General Richard Reboul is alleged to have used an Alpha Jet at least 10 times over the last year, flying between his workplace in Bordeaux to his weekend property in Provence.
Flying at its maximum speed of 620mph (1,000kmph), the jet would have been able to complete the 327-mile trip (600km) in just half an hour.
The commute would normally take around seven hours by train, six hours by car or an hour by conventional plane, followed by a 30-minute car ride.
http://news.sky.com/story/french-genera ... sf-twitter

What are your views? I think its an abuse of power.

anshabhi wrote:

What are your views? I think its an abuse of power.

At least, it's a waste of resources. He should get a staff car with a driver - it will cost less, and he can actually do some work under way. Or get 1st class TGV ticket.

Then there's the danger of a general not being experienced enough for these kinds of jets. (Granted, the AlphaJet is a rather benign trainer, not a Dassault Mirage...). But things like this can happen:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Bond


David

anshabhi wrote:

General Richard Reboul is alleged to have used an Alpha Jet at least 10 times over the last year, flying between his workplace in Bordeaux to his weekend property in Provence.
Flying at its maximum speed of 620mph (1,000kmph), the jet would have been able to complete the 327-mile trip (600km) in just half an hour.
The commute would normally take around seven hours by train, six hours by car or an hour by conventional plane, followed by a 30-minute car ride.
http://news.sky.com/story/french-genera ... sf-twitter

What are your views? I think its an abuse of power.

Certainly not unheard of for senior air force officials to use fast jets and trainers in this way. It would be a means of maintaining his flight hours and therefore keep flight pay. I know US and Aussie one and two star generals still fly hours and retain flight pay and on occasion fly operationally.

The issue is if the French Air Force has to station personnel or spares at Provence unnecessarily to support this. That would be an abuse in my eyes.

Separately, I'd say the flight takes about the same time as a conventional airliner given he would still have to take off and clear airspace and do the same for landing and won't be flying max speed for most of the duration.

What a la... I mean how unprofessional!

I would have done it too

In Canada pilots can occasionally take CF-18 'home' (ie a near by airport that can support a fighter). They have to keep flight hours up, so why not. There is one pilot who came home every Victoria day weekend and buzzed the river everyone rafts on. They get stick time, practice flying into civilian airports, the local cadets usually get to go see the jet up close.

If this french general got 10 hours (30min each way) of stick time to keep his rating up... who cares if it was to Providence or in circles. People just like to find reasons to complain.

Oroka wrote:

In Canada pilots can occasionally take CF-18 'home' (ie a near by airport that can support a fighter). They have to keep flight hours up, so why not. There is one pilot who came home every Victoria day weekend and buzzed the river everyone rafts on. They get stick time, practice flying into civilian airports, the local cadets usually get to go see the jet up close.

If this french general got 10 hours (30min each way) of stick time to keep his rating up... who cares if it was to Providence or in circles. People just like to find reasons to complain.

That is probably the story, but framed another way in the press. But we'll see if that's the case.

The Alpha Jet is a very easy airplane to fly and requires little ground support. I think it's reasonable to think this was not outside the safety boundaries that might occur in this Kind of operation. We had one in two different corporate flight departs here in the US and they were flown by various pilots with different backgrounds without incident.

You would if you could, wouldn't you?

scbriml wrote:

You would if you could, wouldn't you?

Darn right! I would find some excuse to fly the thing everyday!

You're a special kind of cool when you fly an Alpha Jet down to your summer house. Don't know the details about the rules, so won't comment on that.

scbriml wrote:

You would if you could, wouldn't you?

Hell yeah I would.

Besides, no reason to point fingers at the French. Show me an air force that doesn't waste massive amounts of taxpayer money in some form or another and I'll show you a Cessna 152 that can do mach 2.

Sounds like a perk of the job. Whether it is appropriate depends on his authority (of which he has a lot) and duty. If the country depends on his judgment for use of wartime equipment then there is no reason to second guess his choice of airport, or his decision to fly. It is up to him.

Ozair wrote:

anshabhi wrote:

... The issue is if the French Air Force has to station personnel or spares at Provence unnecessarily to support this. That would be an abuse in my eyes. ...

Not at all.
At least Salon de Provence and Istres are Air Force bases and are fully equiped to support alphajets.

Without any detailed context, it's only journalistic sensationalism.
Someone without any precise knowledge of the situation just want to play the "White Knight".

Such stared guys are on duty 24 * 7.
It can be a good practice that he can reach his usual workplace as quick as possible.

On the other hand, it can be a big abuse.

But without context, it's only BS.

I would consider this a sort of legit use and expect it to be permitted. How could a general stay current during his normal duty hours?
I know a german Colonel pilot who used some Alpha Jet (by permit) as a sort of Business Jet intra europa while working on some international project. He even took a second pilot with him who did preflights fueling and stuff and had some nice layovers during the business meeting.

According to the French press, the general was found guilty by two inquiries (government and army).
He was the second in command of the French AF, with the prospect to become number one.
He has now been assigned to a much less glamorous position, aide to the chief of the French AF. It is meant to be the end of his military career. In French it is called a "voie de garage", a storage track.
The press does not give any pro and cons.

Shame to see a career ended like that. Stupid mistake by this General.

breiz wrote:

According to the French press, the general was found guilty by two inquiries (government and army).

Hi Breiz, do you have a link on that. Even in french ... Please, just not in Breton
Regards

Growing up an Air Force brat I remember the USAF of the '50s when it was fairly common for pilots to legally check out a T-33 for the weekend. All counts for cross-country flying time and there was room in the aircraft for golf clubs and an overnight bag. But I also saw the 4-Star commander of Tactical Air Command accidentally put a T-39 down on the runway without the landing gear. And aircraft engines being a little less reliable than today's our fighter squadrons would lose aircraft and pilots much too frequently. At school we would hate to see the three blue staff cars pull up to the front of our school and see the squadron commander or deputy get out along with a chaplain and a casualty assistance officer. You dreaded to hear the footsteps down the corridor stop in front of your classroom. Once it was a B-52 crash and five of my schoolmates lost their fathers.

Growing up an Air Force brat I remember the USAF of the '50s when it was fairly common for pilots to legally check out a T-33 for the weekend. All counts for cross-country flying time and there was room in the aircraft for golf clubs and an overnight bag. But I also saw the 4-Star commander of Tactical Air Command accidentally put a T-39 down on the runway without the landing gear. And aircraft engines being a little less reliable than today's our fighter squadrons would lose aircraft and pilots much too frequently. At school we would hate to see the three blue staff cars pull up to the front of our school and see the squadron commander or deputy get out along with a chaplain and a casualty assistance officer. You dreaded to hear the footsteps down the corridor stop in front of your classroom. Once it was a B-52 crash and five of my schoolmates lost their fathers.

How is much different than Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House using a 757 from the 89th to go from Andrews to her home in San Francisco.? The Gulfstreams were not big enough for her ego back then. I see F18's on the general aviation ramp at BFI from time to time so one might assume the aviator in question is visiting someone local.

BravoOne wrote:

How is much different than Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House using a 757 from the 89th to go from Andrews to her home in San Francisco.? The Gulfstreams were not big enough for her ego back then. I see F18's on the general aviation ramp at BFI from time to time so one might assume the aviator in question is visiting someone local.

Are you referring to Representative Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, third in line in the order of Presidential succession, and the Air Force's attempt to "put her in her place" by offering legally-mandated transportation significantly inferior to that previously provided to male Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert, which attempt the Speaker quite rightly nipped in the bud?

sphealey wrote:

BravoOne wrote:

How is much different than Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House using a 757 from the 89th to go from Andrews to her home in San Francisco.? The Gulfstreams were not big enough for her ego back then. I see F18's on the general aviation ramp at BFI from time to time so one might assume the aviator in question is visiting someone local.

Are you referring to Representative Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, third in line in the order of Presidential succession, and the Air Force's attempt to "put her in her place" by offering legally-mandated transportation significantly inferior to that previously provided to male Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert, which attempt the Speaker quite rightly nipped in the bud?

Yes that's exactly the person I'm speaking about. You don't seem too grasp the problem so I'll let it go at that. Keep your politics out of this forum please.

BravoOne wrote:

Keep your politics out of this forum please.

As a recommendation in keeping politics out of this forum, when mentioning politicians abusing power, we can keep the actual name out of antidotes and stick with the title. Pelosi have been a favorite target from the opposite party for many years and in bringing her name into this forum, you have done just that.

bt

Sorry for the obvious. I happen to think this person has a lot in common with the General....that's all.

Good day, and really sorry I offended your political point of view.