Mr President, these are my recommendations
DEAR President Yoweri Museveni,<br>Following reports in the media that you are looking to upgrade your wings, many have debated whether or not Uganda should get a new presidential plane.
Opiyo Oloya
DEAR President Yoweri Museveni,
Following reports in the media that you are looking to upgrade your wings, many have debated whether or not Uganda should get a new presidential plane.
After speaking last week to marketing and engineering officials at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, the maker of your current jet, the Gulfstream GIV/SP, Serial No. 1413, Registration No. 5X-UEF, I would like to propose win-win recommendations for the government to consider.
The GIV/SP was introduced in 1992 as a special performance aircraft, and your jet is one of the newer ones because it was delivered just barely seven years ago. These long-range best-selling executive jets are powered by a twin Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 611-8 turbofans engines.
You are right in saying that the GIV/SP is no longer in production. The last G4 series jet, Serial No. 1499, rolled off the assembly line on December 3, 2002.
Now, the idea of upgrading to the G5 series aerorplane was patiently explained to me by a Gulfstream marketing executive. First of all, the G5 Gulfstream was transformed into two distinct lines of aircraft, the G500 and the top-of-the-line G550.
Both the G500 and G550 are powered by two Rolls Royce BR710 turbofan engines rated among the best in the industry. Furthermore, the G500 can fly 5,800 nautical miles (10,742 km) cruising at Mach 0.8 at altitudes up to 51,000 feet (well above the altitude for commercial jetliners) while carrying eight passengers and a crew of four.
Meanwhile, the G550 is a large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jet with a flying range of more than 6,750 nautical miles. It can carry up to 18 passengers including a crew of two. On Friday, October 3, 2003, the G550 flew non-stop from Seoul, South Korea, to Orlando, Florida (USA) in 14h 30 min., covering 7,301 nautical miles.
Simply said, with this new aircraft, you can fly non-stop from Entebbe to New York (6141 nautical miles), Entebbe to Washington (6305 nautical miles) or Entebbe to Chicago (6719 nautical miles) without stopping to refuel somewhere in Europe.
It is also the first Gulfstream business jet with the Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS) as standard equipment which projects real-world infrared imagery on the head-up display for the crew to see through fog and darkness and to land safely at airports with low-visibility conditions.
Finally, unlike the fixed seating on the G500, you have as many as six choices of seating arrangements for the G550. Okay, so how much does it all cost? A brand new Gulfstream G500 jet will cost Uganda taxpayers $45 million compared to $50 million for the G550.
However, you will need to add $650,000 for the Gulfstream Broadband Multi-Link data system which allows you to surf the Internet, send and receive email or perform any other Web-based task. For $450,000, you can add the Satellite Based Direct Television.
Altogether, according to Gulfstream officials, these two items will add at least $1.1 million to the cost of the jet. For safety and security, it is recommended to install the BAe Systems AN/ALQ-204 Matador Infrared Counter Measure (IRCM) system designed to throw off any ground-to-air anti-aircraft missile systems. It will cost about $2.3 million to have one installed on the tail-cone of the new jet.
Equally essential is the Securaplane system designed to detect intruders around the plane, and to record the time and where doors are opened. It will cost $50,000. Here then are my recommendations. First, the government should upgrade the current GIV/SP to a G550 in seven years.
The current Gulfstream GIV/SP is still very viable, practically new in aviation terms. However, your jet is approaching mid-life, that is to say, it is closing in on 4,000 hours (it is remaining with exactly 2,147hours or 28 months before midlife), and a complete evaluation is recommended to determine what needs replacing.
If needed, Gulfstream service centres in the USA and in Britain are equipped with new GIV/SP spare parts for complete engine overhaul at the cost of between $1million and $1.5 million. In other words, Gulfstream Corporation guarantees excellent maintenance and the servicing of your existing GIV/SP, keeping it flying safely longer than seven years.
Secondly, all things considered, putting an order for the G550 now will tie up money for other projects. Say you wanted to order the G550 today, Wednesday, December 19, 2007, the new jet can only be delivered in early May 2012. That is right—there is a huge backlog of orders that has many customers in Asia and the Middle East including several billionaires waiting for their G550 planes to be delivered.
If you are in a hurry to have a G550, say, next year or in 2009, you will have to buy your way into the queue—it will cost Uganda taxpayers at least $10 million just to take the place of another customer in the queue. When located in the Middle East this past weekend, a proud soon-to-be-owner of the G550 flatly told me: “Hell, I will not give up my spot in the queue for the G550 for $20 million.â€
You could also go to what one Gulfstream executive called “secondary market†or in plain English, secondhand market. The interesting thing is that buying a secondhand G550 will cost Uganda taxpayers between $5 million and $10 million dollars more than a new jet, bringing the total cost to $60 million anyway.
Thirdly, in January 2010, the government should have the GIV/SP jet appraised either by an independent consultant or by Gulfstream (I recommend working with Gulfstream) and, based on the value of the aircraft, begin negotiating with Gulfstream to buy the G550.
Two independent aviation sales experts told me that your current jet will fetch between $27 million and $30 million on the used-jet lot, maybe even more. The money from the used jet will go toward financing the new G550. By the time the new jet is delivered in 2014, the current jet will have served its time to near maturity.
Finally, and more importantly, the money saved from not buying a new presidential jet now, should be used urgently to purchase a dozen specially fitted mobile-bus clinics for medical emergency such as the one we have in Bundibugyo. These specially fitted buses will cost about $5 million. Also urgently needed is the refurbishing and refitting of Mulago Hospital with new medical equipment worth at least $15 million.
These will still be cheaper than going for a new or second-hand G550 at this time. Think about it, this money is the equivalent to buying a spot in the queue for the G550.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca
DEAR President Yoweri Museveni,
Following reports in the media that you are looking to upgrade your wings, many have debated whether or not Uganda should get a new presidential plane.
After speaking last week to marketing and engineering officials at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, the maker of your current jet, the Gulfstream GIV/SP, Serial No. 1413, Registration No. 5X-UEF, I would like to propose win-win recommendations for the government to consider.
The GIV/SP was introduced in 1992 as a special performance aircraft, and your jet is one of the newer ones because it was delivered just barely seven years ago. These long-range best-selling executive jets are powered by a twin Rolls-Royce Tay Mk 611-8 turbofans engines.
You are right in saying that the GIV/SP is no longer in production. The last G4 series jet, Serial No. 1499, rolled off the assembly line on December 3, 2002.
Now, the idea of upgrading to the G5 series aerorplane was patiently explained to me by a Gulfstream marketing executive. First of all, the G5 Gulfstream was transformed into two distinct lines of aircraft, the G500 and the top-of-the-line G550.
Both the G500 and G550 are powered by two Rolls Royce BR710 turbofan engines rated among the best in the industry. Furthermore, the G500 can fly 5,800 nautical miles (10,742 km) cruising at Mach 0.8 at altitudes up to 51,000 feet (well above the altitude for commercial jetliners) while carrying eight passengers and a crew of four.
Meanwhile, the G550 is a large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jet with a flying range of more than 6,750 nautical miles. It can carry up to 18 passengers including a crew of two. On Friday, October 3, 2003, the G550 flew non-stop from Seoul, South Korea, to Orlando, Florida (USA) in 14h 30 min., covering 7,301 nautical miles.
Simply said, with this new aircraft, you can fly non-stop from Entebbe to New York (6141 nautical miles), Entebbe to Washington (6305 nautical miles) or Entebbe to Chicago (6719 nautical miles) without stopping to refuel somewhere in Europe.
It is also the first Gulfstream business jet with the Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS) as standard equipment which projects real-world infrared imagery on the head-up display for the crew to see through fog and darkness and to land safely at airports with low-visibility conditions.
Finally, unlike the fixed seating on the G500, you have as many as six choices of seating arrangements for the G550. Okay, so how much does it all cost? A brand new Gulfstream G500 jet will cost Uganda taxpayers $45 million compared to $50 million for the G550.
However, you will need to add $650,000 for the Gulfstream Broadband Multi-Link data system which allows you to surf the Internet, send and receive email or perform any other Web-based task. For $450,000, you can add the Satellite Based Direct Television.
Altogether, according to Gulfstream officials, these two items will add at least $1.1 million to the cost of the jet. For safety and security, it is recommended to install the BAe Systems AN/ALQ-204 Matador Infrared Counter Measure (IRCM) system designed to throw off any ground-to-air anti-aircraft missile systems. It will cost about $2.3 million to have one installed on the tail-cone of the new jet.
Equally essential is the Securaplane system designed to detect intruders around the plane, and to record the time and where doors are opened. It will cost $50,000. Here then are my recommendations. First, the government should upgrade the current GIV/SP to a G550 in seven years.
The current Gulfstream GIV/SP is still very viable, practically new in aviation terms. However, your jet is approaching mid-life, that is to say, it is closing in on 4,000 hours (it is remaining with exactly 2,147hours or 28 months before midlife), and a complete evaluation is recommended to determine what needs replacing.
If needed, Gulfstream service centres in the USA and in Britain are equipped with new GIV/SP spare parts for complete engine overhaul at the cost of between $1million and $1.5 million. In other words, Gulfstream Corporation guarantees excellent maintenance and the servicing of your existing GIV/SP, keeping it flying safely longer than seven years.
Secondly, all things considered, putting an order for the G550 now will tie up money for other projects. Say you wanted to order the G550 today, Wednesday, December 19, 2007, the new jet can only be delivered in early May 2012. That is right—there is a huge backlog of orders that has many customers in Asia and the Middle East including several billionaires waiting for their G550 planes to be delivered.
If you are in a hurry to have a G550, say, next year or in 2009, you will have to buy your way into the queue—it will cost Uganda taxpayers at least $10 million just to take the place of another customer in the queue. When located in the Middle East this past weekend, a proud soon-to-be-owner of the G550 flatly told me: “Hell, I will not give up my spot in the queue for the G550 for $20 million.â€
You could also go to what one Gulfstream executive called “secondary market†or in plain English, secondhand market. The interesting thing is that buying a secondhand G550 will cost Uganda taxpayers between $5 million and $10 million dollars more than a new jet, bringing the total cost to $60 million anyway.
Thirdly, in January 2010, the government should have the GIV/SP jet appraised either by an independent consultant or by Gulfstream (I recommend working with Gulfstream) and, based on the value of the aircraft, begin negotiating with Gulfstream to buy the G550.
Two independent aviation sales experts told me that your current jet will fetch between $27 million and $30 million on the used-jet lot, maybe even more. The money from the used jet will go toward financing the new G550. By the time the new jet is delivered in 2014, the current jet will have served its time to near maturity.
Finally, and more importantly, the money saved from not buying a new presidential jet now, should be used urgently to purchase a dozen specially fitted mobile-bus clinics for medical emergency such as the one we have in Bundibugyo. These specially fitted buses will cost about $5 million. Also urgently needed is the refurbishing and refitting of Mulago Hospital with new medical equipment worth at least $15 million.
These will still be cheaper than going for a new or second-hand G550 at this time. Think about it, this money is the equivalent to buying a spot in the queue for the G550.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca