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New Air Force cargo planes fly straight into mothballs
The Pentagon is sending $50 million cargo planes straight from the assembly line to mothballs because it has no use for them, yet it still hasn’t stopped ordering the aircraft, according to a report. (www.foxnews.com) Más...The US Forest Circus is one of those GOVERNMENT agencies that needs to be re-organized with a whole lot less people in it's "organization". It is a SERVICE......but way too fat with bureaucrats & regulations. In fact, we could actually do completely without them. And the whole "Dept. of the Interior". What interior? Yes, I may appear to state cynical ideas, but socialism is here folks, and you should be prepared for the "Obamaskis".
Doesn't the Coast Guard now use something similar? Why doesn't the Air Force give them to the USCG?
There are a lot of good ideas on here to make good use of these aircraft, but under the current budget crisis/shutdown, no agency is going to be able to snag these up right now. We'll see if they end up anywhere after the dust settles, but for now, they are stuck. Coming from FOX news, this is nothing more than a stab at the current administration while we are in the midst of a shutdown. The government can't just stop taking these aircraft, because they will then be forced to pay for planes that we are not even getting to complete the contract, which IMHO is much worse.
These planes have been on order for a long time. They have been being built and being delivered on an ongoing basis for a while now (years).
You'd think as stewards of public monies, they'd be just as careful with orders for airplanes that will not be needed, as a private airline. In the real world, a buyer (airline) will find a new buyer for the planes as soon as possible, often before the planes are delivered. Airlines don't accumulate brand-new airplanes in the desert.
A government shutdown lasting days or weeks, highlighting the out of control spending, didn't cause this problem of brand-new planes sitting unused for years. Buy it may remind us that we should use all of monies and assets wisely, including brand-new airplanes, that may be useful somewhere.
You'd think as stewards of public monies, they'd be just as careful with orders for airplanes that will not be needed, as a private airline. In the real world, a buyer (airline) will find a new buyer for the planes as soon as possible, often before the planes are delivered. Airlines don't accumulate brand-new airplanes in the desert.
A government shutdown lasting days or weeks, highlighting the out of control spending, didn't cause this problem of brand-new planes sitting unused for years. Buy it may remind us that we should use all of monies and assets wisely, including brand-new airplanes, that may be useful somewhere.
Right now they are costing zero operating cost, the only cost with these planes right now is paying on a contract that we cant just back out of. Even if another agency were to be flying them right now, we would have the cost of buying them AND the cost of operating them, they are much cheaper doing what they are doing right now until someone can find good use for them and make it worth the money to operate, which is not going to happen for a little bit as all of these 5 year olds in DC have their playground stand off.
At least storing them is much better than dismantling and destroying them as others like the Brits have done in the past.
No commercial airline would carry brand-new airplanes as non-operating non-productive assets on their balance sheet depreciating their purchase price, while not being used to product revenue or some other important mission.
An airline or an invest spending their own money would be more careful to spend money only when necessary. Further if they contacted for brand-new planes years in advance (which happens all the time and is the norm in recent years) find that their airplanes on order are no longer necessary, as predicted at time of signing purchase contracts, or are no longer affordable, they will find a solution. Typically that would be to find a new buyer, who does have a good use for the planes. This often happens BEFORE the plane is even delivered to the original airline.
Why do we make excuses for and allow stewards of taxpayer money to be reckless with the hard earned money of the people?
No commercial airline would carry brand-new airplanes as non-operating non-productive assets on their balance sheet depreciating their purchase price, while not being used to product revenue or some other important mission.
An airline or an invest spending their own money would be more careful to spend money only when necessary. Further if they contacted for brand-new planes years in advance (which happens all the time and is the norm in recent years) find that their airplanes on order are no longer necessary, as predicted at time of signing purchase contracts, or are no longer affordable, they will find a solution. Typically that would be to find a new buyer, who does have a good use for the planes. This often happens BEFORE the plane is even delivered to the original airline.
Why do we make excuses for and allow stewards of taxpayer money to be reckless with the hard earned money of the people?
I think the 'going concern' concept of business analogy is not a good fit for military purchases. The military model includes a goal of breaking things- usually on the other side, but there always is collateral damage to consider.
I agree that storing them is a much better strategy. Destroying them is a poor short-term strategy (unless you are in line to build the replacements when needed next month).
I agree that storing them is a much better strategy. Destroying them is a poor short-term strategy (unless you are in line to build the replacements when needed next month).
Many areas in the USA are too far from water for the helicopters or water scoopers or single engine bombers, so this very fast and economical airplane would be an ideal first responder, once lightened up and loaded with gelled water...
After of course Barry Hussein and Moshwelle quit taking these 300 million dollars vacations...