CanForce to China with the PM

[ogopogo]

Was thinking about the range of our old A-310s. Today’s flight departed YVR....do they have the range?

https://www.google.ca/search?q=trudeau+ ... AEEctQMvFM:

[lownslow]

Let's hope not.

[mmm..bacon]

I'm sure that there are some who are fervently hoping that they don't!

[fish4life]

While I agree with most of what is said in this thread, I would think the Polaris can do Air to air refueling along with probably having bigger tanks / additional ones over the standard 310 but I stand to be corrected

[Gannet167]

The RCAFs 310 has standard tanks. It can not air to air refuel. There are a few that can tank and refuel other aircraft, but they cannot receive fuel. Those models are not used for VIP.

[Mooney21]

Any aux. tanks in the cargo hold?

[bradley]

On longer flights like that they have to stop for gas on the way. If the flight is longer than a single crew can do in a crew day, they would have a slip crew prepositioned at the fuel stop too. Flying from YVR to China, my best guess would be a stop for gas in Alaska.

The Polaris cannot refuel in flight. The two tankers do have extra fuel tanks, but they are not configed for VIPs.

[Inverted2]

Well they could dump Socks over the pacific, that could save some weight and he could apologize to some sea creatures on the sea floor.

[ogopogo]

On longer flights like that they have to stop for gas on the way. If the flight is longer than a single crew can do in a crew day, they would have a slip crew prepositioned at the fuel stop too. Flying from YVR to China, my best guess would be a stop for gas in Alaska.

The Polaris cannot refuel in flight. The two tankers do have extra fuel tanks, but they are not configed for VIPs.

Thanks. Turns out they did refuel in Anchorage.

To the other posters who replied with unrelated comments - get a life.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

The VIP A-310 has standard tanks, meaning almost 49 tonnes. It burns about 5 tonnes an hour, so it can fly about nine to ten hours, no reserves, no alternate, according to payload.
This same aircraft can be modified to receive one or two ACTs, Additional Center Tanks in the forward hold, which each contain 5.7 tonnes of fuel. The installation of two such tanks would give the A310 a total of 60 tonnes of fuel, so 12 to 13 hours hours endurance, no alternate, no reserves, again according to payload.
If the Aircraft, which weighs around 80 to 81 tonnes empty, took off with 60 tonnes of fuel, and only 10 tonnes of payload, it would have a take off weight of just 150 tonnes, which would give it a bit better range (MTOW is 164 tonnes).
Vancouver to Beijing is about 4600 NM Great Circle, so over 10 hours. Impossible with current tanks, perhaps possible with 2 ACTs and a light payload and no winds.
Plus, I understand that for security reasons, when the PM is carried, they carry much more reserve fuel for contingencies then a commercial flight would on the same flight.....

[fish4life]

I guess in the end I thought we might have something that seems comparable to the US but again we do not. No Air to Air refueling seems like a security issue to me.

[DanJ]

This is Canada. We can't have nice things. Hell, Chretien wouldn't even fly in that plane out of appearances. And then they put a nice paint job on it and people whined again.

[YYZSaabGuy]

I guess in the end I thought we might have something that seems comparable to the US but again we do not. No Air to Air refueling seems like a security issue to me.

I'm not sure exactly what the security issue is: airport refueling can be kept reasonably secured. And if you're referring to the Canadian equivalent of an airborne White House, it's not like anybody really needs Shiny Pony and his minions safe and secure at 40,000', barking orders to NDHQ and desperately trying to recall the launch code sequence. Personally, if everything goes sideways, I'm OK with them having to run and duck for cover, same as the rest of us.

[RVR6000]

When the Chinese came to Ottawa it was non-stop on a 747-400. I think it’s time for an upgrade to the 310, maybe the new 330NEO or the 350. For a G7 nation I think we can do a lot better then a clapped out 310.

[lownslow]

When the Chinese came to Ottawa it was non-stop on a 747-400. I think it’s time for an upgrade to the 310, maybe the new 330NEO or the 350. For a G7 nation I think we can do a lot better then a clapped out 310.

Maybe so, but since you and I don't want to pay for it then the cost will have to come out of somebody else's budget. What service would you like downgraded?

[RVR6000]

When the Chinese came to Ottawa it was non-stop on a 747-400. I think it’s time for an upgrade to the 310, maybe the new 330NEO or the 350. For a G7 nation I think we can do a lot better then a clapped out 310.

Maybe so, but since you and I don't want to pay for it then the cost will have to come out of somebody else's budget. What service would you like downgraded?

Here’s a few.

1. Tax funded safe drug use sites (the govt. green light to shooting up)
2. The funds from the ‘imaginary’ carbon tax, no clue to which bureaucracy that money is going to currently.
3. Cut down the massive payouts to certain groups (suspected former terrorist, lgbtq community)