VIP plane loses plot on mission

One of the Air Force's increasingly unreliable VIP aircraft was delayed five times by technical faults on a recent mission and faced air space restrictions over Europe because of its obsolete navigation and communications systems.

The Boeing 727 transport aircraft left Whenuapai on July 3 - 10 days late and carrying an extra crew to avoid overnight stops, Air Force News reports.

Crew member Flight Lieutenant Mike Corkill said setbacks dogged the 727 on its mission to England, Bosnia and the Sinai, where it delivered weapons to New Zealand peacekeepers.

A major fuel leak in San Francisco - delay, two days - preceeded the 727's flight to the Royal Air Force Kinloss base in England and delivery of No 5 (Orion) Squadron backup and support staff for an exercise.

Next, an engine fault - two days lost at Kinloss - held up a high-ranking officer's flight from Bosnia to England aboard the 727 ... but only after a stop in Lyon, France, to realign its navigation systems for strict Eurocontrol airspace.



On the return, a realignment was missed when an engine fault delayed the 727 in Lyon. That was fixed, but the 727 navigation system failed in Cyprus. Weapons delivered to Sinai, it was back to Kinloss to collect No 5 squadron equipment. Another engine fault - delay, two days - then home.

- NZPA

Further reading
nzherald.co.nz/defence