France general 'took fighter jet for weekends'

[hassamun]

The French air force is investigating a senior officer said to have used a fighter jet to fly for weekends away.

General Richard Reboul flew the Alpha Jet from a training base in Bordeaux in western France to his property in Provence, the Canard Enchaîné reported.

He is also said to have taken a six-seat military transport plane along with a pilot and co-pilot, the satirical newspaper said.

Gen Reboul made about 10 trips in total, the newspaper said.

The Alpha Jet is a light attack and advanced training aircraft manufactured jointly by Dassault in France and Dornier in Germany.

The French air force mostly uses it to train fighter pilots.

How long would it take?

The distance between Bordeaux and Salon-de-Provence is 470km (290 miles) as the crow flies.

Car - six hours
Train - seven hours, including two changes
Commercial flight - an hour to Marseille, then 30 minutes by car
Alpha jet - 28 minutes at the jet's maximum speed of 1,000 km/h

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40429037

 

[Imran Khan]

nice idea at least jets served some real human need

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

The "Alpha" man.

 

[hassamun]

French air force chief accused of using fighter jet for weekend jaunts
Gen Richard Reboul has requisitioned an Alpha jet about 10 times since August to fly to and from Provence home, report claims

The distance by road from Bordeaux, in the south-west of France, to the attractive town of Salon-de-Provence in the south-east is 373 miles (600km), a journey that with luck and an absence of embouteillages (traffic jams) will take between five and six hours.

The train takes at least seven, and a commercial flight just over one, plus a half-hour drive from Marseille airport. So for weekends away at his place in Provence, the acting commander-in-chief of the French airforce took a fighter jet instead, according to the investigative and satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné.

Le Canard reported that Gen Richard Reboul has requisitioned an air force Alpha jet on “about 10 occasions” since August to fly from his training academy base in Bordeaux to his country property near Salon-de-Provence and back.

“Information on the improper use of air force resources by a senior military officer has come to the attention of the minister,” the defence ministry in Paris said on Tuesday, announcing a full inquiry into the allegations.

The inquiry will “clarify the facts and verify the circumstances of such use, both in this case and generally”, and allow the defence minister, Florence Parly, to “draw the necessary conclusions, including those of a disciplinary nature”, the ministry said in a statement.

The air force has also opened an internal investigation after the Canard’s suggestion that as recently as last weekend, Reboul “borrowed” a six-seater TBM-400 transport plane, complete with pilot and copilot, for the same journey.

Made by France’s Dassault and Germany’s Dornier, the Alpha jet is a light attack and advanced trainer aircraft used by the French air force aerobatic display team, La Patrouille de France, and to train fighter pilots. It has a top speed of 620 mph and guzzles about 175 gallons (800 litres) of fuel an hour.

French media calculated that with the advanced jet fuel the aircraft runs on, each one of the general’s weekends away will have cost the airforce – and the taxpayer – between €14,000 (£12,300) and €16,000. A return train or low-cost airline fare would reportedly cost less than €200.

Reboul, a former fighter pilot and test pilot with a hitherto unblemished record, was appointed second-in-command of France’s 23,000-strong airforce last September and became acting commander-in-chief in May after the death his senior officer.

The alleged case is far from the first in which a French official has been accused of abuse of public funds. In 2015, Agnès Saal, the head of the INA national TV and radio archives, was forced to resign after clocking up about €40,000 in taxi faresin just 10 months.

Suspended from the civil service by presidential decree, she was, however, back at the culture ministry six months later.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...or-weekend-jaunts-gen-richard-reboul-provence

 

[Beast]

Western soldier as very professional are just hyped. Discipline is falling.

 

[Solomon2]

The Alpha is a trainer, not really a fighter jet. My understanding is that it's usual for senior officers in air forces to fly such planes to maintain their flight proficiency requirement. A general can probably choose his own origin and destination and still stay within the rules.

That said, this being France...the two questions that naturally come next are, "Did the general fly accompanied by his mistress? If so, who is she?"

 

[Beast]

The Alpha is a trainer, not really a fighter jet. My understanding is that it's usual for senior officers in air forces to fly such planes to maintain their flight proficiency requirement. A general can probably choose his own origin and destination and still stay within the rules.

That said, this being France...the two questions that naturally come next are, "Did the general fly accompanied by his mistress? If so, who is she?"

Looks like you still desperate to defend the disgrace French general. Going for training? Have you even read the whole report?

 

[hassamun]

The Alpha is a trainer, not really a fighter jet. My understanding is that it's usual for senior officers in air forces to fly such planes to maintain their flight proficiency requirement. A general can probably choose his own origin and destination and still stay within the rules.

That said, this being France...the two questions that naturally come next are, "Did the general fly accompanied by his mistress? If so, who is she?"

10 Times since August is not really flight proficiency...Plus a Transport Plane was used as well which included a Pilot and Co-Pilot...

 

[Solomon2]

Looks like you still desperate to defend the disgrace French general. Going for training? Have you even read the whole report?

Defending him? Hardly. I'm hoping to read all the intimate details in Paris-Match. Including pictures of the hottie.

...Plus a Transport Plane was used as well which included a Pilot and Co-Pilot...

Yes, I think there's more flesh to this part of the story, too!

 

[Beast]

Defending him? Hardly. I'm hoping to read all the intimate details in Paris-Match. Including pictures of the hottie.

Yes, I think there's more flesh to this part of the story, too!

Then what is the nonsense of General taking Alpha jet for training and whatever BS? He is using for his own personal use and gain. You are contradicting yourself.

 

[Solomon2]

Then what is the nonsense of General taking Alpha jet for training and whatever BS? He is using for his own personal use and gain. You are contradicting yourself.

Not at all: two birds, one stone.

 

[Zee-shaun]

Pak politicians use military transport for personal use. During zardaris tenure, there was this news of a PAF C-130 which flew a "baraat" from Karachi to Islamabad.

 

[hassamun]

Pak politicians use military transport for personal use. During zardaris tenure, there was this news of a PAF C-130 which flew a "baraat" from Karachi to Islamabad.

Some Transport Aircrafts are allocated to serving Politicians like the Prime Minister but haven't heard of a Baraat Transportation before... :S

 

[Sliver]

the dude had to impress some gal am pretty sure..

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Looks like you still desperate to defend the disgrace French general. Going for training? Have you even read the whole report?

Is it typical Chinese to pass a judgement before the Investigation is completed?
Whether a violation has occured or not is depending on the rules.