Alberta Government Fleet For Sale $11 million

[Oxi]

Alberta’s government aircraft helped cost Alison Redford her job as premier. Now, they could cost somebody else at least $11 million, the province’s newly listed sale price for the politically fabled planes.

One of Premier Jim Prentice’s first acts on taking office in September was a commitment to sell the aircraft, after the Redford cabinet landed in controversy for abusing its access to the executive fleet.

Eldon McIlwain, press secretary to Service Alberta Minister Stephen Khan, said that while Prentice ended their use by elected officials on Sept. 16, members of the civil service continued to board the planes for government business until they were grounded on Dec. 5 and declared surplus.

The planes were put to tender on the government’s purchasing website last Friday, a week later, but McIlwain said there have already been expressions of interest.

“They’re very good aircraft,” he said in an interview Friday.

The big-ticket item is a 36-seat 1985 DeHavilland Dash 8, with a reserve price of $5.5 million. There are also two 2006 Beechcraft King Air B200s, at a cost of $2 million each, and a 1997 Beechcraft King Air 350 with a reserve price of $1.5 million.

Bids for the planes need to be in to the government by Feb. 24, 2015.

McIlwain said the planes were appraised to set the price. The government is confident that it will achieve the reserve price but will re-evaluate if the process closes without a high enough bid, he said.

Alberta’s Air Transportation Service operated the four-plane fleet at a cost of roughly $9.3 million annually.

Liberal MLA Kent Hehr welcomed what he called an end to a dark chapter in Alberta’s political history. He said the Progressive Conservatives have long used the government fleet “as their own personal fiefdom,” at the expense of taxpayers.

“Hopefully with the sale of planes they can cover themselves accordingly and learn to travel like the rest of us do on commercial planes,” Hehr said.

The government fleet has been controversial for years, with former premier Ralph Klein in particular attracting heat.

But the criticism reached a fever pitch under Redford, who resigned as premier in March.

In August, auditor general Merwan Saher issued a scathing report detailing myriad abuses of the provincial fleet, with Redford using the planes to attend partisan events and deriving a personal benefit by taking her daughter on flights.

The report also showed government flights cost nearly $4 million more in 2012 than commercial options.

“Clearly this has been a major issue in our province for some time. It was something I heard loud and clear about from Albertans through the entirety of the summer,” Prentice said in September.

Cabinet ministers are now expected to drive or fly commercial or use charter flights if necessary.

Rob Anderson, the Wildrose finance critic, lauded the change, something the Opposition has been seeking for a “long, long time.”

“The whole point of the Wildrose is to get good government, and when the government does good things, that’s something that we’re going to applaud every time,” Anderson said.

With files from Reid Southwick, Calgary Herald

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/ ... w-for-sale

[Rookie50]

May not be the last thing for sale if oil doesn't turn.....

[planemikey]

Not an expert but don't the reserves seem a bit on the high side? Depends on hull, avionics and engine times I guess .

[planemikey]

JUST FOUND THIS ON LINE


Lot #1:

2006 Beechcraft King Air B200 - times as of Nov 18, 2014

C-GFSD B200 S/N: BB-1962

Aircraft Total Time: 3043.9

Total Cycles since new: 4299

Model Serial Number TSN CSN TBO TSO TSHSI

ENG 1 PT6A-42 PCE-PJ1017 3043.9 4299 3600 3043.9 1307.5

ENG 2 PT6A-42 PCE-PJ1019 3043.9 4299 3600 3043.9 1307.5

PROP 1

HC-E4N-3G HH2706 3043.9 - 4000 3043.9 -

PROP 2

HC-E4N-3G HH2758 3013.5 - 4000 3013.5 -

Additional Equipment: WAAS Upgrade, Raisbeck High Float Gear Doors, Raisbeck Dual Aft Body Strakes, Wilderness Tires

*************



Lot #2:

2006 Beechcraft King Air B200 - times as of Nov 18, 2014

C-GFSE B200 S/N: BB-1963

Total time since new: 3051.0

Total cycles since new: 4324

Model Serial Number TSN CSN TBO TSO TSHSI

ENG 1 PT6A-42 PCE-PJ1021 3051.0 4324 3600 3051.0 1263.8

ENG 2 PT6A-42 PCE-PJ1020 3051.0 4324 3600 3051.0 1263.8

PROP 1

HC-E4N-3G HH2592 3051.0 - 4000 3051.0 -

PROP 2

HC-E4N-3G HH2713 3074.5 - 4000 3074.5 -

Additional Equipment: WAAS Upgrade, Raisbeck High Float Gear Doors, Raisbeck Dual Aft Body Strakes, Wilderness Tires

*************



Lot #3:

1997 Beechcraft King Air 350 - times as of Nov 18,2014

C-GFSA Model B350 S/N: FL-174

Total time since new: 6969.3

Total cycles since new: 7998

Model Serial Number TSN CSN TBO TSO TSHSI

ENG 1 PT6A-60A PCE-PK0076 6862.7 7888 3600 3262.6 251.7

ENG 2 PT6A-60A PCE-PK0071 6884.4 7894 3600 2786.9 251.7

PROP 1

HC-B3MP-3C FWA2263 6830.5 - 3000 958.1 -

PROP 2

HC-B3MP-3C FWA4311 3058.1 - 3000 1028.0 -

Additional Equipment: WAAS Upgrade, Universal UNS-1Lw, Raisbeck Dual Aft Body Strakes, Air Cell ST3100

*************



Lot #4:

1985 DeHavilland Dash 8-103 – times as of Nov 18, 2014

C-GFSJ Dash 8-103 S/N: 017

Total time since new: 7775.1

Total cycles since new: 9483

Model Serial Number TSN CSN TBO TSO TSHSI

ENG 1 PW121 PCE-AC0101 339.6 549 8000 - -

ENG 2 PW121 PCE-AC0100 416.3 660 8000 - -

PROP 1 14SF-7 840701 7692.1 - 10500 204.1 -

PROP 2 14SF-7 841208 7706.8 - 10500 185.5 -

Additional Equipment: WAAS Upgrade, Universal UNS-1Lw, Universal TAWS, Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)

[Big Pistons Forever]

Is just me or is asking $ 5.5 million for a 29 year old 100 series Dash 8 really really optimistic ?

On the other hand I bet the Medivac operators will be competing to snap up the King Air 350.

[CID]

Is just me or is asking $ 5.5 million for a 29 year old 100 series Dash 8 really really optimistic ?

On the other hand I bet the Medivac operators will be competing to snap up the King Air 350.

One owner, super low time.

[dashx]

One owner, super low time.

And if memory serves me correct one of the Dash 8 pilots started out as a mechanic on the plane...........When? memory is not that good.....

[J31]

At 270 hours per year I'm surprised that Dash lasted 29 years. Pretty poor utilization for a muli-million dollar asset. Sweet jig for those guys!

[KISS_MY_TCAS]

Hopefully Saskatchewan will follow suit. Most unbelievably inefficient waste of tax payers money I have ever seen.

[Rowdy]

Hopefully Saskatchewan will follow suit. Most unbelievably inefficient waste of tax payers money I have ever seen.

You obviously missed the fast ferry fiasco… or translink in general!

[North Shore]

Or the Olympics ( both Montreal and Vancouver,) Helicopters and Gun Registry.

[X-Savior]

Hopefully Saskatchewan will follow suit. Most unbelievably inefficient waste of tax payers money I have ever seen.

Wow this one takes the most ignorant post of the year I think.

The actual difference in cost was approx 1.5 million not 4 million and does not include charter flights... And Prentice is chartering flights like it is going out of style... It is all a political sham!

[MrWings]

Not an expert but don't the reserves seem a bit on the high side? Depends on hull, avionics and engine times I guess .

Maybe you are an expert? Seems they were priced too high.

Is just me or is asking $ 5.5 million for a 29 year old 100 series Dash 8 really really optimistic ?

Wasn't just you.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/01/22/p ... p-for-sale

[lost in the north]

The Manitoba government needs to follow Alberta as well. If S. Ashton becomes our new premier I am afraid we will see them acquire more aircraft..

[North Shore]

The trouble with Government accounting is that you probably never get a clear picture of exactly what an item costs. I have a hard time believing that the Alberta Government is going to save any money by contracting out and selling off assets.

[5x5]

Hopefully Saskatchewan will follow suit. Most unbelievably inefficient waste of tax payers money I have ever seen.

Interesting post on an aviation forum.

Do you believe that corporate flying is universally inefficient? Or is there something in particular about Government that you feel makes it bad? And if it's something about government and they can't make corporate aviation worthwhile like the private sector, then why do you think their management of charter flights and business travel on the airlines would be managed efficiently?

[co-joe]

Those are low time Be20's and low time engines. Plus no snag went unrectified on little Ralphie's planes. If memory serves (and it doesn't serve that well anymore) one of Sunwest's 200's had over 20 000 hours on it and I know on condition those engines can run for thousands of more hours. With the barrel where it is i'm not sure on that Dash but one owner and meticulous maintenance I think you'd do ok buying them.

Sad day for AB aviation. I bet the bill for charter far far exceeds running payed off machines but what do I know...