The Air Corps, which has come under critical scrutiny and faces down-sizing proposals, did not help its cause last Tuesday when the Government jet returning Minister for Defence Michael Smith, Department secretary general David O'Callaghan, chief of staff Lieut Gen Dave Stapleton and five journalists from a trip to the troops in Israel and Lebanon couldn't land at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. It emerged later the plane was diverted to Dublin Airport because there was no emergency fire tender available at Baldonnel that particular Tuesday evening.
The holders of the Government's purse-strings are considering proposals for the down-grading of the Air Corps with the removal of its few fixed-wing aircraft and its search and rescue team. There is also growing pressure for Baldonnel to be Dublin's second private-sector airport.