Royal Australian Air Force VIP aircraft
The Royal Australian Air Force has operated a number of specialised aircraft to transport members of the Royal Family, the Governor General of Australia, senior members of the Australian government, and other dignitaries.
The RAAF's current VIP aircraft are two leased Boeing Business Jets and three Bombardier Challengers which are operated by No. 34 Squadron RAAF and are based at Canberra International Airport. The Boeing Business Jets are custom configured Boeing 737-700s fitted with facilities such as conference tables, offices suites, secure satellite and communication capabilities. The two planes have a longer range than is standard for Boeing Business Jets. The Prime Minister regularly makes use of the aircraft for domestic and international travel.
Prior to the acquisition of the 737s, passenger-configured RAAF Boeing 707s tanker-transports were used. These aircraft were larger than the 737s currently in use.
In August 2014, Defence Minister David Johnston announced the intention to convert a KC-30A to VIP configuration.[1]
List of RAAF VIP transport aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 Dakota (? VIP aircraft, 1943?-?)[2]
- Consolidated Liberator (? VIP aircraft, 1944?–1948?)[3]
- Avro York (1 aircraft, 1945–1947)[4]
- Convair Metropolitan (2 aircraft, 1957–1968)[5]
- Vickers Viscount (2 aircraft?, 1964–1969)[6]
- Dassault Mystere 20C (3 aircraft, 1967–1989)[7]
- Hawker Siddeley HS748 (2 VIP aircraft, 1967–?)[8]
- BAC One-Eleven (2 aircraft, 1968–1989)[9]
- Boeing 707 (4 aircraft, 1979–2008)[10] – reconverted to tanker transport
- Dassault Falcon 900 (5 aircraft, 1989–2002)[11]
- 737 Boeing Business Jet (2 aircraft, 2002–current)[12]
- Bombardier Challenger 604 (3 aircraft, 2002–current)[13]
See also
- Air transports of heads of state and government
- Canberra air disaster, 1940
- Garuda Indonesia Flight 200, 2007
References
- ↑ "Prime Minister Tony Abbott to fly worldwide non-stop on Airbus KC-30A". news.com.au. 14 August 2014.
- ↑ RAAF Museum A65 Douglas Dakota
- ↑ RAAF Museum A72 B-24 Liberator
- ↑ RAAF Museum A74 Avro York
- ↑ RAAF Museum A96 Convair 440 Metropolitan
- ↑ RAAF Museum A6 Vickers Viscount
- ↑ RAAF Museum A11 Dassault Mystere (Falcon 20)
- ↑ RAAF Museum A10 Hawker Siddeley HS748
- ↑ RAAF Museum A12 B111
- ↑ RAAF Museum A20 Boeing 707
- ↑ RAAF Museum A26 Dassault Falcon 900
- ↑ RAAF Museum A36 BBJ
- ↑ RAAF Museum A37 Challenger CL 604
External links
- RAAF Air Lift Group
- 34 SQN Its Special Purpose – RAAF News
- RAAF Serial Numbers 1961–present – ADF Serials
- PM's delay highlights RAAF needs – AM, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Special Purpose Aircraft Business Unit (SPA BU) – QANTAS Defence Services
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