RAAF Seeking to Replace VIP Fleet

The two Hawker Siddeley 748s (now BAe 748s) entered service in 1967 as part of a package of a dozen such aircraft. Configured for only 18 passengers, the turboprop 748s have primarily been used for short-range and remote rough field work. The 748s have to date accumulated around 13,000hrs each and will eventually be turned over to the RAAF School of Navigation at Sale, Victoria.

The smallest of 34′ Squadron’s aircraft is the French Dassault Mystere, a forerunner to the better-known Falcon 20 and 200 series aircraft that nowadays figure very heavily in the regional civil corporate jet inventory (refer Traffic this issue). The Mysteries entered service in 1967, have logged between 10,000 and 11,000hrs each and can carry 8 pax though often only over relatively short ranges of up to 800nm.

Number 34 Squadron is presently a unique RAAF unit in that it is the only operational squadron that undertakes all of its own maintenance. To this end, it is the only RAAF Squadron to effectively ‘own’ its own aircraft. This in itself is a big job as three different types must be maintained, provisioned and crewed during the course of a day. Day to day activities may also alter at a moment’s notice as unscheduled federal elections are called and wide-ranging foreign heads of state visits are either advanced or delayed in schedule,

While the RAAF operates the aircraft, it is the Governor General, Prime Minister or Minister for Defence who are actually responsible for their deployment. Requests for the use of 34 Squadron aircraft are usually processed through the Office of the Minister for Defence which liaises direct via a specially appointed officer within 34 Squadron. The use of VIP aircraft is heavily vetted by the government and the aircraft are only used if civil transport is either not available in a reasonable timeframe or unacceptable for reasons of security or convenience.

What the government is now seeking to do is to effectively replace 34 Squadron’s three types with a fleet of only two aircraft types. In essence, the role of the turboprop 748s will be dispensed with in favour of pure jet aircraft. Studies indicate that there would be a considerable cost saving realised by the government replacing the existing 34 Squadron assets with that of leased civilian-owned aircraft. These would be on a ten year operating lease, would be maintained by civilian crews though their aircrews would naturally remain RAAF personnel. Fairbairn would also remain as their operating base with most of the ongoing maintenance work being performed in the existing 34 Squadron hangars.

As we closed for press, it was intended that a Request For Tender (RFT) would be issued formally before year end. Additionally, the gist of the RFT would revolve around a broad-based ‘capability statement’ in which tenderers could offer a mixed batch of aircraft types to fulfil the roles required. Defence recognises that there are many viable options available which would not only ably satisfy the requirement but could also be more cost effective. Essentially they are offering industry the opportunity to tell them how best to satisfy their needs rather than offering merely a dogmatic requirement that in turn would effectively stifle the potential of the great range of aircraft that are lining up for this prestigious order.

Basically speaking, the requirement revolves around two capabilities. The top level requirement is for an aircraft capable of uplifting a minimum of 35 passengers in VIP configuration (though the cabin could be split to accommodate media or staff teams as required) and be able to fly at max payload from Sydney to Perth into the severest anticipated headwinds with full IFR reserves. Two aircraft are specified for this task.

The second, or lower level requirement is for a corporate type jet capable of uplifting. at least 12 passengers in standard corporate fit and flying the same Sydney/Perth mission. Three such jets would be required and these would effectively replace the Mysteries.

A third option is to investigate upgrading the existing fleet. However, this appears not to be technically viable for a number of reasons. While the accumulated flight hours of all the 34 Squadron aircraft are relatively low, they still are aged airframes in terms of their crucial avionics and engines.

The BAC 111 is a potential candidate for upgrading via the fitment of the Rolls Royce Tay turbofan. This is to be undertaken on a number of later model Series 500 airframes overseas though would be uneconomic to perform (at a cost of up to $1Om per airframe) on our own aircraft due to their being early series ‘short body’ aircraft. Similarly upgrading the propjet 748s would not be feasible and would achieve little while the short-legged turbojet Mysteres also fall into the same category. While the 748s can be accepted usefully into the existing RAAF inventory, it is felt that the 111s and Mysteres will be sold, their anticipated low value being more a reflection of their high cost of operation rather than their mechanical condition, which like all RAAF aircraft is nothing less than superb.

A number of aircraft make themselves obvious contenders for both categories. At the top end, Boeing are running hard (via Ansett, which can pretty well supply everything) with their 737-300, McDonnell Douglas with the MD-87, Fokker with the Fokker 100 and BAe with the 146.

As it is now too late to have the assets in being prior to the launch of our Bicentennial celebrations in January, it is now expected that the aircraft will however be operational by year end. This in itself places the Ansett group at the top of the queue as they appear to be the only ones with the required mix of types, crews and technical background to be able to satisfy the requirement in full in the very short timeframe presented.

Ansett are principally offering the 737-300 and the 146. The 146 is essentially the Statesman version which itself is a modified version of the basic 146-100 aircraft. The Statesman can also be equipped with auxiliary underfloor fuel tanks which allows it the range required to perform the stated task in addition to having excellent short and rough field capability. Something that may be important as the aircraft will at times deploy to such airfields in rural and remote Australia. Another asset that the Ansett camp now have are the two Fokker F28-3000s which are presently flown by East-West Airlines. These aircraft are essentially 1000 Series bodies using Series 4000 wings and engines. Needless to say they have excellent short field capability in addition to very long legs with their greatly enhanced fuel capacity which also includes standard centreline internal tanks. Ansett could win the whole box and dice with a combination of these and Statesman or 737 aircraft.

While referring to Ansett, it is worth mentioning that Australian Aviation believes that Australian Airlines are not bidding for the contract and have shown little interest in it from the beginning. In view of the fact that the winner would also derive better technical ground crew productivity out of its Canberra base and the additional cash flow that winning this not-inconsequential contract will bring the victor, it is surprising, and rather disappointing, that the government-owned domestic has not shown a little more commercial vigour in this regard.

Meanwhile, the lower level is being principally fought out between three types and requires a corporate jet with at least 12 seats in standard fit. Lined up keenly against each other are the Dassault Falcon 900 trijet, the Gulfstream G. IV and Canadair’s Challenger 601A. From what we can ascertain, there is about a third difference in price between the top of the market Gulfstream and the Challenger with the Falcon 900 about midway between the two. The fuel specifics and cost of operation of these three types are excellent and as an example of efficiency, it is probably fair to say that in fuel and maintenance terms that a fleet of three of these aircraft could be operated for about the cost of a single BAC 111.

At present it appears that the smaller level of corporate jets, such as the BAe 125, Falcon 50 and 200 and the Citation 3 will be too small for the task, though this could alter depending upon the flexibility within Defence in fine tuning its specific low-level capability. It could ultimately be that the RAAF chooses four smaller aircraft than the three larger units. To cater for the unusual and occasional surge requirement, Defence will also charter suitable aircraft from the GA sector as and when required.

On ultra long range and certain domestic high-capacity missions, the government will of course look to the Boeing 707-338s of No. 33 Squadron, based at Richmond, west of Sydney. However, things are changing here and when the four 707s are finally converted to tankers, this will become their primary task. At present less than a fifth of all 33 Squadron flight hours are logged in satisfying the VIP requirement and this is expected to reduce even further as more capable aircraft are taken into the 34 Squadron inventory.

This latest RFT represents another potential boon for the Australian civil aviation scene and, to a lesser extent, the GA industry and if handled properly (unlike several other major government tenders of late) will not only serve to save the Australian taxpayer money but will also greatly enhance the efficiency and productivity of No. 34 Squadron’s day to day operation