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MEUF  –  Leased Aircraft  –  MERX NPP / Contract Award  –  June 2009 Ministerial Announcement of a 'New' Multi-Engine Utility Flight: The somewhat belated mention of the MEUF at 8 Wing, Trenton This is a simple press release issued by 8 Wing, CFB Trenton  to announce the existence of a new Multi-Engine Utility Flight (MEUF). This MEUF has already formed and consists of two contractor- owned King Air B200  light transports. This aircraft type is not new to the Air Force, 2 of  3  CT-145s operated as late as 1995. The CT-145s were all but identical to the MEUF King Airs,  both being B200s. [1] CT-145s were also leased – in their case, from Awood Air (then of  Thunder Bay). CT-145s were used  exclusively as multi- engine pilot trainers until being replaced by other, smaller leased King Air BE90s. So what goes around, comes around. How else is this announcement relevant. Mostly it's about how DND handles information – both public communications and the trans- parency of contract awards. By DND standards, this is a small contract (around $11M over five years) and contractee, Aero Support Canada Inc., should have no trouble in honouring its terms. At issue is the muddled way in which DND releases information. When DND published the required NPP (Notice of Proposed Procurement) on MERX, it was listed as a request for an Aircraft Dry Lease. The NPP made clear that it was looking  for contractors to supply and maintain aircraft suited  to IFR training for CF transport crews as well as light personnel/cargo transport flights in North America. [2] All well and good.  So, why couldn't the Canadian citizenry be told in a straightforward manner? There are two possibilities. One is that the right hand of DND does not  know what the left hand is doing.  In a word: incompetence. Another possibility is that DND doesn't want citizens to know how their money is being spent.  In a word: obsfucation. The name Multi-Engine Utility Flight works against the actual mission of  these leased aircraft. No doubt, the occassional Air Force member will catch a ride from one base to another. Ditto for the odd 'AOG' spare part (so long as it's light and doesn't require the full mobile repair team). The rest of the time – as the MND makes clear – the MEUF will be keeping CF multi-engine crews practiced in IFR flying without the expense of flying the Air Force's actual transport fleet. It appears that the Air Force has bit off more than it can chew. With $36B spent on large transports and another $1B to accommodate the new, out-sized fleet, it seems that there's not much left in the kitty for flying the brutes. [1] The Aero Support aircraft are more than 15 years younger than the CT-145s so IFR will be more sophisticated (as suggested by their GPS antennae). The King Air is also used in Iraq and Afghanistan as an ISR 'platform' by the US Army's Task Force ODIN. [2] The King Air B200 normally has a crew of two and can accomodate 11 passengers. New  Multi-Engine Utility Flight [ MEUF, Contractor-Owned King Airs ]  at Trenton [Originally published by 8 Wing Public Affairs, DND  —  view original press release.] June 2, 2009  –  The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of  National Defence and  Minister  for  the  Atlantic Gateway,  today  announced  the contracting of  Aero Support Canada Inc. to provide aircraft and maintenance support at  8 Wing, Trenton. The contract, worth up to $11.5 million over five years, allows the newly-created Multi- Engine Utility Flight (MEUF) to provide cost-effective light transport capabilities and training opportunities to help pilots maintain their flight proficiency. "Today's announcement demonstrates [our] commitment to providing Canada's Air Force with the equipment and capabilities it needs," said Minister MacKay. "The new Multi-Engine Utility Flight will offer the ability to undertake light transportation duties in a cost-effective manner, while helping our pilots keep their skills sharp." The company, Aero Support Canada Inc. will service the contract out of its offices in London, Ont., providing and maintaining two 2006 model Hawker Beechcraft King Air B200s, a twin-turboprop aircraft. The aircraft have had the Air Force roundels painted on them, and will receive additional Air Force markers in the near future. [Chief of Air Staff, Lieutenant-General Angus Watt, commented that the MEUF] "will enable us [the Air Force] to carry out smaller transport missions where use of a larger aircraft is not possible or cost-effective." [ The only CF utilities being 4 Twin Otters.] The [King Air] B200s will be flown by [Canadian Forces] pilots. Five pilots are already qualified [on B200s, CF multi-engine pilots all train on King Air C90s at Southport MB] having received approximately 80 hours of  classroom instruction and simulation train- ing from Aero Support Canada Inc. and Flight Safety International Inc., and have com- pleted approximately 20 hours of [King Air B200] type-specific flight training. The MEUF will operate only in North America, taking on duties such as the movement of  small groups of  people or  light equipment  to smaller destinations. The [dry lease] contract,  worth up to $11.5 million over five years,  allows the newly-created  [MEUF] to provide cost-effective light transport capabilities and  training opportunities to help [Canadian Forces transport aircraft] pilots maintain their flight proficiency.