No. 73 NAI TSCH/3/S13703/B

Memorandum for Government by the Department of Industry and Commerce
'Proposal that Aer Lingus, Teoranta, should carry out maintenance work on aircraft belonging to the United States Air Force in Europe.'1

Dublin, 24 December 1951

  1. A proposal has been put to Aer Lingus, Teoranta, to carry out maintenance work on aircraft belonging to the United States Air Force in Europe. The aircraft would be C-47 aircraft (known in Europe as DC-3s, or Dakotas)2, and would be the same type of aeroplane as Aer Lingus have in service. The aircraft would be transport planes with American Air Force markings, but not otherwise recognisable as military planes. It is likely that the planes would be flown into this country by United States Air Force personnel in uniform although it is expected that arrangements would be made that the pilots flying in the planes would not be in uniform.
  2. The type of maintenance work required and which Aer Lingus could do would be the overhaul of the airframe, various components and probably propellers. Payment for the work would be in dollars and the material content of the work would involve mainly dollar expenditure. It is expected that work on up to 2-3 aircraft per month would be involved.
  3. Aer Lingus are able and anxious to do this kind of work, and it is desirable to give the company every opportunity to expand its maintenance and overhaul work.
  4. The Departments of External Affairs and Defence have been consulted. The Department of Defence has no serious objection to the work being carried out in time of peace and points out the advantage to the Department of having in this country the maximum facilities for maintenance of aircraft and the maximum number of skilled personnel. The Department of External Affairs has made no comment on the proposal but considers the matter as being of sufficient importance for Government decision.
  5. The Minister for Industry and Commerce recommends that the Government agree that Aer Lingus, Teoranta, should accept the proposal.

1 Discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet on 8 January 1952 (G.C. 6/51). It was agreed that Aer Lingus should accept a proposal to service certain unspecified types of United States Air Force aircraft on a repayment basis.

2 The Douglas DC-3 (C-47), a twin-engine propeller-driven passenger and transport aircraft with military and civilian variants, in service globally since 1935. The aircraft entered service with Aer Lingus in 1940.



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