capacity, or range/endurance???). Just askin' as an ol' C-1A COD driver ...not that familiar w/ C-2/US-3 types! :slug_125:
BzB :sleep_125
Your right, anything can be done with enough money. But we are not flush with money these days.
I say a new airframe because these are not FAA certificated and any contract aircraft would have to be. I don't think getting them certificated today would be realistic or possible. The FAA would not let a commercial enterprise fly an aircraft with pax as an experimental category aircraft.
I guess we could just hire contract pilots & maintainers but I don't think that would work. In a maintenance contract, the parts alone to maintain these birds would sink a profit seeking company. The restrictions of a contract would also remove much of the flexibility the Strike Group is provided by the COD Det. Would a contractor have been able to respond to the quake in Japan like the CODs did? Haiti? The Indonesian tsunami? (Bunky - you were there!)
I'm not saying they can't contract out the COD support, I just don't think it would be practical nor cost effective.
In the '06 Analysis of Alternatives, they did evaluate bringing back the US-3A as a C-2 replacement, but rejected it. A clean sheet design, the C-2B or the V-22 were really the only contenders. They are doing another AOA prior to starting the COD replacement program in POM-14.
If they brought back Miss Piggy, I'd be all over that!
I say a new airframe because these are not FAA certificated and any contract aircraft would have to be. I don't think getting them certificated today would be realistic or possible. The FAA would not let a commercial enterprise fly an aircraft with pax as an experimental category aircraft.
I guess we could just hire contract pilots & maintainers but I don't think that would work. In a maintenance contract, the parts alone to maintain these birds would sink a profit seeking company. The restrictions of a contract would also remove much of the flexibility the Strike Group is provided by the COD Det. Would a contractor have been able to respond to the quake in Japan like the CODs did? Haiti? The Indonesian tsunami? (Bunky - you were there!)
I'm not saying they can't contract out the COD support, I just don't think it would be practical nor cost effective.
In the '06 Analysis of Alternatives, they did evaluate bringing back the US-3A as a C-2 replacement, but rejected it. A clean sheet design, the C-2B or the V-22 were really the only contenders. They are doing another AOA prior to starting the COD replacement program in POM-14.
If they brought back Miss Piggy, I'd be all over that!
^ http://www.atacusa.com/sections/operations.html These guys are doing it (flying and maintaining) - with some large DoD contacts on the order of tens of millions of dollars with Kfirs, Scooters, and Hawker Hunters. BUT, they're not carrying pax.
My old man almost flew for ATAC. Not sure why he turned it down. It may have been a money issue. Anyway, it was always cool to fly out of Patrick Henry and see their airplanes.