11.2 Billion dollars

[redlaser]

The government of Canada minister of Defence Bill Blair has signed a contract with a company called Skyalyne for the training of military pilots in western Canada, they will purchase 19 Pilatus pc-21 aircraft and additional Grob aircraft, When most countries in the world are moving to pilot less aircraft and drones, UAV's, the Liberal government is wasting canadian tax money on fighter pilot training, This new company Skyalyne has zero experiance in military training.

[BMLtech]

Hmm maybe do a little research on who SkyAlyne is before you start making blanket statements. KFaero has been providing the basic training at Southport for 25 years.

[tbaylx]

We're also a long way from drones replacing piloted aircraft, they're a valuable augment but not a replacement, especially for fighter operations. A rare investment in our military by the current government is a good thing.

[Jean-Pierre]

That's only $590 million per Pilatus.

[Bingo Fuel]

We're buying 11 MQ-9B armed drones, estimated to arrive in 2028, fully operational by 2033.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/canadian-military ... d%20bombs.

As for SkyAlyne:

"SkyAlyne was formed in 2018 as a partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace, two Canadian aviation, training, and defence leaders"

https://skyalyne.ca/who-we-are

[goingnowherefast]

We're also a long way from drones replacing piloted aircraft, they're a valuable augment but not a replacement, especially for fighter operations. A rare investment in our military by the current government is a good thing.

Agreed.
We're also buying the F-35. It is not a drone, and will need a pilot training pipeline. The only part I find interesting is a pilot will go from the PC-21, a turboprop, to the F-35, a jet. No jet trainer in the middle. Maybe that's not a big deal? I dunno, I'm not a fighter pilot training expert. Our current CF-18 pilots do their multi engine training on the CF-18, and that seems to go well.

[Bingo Fuel]

We're also a long way from drones replacing piloted aircraft, they're a valuable augment but not a replacement, especially for fighter operations. A rare investment in our military by the current government is a good thing.

Agreed.
We're also buying the F-35. It is not a drone, and will need a pilot training pipeline. The only part I find interesting is a pilot will go from the PC-21, a turboprop, to the F-35, a jet. No jet trainer in the middle. Maybe that's not a big deal? I dunno, I'm not a fighter pilot training expert. Our current CF-18 pilots do their multi engine training on the CF-18, and that seems to go well.

There's a procurement program underway for a fighter lead-in "training solution" suitable for 5th generation fighters. Part of the requirement is to "maximize simulation". Estimated final delivery in 2031/2032.

CF-35A deliveries start with 4 aircraft in 2026, with 6 more each following year. So yes, there appears to be a window of time where there are CF-35As, but no Canadian lead in trainer for them. I expect we'll be relying on our allies to fill the gap.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service ... ining.html

https://apps.forces.gc.ca/en/defence-ca ... sp?id=1621

[JBI]

There's a procurement program underway for a fighter lead-in "training solution" suitable for 5th generation fighters. Part of the requirement is to "maximize simulation". Estimated final delivery in 2031/2032.

CF-35A deliveries start with 4 aircraft in 2026, with 6 more each following year. So yes, there appears to be a window of time where there are CF-35As, but no Canadian lead in trainer for them. I expect we'll be relying on our allies to fill the gap.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service ... ining.html

https://apps.forces.gc.ca/en/defence-ca ... sp?id=1621

According to a few news sources, the lead-in jet training will be provided by the US and other NATO allies.

https://theaviationist.com/2024/03/11/farewell-ct-155/

During its period of hiatus, the RCAF will partner with its allies to train their future fighter pilots. One of the first steps of this interim solution is mainly through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program based at Sheppard Air Base, Texas. Future RCAF pilots will also be diverted to other NATO countries with similar programs such as the Fighter Lead-in Training (FLT) in Finland and the International Flight Training School in Italy.

[DHC-1 Jockey]

Two U.S. F-18 and F-16 pilots recently had a really great discussion about this very situation, and how they find it funny that we're retiring the Hawk with only about ~25 years of service while the U.S.A.F. is still flying T-38's, the newest of which are 50+ years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgjrZ1W1W9E

[redlaser]

KF Aerospace has been trying for years to find civillian flight instructors to teach in Southport ( portage la prarie )without much success, nobody in his right mind wants to work at minus 40 degrees for three months of the year, also the Grob G-120 aircraft they have are 30 years old or more piston engine aircraft. Just check out their web site also the new SkyAlyne website.

[tsgarp]

KF Aerospace has been trying for years to find civillian flight instructors to teach in Southport ( portage la prarie )without much success, nobody in his right mind wants to work at minus 40 degrees for three months of the year, also the Grob G-120 aircraft they have are 30 years old or more piston engine aircraft. Just check out their web site also the new SkyAlyne website.

KF has always fielded a very strong staff in Portage. Aircraft performance is truly excellent at -40, that temperature usually results in spectacular VFR weather, and, -40 on the dry Prairies feels much better than -10 in the humidity of the Great Lakes. Did you acquire your hatred of KF as a student pilot there, or as a washed out instructor candidate?

[goingnowherefast]

I was wondering the same. If 30 year old Grobs means they can't find instructor,. I guess Harv's has gone bankrupt with their 50 year old Cessnas operating in the same climate. Wait, Harv's still exists.

[redlaser]

Military flight schools is western Canada should be shut down they are just a waste of canadian tax payers money, the defense department should invest in drone technology and UAV's. But we have Bill Blair running the defense department a Toronto cop who knows nothing about defence

[SpyPilot]

Every time you post another one of your mind-numbingly stupid comments is proof that you know absolutely nothing about anything.

[SpyPilot]

No. You need not say more.

9 blathering moronic posts in one day is enough.