Aircraft maintenance is not cheap

I have to wonder whether Mr Phillips has the slightest idea of what it costs to purchase, operate and maintain a modern day jet aircraft of suitable size to transport a football or cricket team or a team of athletes accompanied by coaches, medical personnel and sport-equipment around the place from one country to another? It is not as if it was a bus with a driver taking a team from Port-of-Spain to San Fernando.

A regular sized executive aircraft is much too small to carry that many people with baggage and sporting equipment, so you are talking in terms of a small commercial twin engine jet with a flight crew of at least three on a permanent basis.

Apart from the initial cost that would run into millions of dollars, a hangar would have to be built to store the aircraft, an experienced licenced maintenance crew would have to be hired, a comprehensive stock of spare parts would have to be acquired, routine scheduled inspections would have to be carried out at specific intervals, parking and landing fees would have to be paid at the destination, fuel costs which are increasing daily would have to be met, hotel accommodation for the flight crew at the destination would have to be met for the duration of their stay, insurance premiums for aircraft, passengers and crew would have to be paid for and also the cost of servicing and maintaining electronic equipment, tyres that do not come cheap, synthetic engine oil and other fluids and a host of other items that are used in the operation of a jet aircraft, including the replacement and overhaul of engines by a certified agency abroad.

And of course a ground power unit and a tractor to tow it around the airport. I have not even touched the subject of unscheduled maintenance or accidental damage of which there is a distinct possibility as well as other expenses that do not come to mind at the moment.

If Mr Phillips would for just one moment give some thought to the amount of things that need urgent attention in the country and put them in their proper sequence of priority, I am sure that he would rethink his suggestion and put the acquisition of a jet aircraft for sport and fun, way down at the end of essential items on the list.

MARTIN KAVANAGH

La Romaine