The Tanker Joke - round... 4, I think?

[shawn a]

Well, I finally got an unofficial comment from an Air Force tanker crewman. He said he'd prefer the Boeing based on size, and mission suitability, with the added comment that he'd been in both a -767, and a -330, and the Boeing felt "more solid".
Will someone (or some committee) just make the decision, so we can build the damn thing?
For the delay she started, Darleen Druyun should be in jail until the first one is built!

[Webmaster]

I think they just got confused more now with a president that wants "CHANGE". What's change, Airbus, or Boeing? See, confusing.

US Aerospace would have been a change, but they were 5 minutes late. A lot can change in 5 minutes.

Sorry, can't help myself joking about this...

[Webmaster]

Well, I finally got an unofficial comment from an Air Force tanker crewman. He said he'd prefer the Boeing based on size, and mission suitability, with the added comment that he'd been in both a -767, and a -330, and the Boeing felt "more solid".

But then again, I'd be very surprised if he'd said Airbus. Hmm, it's nice to hear his opinion, but when they say "best solution for the warfighter", they don't mean him, they probably mean some general on top who need to refuel and haul cargo (that's left by a shortage of C-17s) with these, plus the bean counters in uniform. Thanks for asking though.

"more solid" hmm, not sure what to make of that. I mean let's say MiG-29 vs F-16... I wouldn't want the more solid one. 

[shawn a]

At an earlier show, when asked the same question, two crewmen on a -135 agreed with each other when one of them said, in effect, "we don't care, just as long as we get a new one soon".
Wow! How can I put this?....If given equality in avionics and weapon systems would you still prefer the lithe bedroom sexiness of the -16, or the practical in-the-kitchen cooking ability of the -29?

[Webmaster]

Exactly, that's the most important thing, get on with it!

Let's order 10 of each today, and see how they do. Just 20 birds, buy or lease, I think the added cost of small-number procurement and operating two types is offset by the lesser strain on the KC-135 fleet, so why not? Of course those 10 A330s will have to be built in France, as it's not viable to set up a line for so few. But I'd reckon it's a small price, and it's still quite some work for US suppliers. And whichever one doesn't eventually get taken on, can be easily sold.

Yup, F-16. At least, if I got my infrastructure sorted out and don't plan on pissing off the US.

[shawn a]

Wow! I wonder if that's a workable concept. Would the bidders go for it? If so--let's include US Aerospace and Antonov, too!

[shawn a]

According to Combat Aircraft magazine, US Aerospace has filed a protest with the US Government Accountability Office after being thrown out of the KC-X competition.
Hmmm... how seriously this protest will be taken is a good question.
We all know protests never cause any serious delays to a program 

[Webmaster]

Hmmm... how seriously this protest will be taken is a good question.

The GAO dismissed U.S. Aerospace’s claims that the Air Force intentionally delayed the messenger from entering Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. But the legal question of whether the bid was late and whether acceptance would “not unduly delay the procurement” remains open. The latter decisions are due Nov 5.

[shawn a]

Well, it's November, shouldn't we get a decision on the issue any day now? Perhaps just a statement that the decision is delayed? Maybe there's a hypersonic stealth tanker being tested at Groom Lake?

[shawn a]

Like they say in a Western movie just before the arrows hit them--"It's awful quiet out there, Luke", "Yeah, Jeb, TOO quiet"
Haven't heard anything about the tanker yet.
"It's awful quiet out there"

[Webmaster]

I think it got postponed to March? But there's also no funding allocated now?? And it's politically impossible now for a USAF decision to stay in effect due to congress being split 50/50 between Boeing/Airbus??? Or is that "split-buy" lobby propaganda?

It's difficult to keep up, I'll wait and see, tired of trying to follow this nonsense.

[shawn a]

Nonsense it is.
I can just imagine our pilots landing their combat-loaded aircraft at the nearest airport, taxiing to the fueling area and producing a credit card, and saying "fill 'er up!"