/reeve.gif)
The United States' Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS),
more commonly known as "Con Air",
has retired its sole Saab 2000
and put the aircraft up for auction,
scheduled for June 26, 2018, AMCAR has reported.
The 23-year-old turboprop, N92225 (msn 2000-028),
was last flown on April 30, 2018,
and has since been stored at Houston Hobby,
Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.
JPATS earlier indicated in its Fiscal Year 2019 Performance Budget
that the Saab turboprop had become too expensive
in terms of maintenance and operations.
"The Saab Aircraft is approaching the end of its useful life, increasing the risk of mission failure.
In addition, the Saab 2000 is an uncommon airplane which increases the cost of upkeep and pilot training.
The maintenance costs in FY 2018-2019
are expected to be significant due to the extensive maintenance required,
the difficulty expected in locating unique repair parts,
and the lack of availability of qualified mechanics," the report said.
The service is, therefore,
looking at a larger replacement aircraft.
This is a subscription only section
Want to read more? It's only €10/year.
No account yet? Just Create an account first and head to the shop