The mechanic's tale A recently licensed US airframe and powerplant mechanic writes about true lessons learned: Herks in space And from a recent UK Ministry of Defence Contracts Bulletin confirmation of a secret inter-galactic tactical transport project: "Describing an approximately £1.5 billion Hercules Integrated Operational Support deal with Marshall Aerospace, it summarises the work as: 'A 24-year partnered support contract for the Hercules fleet of aircraft and spacecraft'." Help the aged Budgie News: "What's the advantage of doing an avionics upgrade of such an old C-130?" Herkman: "You know where you are when you break down." Name that dame Budgie News: "So apart from LCFare you thinking of a name for the Megaplanes 747 Dreamliner cargo monsterafter all, it is the Queen of the Skies." Megaplanes: "The engineers have already given it one, actually!" Budgie: "Which is?" Megaplanes: "erDrag Queen." Hawker ASTOR? Nephew David King was "rather puzzled" by the "ASTOR is born" article (Budgie News, 11-17 July). In the second paragraph it says "aircraft XJ692 is expected to arrive at Farnborough with a new addition". King, who obviously cross-referenced this tail number with his Big Book Of Planes, says he was "unaware that the latest ASTOR was in fact a presumably heavily modified Hunter F6! Presumably, this is a secret project that the MoD has been investing in without the knowledge of the public or in fact 5 Sqn - which thought it was getting new Global Express aircraft. Can anyone explain where this Hunter F6 has been hiding all these years? Will we see other older types returned to use from secret storage for further military use? I think we should be told." |
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Source: Flight International