£900,000 to paint a plane?

[StriderX]

Symbols are part of soft power, when any UK official gets off it and has their photo taken there is the flag on VIP transport. It implies that the UK is a top tier nation. You can debate the truth or not of that but projecting the symbol is all about making it true.

If you need to state something in such a garish manner, then it's not true is it? It's just narcissism.

It's certainly a symbol, not sure it's one we should be projecting though, especially after getting by for decades with a more muted image, the natural question would be why the change? It's hardly like we're some start-up company looking for exposure.

Suppose people will make their minds up over it, I'm sure it'll be forgotten about quickly amidst the cacophony of crises the country is facing.

To be fair, i'm sure the painting will be more muted in the end, it's probably just a big exaggeration.

 

[xxalxx]

Hmm should go the whole hog and get three, one red, one white and one blue.

 

[PlacidCasual]

If you need to state something in such a garish manner, then it's not true is it? It's just narcissism.

Why is this suddenly only an issue now? Is it because we need all the power we can get now that we're on our own?

Why the Union Flag, well it's an extremely well known IP why create a new one or use a lesser know one when you have one of the most recognisable designs in the entire World. Also have we seen the design, it might be relatively tasteful rather than the Austin Powers design you're assuming?
Why is it important now? It isn't especially so, but to correct an earlier oversight at an opportune time, like a refit, is the best time too correct an oversight.

 

[garnett]

Also have we seen the design, it might be relatively tasteful rather than the Austin Powers design you're assuming?

I think the assumption about a garish lack of taste may have stemmed from a few posts earlier...

Be great if they go full blown on the red, white and blue theme. I'm thinking of union jack printed seats, carpets and flags on the ceiling.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

What they don't explain is that aircraft are routinely repainted every 5-10 years. The maintenance of military aircraft is extremely expensive, and this is no exception. I feel many people are simply seeing "Boris spends £££££££ on XYZ", look/think no deeper and become outraged. It's a shame because journalists could have done some research and explained this in their articles, but it wouldn't have received the same amount of clicks and shares so they didn't, and now individuals who have otherwise relatively sound judgement have had the wool pulled over their eyes.

Hush now, Comrade. Did you not get the memo about how problematic logic is? By showing your intelligence, you are oppressing the less mentally gifted amongst us.

 

[garnett]

What they don't explain is that aircraft are routinely repainted every 5-10 years. The maintenance of military aircraft is extremely expensive, and this is no exception. I feel many people are simply seeing "Boris spends £££££££ on XYZ", look/think no deeper and become outraged. It's a shame because journalists could have done some research and explained this in their articles, but it wouldn't have received the same amount of clicks and shares so they didn't, and now individuals who have otherwise relatively sound judgement have had the wool pulled over their eyes.

Hush now, Comrade. Did you not get the memo about how problematic logic is? By showing your intelligence, you are oppressing the less mentally gifted amongst us.

The cognitive dissonance never ceases to amaze.

You're creating a strawman argument - that people haven't considered the normal maintenance fees - and then asserting as fact that the plane was due a overhaul.

So you're wrongly accusing others of passive misunderstanding while proactively making wrong misunderstandings of your own.

- How does anyone arrive at a place where they confidently do that? - It's a genuine question - I'm fascinated by it.

The plane was overhauled in 2016 at a cost of £10m, which they asserted would result in an annual saving of £775,000. So that overhaul was supposed to last it 12 years.

Cf - https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...on-pound-official-plane-idUKKCN0T80UY20151119

 

[robgmun]

LOL, "cognitive dissonance" such a badly overused phase by the left to make themselves sound smarter than they actually are.

 

[GreatAuk]

Be great if they go full blown on the red, white and blue theme. I'm thinking of union jack printed seats, carpets and flags on the ceiling.

Haha yes, I want something that will melt the brain of anyone that steps inside . Union flags on absolutely every wall, cushion, piece of furniture etc. Except the toilet bowl, that can have the French flag on it .

 

[sigma]

Why the Union Flag, well it's an extremely well known IP why create a new one or use a lesser know one when you have one of the most recognisable designs in the entire World. Also have we seen the design, it might be relatively tasteful rather than the Austin Powers design you're assuming?
Why is it important now? It isn't especially so, but to correct an earlier oversight at an opportune time, like a refit, is the best time too correct an oversight.

An oversight? In what way?

 

[bayo000]

900k whilst sounds a lot to spend on a single plane it's hardly a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. Especially when you compare it against other recent ideas like awarding ferry contract to company with no vessels

Though to try to justify it by saying it will help with future trade negotiations is laughable. Every country in the world is well aware that UK will be in fairly desperate situation to sign new deals so doesn't really matter whether Boris turns up in a fancy plane or a donkey drawn carriage.

 

[PlacidCasual]

An oversight? In what way?

Probably should have been done decades ago rather than having standard military livery.

 

[vcl_X1]

My 2c is drab RAF colours make it less of a target than it already is, one union flag liveried plane says VIP's on board and makes it more visible in desirable and undesirable ways too, sure it has countermeasures and is probably escorted anywhere potentially hostile. As Zefan says routine maintenance is pricey and includes repainting. Poor research standards and headline grabbing.

 

[garnett]

As Zefan says routine maintenance is pricey and includes repainting. Poor research standards and headline grabbing.

Ugh. Really? After I corrected Zefan already?

It was overhauled 4 years ago for £10,000,000 and that was seemingly approved on the basis it wouldn't need another overhaul for at least 12 years.

The only people conducting poor research are the people - like you - trying to dismiss this as "routine maintenance".

 

[sigma]

Probably should have been done decades ago rather than having standard military livery.

Perhaps we didn’t need empty gestures? To me it seems symbolic of where we are at with our rulers. Stumble off the top seat (soft power??) at the worlds largest trading bloc without a plan but paint a plane as we’re going to need to look good. That’s the oversight, if you ask me. One step closer to being USA-lite if we’re not already there.

 

[garnett]

Probably should have been done decades ago rather than having standard military livery.

I agree with you, but the drab olive is presumably because of its shared role - it serves as a RAF refuelling plane when not ferrying VIPs.

How that will be squared - in terms of reduced funtionality if it's no longer doing that role, or in terms of its reduced effectiveness in that role if it continues - remains to be seen.

 

[ianh]

The only people conducting poor research are the people - like you.

but the drab olive is presumably because of its shared role

Oh the irony. Due to your "poor research" you've written that the aircraft is "drab olive", which is green, when the correct research would have easily shown that the aircraft is "drab grey".

When I mentioned earlier about "Internet Experts" vs people with real world experience I think this might be a helpful example. I get that you don't understand "why" we need the repaint (fair enough) as not many people will know that flying at 500+mph for hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 4 years just might damage the paint just a bit (Zefan wrote a nice post about it) but, as mentioned in the OP, the majority of the cost is for the "refit" which is for new/additional secure communications equipment rather than giving Boris a gold bath and a four-poster bed etc, which would understandably be considered a waste.

Of course if the complaints are just based on "Boris Bad" then no amount of discussion about this will make any logical sense.

 

[garnett]

Oh the irony. Due to your "poor research" you've written that the aircraft is "drab olive", which is green, when the correct research would have easily shown that the aircraft is "drab grey".

Really? Is that the straw you want to clutch? My point really went over your head, didn't it.

 

[ianh]

@garnett I was editing my post while you replied, I've added a whole new paragraph. I know you'll still be annoyed by everything but there's some explanations there.

 

[inferno]

900k is nothing

 

[chaparral]

900k is nothing

Unless it coming out your own bank account