LEARNING TO LOVE THE ‘WARTHOG’

MOSQUITOS OVER THE JUNGLE RAF Far East VIRGIN recon in WW2 QUEEN CARRIER BIDS 747 A FOND FAREWELL

SUKHOI STANSTED Su 25 LOOKS AHEAD Russia’s close air Planning for growth support specialist post-COVID EXCLUSIVE £4.99 at 70 Birth of the Dancing Crane FEBRUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 02

Swiss Hornets 772047 719108 9 swarm to UK www.aviation-news.co.uk Untitled-1 1 07/12/2020 09:48:56 Contents

p28 FEATURES p10 REGULARS 16 ’s 747s: A Fond 04 Headlines Farewell Lee Cross looks back at the service of the Boeing 747 06 Civil News with Virgin Atlantic 10 News 22 Phantom to Warthog: A Fighter 14 Preservation News Pilot’s Career Col Steven K Ladd (ret’d) fl ew F-4 Phantoms and p22 52 Flightbag A-10 Warthogs, becoming one of the latter’s most enthusiastic proponents 66 Movements 28 Grob G 120TP – Beyond the Basic 68 Movements Trainer 72 Register Review Stefan Löfgren experiences a demonstration fl ight in the G 120TP with Grob's test pilot and chief instructor We are happy to report that, at time of going to 34 Double Dutch Anniversary: 298 press, production and dispatch of our magazine is Squadron Chinooks p34 not a ected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Carlo Kuit and Paul Kievit of Bronco Aviation report on Should this change, we will continue to update you as the latest developments with the Royal best we can. Some postal services may be delayed. Air Force Chinook fl eet You can keep in touch with our latest updates and see what we are doing to keep distribution as normal as 42 Swiss Hornets Swarm to RAF possible by visiting www.keypublishing.com/FAQs. Leeming Joe Campion details the recent Swiss Air Force night fl ying exercise in the UK, which faced some extra challenges owing to the pandemic SUBSCRIBE 48 Coping with COVID at Stansted p54 AND SAVE Stephen Skinner considers the impact of the A subscription to Aviation News o  e r s pandemic on Stansted Airport which has been great savings on the cover price. See badly a ected by restrictions on holiday travel pages 32 and 33 for details. 54 Su-25 Frogfoot: CAS Specialist Alexander Mladenov details the Su-25 in Russian Top Left Steve Ladd fl ew the A-10 in the service, its combat use and the progress of its second half of his career USAF Cover continued development (main image) Virgin Atlantic has said goodbye to the Boeing 747 after 31 60 Tales of the Dancing Crane: The years of faithful service AirTeamImages. Story of JAL Part 1 com/Enda Burke Inset (lower left) A Swiss Jozef Mols explores JAL’s early history, including the p68 Air Force F/A-18 Hornet taxiing out for introduction of jet services, and the carrier’s expansion a mission during Exercise Yorknite at up to the mid-1980s RAF Leeming in December Joe Campion Inset (lower right) The DC-8 brought 78 Mosquitos Over the Jungle: 684 Sqn Japan Airlines into the jet age. This in the Far East DC-8-62 was captured at Heathrow in The Mosquitos of 684 Squadron ranged far and wide the summer of 1976 AirTeamImages.com/ over Southeast Asia, supplying the RAF with most of Carl Ford its strategic reconnaissance, as Tom Spencer relates

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 3 MAX Recertifi ed, but Boeing Pays Penalty HEADLINE NEWS

Air Boeing 737 MAX 8, C-FNSU, taking o from Vancouver on December 22 AirTeamImages.com/Alvin Man

The Boeing 737 MAX is beginning to return fl ight had been over 90% full, but this was $2.5bn (£1.8bn) to settle a Department of to service after clearance from regulatory during the busy post-Christmas period. Justice (DOJ) criminal investigation into authorities, following its grounding for Air Canada was expected to begin training circumstances surrounding the certifi cation over 20 months. The fi rst to make a fl ights in January. On December 23, an Air of the 737 MAX. The DOJ claims the revenue fl ight with the type was Brazil’s Gol Canada MAX 8 on a positioning leg between manufacturer conspired to defraud the Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, on December Marana, Arizona and Montreal, Quebec, Federal Aviation Administration’s Aircraft 9 with a rotation from São Paulo to shut down an engine in fl ight and made an Evaluation Group in connection with its Porto Alegre. The low-cost carrier began emergency landing in Tucson, following an evaluation of the 737 MAX. Boeing will pay scheduled fl ights later that month and engine malfunction warning. Alaska Airlines a criminal monetary penalty of $243.6m, said it would refund tickets of passengers planned to fl y the type again from March compensation to airline customers of unwilling to fl y on the MAX. American 1 but Southwest Airlines said it would not $1.77bn, and set up a $500m fund to Airlines followed on December 29 and in reintroduce the MAX until the second compensate the heirs, relatives and legal the following week made 14 fl ights between quarter of 2021 “at the soonest”. benefi ciaries of the 346 passengers who Miami and New York/LaGuardia. The airline Meanwhile, on December 7 it was died in the crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian reported that as of January 4, all but one revealed that Boeing has agreed to pay Airlines 737 MAXs. Wedgetails to Lossiemouth Navy Wings Stops Sea The RAF’s fl eet of Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AEW1 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft is to be based at RAF Vixen Restoration Lossiemouth, Moray, it was announced on December 18. The fi ve The board of trustees of Navy Wings has decided to cease work on aircraft on order will be delivered between 2023 and 2026, replacing returning de Havilland Sea Vixen, XP924, to fl ight. The twin-boomed the Boeing Sentry AEW1s, based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. jet fi ghter su ered a wheels-up landing on May 27, 2017, which The movement of the RAF’s AEW&C aircraft will co-locate them caused extensive damage to the underside. Despite an extensive with the Poseidon MRA1 fl eet, which is also based on the Boeing fundraising appeal to underwrite the repairs, which are estimated 737, albeit a di erent variant, and will see the return to the airfi eld of at just over £2m, it has not been possible to generate the required 8 Sqn, which operated the Shackleton from Lossiemouth until 1990. cash. Instead the trust will now focus its e orts on Hawker Sea Fury Two of the aircraft are used examples, including ex-Deer Jet 737- FB.11, VR930, and aim to get it fl ying alongside Sea Fury T.20, VX281, 700 BBJ1, N946BC, which was built in 2010 and arrived in the UK making a magnifi cent Sea Fury Pair. Ownership of most of the for conversion on January 7. The work to turn it into a Wedgetail will aircraft from the ex-Royal Navy Historic Flight transferred to Navy be carried out by STS Aviation Services in . Wings on January 1, 2021. Falcon 6X Unveiled Dassault Aviation revealed the fi rst prototype of its new Falcon 6X long-range business jet during a ceremony in the Charles Lindbergh Hall, at the company’s facility at Bordeaux/Mérignac on December 8. Due to COVID-19 restrictions The Falcon 6X after its December rollout Dassault Aviation the ceremony was conducted over the within the Falcon family, the ultra- completed ground and fl ight testing of internet and live-streamed globally. widebody Falcon 6X. The challenges posed the Falcon 6X’s PW812D powerplant. This, Speaking at the event, Eric Trappier, by the COVID-19 pandemic required coupled with the rollout of its Dassault Aviation chairman, commented, exceptional perseverance and co- maiden jet, now clears the way for a “Today’s rollout is a signifi cant operation on the part of Dassault and its ground test programme and subsequent achievement. I am very pleased to present partner companies.” fi rst fl ight, which is expected to take place the addition of an all-new aircraft design Pratt & Whitney Canada has recently in early 2022.

4 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 First A400M for The first Airbus A400M for the Belgian Defence – Air Component (CT-02/MSN106) was delivered from the final assembly line at Seville, to Melsbroek, on December 22, where it will join 15 Wing. The operating unit will be 20 Sqn, a bi-national squadron that will eventually have seven Belgian A400Ms and one from the Luxembourg Armed Forces, which was delivered in October. Delivery of the second Belgian Belgian Defence – Air Component A400M, CT-02, departs Seville on its delivery flightAirbus A400M is expected early this year. Defence & Space New COVID Variant Hits Travel The emergence of a new variant of the would require a negative COVID-19 test 8 after a coronavirus case in Brisbane COVID-19 virus in December prompted before arrival. This ruling would apply was linked to a traveller from the UK. more than 40 nations and territories to , while the devolved Scottish Canada made a negative test mandatory to ban passengers from the UK. They government said they would implement before embarkation on flights to the included Belgium, Canada, , the same measure “as soon as practicably country on January 7. Hong Kong, Ireland, , Portugal, possible”, as did Wales, although there are planned to cut much of its Romania, Russia, and Switzerland. currently no international flights there. schedule from the UK and Ireland from closed its border to the UK on The government stated January 21. The airline cited “draconian” December 22, causing a backlog of that it agreed in principle to undertake the travel restrictions for the move and trucks – around 4,000 of them were same procedure. expected to operate few, if any flights, parked on the at the former Passengers travelling from countries from the two countries until they were , which had been deemed to lack “the infrastructure removed. The low-cost carrier also cut designated a holding area in anticipation available to deliver the tests” would avoid its full-year traffic forecast from below of Brexit disruption. the requirement, as would flight crew. 35m to 26-30m passengers. Coronavirus testing, including by John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Cathay Pacific has re-introduced Polish military personnel who flew in London’s , welcomed flights to Heathrow Airport which by CN.235 to London Gatwick in an the move to pre-departure testing, which started from January 12, but this is operation named ‘Zumbach’ after a he had been calling for since April, but only to assist passengers who need to Polish RAF fighter ace, helped clear the said that as a result of the latest national return to the UK. Passenger flights to Manston backlog by December 26. lockdown, “aviation has effectively been Hong Kong remained suspended until On January 8, the government grounded for a third time”. Australia also at least January 25 in view of the local announced that travellers to the UK ordered pre-departure testing on January government’s entry restrictions. Ilyushin Il-114 Airborne Again Russian aircraft manufacturer, Ilyushin Aviation Complex, part of the United Aircraft Corporation, flew the first example of its recently revived Il-114 turboprop programme in November. Although the firm announced the maiden flight on December 16, it was photographed in flight on November 28. The aircraft, 54114 (c/n 1033830030) is designated Il-114-300. The original Il-114’s maiden flight was in March 1990. Production took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan with just 20 examples being built. Meanwhile, according to the manufacturer, the upgraded Il-114-300 – designed for local/regional routes – The first Ilyushin Il-114-300 on a test flight from Zhukovsky Airfield on November 28 features a pair of more powerful Klimov AirTeamImages.com/Dmitry Terekhov TV7-117ST-01 engines giving it a boost in maximum range over its predecessor, The -300 is built within Russia using parts to be built per year and the government along with a bigger fuel tank capacity. With constructed at several of the country’s hopes Russia’s carriers will acquire the 68 seats, the -300 has a design life up to aerospace facilities before completion at Il-114-300 instead of Western-built 30,000 flight hours (compared with 18,000 RSK MiG’s final assembly line at Lukhovitsy alternatives – one of the reasons the for the baseline Il-114). near Moscow. It’s thought 12 airframes are turboprop programme was revived.

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 5 Azul’s Blue Bird E195-E2 CIVIL NEWS

Embraer E195-E2, PS-AEF has been painted in a special scheme to highlight the plight of the Spix’s macaw Leandro Luiz Pilch Brazilian fi rm Azul has turned heads with Luiz Pardal to transform its E195-E2. The vibrant look of Brazil’s tropical landscape.” the unveiling of one of its most colourful design features three birds on each side of The work was completed over ten days at aircraft ever. The striking new livery on one the fuselage, with the aircraft christened Embraer’s facility at São José dos Campos, of its Embraer E195-E2s pays tribute to the Ararinha Azul (little blue macaw). Paint a process involving masking the aircraft Spix’s macaw, a blue bird that is a national specialists Tintas Coral and AkzoNobel, and applying more than 330lb of paint symbol in the country but is considered which previously worked with Embraer for using a team of robots. Embraer told sister almost extinct in the wild. its famous tiger, shark and snow leopard magazine Airliner World that although the To raise awareness of e orts to boost aircraft, helped bring the project to life. design is incredibly complex, the overall numbers of the macaw in its native habitat, In total, 58 colours were used, of which weight of paint used is about the same as the airline partnered with local gra ti artist half were specially blended “to capture the more conventional liveries. Gordon Smith Comair Restarts Following Restructuring Following a complex restructuring, South Richard Ferguson, one of the business At the end of November, a majority African-based Comair has reintroduced rescue practitioners, said of the new fl ights: of Comair’s shareholders agreed to fare-paying fl ights for the fi rst time in “[This] is a huge step in getting Comair the restructuring proposed in a rescue more than eight months. back on its feet as a sustainable business. plan. As a result, the Comair Rescue On December 1, 2020, its low-cost While the formal business rescue process Consortium injected R500m (£24.8m) in subsidiary, kulula.com, was the fi rst to isn’t entirely over, seeing Comair aircraft return for a 99% shareholding. Plans are resume operations, followed nine days back in the skies signals the beginning mooted for Comair and kulula.com to later by Comair on its of the end of one of the most complex initially operate a combined 15-strong franchise-operated services – both on and high-profi le corporate restructurings fl eet, before adding a further ten jets over domestic routes. [undertaken] in South Africa.” the next seven months. Thomas Lee

Aerostan Buys Solar Impulse Soars Again Boeings Cargo fi rm Aerostan, based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has acquired a trio of veteran Boeing freighters as it looks to resume operations. The most recent addition was the 41-year-old Boeing 727-200F, EX-27011 (c/n 21580) – the trijet had originally been delivered to Eastern Air Lines in January 1979 as N8883Z. Over the years, the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-powered airframe served with US fi rm KIWI International Airlines, Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter and more Seen here at Albacete on December 16 after making its fi rst successful fl ight since 2016, Solar recently with the Tbilisi, Georgia-based The Impulse II wears the new registration EC-247 referring to its potential to fl y 24 hours a day, 7 Cargo Airlines. Last November, the carrier days a week Roberto Yáñez also procured a pair of ex- 747- Folowing the fi rst successful solar- aircraft took to the air again from Albacete 200Fs, EX-47001 (c/n 23737) and EX-47002 powered fl ight around the world in 2016, airport on December 16, 2020. (c/n 23111) – both Everett-made airframes the Solar Impulse II (ex HB-SIB) has begun The Skydweller headquarters will be had also served with Northwest Airlines a new life in . Purchased by US- established in Valdepeñas, Ciudad Real, Cargo. Ferried from Taraz, Kazakhstan to Spanish aerospace company Skydweller, where the fl ying test campaign will start in Aerostan’s base over November 14-15, the aircraft will be used to develop spring 2021. At Valdepeñas the company it’s thought they join 39-year-old General renewably powered aircraft solutions will build an assembly plant to eventually Electric CF6-powered Airbus A300F, EX- capable of achieving perpetual fl ight with produce three or four aircraft a year for 30002 (c/n 141), acquired by the Kyrgyz the largest possible payload capacity. The sale or hire. Roberto Yáñez operator in September 2020. Thomas Lee

6 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Emirates A380 PD-14-powered MC-21 Flies Deliveries Restart Dubai-based Emirates has again started receiving Airbus A380s following a year’s hiatus in deliveries of the super jumbo. At the time of writing, the UAE carrier has so far received three new-build A380s. The first, A6-EVL, arrived in Dubai on December 5, 2020, followed by A6-EVM and A6-EVN. Following all three deliveries, Emirates’ A380 tally stands at 117. On handover from the manufacturer, the widebodies were powered by a blend of conventional jet and sustainable aviation fuel. It was the first time that Emirates has used sustainable alternatives to power an A380 – on this occasion using cooking oil The first Irkut MC-21 with PD-14 engines undertook its maiden flight from Irkutsk, Russia on produced in Finland. December 15 Irkut Alongside the delivery news, Emirates Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and flight speeds up to 11,500ft and revealed that one of the trio will feature has conducted the maiden flight of an 240kts. Also, in accordance with the plan its long-awaited Premium Economy Irkut MC-21-310. The new variant is for the flight passes were made over the class. Tim Clark, president of Emirates, the first to be powered by indigenously runway in various configurations of wing said: “The A380 has been a success story developed Aviadvigatel PD-14 turbofans mechanisation. for Emirates, and this is reflected in the rather than the Pratt & Whitney PW1400Gs UAC General Director Yuri Slyusar noted: strong customer interest wherever we’ve that have equipped all previous examples “Ahead of the MC-21-310 are factory tests deployed the aircraft over the years… of the 163-211 seat jet. and joining the certification programme. With the space and technology on this The 1hr 25min test flight on December The ability for customers to choose [widebody], we’ve been able to introduce 15, 2020, was piloted by Vasily Sevastyanov the type of aircraft engine expands the new concepts that have transformed and Andrey Voropaev, while test engineer aircraft's market potential and reduces the the flying experience for the better. We Alexander Soloviev was also on board. It risks of the programme.” look forward to introducing our Premium included an assessment of the stability Certification is expected to be completed Economy, which will make its debut on an and controllability of the aircraft, as well in 2021, with launch customer Aeroflot due A380 in the coming months, and we will as ensuring the normal function of the to receive its maiden examples before the continue to invest in our world-class A380 systems and the powerplant at altitudes end of the year. Thomas Haynes product experience.” Thomas Lee Heathrow Wins Rada Airlines Adds Another Il-62 Third Runway Case London’s Heathrow Airport has been given the ahead to build a third runway. On December 16, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the government’s airport strategy, including the building of a new runway to the north Ilyushin Il-62M(SCD), EW-505TR, Rada Airlines landing at Liege Airport in Belgium on January of the existing airport, was based on 3. This is the second Il-62 freighter to join the fleet of the carrier, which is based in Belarus previous, less stringent, climate targets AirTeamImages.com/Jan Severijns at the time it was agreed. Previously, the expansion was blocked by the Court of Appeal on the grounds that it didn’t meet the current environmental standards. Launch for LIFT Now the owners, Heathrow Airport South Africa’s newest operator, LIFT, distance of approximately 635 miles – Holdings, need planning permission inaugurated services on December 10, using a 31-year-old, IAE V2500-equipped for the runway. It will have to persuade 2020, with a rotation between Cape Town A320ceo, ZS-GAR (c/n 053). a public enquiry of the need for the and Johannesburg. Operated by one of Having asked the public to suggest a development, which is not likely to take its three Airbus A320ceos, ZS-GAO (c/n name for the start-up in 2020 in the weeks place for more than a year. Environmental 067) departed Cape Town at 6.30am local leading up to the airline’s launch, bosses at groups plan to oppose the runway, time, before arriving in Johannesburg 1hr the Johannesburg-based firm ‘recruited’ claiming it will contribute to global 36mins later. On the opening day, LIFT Twitter followers to select its next livery warming. The UK emissions strategy had also deployed A320ceo, ZS-GAL (c/n from a choice of two. The options been based on a target of holding global 064), on the city pair to boost frequency. comprised either a yellow-on-black or a temperature rise to 2°C, while the current The following day, LIFT began services black-on-yellow colour scheme. While target is 1.5°. Jim Winchester on a new route between Johannesburg the former was chosen, LIFT had already and George in the Western Cape – a painted a jet in each livery. Thomas Lee

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 7 An artist’s impression of a Boeing 737-800 in REX colours REX REX Gets Green Light jet-operated domestic rotations is the Sydney-Melbourne link on a nine-daily return frequency. Flight tickets have for 737 Services gone on sale and the airline is o ering CIVIL NEWS “a premium full-service”, though with fares pegged at the budget carrier level. John Sharp, deputy chairman of REX, commented: “[We] will o er all the usual perks of a full-service carrier, including eight seats. All fares include a checked baggage allowance, food, pre-assigned seating and online check-in. Lounge access and on-board Wi-Fi will be free for business class, while economy passengers can access these options for a Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority during November REX unveiled the paint small fee.” At the moment, REX has a single (CASA) has granted Regional Express scheme set to adorn its new fl eet. While Boeing 737-800, VH-VUF (c/n 34168) in its Airlines (REX) a high-capacity air operator’s the livery largely remains unchanged to fl eet, which was delivered on November certifi cate (AOC). This now gives the that on its 44-strong inventory of Saab 5 last year. The airline has plans to add a Sydney-based carrier the go-ahead to 340Bs, the 737s will include the company’s further pair of examples before March, with launch its much-anticipated Boeing 737 slogan, ‘Our heart is in the country’, on the Sharp adding that its jet fl eet could reach services from March 1, 2021. forward section of the fuselage. between “eight to ten by the end of 2021”. Prior to being given the green light, The maiden service due to receive REX’s Thomas Haynes Vistara Adds Mumbai to Alaska Airlines Heathrow Service Swaps A320s Indian carrier Vistara is set to increase its about the future.” The rotations are being o ering to the British capital by adding fl own under a ‘travel bubble’ agreement a new route from Mumbai. The thrice- between the governments of and the for MAXs weekly connection – on Tuesdays, UK, a temporary arrangement between In a bid to further streamline its Thursdays and Saturdays – to London/ nations that aims to restart commercial mainline fl eet, Alaska Airlines is set Heathrow was due to start on January 16, air passenger fl ights while regular services to sell ten of its Airbus A320ceos 2021, and will be operated by the fi rm’s remain suspended as a result of the to Air Lease Corporation and will three-class, 299-seat Boeing 787-9s. COVID-19 pandemic. subsequently lease 13 new Boeing Leslie Thng, chief executive o cer at In other developments, Vistara fl ew its 737 MAX 9 aircraft in return. Vistara, commented: “We are delighted fi rst fl ight to Doha on November 20. Flight The airline’s fl eet is currently at the very positive response to our UK283, which operates twice-weekly from heavily weighted towards the service between Delhi and London/ Delhi, landed in Qatar just before 10pm American airframer, as it operates Heathrow, which has encouraged us local time, with the return sector – UK284 166 737s. As the ten European-built to further strengthen the network by – departing an hour later. This route is jets joined the carrier as part of its adding connectivity from Mumbai as we also being fl own under a ‘travel bubble’ acquisition of Virgin America, they see considerable demand between the agreement between the governments of do not form part of the company’s two countries, and remain optimistic India and Qatar. Jim Winchester long-term strategy. The company says it is taking this opportunity to replace them with more fuel-e cient MAXs. The decision follows the Federal First A320neo for Aircalin Aviation Administration (FAA) clearing the MAX to return to service. Alaska Airlines is the fi rst carrier to add more jets since the regulator’s landmark ruling. The MAX aircraft will be able to fl y 521nm further than the current A320, which will open the possibility of additional non-stop routes and new destinations. The 13 leased jets – due to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2021 – are in addition to the 32 MAX airframes that Alaska Airlines currently has on order, fi ve Aircalin’s stunning maiden Airbus A320neo, F-OITB Tibarama, was spotted in November at the of which are expected to arrive by European airframer’s Toulouse site shortly after the jet performed its fi rst fl ight. Scheduled for imminent delivery to the New Caledonia, South Pacifi c-based airline, it was one of two summer 2021. Thomas Haynes A320neos fi rmed in an October 2017 order. Eurospot

8 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Boeing Retires T-33s IN BRIEF Indian low-cost carrier SPICEJET has reportedly shelved its inaugural link to London/Heathrow. According to data from ch-aviation, the decision was attributed to the UK’s rise in coronavirus infections and the likelihood of a lockdown. Before the latest development, SpiceJet had planned to serve the British capital from Delhi and Mumbai at twice- and once-weekly frequencies, respectively. As the carrier does not own/operate any widebodies, it had made a deal with Portuguese wet-lease specialist Hi Fly to use an -900. It remains unclear if or when SpiceJet will confirm a new launch date. Thomas Lee

The Argentine Civil Aviation Administration has given formal approval for a merger between AEROLÍNEAS ARGENTINAS and AUSTRAL. The process was first announced in May 2020 and follows negotiations with local trade union representatives. Pablo Ceriani, president of the Buenos Aires-based , said: “Our company was formed with the merger among four companies in the ’50s and today, a few days from the 70th anniversary, a new merger will become a landmark in its history. We set out to overcome this crisis and Boeing’s venerable T-33s make a flypast emerge stronger to face a complex future.” over Boeing Field during their final flight Gordon Smith Joe G Walker has been revealed as Boeing’s two flyable Canadair T-33 become increasingly difficult to obtain UK’s newest base. Earmarked for a March 26 chase ’planes, N109X and N416X, were owing to the airframes’ advanced age. launch, the British subsidiary of the Hungarian officially retired on December 4. These Their final flight, from Boeing Field, low-cost firm will initially station a single Airbus A321 at the Welsh capital. During its first week first-generation jet trainers had served as Washington State, was carried out as a pair of operations, six routes are scheduled to workhorses on many first flights, test flights using the radio call sign ‘Boeing 109 X-Ray’. come online, which will comprise: Alicante, and equipment testing missions. The two T-33s are to be put in storage with Faro, Heraklion, Larnaca, Palma de Mallorca The 1964-vintage aircraft were retired the US manufacturer to replace them with and Tenerife. Over the following year, another because serviceable spare parts have Northrop T-38s. Joe G Walker four holidays destinations are set to be added. Cardiff will become Wizz Air UK’s fourth base in the country following London’s Luton and Gatwick, along with Doncaster/Sheffield. Virgin Selling 787s to Raise Cash Thomas Haynes

Virgin Atlantic has agreed to sell two of its £70m by selling and leasing back the pair Riga-based airBaltic has officially become the newest aircraft, Boeing 787-9s, to boost its of nearly new widebodies. The deal is world’s first all-AIRBUS A220 operator. The cashflow during the COVID-19 pandemic. with Griffin Global Asset Management, an move comes after the Latvian airline appointed According to Sky News, the carrier is to aircraft lessor backed by Bain Capital which aircraft trading firm Jetcraft in November to receive a “cash enhancement” of up to rescued Virgin Australia earlier this year. market the sub-lease of 11 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s. According to airBaltic bosses, operating just the A220 will reduce complexity and boost efficiency. On December 13, the CIVIL ORDERS carrier received its 24th and 25th A220- 300s, YL-AAX (c/n 55094) and YL-AAY (c/n Purchaser Aircraft Number Order Placed Notes 55095). Both of the jets form part of airBaltic’s Virgin Australia 737-10 25 Nov Replaces previous order for 38 737-8 and ten 737-10 50-strong order for the type – which includes Air A330neo 1 Dec 18 an additional 30 options. Thomas Lee Maiden China Airlines 777F The first Boeing 777F for China Airlines was spotted at Seattle’s Paine Field towards the end of November 2020 while performing a test flight. The widebody, B-18771, features a slightly revised livery as the Taipei-based airline’s titles are placed towards the back of the fuselage. It’s understood this was done to create space for a future special livery. The jet arrived on delivery in Taiwan in December Joe G Walker

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 9 MILITARY NEWS 10 software helpswithall-weather navigation. cabin missionconsole.Leonardo’s Phase8 electro-optic sensors,rescue hoistand Leonardo AW139 fitted withanewradar, national disasterrelief. search and rescue missionsandsupports Italian AirForce’s 15thWing,whichleads in Vergiate andwillbeoperated bythe arrival wasflown from Leonardo’s facility delivered bytheendof 2021.Thenew , allof whichare duetobe of 17Leonardo HH-139B twin-engine The ItalianAirForce hasreceived thefirst Italian Air Force receives Italian AirForcereceives Turkmenistan. (c/n 31400270) andPT-ZHI (c/n31400271), arepartofanunknownnumberorderedby 8. Thepair,arrived onDecember13anddepartedalmostamonthlater onJanuary PT-ZHI fromBrazil.They Islands,ondelivery Las PalmasdeGranCanariaAirportintheCanary Two EmbraerEMB-314E SuperTucanos fortheTurkmenistan AirForcehavepassedthrough The HH-139B isaversionof the Mathias Grägel/GME-AirFoto tiger graphiconthefuselage,andcoats ofarmsthecentreandAttack HelicopterRegiment 36ontheuppernose 74+64. Thehelicopter, belongingtotheGerman-French ArmyTigerPilotTraining Centreat LeLucinsouthernFrance, sportsahugeleaping aviation arm(HeeresflThe GermanArmy’s ieger) hascelebrated 15yearsoftheTigercombat helicopterwithaspecialschemeonTigerUHT, 15 Years ofGermanTigers Turkmen Tucanos intheCanaries fi rst HH-139B Antonio Rodríguez a betterideaoftheproposedfighter’s wingplanform A newartist’simpressionoftheBAE SystemsTempest flying at lowlevelhasbeenreleasedgiving Tempest DownLow yet tobedelivered. three MQ-4C Triton aircraft, whichhave funding for thecurrent approved fleet of RAAF , SouthAustralia. Poseidon isnowinservicewith11Sqnat which hasnowbeenpartlyexercised. The from Boeingwithanoptionfor three more, Department of Defence ordered 12aircraft will bringtheRAAF’sfleet to14. announced onDecember31,2020. This Poseidon maritimepatrol aircraft, itwas to acquire afurthertwoBoeingP-8A The RoyalAustralianAirForce plans Poseidons for RAAF Canberra hasalsoapproved sustainment In November2016, theAustralian BAE Systems Two More AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Sioux City Anniversary Stratotanker USMC and RAAF Reach F-35C IOC The Marine Corps has declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II. IOC for the first Marine F-35C unit, VMFA-314 ‘Black Knights’ at MCAS Miramar, California, was announced in December. Although the USMC will mainly use the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant and plans to operate 353 of them, it has also ordered 67 carrier- capable F-35Cs to replace its F/A-18 Hornets. The USN declared IOC for the F-35C in 2019. The F-35C features longer, folding wings and a tailhook and has a greater range and weapons carrying capacity than the B. The RAAF also declared IOC for their F-35A Lightnings on December 28. At that time, 30 F-35As were in service with 3 Sqn and 2 OCU at RAAF Williamtown, The Iowa ’s 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City, Iowa, has repainted KC- New South Wales. The next unit, 77 Sqn, 135, 57-2606, with a 75th-anniversary celebratory paint scheme. The fin design references the will begin conversion to the type early this tail flash that was used on the unit’s former F-16s during the 1990s, while the image of the bat year. The RAAF has 72 F-35s on order first appeared on their A-7s in the 1970s.Iowa ANG/Senior MSgt Vincent De Groot AH-64Es for Kuwait New Apaches Arrive in UK The US State Department has approved the possible foreign military sale (FMS) of Two Boeing AH-64E Apaches were on November 24 in a C-17A. On board 24 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack delivered to Wattisham Flying Station, were technicians from 7 Aviation Support helicopters to the Kuwaiti government, , on November 26 to replace AH1s Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical it announced on December 29. The that will reach their out-of-service dates Engineers, who will maintain the aircraft. State Department’s Defence Security in 2024. Brig Steve Hussey, the head of Capability Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced Delivered by road, these Version 6 Air Manoeuvre, said of the new the approval of the potential deal, worth rotorcraft are expected to make their first acquisition: “While there is still some an estimated $4bn, after it notified the US flights in July. After flight trials, they will be way to go before the army’s modernised Congress. It provides for production and used to instruct aircrews as they transition attack capability reaches full delivery of eight new AH-64Es, as well as from the Mark 1. The focus will then operational status, the arrival of the first the remanufacture of the Kuwait Air Force’s change to the full-rate conversion training Apache E-model in the UK is a major current fleet of AH-64D Apache Longbows of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps. programme milestone… despite the impact to the AH-64E configuration. The Gulf The two Apaches arrived from the US of COVID-19.” state purchased 16 AH-64Ds in 2006. Wessex Storm Trains Air Assault Brigade

In December Exercise Wessex Storm on Wearing 75th anniversary markings for Orléans-based ET01.061 Salisbury Plain, saw the RAF, Army ‘Touraine’, Armée de l’Air A400M 0007/F-RBAA lands on the grass Air Corps and French Air Force supporting strip at Keevil during exercise Wessex Storm on December 2 the 2 Para battlegroup as it prepared to LAC Soanes/RAF Crown Copyright 2020 take over as the lead infantry unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade. The exercise reportedly featured the largest gathering of British military helicopters since Operation Moshtarak in Afghanistan in February 2010, with 21 RAF and Army Air Corps rotorcraft participating. The climax of the six-week exercise saw Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) lift troops, vehicles and supplies on to Salisbury Plain from Keevil Airfield troops on to Imber Village. In preparation Zone (TLZ) was set up to allow A400Ms on December 4, with RAF Chinooks for this, a parachute landing was made to from the RAF and French Air Force to and Pumas escorted by AAC Wildcat secure Keevil on the night of December operate, bringing in the personnel of the reconnaissance and Apache attack 1 from RAF and USAF C-130s. When the 2 Para battlegroup and equipment to helicopers delivering 1,300 assaulting airfield was taken, a Temporary Landing support the helicopters.

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 11 MILITARY NEWS 12 testing andanalysispurposes.TheUSN’s airframes inthe2022-23timeframefor service planstoinitiallyprocure three for testaircraft onDecember18. The (C3) mission,after itpostedasolicitation command, control andcommunications Out (TACAMO) airbornesurvivablenuclear Hercules intheTake Charge andMove Lockheed Martin’sC-130J-30 Super The USNavy (USN)intendstofield Finnish Hawk’s40th sourced underamodernisation eort and SIAI-Marchetti S.211) theplatform hasbeen the M-345 (itselfadevelopmentof the of 18examplestotheservice.Basedon December 22–kickstarting thedelivery jet trainerstotheItalianAirForce on Leonardo handedoveritsfirst twoT-345A parliament onDecember15. the basewasgivenbySwedish Approval toproceed withtheworkon fly theSaabJAS 39EGripenfi ghter. probably withtwosquadrons, whichwill and becomefullyoperational by2025, based there. F16willstandupin2022 hands althoughthere are noflying units as ÄrnaAirport,hasremained inmilitary Alliance. UppsalaAirBase,alsoknown amid increasing callstojointheNATO as increases itsdefence budget disbanded in2003, butisbeingrevived wing, F16UpplandsFlygflottilj, was at Uppsala,northof Stockholm. The re-establish afighter wing(Flygfl ottilj) The Swedish AirForce (Flygvapnet)isto 1980. example beingdeliveredonDecember 16, with theFinnishAirForce,fito serve rst Specially paintedHawk HW-340 isoneof 50 applied theschemetoaircraft. aerospace anddefence firm, Patria Group, 1980-2020’ onitsbelly. Helsinki-based of thetwoairintakes, alongwith‘HW 40v 40 years)inwhiteletteringonthesides features thewords ‘HW 40vuotta’(Hawk Airport inTikkakoski. TheHawkalso the FinnishAirForce Academyat Jyväskylä and white livery during a small ceremony at HW-340, wasrevealed sportinganewblue aircraft onDecember16. Theaircraft, serial a stunningspecialschemefor oneof its jet trainer, theFinnishAirForce unveiled first BAESystems HawkMk51advanced To celebrate 40yearssinceitreceived its USN eyesC-130J forTACAMO Swedish Fighter WingBornAgain Finnish AirForce T-345s Handed Over trailing wire antennas. Low Frequency transmittersand (VLF) with submerged submarinesusingVery TACAMO primarilyinvolvescommunication Hercules. Theairbornecomponentof 1989, succeedingtheLockheedEC-130Q jet airliner. TheE-6B entered servicein based ontheBoeing707commercial a fleet of 16BoeingE-6B Mercury aircraft, TACAMO missioniscurrently covered by the MB-339. (Tricolour Arrows), whichcurrently operate team, theItalianAirForce’s Frecce Tricolori adopted bythecountry’snational aerobatic 339s whichentered servicein1982. will graduallyreplace theAermacchiMB- security situation extremely seriously”. our neighbourhoodthat weare takingthe It isasignaltotheSwedish peopleand security policysituation hasdeteriorated. The movecomesbecausetheregion’s attack onSweden cannotberuledout. defence capabilityin70years.Anarmed commented: “It isthelargest increase in corvettes andtheairforce’s weapons. and there willbeupgradestothenavy’s 2030. Anewsubmarinewillbepurchased numbers willrisefrom 55,000 to90,000 by conscripted personnel.Total armedforces over thenextfive yearsandadoublingof boost inthedefence budgetof almost40% At thesametime,parliamentagreed a In doingso,theaircraft willalsobe Defence ministerPeterHultqvist aggression byouradversaries.” options, shouldtheneedarisetodeter global additionalassetanddeployment combatant commandersacross the provide PACAF [Pacific AirForces] and F-35A squadrons at EielsonAFBwill missions: “Having twocombat-coded air defences andoensive counter-air primary missionissuppression of enemy newly appointedcommandersaidthe the 356thFS. Lt Col SamuelChipman,the second F-35A Lightningunitalongside of the354thFW, becomingthewing’s reactivated onDecember18aspart The 355thFSat EielsonAFB, Alaska was Second Alaskan F-35 Second AlaskanF-35 inactivation inMay2020. Nellis inMarch2018,butwasselectedfor US DoD. The24thTASS wasestablishedat centralised FAC (A)trainingcourseinthe controllers. Itwasuniqueinrunningtheonly (Airborne) andjointterminalattack mission wastotrainforwardaircontrollers December 23.TheF-16unit’s primary a ceremonyatNellisAFB,Nevada,on SQUADRON (TASS) wasinactivatedduring The 24THTACTICAL AIRSUPPORT December 2023. Full CSGoperationalcapabilityisdueby as wellthemostF-35Bseveratsea. aircraft onaRoyal Navycarriersince1983, Joint Warrior Exercises whichsawthemost integrated. Last year, theCSGtookpartin and anti-shipweapons—successfully the group–fromfighters toradarsystems operating capability, withallelementsof strike group(CSG)hasachievedinitial The UK’s HMSQUEENELIZABETHcarrier IN BRIEF Squadron Activated AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Gaijin_FP.indd 1 26/11/2020 11:22:16 PRESERVATIONCIVIL NEWS 14 attack. OnJanuary24, 1942withonly suered nodamageduringtheJapanese that dayat WheelerFieldonOahu,but This CurtissP-40B Warhawk wasstationed Hudson, Massachusetts,for static display. at theAmericanHeritageMuseumat Hawaii, onDecember7, 1941hasarrived that survivedtheattack onPearlHarbor, The lastfullyrestored andflying fi ghter P-40B Warhawk, 41-13297, previously flew withtheCollingsFoundation andTheFighterCollection C-3 isAAF’sninthhistoricaircraft was designedasathree-seat utilityaircraft inthe1920s–approximately 122 werebuilt. The examplesofthetype,andonlyonein .TheSpartan machine isoneoffoursurviving and hopestofly itsoonfromitsbaseat Regio AirportMengeninHohentengen.The1929-built Antique-AeroflGermany’s yers (AAF)hascompleteditsrestoration ofSpartanC-3, NC705N, Spartan toFlyinGermany Pearl HarborP-40onDisplay Stefan Schmoll remains were rediscovered. Some area of theisland.In1985, theWarhawk’s The crashoccurred inaninaccessible into thesideof amountain,killinghim. unable torecover from thespin,crashing pilot, Lt Kenneth Wayne Sprankle,was flight, theaircraft spunoutof control. The flight timeandwhileonaroutine training nine monthsof serviceand56hoursof American HeritageMuseum to HunterChaney- americanheritagemuseum.org Withthanks its originalflying confi guration. www. it wasmeticulouslyrestored backto moving totheCollingsFoundation where through severalorganisations, eventually in 1989. Alongrestoration ensued remainder of theairframewassalvaged parts were recovered that year, andthe disappeared withtheaircraft. Frédéric Lert its 27-year-old pilot Jean Legouhy jet fell intothewater andsank. Sadly, before aplannedreturn toHyères, the Ark Royal.Duringitslastcatapult launch aboard theBritishaircraft carrierHMS participating intake-o andlandingtrials as belongingtoFlotille11F. the fins, hashelped toidentifytheaircraft 8,000ft. Thenumber83, easilyvisibleon is resting ontheoceanfloor at adepthof as beingvirtuallyintactandstates that it by a remotely operated robot. by aremotely operated robot. made duringunderwater research carriedout France, onNovember20. Thediscovery was Mediterranean seabednearthecityof Hyères, Havilland SeaVenom, waslocated onthe French licence-builtversionof thede The wreckage of an SNCASEAquilon,the On June13, 1960, Aquilon‘83’was The French Navy hasdescribedthejet Aquilon Found Aquilon Found on SeaBed AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 ‘Chuck’ Yeager RJ85 for Norwich 1923-2020 Legendary aviator Brig Gen Charles E ‘Chuck’ Yeager passed away on December 7, aged 97. A World War Two flying ace credited with 11.5 victories, he later became the first pilot to break the sound barrier in level flight. Yeager’s achievement was made on October 14, 1947 at the controls of the Bell CNAM’s Avro RJ85 is likely to remain without airline markings for the time being Richard Flagg X-1 experimental rocket aircraft. He went on to break several other speed The City of Norwich Aviation Museum’s 30, and is currently the only RJ85 on and altitude records and flew combat newest exhibit is Avro RJ85, EI-RJN. The display at a UK aviation museum. It was missions during the . airliner was lifted by crane to the attraction formerly operated by CityJet. from adjacent on October www.cnam.org.uk Richard Flagg New Zealand Avenger Assembled Phantom Group Saves The Classic Flyers Aviation Museum rolled out Grumman TBF-1C Avenger, NZ2539, ‘Tiger’ Nose on October 30 at its base in Tauranga, New The cockpit section of former RAF ended up on the base’s fire dump Zealand after a three-year restoration. The Phantom FGR.2, XT895, has recently been before its wingless hulk was delivered Avenger was one of 48 examples to serve acquired for restoration by Mike Davey to MOD Shoeburyness in Essex for with the RNZAF. Released from military of the British Phantom Aviation Group armaments testing in 1996. While the duties in 1959, the aircraft featured in a (BPAG). Built by McDonnell Douglas at bulk of the Phantom was scrapped, children's playground in Havelock North, its St Louis facility in Missouri, the jet was the cockpit section was acquired by an later relocating to a paddock in Riverhead. delivered to the UK on October 10, 1968 Essex-based collector before it moved Missing an engine, propeller and most of and served with 6, 64/228 OCU, 92 and on to Mike Davey. No stranger to the the cowl panels, it was then transported to 111 Sqns. Eventually joining 74 ‘Tiger’ type, Mike is owner of three other Tauranga in July 2017. Most of the missing Sqn, the aircraft was damaged during a Phantom cockpits – XV490 at Newark Air parts were acquired from Chino, California, live missile exercise over Cardigan Bay Museum, F-4J (UK), ZE352, and the ex- while the inner bomb bay doors were built on October 10, 1992 when a misfiring RAF Leuchars simulator. Currently stored by the team in New Zealand. Now returned Skyflash collided with the starboard in South Lancashire, XT895’s cockpit to ground running condition, the Grumman intake. joins BPAG’s restoration queue and will will be displayed in Classic Flyers’ main Having made a safe emergency landing eventually be used for display purposes. hangar. www.classicflyersnz.com With at nearby RAF Valley on Anglesey, XT895 With thanks to BPAG thanks to Garry Bentley Mosquito Catches Some Sun

Mosquito TA122 is nearly complete, having been under restoration for more than a decade Philip Birtles

Combat veteran Mosquito FB.VI, TA122 Restoration of this aircraft is nearly finished non-bank holiday Mondays and depending – which served with 605 Sqn (RAuxAF) in and it is anticipated it will be rolled out on government regulations. Holland and Belgium in 1945 – was rolled regularly during this summer, when Among the aircraft in the museum is out of its hangar at the de Havilland Aircraft regulations allow. the Mosquito prototype, W4050, which Museum in London Colney, Hertfordshire, Following completion of the new celebrated the 80th anniversary of its into some rare winter sunshine on December Heritage Lottery Fund-sponsored hangar first flight on November 25, 2020. Due to 6, before being turned round and pushed development, the museum will be open COVID-19 this was not a public event. back in, nose forward. throughout the year, with the exception of dehavillandmuseum.co.uk Philip Birtles

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 15 Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747s A Fond Farewell For 36 years the mighty Boeing 747 has been an integral part of Virgin Atlantic. Sadly, COVID-19 has meant an early departure for the iconic aircraft. Lee Cross looks back at the service of the ‘Queen of the Skies’ within the fl eet and how the type has been so intrinsically linked to the airline’s success

16 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 hen Virgin was founded back in 1984, there was only one aircraft Wthat fl amboyant owner Richard (later Sir Richard) Branson wanted for his airline: the iconic Boeing 747. Branson called the American aircraft manufacturer to see if it had any second-hand jumbos for sale and, following two months of tough negations, a deal was struck to lease a single 747 that could be returned after a year, should the fl edgling company fail. Above: The original colour scheme featured a red fuselage stripe as seen on Virgin’s second 747- On June 18, 1984 the fi rst aircraft, a 200, G-VGIN, Scarlet Lady, which entered service in 1986 Key Collection Boeing 747-287B, arrived at the carrier’s Main photo: Two variations of Virgin Atlantic’s livery are illustrated here as G-VXLG, Ruby Tuesday, new base at London’s , takes o from Manchester in July 2015 in the scheme introduced in mid-2010, with G-VLIP, Hot a day before its Civil Aviation Authority Lips, in the previous colours behind. Not all 747s were repainted before they retired in 2020 (CAA) test fl ight to obtain an Air Operator’s AirTeamImages.com/Jan Severijns Certifi cate (AOC). Looking resplendent in Virgin’s striking red-and-white livery, the ex- bound for New York/Newark. Randolph Fields. The jet was initially named Aerolíneas Argentinas jet (LV-LZD) was re- Virgin’s second jumbo arrived on October Miami Maiden before being christened registered G-VIRG and christened Maiden 31, 1986 and was put to work on the Spirit of Sir Freddie in honour of Sir Freddie Voyager. However, the test fl ight did not go recently launched Miami route, increasing Laker, one of Branson’s aviation heroes. without incident, as shortly after take-o frequencies to four times per week. Scarlet This model had an underfl oor galley the jet su ered a bird strike that severely Lady (G-VGIN) as the -243B series jet was and operated in a high-density seating damaged one of its Pratt & Whitney JT9D- named, had originally been delivered to confi guration, with 14 seats in upper class 7A engines, forcing a return to the airport. Alitalia in May 1971. and 474 in economy, and was used mainly Thankfully, it did not delay the launch of for the Miami and recently launched operations and on June 22 the repaired GROWING FLEET Orlando rotations. aircraft, packed with various celebrities, A further two 747s were sourced from G-VJFK ( Belle) and G-VLAX members of the press and Mr Branson’s Singapore Airlines. The -212B models (California Girl) were obtained from Qantas family and friends, took o from Gatwick, were powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9-7Q in early 1991, just in time for the launch of engines, which were more powerful than fl ights from Heathrow Airport where the those found on previous examples, giving airline had fi nally been given operational better fuel economy and range allowing rights following the abolition of the London the airline to launch direct fl ights to Tokyo Air Tra c Distribution Rules, which had in August 1989 and Los Angeles in May governed the allocation of tra c between 1990. The duo was registered G-TKYO Heathrow and Gatwick since 1978. (Maiden Tokyo) and G-VRGN (Maiden of Operations began to New York’s JFK airport Honour) and arrived on March 31 and and Los Angeles in July that year. August 27, 1989 respectively. To assist with the airline’s ambitious The next jumbo, -238B G-VOYG (Shady expansion plans at Heathrow, two further Lady) had started life with Scandinavian airframes were acquired from Cathay Airline System (SAS) in November 1971 Pacifi c: G-VCAT (Wild Thing) and G-VRUM before joining British Airways in March (Calypso Queen), both -267B models, 1986, where it remained before becoming arrived in October 1998. Virgin Atlantic’s fi fth 747 in February 1990. Five more 747s were then sourced from A single -100 series was also operated Air New Zealand, becoming the last of the from March 1990: G-VMIA had been ‘Classics’ to join the fl eet between July delivered to American Airlines in November 1999 and March 2004. The -219B models 1970 and had also served with Highland were re-registered: G-VZZZ (Morning Express, a short-lived venture established Glory), G-VIBE (Dancing Queen, later by another of Virgin Atlantic’s founders, renamed Spirit of New York), G-VPUF

Virgin’s famous nose-art was replaced on G-VTOP by a reclining fi gure of Austin Powers and renamed accordingly to promote the Mike Myers comedy fi lm in 2000. The ‘No Way BA/AA’ slogan refl ected opposition to the proposed merger of British Airways and American Airlines Key Collection

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 17 image, designed by British artist Ken White, quadrupled in size and moved from the front to the rear of the fuselage. A second -400 series G-VHOT (Tubular Belle) joined in October 1994, followed by G-VBIG (Tinker Belle) in June 1996 and G-VTOP (Virginia Plain, briefly renamed Austin Powers in 2000 to promote the movie of the same name) in January 1997. Powered by four General Electric CF6- 80CB engines, these initial models were obtained under lease from International Above: The airline revised its livery with blue trim from 1999 to 2007 as seen on these three Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), hence Boeing 747-400s at Gatwick. Virgin adopted Union Flags on its winglets in response to British the -4Q8 customer code. Airways’ ‘Utopia’ liveries, which omitted the traditional red, white and blue colours Key Collection Four further -41R examples were Below: Named Boston Belle, G-VJFK was one of two ex-Qantas 747-200s acquired to operate US sourced directly from Boeing with G-VAST services when Virgin was allowed to purchase slots at Heathrow in 1991 Key Collection (Ladybird) arriving in June 1997 and G-VXLG Ruby Tuesday in September 1998. The former would go on to appear on BBC’s motoring programme Top Gear in 2008, when two of its engines were run at full power to test the strength of cars in a crosswind. The final two airframes from this order were G-VWOW christened Cosmic Girl and G-VROC Mustang Sally, which joined the fleet in December 2001 and October 2003, respectively. As the airline grew, and realising that its -200 models wouldn’t go on forever, management looked at ordering more -400s. Talks were entered into with British Airways (BA), which was at the time looking (High As A Kite), G-VBEE (Honey Pie) and the iconic Flying Lady logo was replaced to reduce its 747 fleet, but fell through G-VSSS (Island Lady). with a birthday badge. Then in 2007 the due to the different engine types. The BA airframe was renamed Spice One following examples were powered by Rolls-Royce ENTER THE -400 SERIES the tie-up between the airline and girl band RB211s and Virgin wanted commonality The airline introduced the state-of-the-art the Spice Girls, ahead of their world tour. with its General Electric CF6-80CB- 747-400 series in early 1994, coinciding In June 2009 she became Birthday Girl to powered variants already in service. with the launch of a new route between mark Virgin Atlantic’s 25th anniversary. The A further opportunity arose when Italian Heathrow and Hong Kong. G-VFAB (Lady jet took part in a special flypast with the Red carrier Alitalia chose not to take up its order Penelope) immediately became the flagship Arrows display team at London’s Biggin Hill for five -400s. Boeing needed to find a new of the fleet when she arrived on April 28. In Air Show, showing off her fabulous, revised customer for the newly built aircraft. A deal 2005, to celebrate the airline’s 21st birthday, colour scheme which saw the Flying Lady was struck between Virgin, the manufacturer

Virgin inaugurated services to India in July 2000 with the arrival of G-VXLG at New Delhi. Chairman Richard Branson marked the inaugural flight in his typical flamboyant style, waving the Indian flag and later dancing in traditional dress to bhangra drumsKey Collection

18 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 To mark the airline’s 21st birthday in 2005, and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), Virgin’s fi rst 747-400, G-VFAB, Lady Penelope, David Southwood joined Virgin in June which was announced on November wore this special scheme with the ‘Flying 1999 as a fi rst o cer on the ‘Classic’ 14, 2000. Lady’ artwork enlarged and moved to the fl eet based at Gatwick and found himself rear fuselage AirTeamImages.com/Steve Flint ‘thrown in at the deep end’ with the HIGH-DENSITY JUMBOS numerous variants the airline had in Unlike the previously delivered -400s, atrocities of 9/11 in the US only hastened service: “It was very unusual for an airline which had a higher volume of premium the others’ retirement. However, two to have so many quite signifi cantly seats for Virgin’s Heathrow routes, these aircraft, G-VSSS and G-VBEE, did get a di erent models all fl own by the same fi ve were confi gured in a high-density reprieve, remaining in the Virgin livery crews. There was a single Flight Manual layout and were mostly used for its despite now being owned by Air Atlanta issue to cover all models with specifi c popular leisure destinations from Gatwick, Icelandic. Re-registered as TF-ATN and references to registrations to address the Manchester and later Glasgow and Belfast. TF-ATW in early 2002, both were based di erences; it was not unusual to get the The fi rst of these -443 jets to be delivered at Manchester and continued to operate Flight Manual out in the cruise to read up was G-VROS (English Rose), which arrived under lease for Virgin until 2005 when on some specifi c technical detail. With in March 2001. In a touching tribute to all its own -400s took over the operation. respect to fl ying qualities, it was a truly the Virgin Atlantic sta the airline had lost The last -200 series to leave the fl eet was delightful aeroplane to fl y with excellent over the years this example was renamed G-VIBE in July 2005 which, along with the performance. Sadly, 9/11 brought an abrupt Forever Young in 2019. four other ex-Air New Zealand examples, end to my time with Virgin Atlantic, but it Girl (G-VGAL) arrived next, on would go on to serve with the Russian was a huge privilege to have fl own the 747 April 26, 2001, followed a month later carrier Transaero. and a part of my fl ying career for which I by G-VROM. Barbarella, as the latter will always be eternally grateful.” was named, had a somewhat interesting FOND MEMORIES Lindzee Bee has been Virgin Atlantic career with Virgin, leaving the fl eet on Millions of customers have fl own aboard cabin crew for six years, until COVID-19 November 5, 2009 on lease to Bolivian Virgin Atlantic’s 747s during the type’s forced her to temporarily hang up her carrier AeroSur. When that airline folded in tenure with the airline and for many she wings: “My second-ever fl ight was on March 2012 she returned to Virgin Atlantic was just another vessel to take them to the 747 and I was so excited to step on where she was repainted in the new business meetings or on a well-deserved to this magnifi cent aircraft. I remember ‘Billboard’ colour scheme and underwent holiday. But for the thousands of airline thinking how big she was and how I’d a full cabin refi t. The airframe also carried sta who have been lucky enough to work never remember where everything is out the world’s fi rst commercial fl ight with the ‘Queen of the Skies’, she has been kept, but she soon became like a second using sustainable fuel created by recycling so much more than just an aircraft. home. The ‘bubble’ [upper deck] is the carbon-rich waste industrial gases on October 3, 2018 in collaboration with carbon recycling pioneers LanzaTech. G-VLIP was delivered on May 15, 2001. Initially christened Hot Lips, the jet had two iconic colour schemes adorn her fuselage, promoting Florida’s theme parks. Between May 2010 and January 2011, a special decal was added to celebrate the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. Then in September 2019 she was renamed The Falcon and decorated with a huge Millennium Falcon to promote the new Star Wars area at Walt Disney World. G-VROY (Pretty Woman) was the last ex-Alitalia aircraft and indeed the fi nal 747 to join the fl eet on June 18, 2001. Meanwhile, the carrier’s -200s were now nearing the end of their lives as new 747-400s and Airbus A340-600s, for which Virgin Atlantic had been the launch In the 2000s, the airline introduced a mica overcoat, which appears di erent depending on customer, were delivered. The initial lighting conditions, as seen on G-VROM at Manchester in 2007. The ‘Flying Girl’ pulling the ‘Classics’ had left the fl eet by the turn Union Flag emphasises the uno cial ‘fl ag carrier’ status of Virgin Atlantic AirTeamImages.com/ of the new millennium and the terrorist Simon Willson

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 19 Boeing 747-400, G-VLIP, was renamed The Falcon and adorned with a large decal of the Millennium Falcon to promote Galaxy’s Edge – the new Star Wars attraction at Walt Disney World in Florida. The aircraft was flown to Cuidad Real, Spain, in July 2020 for storage due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing a massive downturn in passenger trafficAirTeamImages.com/Carlos Enamorado

most amazing place to work,” Lindzee keeping the 747 fleet until leases began California, operating as Virgin Orbit’s added. “It’s your own private cabin with a to expire in 2019 and a interior overhaul airborne satellite launch aircraft. The jet few rows of premium and then a couple of the Gatwick based -400s was unveiled was stripped of her cabin interiors and of economy seats – our customers love with work beginning in May 2012. The fitted with a launch pylon on the left wing, sitting upstairs. It’s strange having an £50m refurbishment saw new seats being where the 747’s fifth engine mount, used emotional attachment to an aircraft, but it installed across the premium economy to ferry a spare engine, is located. For a has brought so many memories to millions and economy cabins and the introduction launch she is flown up to 35,000ft, then of people around the world. To some it’s of the new ‘JAM by Panasonic’ in-flight the rocket is released and ignites five just another flying thing, but to us workers entertainment (IFE) system. seconds later, during which time the 747 – the aviation-obsessed – it’s an icon!” Retirement of the -400 series had begun has banked to the right, out of harm’s Senior First Officer and 747 Fleet back in February 2013, when G-VTOP way. Cosmic Girl also made history back Technical Pilot Stuart Rawlinson flew on became the first to leave, starting a new in 2008 becoming the first Boeing 747 to the -400 for three years with Virgin Atlantic life with Orient , before operate a bio-fuel-powered flight between and spoke fondly of his time on the aircraft: being broken up in June 2018. In 2015, London and Amsterdam, using a mix of “Anyone who has flown the ‘Queen’ will Virgin announced it would be ending 747 coconut and babassu oil. During her 14- tell you how much of a pleasure she is to operations at Heathrow; the five aircraft year career with Virgin Atlantic, G-VWOW fly, especially when all of the automation there becoming surplus to requirements. operated 8,265 flights and carried is off, connecting you directly to the After completing her final revenue flight 2,506,175 passengers. controls. As the last technical pilot on from New York/JFK to London/Heathrow G-VBIG was the last to leave Heathrow the Virgin 747 fleet, I had the pleasure on September 22, 2015, the airline’s first of these five examples, after operating the of performing various test flights and, in -400, G-VFAB, was flown to Arizona where final 747 flight from Miami on January 12, the end, helping retire the fleet. She was she would eventually be put up for sale 2016. Luckily, she was granted a reprieve a piece of engineering art; the definition on eBay with a ‘Buy It Now’ price tag of after being retrofitted in the carrier’s leisure of ‘awesome’ and a truly impressive and $900,000. Meanwhile, G-VHOT ended up configuration and transferred to Gatwick capable machine. I say ‘machine’, everyone on the scrap heap and G-VROC went on where she remained until November 22, knows these aeroplanes have a soul – you to fly with Moldavian charter carrier 2019 after which she too was scrapped. can sense it from the moment the engines Terra Avia. Astonishingly, Tinker Belle had flown fire up – the sounds, the smells, the feel.” Living up to her Cosmic Girl name, between London and New York 2,698 In late 2011, Virgin said it would be G-VWOW is now based in Long Beach, times. The remaining -400s were due to leave the fleet by the end of 2021 as new The aptly-named Cosmic Girl (G-VWOW) Airbus A350-1000s were delivered. has been modified for offshoot Virgin Orbit with a pylon allowing the carriage of FOREVER YOUNG satellite launch vehicles. The first drop test Sadly, as with several other airlines’ took place in July 2019 Virgin Orbit 747 fleets, the coronavirus pandemic brought forward their retirement, with a spokesperson announcing on May 5, 2020: “From today, Virgin Atlantic will no longer use all of its seven 747-400s.” The honour of the last 747 passenger flight was, rather fittingly, bestowed to G-VROS Forever Young, which operated a COVID-19 rescue flight, Los Angeles to Heathrow, March 30. All seven jets were then ferried to for storage. G-VAST was first to leave the North West of England airport when she positioned to St Athan, Wales, on July 15 for scrapping. G-VXLG was flown to Tel Aviv on December 3 for conversion to a

20 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 freighter and will then operate for CargoJet X. Meanwhile. G-VROM, G-VROS, G-VGAL and G-VLIP were all ferried to Las Vegas where they will get a new lease of life with US charter/cargo carrier . However, aircraft G-VROY departed Manchester for a fi nal visit to Heathrow. On December 12 despite the pandemic the airline managed to host a special limited-capacity event on board the airline’s fi nal ‘Queen of the Skies’ G-VROY, at its Heathrow hangar, with the tickets (which cost £50) to the event selling out in minutes. The three-hour experience saw 40 people enjoy ‘bubbles in the bubble’ with champagne served in the upper deck. They were then treated to a three-course Upper Class meal served by Virgin’s cabin crew and a full tour around the jet from cockpit to cargo hold, crew rest areas and galleys. Talks were given by Virgin Chief Above: The last Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 in the airline’s hangar at Heathrow. In order to return Customer and Operating O cer Corneel the jumbo to its lessors, the original four engines had to be removed from other aircraft and put Koster, pilots including Yvonne Kershaw, back on this aircraft Virgin Atlantic the fi rst female pilot to captain a 747 in the UK, and also cabin crew and engineers. Below: On December 11, 2020, Virgin held a special event in its Heathrow hangar to bid farewell to the 747. Only 40 people could take part due to social distancing requirements. They enjoyed Guests were able to have their photo taken a meal in Upper Class and a tour of areas normally unseen by passengers, including the cargo in one of the aircraft’s iconic red engines. holds and crew rest areas Virgin Atlantic All proceeds from the event were donated to the Trussell Trust, a charity working to end hunger and poverty in the UK. As the youngest -400 in the fl eet, G-VROY is thankfully being saved from the scrapheap and will also start a new life with Atlas Air. When Virgin Atlantic launched in 1984 it shook up the airline world and made legacy carriers take notice, much as the Boeing 747 had shaken up the aviation industry after its fi rst fl ight in 1969. Many said the 747 wouldn’t last. Many said the same about Branson’s start-up. Yet here they are all these years later. Carrying almost 70m passengers and operating 30 airframes in total – more than any other type in the fl eet – the Boeing 747 has been the beating heart of Virgin Atlantic for 36 years. While she may no longer be part of Virgin’s future, the ‘Queen of the Skies’ is an intrinsic part of the airline’s past.

Boeing 747-400, G-VROY, climbing away from Heathrow on December 21, 2020. With this departure of the carrier’s last jumbo, it was the end of an era for Virgin Atlantic Phil Whalley

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 21 A pair of A-10s from the 81st TFW. The author was operations officer for the wing’s forward operating location at Nörvenich, , from 1980-83 TSgt Jose Lopez/USAF Phantom to Warthog A Fighter Pilot’s Career Col Steven K Ladd (ret’d) flew F-4 Phantoms in combat over Vietnam and sat on nuclear alert in Europe. When his then unit transitioned to the A-10 Warthog, he reluctantly switched to the subsonic ‘tank buster’, but became one of its most enthusiastic proponents As a pilot with the 435th TFS, Steve Ladd hen I first considered writing my job and served my country. It dawned flew 204 combat missions in the Phantom my book From F-4 Phantom on me that, in today’s world, that is pretty from Ubon, Thailand during 1969 Via Author to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs special in itself. What follows is one man’s Wof a Fighter Pilot, journey from fledgling pilot to senior The following January I joined the 435th I spent a lot of time thinking about how operational command. Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) deployed to I should deal with my 28-year air force I entered pilot training straight from the Ubon Air Base in Thailand. career. It would revolve around the two University of South Carolina, reporting to great fighter aircraft I was honoured to , Georgia, in March HO CHI MINH TRAIL have flown, but there was so much to 1967. During the 53 weeks of the course, The US bombing of North Vietnam (NVN) relate. I thought about the dozens of I did reasonably well: finishing fifth in a had been temporarily halted for political books I had read by and about fighter class of 55, good enough to claim an F-4 reasons, but we found plenty to keep pilots and decided that my story would be assignment with a pipeline trajectory to us occupied. The North Vietnamese a little different. I wasn’t a hero – I never the war in Southeast Asia. Between me were resupplying their war effort in the shot down a MiG, didn’t earn the Medal and mortal combat, however, was an south by way of an unsophisticated and of Honor; never pinned a star on my upgrade to the F-4 Phantom and two meandering, but highly efficient, passage shoulders. Indeed, much like hundreds of air force survival courses, all of which through Laos: the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Our other fighter pilots who went to war, I did were completed by Christmas 1968. job, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, was to

22 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 stop the traffic and stem the flow of men and equipment into South Vietnam. As the bombing halt had eased the pressure on Hanoi, Haiphong and the industrial north, the enemy was able to concentrate their air defences on protecting the continuous convoys heading south through Laos, and boy, did they concentrate! Chokepoints and lines of communication where we focused our bombing efforts were among An F-4D of the 435th TFS, 8th TFW armed with two GBU-10 LGBs and Sidewinder missiles USAF the most highly defended regions on the planet. We faced barrages from small arms, nuclear delivery role. Every three months, bomb delivery recovery. If you were 23, 37 and 57mm anti-aircraft artillery, and the squadron would deploy to Incirlik AB in luckier, there was adequate fuel to fly an the occasional SA-2 surface-to-air missile, . There we would spend three days escape manoeuvre from the blast of your launched from NVN if we strayed too close on the Victor Alert pad, which comprised own weapon, leaving the crew to ponder to the border. The MiGs didn’t fly west of four hardened aircraft shelters (HAS). Each what the hell they might do with the few the Laotian border. of these housed an F-4E. The aircraft minutes of powered flight they had left. The level of intensity didn’t equal that were configured simply with two 370 US encountered by our guys who had gal fuel tanks on outboard wing pylons, HOMESTEAD BOUND attacked the North before (and after) the an inboard electronic countermeasure Fortunately, this balloon never went up and bombing halt, but it was nevertheless (ECM) pod and – the sole reason we were after four years, I was selected to be an F-4 considerable. We lost a number of aircraft there – a single centreline-mounted B61 instructor at Homestead AFB, Florida. This and many good men during the effort. Y3 thermonuclear weapon with yields assignment was fulfilling, teaching pilots In December 1969, after completing 204 selectable up to 345 kilotons (or 345,000 new to the F-4 the tricks of the trade, but missions – 400+ combat hours – and tons of TNT) destructive power. The ‘Little two special events highlighted my time at dodging the enemy defences cited above, I Boy’ bomb detonated over Hiroshima in Homestead. The first of these was being headed home relatively unscathed. August 1945 yielded only 16 kilotons of nominated to attend the prestigious Fighter My first act upon reaching the States was fire and brimstone. Our mission was to get Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC) at Nellis to volunteer for a second combat tour. airborne within five minutes of a scramble, AFB, Nevada. Those who have seen the Why? Simple. I was a 24-year-old bachelor follow a pre-planned route and deliver Navy’s version, Topgun, on the cinema flying the hottest aircraft in the inventory, our sleek aluminum weapon with a chic screen may draw some parallels but, doing exactly what I had been trained to mahogany nosecone against a tactical believe me, the FWIC was longer, tougher, do: warfighting. target in southern Russia. and far more rewarding than the Tom My first encounter with the assignment Despite the excitement of such Cruise model. Competition for these slots ‘mafia’ was unsuccessful and they rejected adventures, we were keenly aware that was brutal and I was privileged to attend. my application. Apparently, not everyone an active nuclear scramble from Incirlik Among the long days, tough academics had had a shot yet, so I was relegated to was a one-way trip. There were no ifs, and challenging flying scenarios was one the 614th TFS at Torrejón AB in Spain. ands or buts – the laws of physics and jet of the most memorable experiences of my fighter fuel consumption were irrefutable. career. We had just completed a 12-hour+ TURKISH ALERT Typically, even reaching the target would day, when a no-notice mandatory meeting The most compelling aspect of flying in require all the skill and cunning the crew was called by the operations officer, Maj Spain was exploring yet another capability could muster. Engine flameout from fuel Larry Keith. The last thing any of us wanted of the F-4. Our primary mission was the starvation would likely take place during was administrivia, but when he called

A package of 435th FS F-4Ds armed with Mk 80 series bombs, some with fuse extenders, head for a target in Southeast Asia Col Joe ‘Gork’ Gorecki

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 23 Phantoms of the 435th FS taking on fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker. The refuelling areas were over northern Thailand for tactical aircraft flying missions in theatre Col Joe ‘Gork’ Gorecki

a gathering, we shut up and sat down technical support. The IIAF already had a in Iran’s military and most if not all of what in the auditorium, albeit amidst much fleet of F-5 fighters and they were looking had been accomplished was abandoned. muttering. He took the stage in front of to develop a dissimilar air combat training two large projected photos, one each of programme pitting the F-5s against the GOODBYE PHANTOM, a Soviet-built MiG-21 and its older cousin F-4s. I was named to a small team of F-4 HELLO WARTHOG the MiG-17. The message was brief: “For and F-5 instructors to establish the syllabus Shortly after returning from Iran, I got the last week, you’ve been studying the and ‘train their trainers’ (Iranian instructor welcome orders to deploy to RAF performance, strengths and weaknesses pilots) to conduct the programme Bentwaters, England, as chief of weapons of these two aircraft.” He paused briefly for and tactics. It was another opportunity to effect and stopped the bellyaching in its “We each flew fly the Phantom in a different environment, tracks: “Starting tomorrow, gentlemen, you but this was to be the end of my affair with will fly against these aircraft.” multiple air combat the great warbird. Well into my tour, the Bitching ceased abruptly, jaws dropped USAF announced that the Phantom would dramatically and FWIC class 75CID tactics missions gradually be put out to pasture, some 20 became a part of Project ‘Have Idea’, the years after it came into service. My wing exploitation of Soviet aircraft ‘acquired’ by against these at Bentwaters would be transitioning the United States. We each flew multiple air top-secret assets” to the brand-new close air support combat tactics missions against these top- specialist, the A-10, already widely known secret assets (which were piloted by US going forward. We spent six months at as the Warthog. As fighter pilots, we were Air Force and Navy pilots, and later a few Shahrokhi Air Base in southwestern Iran, sceptical. We didn’t know a great deal allied officers). ‘Have Idea’ later morphed implementing the scenario. The flying was about the single seat A-10 but, compared into a programme designated ‘Constant excellent and the challenges presented to the mighty Phantom, it was slow, had no Peg’, where more pilots were exposed to by language and cultural differences were afterburners and didn’t look like a fighter. the MiGs, but only for a single sortie. We fascinating, if frustrating. By the end of To put it bluntly, the A-10 was ugly. clearly had the best of it. our tour we had succeeded in designing It was only when we started flying the I returned to Homestead following a robust, sophisticated syllabus that was bird that she seduced us – big time. She graduation, but not for long. The Imperial experienced by dozens of IIAF pilots, was highly manoeuvrable and survivable Iranian Air Force (IIAF) had purchased resulting in a far more capable fighter with excellent loiter capabilities and shiny new F-4Es from the US and part force. The Iranian revolution of 1978/9 cockpit visibility, carrying a massive of our sales package included significant obliterated much of the Western influence weapons load featuring the magnificent

From 1983 to 1985, Steve Ladd served as the commander of the A-10 Division of the USAF’s Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada The Aviation Photo Company

24 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 After his tour in Europe, Ladd went through further training with the 31st TFW at Homestead AFB, Florida, and became an instructor pilot there from July 1974 to June 1977. This F-4D is from the 307th TFS to which he was assigned The Aviation Photo Company

GAU-8 Gatling gun, which spewed 70 was to approve their ideas and get the hell – and succeeded. I was nominated as rounds of 30mm devastation per second. out of the way. As icing on the cake, I flew the commander of Air Warrior based at The Hog’s many qualities more than made all syllabus missions as an instructor, to Nellis, a combat flying training organisation up for her looks! remain on a par with my talented instructor dedicated to the art and craft of close air The Bentwaters wing quickly became corps and verify the lofty FWIC standards support. Once again, I could combine the largest in the USAF, with six squadrons we passed on to students. command challenges and aviating. and 108 Hogs, at any one time many I finally ran out of good fortune after We hosted visiting fighter units who had would be deployed eastward to forward my command tour and the unique opportunity to operating locations (FOLs) spanning West I was tagged for an act both as trainers and Germany to deter the massive Soviet obligatory stint behind a students simultaneously. armour threat across the border. I was desk at RAF Rheindahlen Our aircraft served lucky to be chosen as operations officer (NATO) and Ramstein as training aids as we at the 4th FOL, Nörvenich, near Cologne, (USAFE) in West Germany. provided close air familiarising pilots with the terrain they Miraculously, Lady Luck support to deployed might have to fight over. An added bonus smiled on me once again brigades and battalions to this assignment was working closely and I was promoted to at the army’s sprawling with our counterparts. The Colonel and returned to National Training Center Boelcke Wing at Nörvenich flew F-104s, RAF Bentwaters to be (NTC), Ft Irwin, near then Tornados during my tenure there, and the wing’s director of Barstow, California, 190 our collaboration was exceptional. operations, overseeing the miles southwest of Nellis. entire flying programme These deployed army NELLIS INSTRUCTOR of this massive units faced a dedicated My tour in West Germany completed, I organisation (and often Steve Ladd in the cockpit of an opposing force, the 11th was named to command the A-10 Division climbing into an A-10 A-10, the type he flew in the Armored Cavalry, elite of the FWIC at Nellis, directing A-10 cockpit to do so). The second half of his career Via Author ‘armoured aggressors’ instructors in training their successors. scope and scale of this who employed Soviet My corps of instructors was the crème position would signify the pinnacle of my formations and tactics against them. de la crème of A-10 pilots and made my career and prove to be the most fulfilling Our deployed pilots, in turn, soaked job relatively easy as their motivation and challenge of all. up the lessons from the most rigorous, dedication was unsurpassed. Often, my When my tour at Bentwaters drew to a focused and realistic close air support best leadership technique with these guys close, I lobbied hard for my final assignment exercise in the world.

A Phantom of the 81st TFW wearing the wing tail code of ‘WR’ as seen on this F-4D The Aviation Photo Company

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 25 me, very poignant: “Warthog 01, cleared to land runway 23 Right… for the last time. Godspeed, sir.” I landed, taxied back, shut down and kissed my wife, who had been escorted to the aircraft by the wing commander. I accepted the flagon of bubbly he proffered — all three of us took a swig and we shook hands. For a fighter pilot, a retirement should be a combination of sobriety supplemented with a reasonable measure of lightheartedness. I’m sure there are guys out there who had comparable ‘champagne flights’, but I’ll bet there aren’t many of them. How to sum up 28 years of fighter When the 81st TFW transitioned to the A-10, its aircraft were painted in two-tone grey, a scheme aviation? I’ve had the opportunity to lead which gave way to ‘European One’ camouflage in the 1980sUSAF (and follow) some of the most impressive CHAMPAGNE FLIGHT spine when I saw it in the movies. “Hog people on the planet. You won’t recognise It’s said there are two worst things that can flight, continue,” I directed on the radio, their names – they never achieved fame happen to a fighter pilot: he can walk out ensuring my wingies would not react to or fortune, but they believed in their to his aircraft knowing it’s his last flight in a my next move. profession and wrung every ounce of fighter or he can walk out to his aircraft not I pulled the nose up abruptly and performance out of their aircraft. On the knowing if it’s his last flight in a fighter completed a smooth victory roll over the ground, they were flamboyant, irreverent In early October 1994, the first of the three or four trailer dwellers residing in that and opinionated, while somehow worst happened to me. After 4,400hrs of part of the desert. It wasn’t as elegant as a remaining articulate and congenial. I fighter time (airline pilots will scoff at these Spitfire or Mustang performing the same struggle to remember a single day during numbers until you point out they were manoeuvre but, by God, it was exhilarating! when I did not learn something or achieve amassed on an average of one hour per I rolled out in the lead and glanced in an objective, whether large or small thanks sortie), my time was up. The Nellis wing the mirrors. The boys hadn’t budged and to them. My life as a fighter pilot was commander approved my request to retire one of them couldn’t resist a radio call – rich, rewarding next to my Hog in a flight suit rather than “Gesundheit” he said (a German expression and devoid of dress blues, following one final mission. usually used after a sneeze) flippantly boredom. Our four aircraft were loaded with two absolving my appalling breach of discipline. I’d love to do it AGM-65 Maverick TV-guided missiles, ‘I’m really gonna miss you guys,’ I thought all over again. six Mk82 general purpose bombs and of to myself. course that awe-inspiring Gatling gun, I led my Hogs to a visual pattern flying This article is chock full of a mix of armour-piercing and above the runway to an initial approach. adapted from high explosive incendiary ammunition. We I broke away crisply to a downwind leg, Col Steve headed to the gunnery range in tactical dropped gear and flaps, and requested Ladd’s new formation, then savaged numerous a low approach followed by a departure book From F-4 tactical targets. The route home was at end closed pattern over the Air Warrior Phantom to 100ft AGL with my wingmen spread in a building, an opportunity to salute those A-10 Warthog: flexible fighting wing behind me. During gathered for the end of my flying career. Memoirs this low-level leg, my mind wandered While my flight members landed, I pulled of a Cold to something I always wanted to do as up over the building in a steep climbing War Fighter a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, there are turn to downwind, reconfigured the bird Pilot, released by Pen and Sword no bridges in the desert between the 70 for landing and made the obligatory gear Books (ISBN 978-1526761248). See where Series gunnery ranges and Nellis, so flying check: “Nellis tower, Warthog 01’s base, you can purchase the book at https:// under one was impossible. I settled for a gear, stop right… for the last time.” The phantomtowarthog.com/the-book/ manoeuvre that always sent chills up my response was crisp, professional and, for

A Woodbridge, Suffolk-based A-10A of the 78th FS, 81st TFW. Steve Ladd was the squadron’s assistant operations officer in 1979-80The Aviation Photo Company

26 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 AIRCRAFT – WINGS – SQUADRONS - BASES

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548 USAF YB21 Spec fp.indd 29 07/12/2020 11:07 Grob G 120TP Beyond the Basic Trainer

Stefan Löfgren experiences a demonstration fl ight in the G 120TP with Grob's test pilot and chief instructor. The turboprop trainer is aimed at the military pilot training market and is in service with a number of air forces around the world, including the RAF

t has been a good 30 years since I fi rst Main photo: With modern avionics combined a well-proven powerplant and celebrated fl ew a Grob. The soaring club that I with a ground-based training package, the G in the rotorcraft world, powering the Bell belonged to at the time had a Twin Astir 120TP allows operators to teach both basic 206 Jet Ranger, MD Helicopters MD 500 Acro and, recently, I had the opportunity fl ying and advanced techniques in a single and the Sikorsky S-76. The engine has also I airframe All photos Claes Martinsson to visit Grob Aerospace in Germany and been used for turboprop conversions of see what had become of the company that the Beechcraft Bonanza. started building gliders back in 1971. Glider Grob’s G 120TP, which fl ew for the fi rst The M250 was originally constructed production is no more, but the company’s time in 2010, is the turboprop version of by Allison in the 1960s, but has been extensive experience of working with the successful G 120A. But even if they made by Rolls-Royce since they bought plastic has placed it in a leading position have many similarities, the di erences the company in 1995. More than 31,000 among manufacturers of modern between them are so great that the TP examples have been built, of which about composite and fi breglass aircraft. variant is practically a new aircraft. The half are still in use. For the G 120, the Grob has defi nitely come a long way fuselage is made of fi breglass-reinforced engine choice meant the aircraft took a from its days producing motor gliders plastic and the wings are constructed of considerable leap forward in performance. and now builds aircraft that, in addition to carbon fi bre. A fi ve-bladed composite The piston-driven G 120A has a six- being used by private fl yers, can undertake propeller is powered by a Rolls-Royce gas cylinder, 260hp Lycoming, but the G 120TP military pilot training and perform turbine, the 456hp M250-B17F (maximum has almost double the power and its empty specialised surveillance missions. continuous output is 380hp). The engine is weight is only 135kg more.

28 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Above left: Among other things, the complete For my demonstration flight, I will be G 120TP education system includes a On the instrument panel there are two flying with Grob Aircraft's test pilot and sophisticated simulator where large portions large multifunction Genesys Aerosystems chief instructor Tom Reinert, who knows of flight training can be performed, at both LCD screens in front of each pilot. One the company and its aircraft inside and out. basic and more advanced levels screen is normally set to display the flight After his presentation in the briefing room, instruments (the primary flight display or Above right: The military-style control stick he takes us out on the apron where two G has a comfortable grip. Electric aileron and PFD). Two additional multi-function display 120TPs are parked, shining in the sun, with elevator trimming are achieved using the grey (MFD) screens for each pilot, identical in silky smooth finish on their white wings. centre switch at the top size to the two PFDs, provide a system I do the walkaround and ‘measure’ the overview with, among other things, engine Below: Lined up for take-off. Grob has aircraft with my eyes before I step up onto and fuel indications and mapping. mounted an unusually long pitot tube under the wing. The appearance and dimensions For initial training, a set of basic flight the G 120TP’s right wing to ensure that it is are those of a beefed-up Bulldog, but the always in undisturbed air instruments may suffice and a common turboprop TP is so much more potent. set-up is to arrange an easy-to-read Unlike most aircraft with side-by-side the five-point harness. For the G 120TP, presentation with ‘tapes’ on the aircraft's seating, Grob has assigned the right seat Martin-Baker has developed a pneumatic PFD. As the training progresses, the screen to the trainee. One reason is that students ejection seat, the MB Mk17. It provides can present the student with actual or planning to move on to helicopters (where survivable ejection from the runway at simulated information similar to that in the the pilot usually sits on the right) or to the a minimum speed of 60kts. Despite its aircraft they will go on to fly later in their co-pilot’s seat in transport aircraft (also on neat design, it adds to the empty weight career. This can include radar handling the right) have the advantage of sitting on compared to conventional seats and, so and some weapon training, similar to that that side from day one; for the potential far, no customer has opted to install them. used in frontline fighter aircraft. The MFDs fighter pilot, it doesn´t really matter. then become ‘mission screens’. This type With the large canopy fully opened, it is VERSATILE DISPLAYS of presentation and system management easy to climb on board after the parachute The modern G 120TP cockpit offers many allows the student to transition to faster is strapped on. I adjust the seat and rudder possibilities for customisation as the aircraft without becoming overwhelmed by pedal position, then strap myself in with student builds up his or her level of skill. the technology.

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 29 Above left: Grob’s test pilot and chief instructor Newer turboprop-powered aircraft Tom Reinert (on the left) explaining to the a mechanical latch, which, if activated, commonly have a Condition Lever (CL), author what’s under the hood of the G 120TP limits the lever movement to give an which is usually a combined fuel selector engine power of about 312hp. If you are and a propeller pitch control, and a Power Above right: The large canopy is available convinced that you can handle it, you can either as a two-window unit, as shown, or as Lever (PL) that functions in a similar way push the PL past the latch, wake up all 456 a completely transparent version to a throttle in a car. The G 120TP is no horses and release the brakes. exception. Being a modern military trainer, using the rudder pedals. For a tighter turn, Five powerful propeller blades bite its centre control stick and PL can be you lightly press on the toe-tip brake, the cool spring air and pull us down the provided with the essential buttons in true which causes the nosewheel to ‘unlock’ runway with impressive acceleration. Only Hands on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) style, and swing freely. slight right rudder is required to keep but the aircraft are normally not delivered The distances are short at Tussenhausen- straight. Grob has canted the engine by with this modifi cation installed. Mattsies Airfi eld and, after just a few a few degrees to reduce the asymmetric minutes, we line up on Runway 15. The fl ap propeller blade e ect – the ‘P-factor’. STARTING UP lever is in the ‘TAKE-OFF’ position and the After about 300m, we reach the rotation Two switches need to be turned on before speed of around 75kts. When the runway the start sequence is initiated – the master ‘The aircraft has a disappears below the nose, I retract the switch and the electric fuel pump. After landing gear, then the fl aps. We soon this, the start switch is turned to ‘ON’ very nice rudder reach 120kts and I have to lift the nose and you wait until you have 15% turbine considerably to maintain that speed. The rotation (N1) before moving the CL fully harmony and is great vertical speed shows between 2,500 and forward. The Rolls-Royce engine comes 3,000ft/min. Pretty soon I have to lower to life and we keep an eye on the exhaust fun to fl y. It’s a little the nose again and start looking for the temperature. After a nice and ‘cold’ start jet-like, actually’ photo ship about a kilometre in front of us. there are just a few items on the checklist, In level fl ight, the speed quickly picks up to then we are ready for fl ight. rudder trim is set to full right. The photo 200kts and we soon catch up with them. The parking brake control is conveniently ship takes o while Tom briefs me on the The aircraft has a very nice rudder located in the middle of the instrument take-o procedure, including outlining harmony and is great fun to fl y. It’s a little panel’s lower half. In order not to ride the safety measures in case of engine failure. jet-like, actually. Tom likes my enthusiasm brakes, beta mode (pitch set to produce The power output in the G 120TP can and tells me that all the controls are minimum thrust) is used to limit the pull be limited so that the rookie student actuated by rods, not cables. You can tell, from the propeller when taxiing. The does not end up ‘in the back seat’ with as the response is immediate. Electric nosewheel moves about 10° to either side the acceleration. The PL is equipped with trim control for the elevators and ailerons

The G 120TP is certifi ed for +6/-4 Gs to enable aerobatic instruction in the training role

30 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 The G 120TP’s winglets contribute to better fuel economy and increased longitudinal stability

is located on the stick. The rudder trim fi rst notch and gear goes down abeam the raise the nose just a tad. The G 120TP fl ares is controlled by a switch on the pedestal touchdown point. A 35% torque setting comfortably and a ‘greaser’ landing seems between the seats. gives a slow reduction in speed while fl ying like a piece of cake to accomplish every With way too little two-ship acrobatics base leg and turning fi nal. With landing time. After the third landing, I decelerate in my logbook, I am happy to leave that fl aps down and 85kts on the airspeed the aircraft comfortably down to taxiing part to my highly experienced instructor, a indicator, the 90º crosswind from the right speed. The fl ight manual says 455m former Luftwa e Tornado pilot. We follow landing distance from 50ft. That seems like the photo aircraft in a loop. The drill is: Grob G 120TP Specifi cations no exaggeration. forward with PL to ‘Max continuous thrust’ Length: 27ft 7in (8.4m) The G 120TP is intended for the fi rst part and, when the speed reaches 200kts, of a pilot's education. Grob's objective with Wingspan: 33ft 10in (10.3m) start the 4G pull-up. With its full aerobatic its basic trainer is to lay the foundation capability and load factor limitation of Height: 8ft 9in (2.7m) for a military student's development into +6/-4 G, the G 120TP has no problems Max. take-o weight a fully-fl edged pilot in fi ghters, transport coping with the demanding military – aerobatic: 3,175lb (1,440kg) aircraft or helicopters. For the prospective training environment. Although I do not – utility: 3,583lb (1,625kg) combat pilot, an intermediate aircraft then try everything today, Tom tells me that the Max. speed: 235kts (270mph, 435km/h) bridges the gap so that the step up to a aircraft can handle virtually all imaginable frontline fi ghter is not too demanding. Max. speed in level fl ight: 226kts (260mph, manoeuvres. We try stalls from a whole In this way, the G 120TP is a critical 419km/h) range of attitudes and confi gurations, and component of an entire education system, recovery from each is uncomplicated. Max. fl ight altitude: 25,000ft (7,620m) including simulators, cockpit procedure Before we leave the Bavarian Alps Stall speed with gear and fl aps down: 57kts trainers and computer-based theory behind, I catch a glimpse of the ‘Sleeping (66mph, 106km/h) training. In instructional side-by-side Beauty castle’ of Schloss Neuschwanstein, T/o distance to a height of 50ft: 1,234ft confi guration, the teacher and student sit emerging behind a mountain ridge during (376m) in a well-appointed and spacious cockpit, the fl ying we enjoy before returning to with superb visibility and state-of-the-art pattern work. causes no problem whatsoever. digital instrumentation. For its size, the G 120TP is a stable The Grob G 120TP is suitably challenging LANDING PATTERN platform. Deviations in heading and speed to fl y and robust enough to withstand the Tom gives appropriate instructions for are corrected with precision and ease. With harsh treatment of the beginner, therefore the fi rst landing. I start the pattern with the right wing slightly down against the it isn’t surprising that this aircraft is a good 120kts at 1,000ft above ground on the wind, you keep the nose straight with the option for any air arm looking to replace its downwind leg. The fl ap lever is set to the rudder, ease o the last of the power and ageing trainer fl eet.

The company demonstrator G 120TP performing a touch-and-go with the landing gear and fl aps extended

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010 Av News subs DPS.indd 23 07/01/2021 16:38:07 Double Dutch Anniversary 298 Squadron Chinooks The 75th anniversary of the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s 298 Sqn coincided with 25 years of the CH-47 in Dutch service. This year new Chinooks of the latest standard arrive. Carlo Kuit and Paul Kievit of Bronco Aviation report

he past year has been one of the southern Netherlands, the squadron crisis, the squadron’s 75th anniversary shifting priorities for the Royal currently operates a force of ten Boeing celebrations that were planned for April Netherlands Air Force’s 298 CH-47D Chinooks and is awaiting delivery 2020 have been put on hold. ​TSquadron. Based at Gilze-Rijen in of new CH-47Fs. Due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus and the introduction of

34 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Lt Col Niels van den Berg has been the commander of 298 Sqn since September 2018

the new Chinook fl eet are top of the list new procedures, quality assurance and squadrons [300 and 301] and 11 Air Mobile for Lt Col Niels van den Berg, the current improving operations, which have proved Brigade. We had about half of the squadron commander of 298 Sqn. Van den Berg successful. There is no need to change. working from home and rotated personnel transitioned from Cougar outfi t 300 “The big challenge for the squadron is every couple of days to avoid risks of virus Sqn during 2011 and has been 298’s implementing the new CH-47F fl eet and infection. We allowed only four persons commander since September 2018. He remaining open for business to support for planning and the execution of fl ights. says: “My main focus is to have stability international missions. When we have both Luckily 2019 had been a very good year in the squadron. We worked very hard the new CH-47F and legacy CH-47Ds in for us in terms of training and fl ight hours. over the last seven years implementing use with the squadron this will be a turning Therefore, we can absorb a bit before we point in potentially briefl y impacting are negatively impacted.” One training availability for operations. We expect under casualty was the Helicopter Weapons the current COVID-19 situation to be Instructor Course (HWIC), in Germany in completed with the conversion by 2022.” mid-March, which was cancelled. The fi rst new CH-47Fs were expected to No.298 Sqn, also referred to as the Heavy arrive in the Netherlands during January this Rotary Squadron, is one of four fl ying units year. As Boeing’s Philadelphia facility has that are part of the Defence Helicopter been identifi ed as ‘Critical Infrastructure’, Command (DHC). After the establishment of the impact of COVID-19 to production the DHC in July 2008, 298 Sqn transferred has been minimal. to Gilze-Rijen from Once deliveries are Soesterberg Air Base. complete, the total ‘This original The purpose of the number of new CH- CH-47F fl eet was DHC is to integrate all 47F MYII CAAS (US the RNLAF helicopter Army Multi Year II acquired mainly to units (AH-64Ds, programme, Common AS532U2s, CH-47D/ Avionics Architecture serve as a platform Fs and NH90s) under System) Chinooks one central command within the Royal for Special Forces’ structure across two Netherlands Air Force airbases and save (RNLAF) will be 20. Of these, 15 will be costs. Only the NH90 fl eet of 860 Sqn is assigned to 298 Sqn at Gilze-Rijen Air Base based at Naval Air Station De Kooy in the while fi ve will go to the training unit 302 north Netherlands. The other three units Sqn at Fort Hood, Texas. reside at Gilze-Rijen. The squadron can trace its heritage back CRISIS IMPACT to April 16, 1945 when it began operating at Van den Berg explained how they have Gilze-Rijen as ‘No 6 Dutch Auster Sqn’ with worked during the pandemic: “After the six Austers. announcement by Dutch Prime Minister In early 1993 the Dutch government Mark Rutte on March 16, in which agreed to acquire seven Boeing CH-147 the lockdown was announced in the C-models that were in use by the Canadian Netherlands, we took a week and a half to Armed Forces between 1974 and 1991. In rethink how we as a squadron would move December 1993, a contract was signed The Dutch Chinook force is set to increase forward. We decided to focus on crew with Boeing for the purchase of 13 modern with the introduction of the latest checks, fl ight currencies and certifi cation CH-47D Chinooks with a digital Honeywell standard CH-47Fs from 2021, allowing the fl ights to safeguard our basic skillset and Avionics Control and Management System retirement of the CH-47Ds. All photos Carlo readiness status as we were not able to (ACMS) cockpit and improved T55-L-714 Kuit and Paul Kievit/Bronco Aviation set up complex exercises with our sister engines. Seven were the remanufactured

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 35 CH-47D, D-666, known as ‘The Beast’ has received special 75th anniversary markings of a dragonfl y, part of the squadron insignia, on the left side

ex-Canadian CH-147Cs and six were brand a hot, high and dusty environment. In 2020, Forces operations. The confi guration new. Boeing delivered the rebuilt CH-47Ds the exercise took place in Sardinia. One of included fast-rope capabilities, new to the RNLAF in 1995-1996, and so the 25th the most challenging conditions to fl y in is attachment points for onboard weapons, anniversary of operations with the Chinook snow where a crew can easily lose reference a long-distance communication radio and fell in 2020.The six new CH-47Ds were orientation. Therefore, cold weather training a forward-looking infrared system (FLIR) handed over during 1998-1999. takes place in snowy conditions in the under the nose. With the latter system, Currently ten CH-47Ds are still on strength, Nordic countries during ‘Cold Blaze’. Then the pilot has good situational awareness two Chinooks being lost in accidents in there is the exercise called ‘TAC Blaze’ with a under very poor visibility conditions. These 2005 during operations in Afghanistan’s focus on tactical manoeuvres and electronic ‘F’ examples also had GPS navigation mountains and the oldest CH-47D (D-661) warfare at the RAF Spadeadam electronic connected to a radar altimeter. Initially 298 withdrawn from service during late 2019. warfare range in Northern England. Going Sqn had three CH-47Fs (D-890/891/892) Capt Roël Boezen, 298 Sqn’s liaison o cer, forward there will also be what is called the and the remaining three (D-893/894/895) adds: “The accidents in Afghanistan made Tactical Electronic Warfare (TAC EW) which were assigned to 302 Sqn. To complement us realise we had to further improve and will be staged in the Netherlands. the latter unit at Fort Hood, CH-47F, D-891, hone the training and capabilities of our was transferred to the US in 2015. The crews. Both lost helicopters [came to grief] FRESH DEMANDS remaining two Fs were shipped back to landing during reduced visibility operations To cover for the loss of the two CH-47Ds Boeing in March 2019 in support of the where wind and loss of engine power due and the additional demand for heavy rotary current ‘Renew Program’. Two of the CH- to the thin air conditions had an impact on capacity the Dutch Ministry of Defence 47Fs (D-894/895) assigned to 302 Sqn were the performance. [These are] circumstances signed a new contract with Boeing in 2007 ferried to Boeing in April 2020, with the last we do not encounter when operating in for the delivery of six CH-47Fs. These were two (D-891/893) following in June 2020. the Netherlands. As a result, a new training equipped with updated ACMS cockpits In anticipation of the arrival of the new programme has been implemented.” (Block 6 with partial colour displays), CH-47F fl eet, 300 hours base maintenance This consists of ‘High Blaze’ for dedicated improved self-protection kits and CHASE inspections have been reduced for existing mountain fl ying and which takes place in the (Chinook Aircraft Survivability Equipment). CH-47Ds, but will continue until Initial Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy. ‘Hot This original CH-47F fl eet was acquired Operation Capability (IOC) of the new CH- Blaze’ allows crews to practise operations in mainly to serve as a platform for Special 47F fl eet is achieved.

The right side of D-666 is adorned with a grizzly bear, from the squadron’s callsign. The crew of this Chinook were all decorated for a September 23, 2009 mission in Afghanistan

36 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 It is currently uncertain what the fate will be for the remaining CH-47Ds. Two will likely be used as instructional airframes and there are plans to deliver one (D-666) to the National Military Museum (NMM) at Soesterberg. The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) is working with potential buyers for the rest. NEW CONFIGURATION In the period from 2010 to 2015, the Netherlands prepared to replace the ageing CH-47Ds as well as expand the Chinook fl eet. After extensive deliberations, the standard US Army MYII CAAS confi guration was considered to be the most e cient choice. The Netherlands was able to utilise options in the existing MYII production contract between the US Army and Boeing. The Letter of O er and Acceptance (LOA) with the US Army for 14 new CH-47F MYII CAAS Chinooks was signed on November 12, 2015. On April 14, the following year the US Department of Defense awarded Boeing a contract to build 12 CH-47Fs followed by a further order on April 28, 2017 for two more CH-47Fs. To prevent a mixed fl eet of CAAS and ACMS Chinooks – costly to sustain – it was decided to retire the six ACMS F-models. On December 14, 2017 the Netherlands and Boeing signed a Direct Commercial Sales contract for the Renew Program, for a further six CH-47Fs. Col Koen van Gogh, Senior Project Manager DMO responsible for the Chinook replacement and modernisation programme states: “Around 2,500 parts of the legacy CH-47Fs will be reused. These parts will be overhauled [to] zero hours status before being installed on brand-new MYII CAAS airframes. This option turned out to be more e cient and a ordable than modifying the legacy CH-47F fl eet. Above: Three CH-47Ds with underslung vehicles and trailers during the biannual DHC exercises The fi rst idea was to just replace the ACMS at Ederheide training ground cockpit of the legacy Fs by a MYII CAAS Below: Procured in 2008, CH-47F Chinooks D-890, along with D-892, have left 298 Sqn in the cockpit. We concluded the risk was too Netherlands and departed for America so they can being stripped for parts which will be used on big in terms of certifi cation and costs.” The new-build CH-47Fs legacy CH-47Fs are now sent to Summit Aviation at Middletown, Delaware, who is tasked by Boeing under the Renew contract to remove the usable parts from the helicopters and have them delivered into the process.” Operating the standard MYII CAAS Chinook will allow for further optimisation of operations, training and maintenance, according to Col van Gogh: “We have had a lot of contact with the US Army and the Australian MoD, [both] being existing operators, to understand potential challenges we might encounter when fi elding the new Chinooks. When we deliver them to the RNLAF we want to make sure that there are no obstacles and that they will be able to operate and sustain the helicopters during the fi rst three years. This period will allow the RNLAF to become self-supporting when it comes to in-service support.”

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 37 into CAAS, so commonality will not be affected.” Additional Dutch requirements include crashworthy crew seats with ballistic protection, a removable escape hatch, a hook load measuring system, an ice detection system, a pitot heater failure indicator, FRIES (Fast Rope Ingress and Egress System including external hardpoints) and a minor change to the electrical system, all which can be implemented during the rebuild. A fall protection system to protect maintainers and an emergency locator transmitter are installed by SES (Science and Engineering Services) in Huntsville, Alabama as post- production modifications. “We chose SES because they did similar work for the US Army and to make sure we do not interfere with the work performed on the Boeing Above: At Gilze-Rijen Air Base are small man-made hills, known locally as ‘The Slopes’, for crews production line,” explains Col van Gogh. to practise their landing skills On March 20, 2020, the first two RNLAF Below: Since the loss of two CH-47Ds in Afghanistan, more emphasis has been placed on training CH-47Fs (D-472 and D-473) performed to land in degraded visual conditions their maiden flights during acceptance at Boeing Philadelphia, then left the Boeing Ridley Park facility to be ferried to Huntsville in Alabama on May 5 for validation and verification by the US Army and for the post-production modifications by SES. By December 10 Boeing had handed over 14 of the new-build CH-47Fs. Helicopters D-472 and D-473 are planned to be the first examples to be sent to the Netherlands arriving in January 2021 at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium. The helicopters are due to be transported to in the Netherlands in preparation for transfer to 298 Sqn. Van Gogh says: “These two CH-47Fs The new CH-47F MY II CAAS Chinook grey worn by the F fleet (the CH-47Ds have will have all our additional requirements comes with the short nose, which differs a green scheme). implemented and have the Digital from the current ‘F’ version in appearance. “Although the main goal was to stay Automated Flight Control System (DAFCS) This means there is no room for the common with the US Army, Dutch 3.5 software and CAAS 9.4 installed. In order current weather radar and the FLIR system operating intent and national legislation to support a tight conversion schedule of under the nose will not be fitted. Another led to the addition of some unique our flight crew to the MYII CAAS Chinook, striking difference is the ‘Woodland Desert modifications,” says Van Gogh. “Fortunately, we decided that the next six CH-47Fs Sage’ colour scheme instead of the current there is no need to integrate these coming from the production line will

Twice a year Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) holds a big exercise at the Ederheide (GLV4/Eder Heath) training area, where the rotary squadrons and Mobile Air Operations Team (MAOT) work closely together

38 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 not undergo the post- Initial Operational production modifications Capability by October 2021. until a later date. These six Chinooks will go to Fort Hood directly, OVERSEAS MISSIONS to be used for conversion training.” They ‘Nihil Nobis Nimium’ or ‘Nothing is too consist of CH-47Fs D-474/475/476/477 much’ is the motto of the 298 Sqn. The and D-478) and all now carry the 302 Sqn unit has been involved in many missions insignia. CH-47F D-479 will go to SES in and overseas deployments with the CH- the near future and be delivered to 298 47D/F. These include NATO peace-keeping Sqn at Gilze-Rijen. initiatives such as the Kosovo Force (KFOR), The next batch of CH-47Fs will be Allied Harbour in Albania and UNMEE delivered after modification and are ( Mission in Ethiopia and currently with SES. The earlier unmodified Eritrea). From January 2001 until May 2004, CH-47s will then be rotated through SES RNLAF Chinooks contributed to NATO's to complete the process as well. The next Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia. two CH-47Fs will come from the Dutch In the Middle East, from July 2003 to Renew contract and be D-601 and D-602 November 2005 they served in , which will will arrive in Europe at the end providing transport for the Dutch military of March with the four others of the batch personnel of the Stabilisation Force in Iraq are planned for delivery from the US in Q4 (SFIR). From May 2005 to June 2006, three of 2021. Chinooks were deployed for the Dutch Special Forces as part of the ‘War on Terror’ SIMULATOR SWITCH in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). As To support the transition and difference mentioned earlier two Chinooks were lost in training, NAVAIR’s (Naval Air Systems) accidents in 2005 during these operations. Manned Flight Simulator Enterprise Team at Starting in 2007 and lasting until October NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, has supplied 2010, 298 Sqn was regularly operating from a Transportable Flight Proficiency Simulator Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan in support (TFPS). This, says Col van Gogh, gives the of NATO’s ISAF (International Security squadron more flexibility. “The procurement Assistance Force). of a TFPS, stationed at Gilze-Rijen, will be Finally, from April 2014 to April 2017, three more efficient for the squadron as there will Chinooks participated in the Minusma no longer be a need to train in the simulator Mission, which was designed to restore at RAF Benson,” he says. peace and stability in Mali. Each aviator will undergo three weeks instruction on the simulator followed by TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS a three-week course with 302 Sqn in the Despite COVID-19 disruptions, instruction US, then participation in an American of squadron pilots has continued, but with Falcon exercise held four times a year. On modifications. Student pilot 2nd Lt ‘Frank’ return to the Netherlands the aviators will explained: “The initial training for new crews be fully qualified pilots on the MYII CAAS is conducted at Fort Rucker, Alabama as Chinook. part of the Chinook Aircraft Qualification There are five flights with five crews, Course. After completing the course new so 50 pilots and 50 loadmasters to crews continue their training with the train, resulting in five training classes at squadron at Gilze-Rijen. We had planned to Fort Hood. This transition training will travel to Fort Hood [in Texas] to have a ten- be executed over an 18-month period. week training period with 302 Sqn as part There will be a team from the US Army to of the Mission Qualification Training (MQT).” support the conversion, a so-called New The usual role of 302 Sqn is to provide joint Equipment Training Team [NETT], both at air assault training for helicopter crews of Gilze-Rijen as in Fort Hood. Full the Defence Helicopter Command and Operational Capable ground units of 11 Airmobile Brigade, with status is expected by the American Falcon exercise concluding mid-2022 with the the training. The squadron is staffed with personnel from the RNLAF and Army and The third week of April the US Army. 2020 saw the largest Frank continued: “Our group consists wildfires in the of a mixture of CH-47 loadmasters and Netherlands in 40 years. Before the pilots, but also AH-64 pilots. Just before fire season, 298 we were about to travel it became clear Sqn trained with that we would not go to the US. Due to the Bambi Buckets COVID-19 situation the original schedule will require revision as currently 302 Sqn is stood down with no training activities. We

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 39 are now being trained within the squadron largest wildfi res in 40 years in the south the event of an increased risk of wildfi res, here in the Netherlands. This means we of the country at Deurnsche Peel and FBO and therefore the helicopters can be all have to be fl exible to cater for this Herkenbosch. Starting with one Chinook, put at two hours’ notice to move. During further education as training is conducted RNLAF support grew into a combined FBO the fi refi ghting we had on average fi ve alongside daily operations.” (Fire Bucket Operation) e ort of four CH- to ten MAOT personnel to support the Capt Boezen said the focus is now 47s, a AS532 Cougar, Mobile Air Operations FBO operations.” Sgt Maj Rob van Mierlo, on tactical exercises, navigational skills Teams (MAOT) and the local fi re brigades. commander of the MAOT added: “The main and fl ight planning. “We need to have “In case we are asked to support lessons learned have been how to work instructor pilots and ground forces to act fi refi ghting operations the tasking order on a large-scale basis for a long period in as enemy forces. As we cannot fully focus is provided by the NASOC [National Air a complex setting. From April 1 onwards on the MQT training the duration will be and Space Operations Center] to the sta MAOT has a team on standby continuously, longer than the ten-week period at Fort of DHC,” says Lt Col van den Berg. “The ready to set o within two hours.” Hood.” Since these two individuals were week before the fi res started, we had Christiaan Velthausz stated: “In the event interviewed training has now resumed by already been asked to have one helicopter of very large or di cult-to-combat fi res, the 302 Sqn at Fort Hood. on standby.” Christiaan Velthausz, the [civil] heli fi re team with [military] helicopters fi re department’s on-scene commander and the MAOT of DHC form the so-called FIREFIGHTING explained: “Under normal circumstances, Fire Bucket Operations team." This works Aside from overseas service, the Chinooks the Ministry of Defence generally supplies with the local fi re brigade on site. “About ten may be called into action for domestic helicopter capacity within 24 hours of the years ago, the MOD requested a single point duties. During the third week of April 2020, request, although in practice this is a lot of contact for fi re extinguishing operations; the Netherlands was confronted with the faster, usually about three to four hours. In that became the Heli-Team Fire Brigade.” Capt Boezen added: “We have a total of ten Bambi Buckets which can hold in theory 10,000 lit of water. During FBO operations we only drop 8,000 lit each time to prevent engine over-torque as we require all power available with a full fuel load so it is safer to carry less without a risk of having to return due to a potential over-torque.” ‘Jimmy’, one of the Chinook loadmasters involved in the fi refi ghting, explained: “We had an observer from the fi re department joining our fl ights who had a map showing where to drop the water. My task was to inform the pilots of the co-ordinates. After each drop, we received direct feedback by local observers on the ground if our drop was successful. This worked out perfectly.” With the arrival of the new built CH-47F MY II CAAS fl eet the Royal Netherlands Air Force/Defence Helicopter Command will be able to sustain its heavy lift capabilities not only serving the Air Mobile The fi rst of the original six new CH-47Fs was handed over to 298 Sqn in October 2012 at Gilze- Brigade, Special Operations, but also be Rijen Air Base. Three of these Fs were delivered to the Netherlands, while the other three went to well prepared for future international 302 Sqn at Fort Rucker, Alabama deployments.

With a new fl eet on the way, sunset for the Dutch Chinook force is many years away

40 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Air-Britain_FP.indd 1 16/12/2020 14:53:13 Swiss Hornets Swarm to RAF Leeming The Swiss Air Force recently deployed once again to the UK for its annual night fl ying training exercise. Joe Campion reports on Yorknite 2020, which had some extra challenges due to the pandemic

he Swiss Air Force descended on Northrop F-5E and ’F Tiger IIs in Swiss course and have experience as mission RAF Leeming for a second year to service are no longer assigned frontline commanders in large multinational undertake its annual night fl ying duties and don’t undertake night fl ying. combined air operation scenarios.” T exercise. On Tuesday, November Detachment commander Lt Col Aldo 24, ten McDonnel Douglas F/A-18 Hornets Wicki told Aviation News: “The level of EXERCISE PLAN touched down at the North Yorkshire base training of my pilots in this year’s Yorknite Exercise Yorknite was scheduled to for Exercise Yorknite 2020. ranges from young junior pilots, who have last four weeks, with multiple training Pilots and support personnel from all just completed the transition course on objectives, most of them involving night three Swiss Hornet squadrons took part: the F/A-18 and only fl own a few night fl ying. The taskings included air policing, 11 Squadron ‘Tigers’ from Meiringen and fl ights since graduating, up to experienced air combat tactics and air-to-air refuelling the Payerne-based 17 Squadron ‘Falcons’ four-ship leaders, who have participated in (AAR). Daytime sorties were fl own for low- and 18 Squadron ‘Panthers’. The remaining the NATO Tactical Leadership Programme level training (down to 500ft).

Hornet, J-5011, carries special tail markings for 11 Squadron from Meiringen and is shown taxiing out of a HAS at RAF Leeming for a night sortie during Yorknite 2020 Joe Campion

42 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Swiss Hornets Swarm to RAF Leeming

The exercise was split into two parts beginning and end of the deployment). This exercise that involved facing a variety of lasting a fortnight each. The fi rst focused second detachment had the same number ground-based air defence (GBAD) threats on less experienced pilots, some of whom of both pilots and support personnel, at medium to low altitudes. The crews were were carrying out their initial night fl ights though it was now made up of nine F/A- required to ascertain the threat from the in the F/A-18. The main aim was for them 18Cs and a sole F/A-18D. F/A-18’s EW systems in a timely manner, to achieve quick reaction alert (QRA) night Part two featured more experienced then make immediate and accurate threat operational readiness during this two- pilots and the need for them to maintain analyses. They would manoeuvre the jets week period. Due to the lesser experience their level of night operational readiness. in such a way to avoid, delay or interrupt of most of these pilots of the ten Hornets During both detachments three waves of detection by search and tracking radars of present, three were two-seat F/A-18D fl ying were scheduled for each weekday, the GBAD systems in order to successfully aircraft. In total, there were 20 pilots the fi rst being a full day mission with a complete their mission despite the threat. No and approximately 50 maintenance and 1430hrs launch. For a number of days, this cha or fl ares were used by the Swiss while support personnel. wave included a pair undertaking a low- operating over Spadeadam, but their release On Friday, December 4, two of the three level training fl ight in northern England and were simulated. F/A-18Ds returned to Switzerland and were southern , though sometimes poor Lt Col Wicki observed: “RAF Spadeadam is replaced by two F/A-18C single-seaters. On weather caused it to be cancelled. one of the most fantastic training areas for the same day, a Helvetic Airways Embraer These navigation sorties were combined EW with a lot of ground assets being available 190 assisted with the swapover of personnel with a visit to the electronic warfare (EW) and bookable, which provides high value (one of these aircraft was also used at the range at RAF Spadeadam for a part of the training within the EW range.”

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 43 Above: Vapour forms over part of this F/A-18C on a particularly damp day as it speeds through Low Flying Area 17 in northern England Joe Campion

Left: Lt Col Aldo Wicki led the Swiss Air Force deployment at RAF Leeming RAF Leeming Photo

Below left: Additional two-seat F/A-18Ds attended the fi rst two weeks of the exercise as most of the pilots present for this period were relatively new to the Hornet Joe Campion

Both Wave B and C were after sunset, the former with a take-o time of 1730hrs and the latter scheduled for 2030hrs. The air-to-air missions ranged from 1v1 to four Hornets at the time of take-o , facing an unknown number of enemy aircraft, so pilots had to adapt their tactics to the situation. The Swiss made extensive use of the large Danger Area D323 airspace complex, most of which is over the . Operating over the sea kept the noise disturbance to a minimum with training permitted down to 5,000ft. Lt Col Wicki stated: “That’s an envelope we can never do in Switzerland

Two Hornets on a low-level sortie turn into a valley in Cumbria Nathan Daws

44 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 due to the mountainous terrain.” The usual minimum limit for air combat training in Swiss airspace is 13,000ft, but fi ghting the Hornet at lower altitudes is necessary to allow the pilots to experience the di erent energy, aerodynamics and excellent performance of the F/A-18’s engines at such heights. Lt Col Wicki added: “We must master this envelope in case of a confl ict.” Another benefi t of being in the UK is the chance to work with operationally experienced RAF and USAF aircrew. Sorties were fl own with and against Eurofi ghter Typhoons from Coningsby and Lossiemouth frontline units, F-15C Eagles and F-15E Strike Eagles from the at RAF Lakenheath, as well as Leeming-based Hawk T1/T1As of 100 Sqn, which specialises in adversary tactics. Due to several comprehensive upgrade programmes Swiss Hornets are still able Above: Masked Swiss Air Force personnel, headed by detachment commander Lt Col Aldo Wicki, to perform well against even the latest pose for a formal photo during Exercise Yorknite 2020 RAF Leeming Photo generation of fi ghters. Below: During their time in the UK, the Swiss pilots got to operate with a number of di erent UK-based tankers also worked with the aircraft types, such as F-15E Strike Eagles from the USAF’s 48th FW. The ‘STBY 121.50’ on the Swiss for air-to-air refuelling practice, drop tanks is a way of telling an aircraft that has been intercepted to come up on that frequency specifi cally RAF Airbus Voyagers from RAF so the Hornet pilot can establish communications DDPS/Lt Col Aldo Wicki Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers of the , RAF Mildenhall, Su olk. WHY DEPLOY FOR NIGHT TRAINING? Since 1998, the Swiss AF has undertaken a deployment overseas each year for much of its night fl ying training, mainly due to strict night noise regulations. Between October and March, Swiss fi ghter squadrons are only permitted to carry out night fl ying one evening a week in their home country. The relatively small size of Switzerland means there are also few areas that are not densely populated, even in mountainous regions where communities are clustered in the valleys. Plus, being located in the heart of Europe, the country is criss-

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 45 possible damage to property by sonic booms, the shock wave increases the risk of triggering avalanches. The use of electronic warfare equipment can also only be used to a limited extent due to the proximity of the heavily populated areas’ telecommunications infrastructure. During the annual deployment to the UK, Hornet pilots fl y approximately 50% of their yearly night fl ight training. The Swiss AF has used a number of locations for this night training over the years. From 1998 to 2016, Above: Air-to-air refuelling training for the Hornet pilots was undertaken using both RAF it utilised Ørland Main Air Station in Voyagers and, as shown here, USAF KC-135Rs DDPS/Lt Col Aldo Wicki for what was called Exercise Nightway. Work at the base for the arrival of Norway’s Below: Also present at RAF Leeming during Yorknite 2020 was F/A-18C, J-5017, which Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs meant has had its tails specially painted in honour of 17 Squadron Joe Campion another location had to be found. The Swiss AF accepted an o er from the UK MOD to make use of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. The renamed Exercise Scotnight took place at the Moray base in 2017 and 2018. However, once again the Swiss needed to look for another base, as construction work at Lossiemouth in preparation for the RAF’s Boeing Poseidon fl eet meant it could not host them in 2019, which led to RAF Leeming being chosen. COVID CHALLENGES Organising a deployment such as Yorknite is a massive logistical e ort, but this year there was an added complication from COVID-19. Lt Col Wicki said: “We did not crossed by many civilian airways and so Danger Area 323, where we are mostly know whether the British MOD would be the available military training areas are fl ying during the exercise.” able to allow the exercise to proceed under small in size and only meet operational This means some training cannot be the prevailing conditions with quarantine requirements to a limited extent. Lt Col performed or not to the required standard and lockdown.” The Swiss AF had to Wicki explainted: “Our largest training in Switzerland, such as supersonic air come up with a plan and gain agreement sector is just one-third of the size of combat fl ying. As well as the noise and with the UK MOD and its own personnel

Two Swiss Air Force Hornets fl ying o the coast of northern England. The main objective of Exercise Yorknite 2020 was to undertake di erent types of night fl ying training DDPS/Lt Col Aldo Wicki

46 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 to convince them the exercise could be safely staged. Comprehensive COVID-19 protective regulations were developed with the help of the Swiss Army, Swiss Air Force Aeronautical Medical Institute and MOD, which guaranteed maximum protection against the risks of infection for both the Swiss AF delegation and hosts. A bubble system was created at RAF Leeming which enabled the daily operations, but limited contact between base and Swiss AF personnel using the segregated northern hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) site. As the Above: Weather permitting, on a number of days the daylight wave included a low-level sortie which also entailed some electronic warfare training at RAF Spadeadam Nathan Daws Swiss were staying in a , it was agreed with the establishment’s management to Below: One of the Swiss F/A-18Ds taxiing during the fi rst wave, with detachment commander have a bubble there too, so there would Lt Col Aldo Wicki sitting in the rear seat Joe Campion be no contact with other guests. Plus, every individual was issued a certifi cate by the UK MOD as proof of a negative test result, which was required to kept on their person at all times while at Leeming. To ensure no virus was taken into either country, Swiss personnel heading to Leeming were tested before arriving in the UK and also immediately on arrival back home. This agreement and concept clearly worked as not a single case of COVID-19 was recorded among Swiss AF personnel deployed for the exercise. The Hornets were due to leave the UK on Friday, December 18, but a forecast of fog in Switzerland meant the aircraft fl ew home a day earlier. Despite some less- than-ideal weather and the COVID-19 day or night. Lt Col Wicki praised those to the people of North Yorkshire for their complications, a large majority of night that had helped stage Exercise Yorknite warm hospitality and support, plus their training objectives were met during 2020: “I want to thank the British MOD serenity in tolerating our aircraft noise. Yorknite 2020, ensuring the Swiss AF and its expert sta and all personnel at We greatly appreciate this generosity and Hornet pilots are fully ready to protect RAF Leeming, as well as our brilliant liaison friendliness, and we are looking forward to their homeland from airborne threats, o cers. I also wish to express my gratitude being guests again next year.”

The vast majority of sorties for Yorknite 2020 were fl own over the North Sea DDPS/Lt Col Aldo Wicki

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 47 Main photo: As flight restrictions increased, space for grounded aircraft was at a premium. By mid-June 2020, when this photo was taken, Coping with COVID more than 50 Ryanair 737s were parked at Stansted, along with other airliners Andy Amor

also trialling the use of UV technology on some of its escalators to keep the handrails at Stansted as clean as possible. IMPACT ON AIRLINES The major operator at Stansted is Ryanair, The coronavirus pandemic has affected which has stated that it only flew 40% of its October 2020 schedule in comparison airports worldwide. Stephen Skinner looks with the same month last year. It predicts at the impact on , that the total passengers flown for 2020 will fall to 30% of last year’s levels because which was the third busiest in the UK by of lower loads on the aircraft that it does operate. The carrier blames “continuous aircraft movements in 2019, but has been badly changes in government travel restrictions and policies, many of which are introduced affected by restrictions on holiday travel at short notice, which undermine consumers’ willingness to make forward ike all airports in 2020, London throughout the terminals. Stansted is also bookings.” Stansted has introduced and trialling the use of temperature screening EasyJet was the second-largest operator enforces strict COVID-19 measures. technology on the entry to security. at Stansted, but now only operates four L All staff and passengers must There is an enhanced cleaning regime routes from there, to Edinburgh, Glasgow, keep their faces covered throughout the in place throughout the airport, and Belfast and Amsterdam. On August 1 it terminal and are not permitted to fly if protective screens have been installed at closed its Stansted base, making substantial their face is uncovered, and additional various locations throughout the terminal, redundancies. Jet2 continues to operate hand sanitising stations have been installed including check-in desks and security. It is from the airport – its only base in the

48 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Above: The pandemic is not the first crisis that Steve Griffiths, Stansted’s managing director, has encountered during his time in the aviation industry London Stansted Airport

Below: In May, Stansted’s control tower was illuminated with messages supporting the National Health Service. The airport operations team also painted a giant ‘Thank You NHS’ on a taxiway London Stansted Airport

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 49 A cargo pallet is unloaded from a China Southern Cargo Boeing 777F. Although Stansted’s passenger numbers dropped dramatically in 2020, freight volumes – particularly medical supplies and consumer goods ordered online – were up year-on-year London Stansted Airport

southeast of the UK. The number of reduction in passenger demand levels in travel, behind the scenes our airports have its aircraft based there varies from the the near future. been leading the charge in helping the summer to the winter seasons and this logistics sector adapt to rising demand for is also subject to change due to the CARGO BOOST dedicated air cargo and changes in the way imposition and lifting of travel restrictions. London Stansted is the third busiest goods are transported.” While TUI is operating a much-reduced airport in the UK for cargo. The slump in Over the summer months – traditionally schedule, British Airways cancelled passenger flights that carry goods in their the quieter time of year for air cargo – its entire summer 2020 programme. hold has increased demand for dedicated volumes at Airport (also Meanwhile, is operating a daily services for cargo. Figures from the UK’s owned by MAG) and Stansted were service to Derry in Northern Ireland. Office for National Statistics (ONS) show significantly up on the same time last year. Other passenger airlines that do continue that the proportion of UK shopping carried In July, August and September, volumes at to operate regular services are Pegasus out online rose from 19% in February Stansted increased by 44%, 25% and 20%, Airlines, Anadolujet and Air . to almost 33% in April as lockdown respectively, on the same months in 2019. With such a shortfall in passenger restrictions took hold. Currently, London Stansted has seven numbers, work on the new arrivals hall has Aboudy Nasser, the group aviation of the top ten cargo carriers in the world been paused. Owner Manchester Airport director for MAG, commented: "The last operating at the airport: FedEx Express, Group (MAG) has reduced and refocused few months have seen a seismic shift in the Qatar Airways Cargo, UPS, Emirates, expenditure on its capital projects at all way we live our lives. While much has been Cargolux, Turkish Airlines Cargo and its airport locations, given the anticipated made of the changes to the way people China Southern Cargo. These airlines have invested heavily in modern, quiet and fuel-efficient aircraft, including the Boeing 777F, 747-8F and Airbus A330. The aforementioned carriers serve destinations within their global network and bring in imports from China, Africa, Asia, the USA and Europe. There is a similar picture for UK exports.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Steve Griffiths, the airport’s new managing director, previously worked for Virgin Atlantic for almost 18 years, during which time he saw the aviation industry reel from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the global financial crisis in 2008 and the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in 2010. A drive-through coronavirus testing centre for NHS workers was opened in one of the London After he left his role as Richard Branson’s Stansted Airport car parks in April 2020 London Stansted Airport chief operating officer, Griffiths took

50 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 charge of the London Underground when it was handling up to 5m passenger journeys a day. In his current role, he says there is a bumpy ride ahead, especially now that MAG has announced that 376 roles at Stansted are among 892 in total under threat as it looks to cut costs following a 91% drop in demand for travel through its three airports – Manchester and East Midlands are the two others – from April to August compared to the same period last year. The pandemic put the brakes on a boom at Stansted, with the 28m travellers through the terminal in a year dwindling to a trickle. Griffiths says: “We were really growing the airport passenger numbers and the portfolio of airlines, then suddenly everything stopped within a very short London Stansted opened a new COVID-19 testing facility in early December 2020, allowing period of time and we had to scale down rapid pre-departure testing for any passengers travelling to countries that require a negative to minimal operations. The question at the result certificate prior to entryLondon Stansted Airport time was: ‘How do we do that in a smart way which protects the business when you the bottom line. As flights increased in July quickest to emerge from the pandemic.” need to start up again?’” and August, there were grounds for some In the short term, his prediction is While commercial passenger numbers optimism. Steve Griffiths paid tribute to the sombre. Airlines make the vast bulk of their plummeted, London Stansted Airport flexibility of staff who stepped up to cope revenue during the summer and many will needed to remain operational for with a surge in travellers which exceeded struggle to survive. However, he notes: repatriation flights and cargo aircraft expectations. “We were the second busiest “There are highs and lows, but I have carrying PPE, medicines and food. Griffiths airport in the UK and in the top ten in optimism and we know there are green says the management team had a tricky Europe,” he says. shoots coming through. All the actions balancing act to take quick and decisive Morale was boosted as Ryanair, Jet2 and we have taken are to ensure we are in the action to cut as much expenditure as easyJet resumed operations and there best place possible.” possible to ensure Stansted survived was strong demand for flights to Turkey, At such a challenging time, there has the crisis, without damaging either the but then came a further hammer blow been criticism of Manchester Airport infrastructure or the workforce. as the government imposed quarantine Group’s decision to press ahead with MAG’s management has been restrictions for travellers returning from a planning appeal to extend Stansted’s restructured with a 25% reduction in many countries. current passenger cap from 35m a year headcount. A 10% salary cut for a year Steve Griffiths has taken some succour to 43m after permission was refused by was imposed across the board and, at from that shaky restart. He said it was the local authority. A costly public inquiry the peak of the pandemic, around 70% clear that Stansted’s strength – often is expected early next year, but Griffiths’ of workers were furloughed. The key to regarded as a weakness by pundits in the sights are set firmly on the next five years communicating such difficult decisions past – is its large number of flights to see and a dedicated team is working on the was “Openness, honesty and integrity”, friends and family, and its holiday traffic. appeal. He said: “It’s a really important part according to Griffiths. He says, “Business flights will be the third of our longer-term growth but it shouldn't So far, the measures have resulted in sector to recover and that will take some create any distraction.” Although recovery 30-35% lower fixed costs compared to considerable time. I think Stansted Airport maybe three or four years away, he said: last year, but COVID-19 protection for will be one of the strongest airports to “We know that when things bounce back, customers and colleagues added £1m to emerge from this crisis – and one of the this airport will get back to growth.”

Due to the ongoing pandemic numerous aircraft are still parked up at the airport, including these Laudamotion A320s, awaiting an upturn in the number of people flyingAndrew Goldsmith

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First catapult launch o an aircraft Dilip received as part of his later became a paratrooper fl own in 1953, it soon fi lled the carrier and the launching of a research for several previous instructor, beginning a lifelong ranks of the USAF’s Air Defense radar-guided missile. books and projects. passion for parachuting. Command. The book contains This book has so many stories He took an even greater But his initial aim to be a pilot information on Delta Dagger of Tomcat squadron life that interest in some of the less remained, so he reapplied for units in the active-duty USAF, Air the reader can almost feel the well known personalities who the pilot course; luckily, his National Guard, overseas-based g-force pushing their bodies fought in the Battle of Britain heart abnormality was classifi ed US units, as well as details of down in the cockpit while and this book comprises 26 as “athletic heart”. Giora squadrons’ participation in the fi ghting in the air combat chapters, each about a single became the oldest graduate Vietnam War. The only operators arena. At the other end of the veteran. Some of them are ever and top of his class in pilot of the type outside America spectrum, the author explains widely known but the majority training. This detail is followed were and Turkey – only what daily life was like on board are “also-rans”, as one of ‘The by several chapters about fl ying two pages are given to covering an aircraft carrier in a Tomcat few’ Hurricane pilot Peter Fox the Dassault Mirage III, Dassault these nations’ F-102s. Details squadron for a ‘nugget’ (a describes the lesser-known Super Mystère and later the of intercepts of Soviet Tupolev new pilot). pilots who fought in the battle. IAI Nesher (Mirage V) fi ghter Bears over the North Atlantic Eight ‘Intel Brief’ sections The raw emotion and the during the Six Day War, the is just one exciting example of contain 30 chapters of resilience of these veterans War of Attrition and the Yom the F-102’s 23 years of service non-stop action both on the shines through in every chapter. Kippur War. Various battles are described in this book. ground and in the air. There are The letters are reproduced described in adrenaline-fi lled Peter E Davies’ latest volume personal stories of being the in this book with Dilip’s own detail including the day he is of the same high calibre as VF-211 squadron commander words providing more context downed four Mikoyan MiG-21s his previous works and, like and fl ying Operation Southern and background. Plus, the in one sortie, leading to his fi nal most Osprey volumes in this Watch missions over Iraq. And author describes his meeting tally of 17 victories. Later life series, it is fi lled with technical there are 59 colour photos with each veteran and what as an IAF reserve pilot follows history and personal accounts. that not only show the life of a they did later in life. The book with several years fl ying for the A mixture of colour and black Tomcat crew member, but also is illustrated with several Israeli airline EL AL. There are and white photos abound. There Dave’s excellent photographic black and white photos and 48 photos showing the breadth is also a colour profi le section skill: some of the most iconic interestingly the epilogue is of his career in the IAF. This containing 30 examples of Tomcat images were captured about a German He 111 bomber book puts you in the cockpit of F-102s both in USAF and foreign by him. If you like Tomcats pilot. It’s a must-have for a Mirage and shows how Giora service. This book will appeal or you enjoy fast-paced, anyone with an interest in the Even-Epstein was so successful to Cold War aviation historians, adrenaline-fi lled aircrew stories, Battle of Britain and particularly in the turbulent skies of the Osprey series collectors and this is the book for you. for anyone who enjoys primary Middle East over three decades. F-102 fans alike. Published by Skyhorse sources. Published by Grub Street Published by Osprey Publishing: Publishing: ISBN Published by Pen & Sword: ISBN Publishing: ISBN 9781911621966, ISBN 9781472840677, available 9781510748224, available from 9781526775894, available from available from www.grubstreet. from www.ospreypublishing.com www.skyhorsepublishing.com www.pen-and-sword.co.uk co.uk

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579 Aviation Specs fp.indd 71 16/12/2020 13:33 Su-25 Frogfoot CAS Specialist The Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft may be long in the tooth, but upgrades will extend its life into the 2030s. Alexander Mladenov looks at the Frogfoot in Russian service, its combat use and the progress of its continued development

ukhoi’s Su-25 (NATO reporting Sukhoi to proceed with its T-8. Only and cost-e ective weapon in the 1980s name Frogfoot) emerged in the late Ilyushin had produced a fl ying prototype, and 1990s, undertaking its risky mission 1960s from an idea put forward by the Il-102. in many local confl icts and continued to SSoviet Air Force Academy lecturer, Despite initial di erences of opinion soldier on with most operators well into Ivan Savchenko, to develop an a ordable between the Air Force and the Sukhoi the new century. close air support aircraft o ering ease of OKB, an agreement was reached allowing The Frogfoot’s large-scale production operation, reliability and high survivability. development work on the o cially named run between 1978 and the early 1990s, In 1968 the Sukhoi OKB (design bureau) Lyokiy Voyskovoy Samolyout Shturmovik accounted for 582 Su-25s, 50 slightly began to investigate the concept and (Light Air Support Strike Aircraft or LVSSh) improved Su-25BMs and 182 downgraded devised the Samolyot Polya Boya to start in the fi rst quarter of 1972. Su-25Ks for export customers built at (Battlefi eld Aircraft) which was approved The Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot fl ew for the the Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing (TAM) for development by OKB head Pavel fi rst time in February 1975 and entered plant, now in the independent state of Sukhoi using the T-8 designation. frontline service during 1980 by the then Georgia. In addition, at least 140 two-seat Soviet Minister of Defence Marshal Soviet Air Force. At the time, it had the Su-25UBs and two-seat Su-25UBKs were Andrey Grechko gave the concept the distinction of being the fi rst Soviet (and manufactured at the Ulan-Ude Aircraft green light: he foresaw how such an later Russian) mass-produced combat jet Production Association plant (UUAPO) aircraft would alleviate the need for larger specifi cally designed for the short-range in Russia. These were augmented in strike aircraft in the close air support role. battlefi eld close air support (CAS) role at the 2000s and the early 2010s by eight A preliminary requirement was released low level. two-seat Su-25Us (built using incomplete by the Soviet Air Force in March 1969; This simple, e ective and survivable Su-25T airframes) and 37 Su-25K and Su- Mikoyan and Ilyushin withdrew leaving attack aircraft proved itself as a powerful 25KMs built by TAM.

Sukhoi Su-25SMs assigned to the 960th Attack Aviation Regiment take o from Hmeimim Air Base in Syria loaded with four OFAB-250-270 free-fall bombs Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

54 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Combat-proven, the Frogfoot is set to continue as the backbone of the Russian Federation Aerospace Forces’ (formerly Russian Air Force) attack aviation sub- branch until at least the early 2030s. Robust and dependable, it has undergone several life-extension and upgrade efforts in Russian service to deal with a multitude of obsolescence issues. The latest Frogfoot upgrade configuration for aircraft in Russian service, dubbed Su- 25SM3, has significantly increased combat potential thanks to the integration of an all-new day/night targeting sensor system and a modern self-protection suite. An Su-25 lands at Budyonnovsk Air Base loaded with two B-8M1 rocket pods and two L-370-3S Service life has been extended to 4,000 radar jamming pods following a strike training mission at a range in the Astrakhan region Ministry hours and 40 years, and plans are in place of Defence of the Russian Federation for this to be further extended to 5,000 flight hours and 50 years. Time between Other additions include a multifunction and a 3,000rpm rate-of fire received new overhauls is ten to 15 years and 800 to cockpit display used for a digital map, plus reduced rate-of-fire modes at 750rpm, 1,000 flight hours. flight, navigation and tactical information, 375rpm and 188rpm to allow for 20, Because it is affordable to buy and while the type’s R-95Sh engines received 40 and 80 seconds of total firing time operate, the Frogfoot is still in use around an anti-surge limiter to improve resistance respectively, and to increase the number of the world and is currently in the inventories to ingestion of powder gases while firing firing passes. of 20 export operators. A proportion of the gun and rockets in salvoes. Despite best intentions, from the outset them have either already implemented or The combination of the new HUD, the upgrade programme suffered from are at least planning to launch upgrade weapons computer and navigation/attack considerable delays. Eventually, the first programmes focused mainly on enhancing system’s digital components promised Su-25SM prototype undertook its maiden the aircraft’s navigation and weapons significantly increased accuracy when flight on March 5, 2002 and its test and delivery performance. employing unguided ordnance with evaluation programme was completed four visual aiming. The overall improvement is years later. DIGITAL UPDATES advertised as being between two and three The first batch of six production- Sukhoi’s Su-25SM (Stroyevoy times greater than before. upgraded Su-25SMs was officially handed Modernizirovannyi – Line Upgrade) is the Air-to-air capability was also enhanced over to the Russian military on December first enhanced standard adopted by the by integrating the highly agile R-73 missile, 28, 2006. Russian operated aircraft. It was conceived albeit without helmet-mounted cueing. in its original guise in the late 1990s and Latest ground attack weapons integrated DELIVERED AND LOST early 2000s as a relatively low-cost venture on the SM include the S-13T 130mm Between 2006 and 2014, the Russian Air to bring the rapidly ageing and analogue rockets fired from five-round B-13 packs Force (the name was changed on August Frogfoot into the modern digital age by with blast-fragmentation and armour- 1, 2015) received 84 Su-25SMs (including using mostly off-the-shelf components piercing warheads. In addition, the Su- four prototypes and pattern aircraft, two to simplify the cockpit and create a more 25SM can launch Kh-25ML and Kh-29L of which were later upgraded again to ergonomic layout. laser-guided missiles while in horizontal the SM3 standard), which equipped one Improved systems include the all- flight (the non-upgraded versions can conversion training/research squadron and new PRnK-25SM Bars navigation/attack only do this in a shallow dive) and fire two seven frontline squadrons. suite built around the BTsVM-90 digital missiles at two different targets in a single By early 2017, six upgraded Frogfoots had computer that was borrowed from the firing pass. been lost. One was shot down, two were Su-25TM, a specialised anti-tank version, The GSh-30-2 30mm cannon in a written off after sustaining heavy damage that was tested in the late 1990s and early VPU-17A gun mount with 250 rounds in the August 2008 war in Southern 2000s but only made it to prototype form. Most analogue components of the Su-25’s original KN-23-1 navigation/attack suite were replaced by new digital equipment, but the Klen-PS laser rangefinder/target designator remained unchanged. Thanks to the new PrNK-25SM suite, navigational precision is said to be within 46ft using satellite correction, and 660ft without. Such an improvement was only made possible by integrating the A-737- 01 GPS/ GLONASS satellite navigation receiver. In turn, the high level of precision enables the Su-25SM to undertake non- visual bombing runs in poor weather and at night at low and medium level against fixed targets with known positions using unguided bombs from level flight. A new KAI-1-01 head-up display (HUD) Groundcrew prepare an Su-25UB assigned to the 368th Attack Aviation Regiment based at was added, providing a field of view double Budyonnovsk Air Base for a strike training mission in the Krasnodar Krai region Ministry of Defence that of the old ASP-17BTs-8 EO sight. of the Russian Federation

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 55 satellite-guided bombs. The Kh-58USh anti-radar missile was also integrated, using targeting information from the Pastel radar homing and warning system incorporated in the Vitebsk-25 self- protection system. The aircraft can also carry two SpAB free-fall nuclear bombs. The cockpit is equipped with a new BI HUD, a MFTsI-0332M multifunction colour display augmented by another smaller display beneath the HUD, a BSKI digital map module and a PPAS/V-06 satellite navigation system with GPS and GLONASS receiving capability with differential updating.

A pairs take-off of two Su-25SMs, both coded ‘09’, from a Russian air baseMinistry of Defence of the Russian Federation IMPROVED TARGETING The SOLT-25 infrared/electro-optical and Ossetia, while the other three had been in man-portable air defence systems when laser targeting and designation system, peacetime accidents. performing low-level attack runs with developed by the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Aircraft wearing newly assigned airframe rockets and free-fall bombs. Plant, is among the main features identification numbers SM-5 to SM-43 The SM3 standard was intended mainly integrated on the Su-25SM and forms the were production upgrades as per the initial to strengthen the Frogfoot’s self- core of its targeting suite. Installed in the standard, known as SM1, delivered between protection and night-operating capabilities. nose, it retains the same shape and weight 2006 and 2010. The slightly improved SM2 It comes with new hardware and software as the old Klen-PS laser rangefinder/target standard followed, involving aircraft SM- that will facilitate the use of new types of designator. It is claimed the SOLT-25’s TV 44 to SM-79, and were taken on strength guided weapons. sensor has a 16x zoom for target detection by the Russian Air Force between 2011 It boasts an encrypted datalink (enabled and tracking modes for engagement with and 2013. In late 2014, the Russian Air by the new KSS-25 communication laser/TV-guided missiles or TV-guided Force took delivery of the last five aircraft suite, replacing the bombs. upgraded to this standard. older radio and data ‘The Su-25 flew In March 2020, the Despite all the improvements to exchange systems) for Russian Ministry of its navigation and weapons delivery use in CAS scenarios for for the first time Defence announced capabilities, even the latest Su-25SM3 exchanging targeting that Su-25SM3 pilots standard remain 1970s-vintage airframes information with forward in February 1975 assigned to a regiment lacking autopilot and pressurised air controllers and other based in the Kuban cockpits, and are powered by fuel-thirsty aircraft in the air. The and entered region (the 960th 1950s-vintage turbojets. datalink also allows the frontline service Composite Aviation Su-25SM to integrate Regiment at Primirsko- SURVIVABILITY into the air force’s during 1980.’ Akhtarsk), had used the ENHANCEMENTS command-and-control latest SOLT-25 sighting- The Su-25SM3 is the most sophisticated system. navigation system at night during a training upgrade standard for the Russian Frogfoot The Su-25SM3 is equipped with the SUO- exercise to acquire targets at extremely low fleet. It entered frontline service in the first 39M fire-control system and the PrNK- altitude from a range outside the detection half of 2018, with the 368th Attack Aviation 25SM-1 navigation/attack suite comprising envelope of the ‘enemy’ air defences. Regiment at Budyonnovsk and the 960th a BTsU-25S digital computer, an MFTsI- The Vitebsk-25 integrated self-protection Attack Aviation Regiment at Primorsko- 0332M multifunctional colour display, and suite, developed by Samara-based NII Ahktarsk, both situated in the Southern a SOLT-25 optical-laser remote-thermal- Ekran, incorporates the L-150-16M Military District. imaging system. Pastel radar warning and homing system, It was designed in response to the bitter In addition to the Kh-25ML, Kh-29L and ultraviolet (UV) missile approach warning lessons learned during the war in Southern S-25L/LD laser-guided missiles, the latest sensors, UV-26M countermeasures Ossetia in August 2008, during which both Frogfoot derivative can use the Kh-29T, dispensers (which use a mix of 26mm and the Su-25SM and non-upgraded Su-25s Kh-TD and Kh-29TE TV-guided missiles, 50mm chaff and flares) and the L-370-3S proved too vulnerable to infrared-guided KAB-500Kr TV-guided and KAB-500S dual-pod radar jammer system carried on the outermost wing hardpoints. Missile approach warning is provided by the Zakhvat multi-spectral system. Its UV sensors cover the lower hemisphere, with two rear/side-looking sensors installed in a V-shaped assembly under the tail. Due to a lack of space, it proved impossible for the Vitebsk-25 to incorporate directional infrared jammers such as those used by the Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopter. Vitebsk-25 features two underbelly UV-26M countermeasures dispensers for releasing 28 chaff or flare cartridges The two-seat Su-25UBM combat trainer variant is undergoing an avionics upgrade similar to that (firing downwards) in addition to 26mm of the Su-25SM, although the programme has suffered numerous delaysMinistry of Defence of the upward-firing dispensers installed on the Russian Federation engine nacelles next to the tail with a total

56 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 capacity of 256 rounds. According to the Su-25’s designer-general Vladimir Babak, the increased number of flares in two different sizes enables the Vitebsk-25 to counter up to six infrared-guided missiles approaching the aircraft simultaneously. KSS-25 is the new communication system featuring a secure datalink capability, enabling exchange of tactical information with ground command and control facilities as well as other aircraft. The first Su-25SM prototype, Su- 25SM3-01, reworked from Su-25SM-04 prototype (c/n 10095) reportedly started test flying in 2011. However, the test and evaluation effort proved to be a protracted undertaking due to the immaturity of the new equipment. This was especially true regarding the SOLT-25. Su-25SM3-01 was used as the pattern aircraft for the production upgrade.

Using a receptacle in a drop tank, groundcrew fuel a Su-25 at Budyonnovsk Air Base in Su-25SM3 Specifications southwestern Russia Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Wingspan: 47ft 1in (14.36m) to 45 Su-25SM3s through to 2020, but this The fleet of life-extended (upgraded and Length overall: 50ft 4in (15.53m) proved an overtly optimistic prediction as non-upgraded) Su-25s could be good Height overall: 15ft 9in (4.80m) by late last year deliveries numbered about for a minimum of ten to 15 years’ service. Wing area: 362.75ft² (34.7m²) 25, with eight more upgraded Frogfoots Non-upgraded aircraft were due to receive Max. take-off weight: 38,636lb (17,530kg) (ordered 2019) slated to be rolled out by the new SVP-24-25 navigation/attack Normal take-off weight: 32,034lb (14,530kg) the end of 2021. subsystem, developed by the Zhukovsky- Internal fuel: 6,614lb (3,000kg) Some of the upgraded aircraft will be based company Gefest I T. SVP-24-25 is External fuel: 5,618lb (2,464kg) baseline Su-25s and Su-25BMs, and re- a derivative of the combat-proven system Max. speed at sea level: 512kts (950km/h) upgraded Su-25SMs. installed on upgraded Sukhoi Su-24M Max. speed clean: 540kts (1,000km/h) Fencers, Su-33 Flankers and Tupolev Tu- Max. attack speed: 372kts (690km/h) SVP-24-25 UPGRADE 22M3 Backfires. At least two other Russian aircraft The SVP-24-25 package is built around Landing speed: 110kts (205km/h) maintenance plants – the 322 ARZ at a new SV-24 digital mission computer Take-off speed: 119kts (220km/h) Vozdvizhenka and the YARZ facility integrated with a combined GPS/GLONASS Service ceiling: 22,960ft (7,000m) at Yevpatoria – continue to overhaul satellite navigation receiver, KAI-24P Rate of climb: 197ft/sec (60m/sec) and carry out service life extension HUD, new hardware interface units and Range (2,000kg bomb load and max programmes on baseline single- and two- proprietary software for processing internal fuel): 275nm (510km) seat Su-25s for the Russian Federation navigation data received from different Ferry range with four external tanks: Aerospace Forces. As a result, by the end of sources, combined with a highly accurate 1,025nm (1,900km) 2020, the attack sub-branch of the Frontal digital map and terrain elevation model. Take-off run: 1,640ft (500m) Aviation arm was operating between 85 The system provides precise positional Landing roll with brake chute: 2,296ft and 95 Su-25SMs and Su-25SM3s, plus 50 information, reportedly within 100 to 160ft (700m) Su-25s and Su-25UBs. regardless of the mission duration. This

The Russian Ministry of Defence awarded an initial order for five Su-25SM3s to the 121st Aviaremontny Zavod (121 ARZ or aircraft maintenance plant) at Kubinka near Moscow, in December 2015. One aircraft, the fourth in the batch wearing its new identification number Su-25SM3-06, serial Red 50, was seen conducting post- upgrade test flights at the Kubinka air base in October 2016. The delivery of these aircraft was delayed due to the protracted testing work. Unit price was set at RUB 350.2m, excluding the price of the radar countermeasure pods of the L-370-3S system. The first batch of Su-25SM3s is believed to comprise existing Su-25SM airframes from the initial production run in the mid-2000s. A second order, involving nine Su-25SM3s was placed with 121 ARZ in mid-2016. The Russian Ministry of Defence The Su-25’s pilot sits in a well-armoured but unpressurised cockpit Ministry of Defence of the had announced its intention to procure up Russian Federation

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 57 13,500ft altitude releasing 100kg, 250kg and 500kg free-fall bombs and RBK- series cluster bombs. In most scenarios munitions were dropped without the pilot’s visual acquisition of the targets but using a targeting solution calculated by the aircraft’s own navigation system against targets with known positions. The pilot is tasked to follow cues to bring it to the calculated bomb drop point. Further into Russia’s campaign, Su-25SMs started to fly missions against targets of opportunity using co-ordinates provided by forward air controllers embedded in Russian special operations reconnaissance teams operating in enemy-held territory. Teams often used unmanned air vehicles to pinpoint targets and perform after-strike battle damage assessment. Sorties comprised formations of two, Su-25, RF-33153, loaded with a S-25 330mm guided rocket under the port wing Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation four and even six aircraft, and during the days with the most intense operations, means the SVP-24-25 could drastically upon completion of the system’s test effort each aircraft flew up to ten sorties. Aircraft improve the accuracy of delivering in late 2015. turn time was just 15 minutes, including unguided ordinance. Advertised as being However, completion of testing was ammunition loading, refuelling and visual able to achieve a hit with a circular error delayed until early 2016, when the air inspection for damage and leaks. Su- probability of 33 to 50ft when delivering force’s 929th State Flight Test Centre took 25SMs proved to be very reliable and unguided bombs in level flight or during over for the so-called special flight testing dependable, with no significant failures three-dimensional manoeuvring, the SVP- and evaluation of the upgrade. In recent reported during the Syrian deployment. 24-25 is useful for avoiding anti-aircraft years, the abilities of the upgraded Su-25s According to Russian magazine fire when operating at low level. When have been tested under combat conditions M-Hobby, Su-25SMs flew hunter-killer attacking a target with a known position in the long-running Syrian conflict. The sorties in predesignated kill boxes to attack that is invisible to the pilot, the run-in Russian air component deployed to targets of opportunity, such as armed can be performed using highly accurate Hmeimim Air Base, Syria in September vehicles or fuel tankers moving in territory positional data derived from the electronic 2015 comprising an attack force of ten held by anti-Assad forces or militants of the map alone. Su-25SMs and two Su-25UBs belonging to so-called Islamic State. The SVP-24-25 software facilitates rapid the 960th Attack Aviation Regiment based The Su-25s tasked with these missions re-targeting in flight, with data for newly at Primorsko-Akhtarsk in the Southern were armed with two 20-round B8-M1 assigned targets received by a secure Military District. rocket pods loaded with 80mm S-8 datalink from a ground-based command- These aircraft flew combat missions rockets and four external fuel tanks giving and-control centre. Data is presented between October 2015 and mid-March them up to two hours’ endurance. as a set of symbols overlaid on the 2016, amassing 3,500 combat sorties, with M-Hobby states the Su-25SMs dropped electronic map displayed in the cockpit. each of the Su-25SMs racking up 250 to a single bomb against each target during A prototype Su-25BM, Red 73, upgraded 300 flight hours. Mainly used for refresher most of the sorties: the 250kg OFAB-250- with the SVP-24-25 navigation/attack training, area familiarisation sorties and 270 high-drag free-fall fragmentation/ suite, was seen in flight test at the Lipetsk weather checks, the Su-25UBs clocked up high-explosive bomb was the most combat training centre in July 2015. At the just 60 to 80 hours. commonly used munition used during the time, Gefest I T director general Alexander Syria campaign. Panin claimed the Russian Air Force STRIKES IN SYRIA Navigation bombing capability made decision for a fleet-wide introduction of In Syria, the type was principally used the Su-25SM useful day and night, even the SVP-24-25 was planned to take place for level flight bombing from 11,500 to in adverse weather conditions. Its combat effectiveness depended mainly on the quality of the target information received prior to take-off or that provided by forward air controllers while loitering in the target area. In 2017 a few Su-25SM3s deployed to Syria to complement the Russian strike force at Hmeimim Air Base. The aircraft involved were early production variants that lacked the full self-protection systems required for the Syrian combat theatre. Quite possibly this was a factor in the shooting down of Su-25SM RF-95486 over the city of Maasran on February 3, 2018. The loss led to the withdrawal of Russian Su-25s from Syria, until Vitebsk- An Su-25 assigned to the 368th Attack Aviation Regiment based at Budyonnovsk Air Base heads 25-equipped aircraft had completed the out to the runway loaded with four FAB-500 freefall bombs, two B-8M1 rocket pods and two system’s protracted state acceptance L-370-3S radar jamming pods Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation trials and the resulting deployment

58 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 postponement until March 2019, by which starting in mid-2016, concluding in 2018. overhauls and life extensions. It is expected time improved Su-25SM3s arrived at Combined with a structural overhaul that the on-going life extensions and Hmeimim. This deployment was reportedly and life extension work, the Su-25UBM2 upgrades will allow the Frogfoot fleet to intended to evaluate the Su-25SM3 under upgrade is expected to involve an continue in Russian service for at least 15 combat conditions. undisclosed number of the existing years, retaining more or less the current The upgraded two-seat Su-25UBM2, Russian Federation Aerospace Forces numerical strength. using the same avionics suite as fitted on Su-25UBs which were manufactured in the Su-25SM, has suffered from a notably the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first NEW PRESENTS SPECIAL drawn out development. The first flight of Su-25UBM2 was delivered to the Russian EDITION the Su-25UBM prototype was reported in air arm in the latter part of 2018, but as of December 2010 wearing the bort number December 2020 the type had not entered 21 and the aircraft was said to have service with the reason for the delay has Russia’sSUKHOI Aviation Powerhouse FENCER FROGFOOT FLANKER FELON completed the test and evaluation effort in not been confirmed. December 2011. Currently, the Russian Federation In the spring of 2014, however, it Aerospace Forces has an active fleet was seen with the 121 ARZ at Kubinka of around 130 to 140 single-seat Su- undergoing unspecified modifications in a 25/BM/SM/SM3s and 25 to 30 Su- disassembled state. 25UBs. These aircraft are serving with Subsequently 121 ARZ revealed the four frontline attack regiments (each aircraft had been re-upgraded to Su- consisting of two component squadrons). 25UBM2 standard. So what systems were Two more Frogfoot attack squadrons included in this configuration? The answer are incorporated into the structure of is, similar mission equipment to the single- composite aviation regiments and bases. seat SM3 configuration, including the In addition there is a handful of Frogfoots 20 Vitebsk-25 self-protection suite and the operated by one instructor/research £7.99

SOLT-25 targeting system. squadron which uses the type for combat 781913 295394 ISBN 978-1-913295-39-4 9 SUKHOI ALL TYPES ENGINES WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY Initially, the flight-test programme was training and conversion training duties in due to run between October 2015 and addition to four two-seaters in a composite This article appeared in the special the end of 2016 comprising 150 flights. training squadron. publication Sukhoi – Russia’s Aviation However, evaluation by the Russian Air In addition to the active fleet, the Russian Powerhouse by Key Publishing. It is available Force’s 929th State Flight Test Centre Federation Aerospace Forces has about from the Key Shop for £7.99 and can be (929th Gosudarstvennyy Tsentr Letnykh 50 single-seat Frogfoots kept in long- ordered from https://shop.keypublishing. com/ or by calling +44(0) 1780 480404. Ispytaniy) was delayed by seven months term storage or undergoing upgrades,

Like its Western equivalent, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the Frogfoot is a 1970s design that seems destined to fly into the 2030s, if not longer Sukhoi

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 59 Tales of the Dancing Crane The Story of JAL Part 1

Established in the aftermath of World War Two, over the past 70 years Japan Airlines has risen to become a leading global carrier, with its famous dancing crane logo recognisable worldwide. In the fi rst part of a two-part feature, Jozef Mols explores JAL’s early history, including the introduction of jet services and its expansion up to the mid-1980s

apan has been a pioneer in the fi eld Controlled by the military, it mainly DOMESTIC BEGINNINGS of airline transportation, probably o ered fast transportation of high-ranking With peace restored, the American because the country consists of government o cials and military leaders, administrators in Japan saw the need Jnumerous islands that require although business people could use its to set up air transportation to rebuild regular and reliable access. Even before services. In the occupied Chinese region the country. In 1951, permission was World War Two, several airlines were of Manchuria the military had already granted to start a domestic airline and established, such as Japan Air Transport, established Airways, which also potential investors applied for a licence which o ered domestic fl ights between served the Japanese occupying military and to conduct domestic aviation services. 1928 and 1938. At the beginning of Japan's o cials. All of these activities came to an Japan Air Lines (becoming Japan Airlines expansion policy, Japan Air Transport was end when America defeated Japan in the in 1987) received this approval on May merged into Imperial Japanese Airways. climax of World War Two. 22, 1951. The initial capital was 100m

60 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Main photo: JAL fl ew almost every variant of the 747, including 34 -200s like JA8105, seen landing at Heathrow in August 1977 AirTeamImages.com/Carl Ford

Right: In October 1951, Japan Air Air Lines launched its fi rst passenger service fl ying Tokyo-Osaka-Fukuoka with Martin 2-0-2s. Until 1954 it used American pilots and the fi ve 2-0-2s were US-registered Japan Airlines via author

Below right: JAL operated a fl eet of nine Convair 880s between 1961 and 1971, mainly on Southeast Asian and domestic routes. JA8023 was wrecked in a training accident in September 1965 Japan Airlines via author

Bottom right: JAL operated fi ve DC-7Cs with the type in use from 1957 to 1965 and fi tted with up to 74 seats for international services Japan Airlines via author

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 61 In February 1954, Douglas DC-6B, JA6206 City of Tokyo, inaugurated JAL’s transpacific service to San Francisco via Wake Island and Honolulu. A decade later it transported the Olympic flame to Japan for the Tokyo GamesJapan Airlines via author yen, represented by 2m shares of which the meantime, several other Japanese SPREADING ITS WINGS 10% was offered to the public. After cities such as Nagoya and Misawa were On August 1, 1953, the Japan Air Lines setting up offices in different Japanese added in the network. In June 1952, Limited law came into effect, forming cities, the airline started hiring the first the airline signed a contract for mail a new state-owned company which 15 stewardesses on August 20, 1951. In transportation with the Ministry of Posts assumed all assets and liabilities of its the meantime, Japan Air Lines (JAL) had and Telecommunications. That July, the private predecessor. On October 2 of leased a Douglas DC-3 belonging to Japan Air Lines Maintenance Company, the same year, JAL introduced the first Philippine Airlines for a three-day period, was established as a separate entity with a DC-6B on the Tokyo to Sapporo route. allowing them to offer promotional trips JAL would acquire a total of five aircraft of to potential clients. ‘In 1967, JAL this type and from February 2, 1954, they On October 11, 1951, a contract was would be used on the new Tokyo-Wake signed between JAL and Northwest inaugurated its first Island-Honolulu-San Francisco route on Orient Airlines as no Japanese pilots the basis of two round trips per week. were licensed to fly passenger aircraft. round the world Today, flights between Tokyo and San Two weeks later proved to be a landmark Francisco still carry flight numbers 1 and day, when, on October 25, JAL launched service’ 2 to commemorate this first international the first civil aviation service in Japan capital of 50m yen. The first DC-4, arrived service. Operated by American crews, the since the end of the war. A Martin 2-0-2 in Japan on September 1, 1952 and was aircraft were serviced by United Air Lines flew a Tokyo to Fukuoka service that introduced on the Tokyo-Osaka-Fukuoka in San Francisco. went via Osaka. This route would be route. In the meantime, two other aircraft In April 1954, JAL introduced two seat flown once a day with American crew. of the same type had been ordered, the classes, first and tourist, on its international From the outset, JAL offered an in-flight last of which arrived on October 24, routes. On October 23 that year, two meal which consisted of sandwiches in 1952. This way, the Martin 2-0-2 could Japanese pilots acquired the first post-war a paper box. On November 2, 1951, the be retired. On December 21, 1952, JAL commercial type ratings and were the first airline received its first Douglas DC-4, operated its first overseas flight between to fly a commercial aircraft after the war – a which would however remain in the USA Tokyo and Manila to return the body of DC-4 on the Tokyo-Fukuoka route – on until 1952 for pilot training purposes. In the Philippine ambassador to Japan. November 2.

One of JAL’s DC-4s, JA6001, is seen off at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in 1958 AirTeamImages.com/ATI Collection

62 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Wearing markings advertising the upcoming Expo ’70 event in Osaka, this DC-8-53 was seen at Heathrow in September 1968. JAL used the DC-8-50 Series for 20 years from 1962 Bob O’Brien Collection

Extensions to routes were to follow and OVER THE POLE and DC-8-63, the last of which was retired on February 4, 1955 JAL added Hong Kong The dawn of the 1960s saw JAL extend in 1987. to its Tokyo-Okinawa (Naha) service, using its reach. In April 1960, it started fl ying the By the end of 1961, JAL was operating its DC-6 aircraft. This was further extended northern route to Europe, linking Tokyo transpolar fl ights from Tokyo to Seattle, on September 13, 1956 to Bangkok in with Paris via Anchorage and Hamburg. , London and Paris via Thailand and Singapore. In 1958, the airline It was operated jointly with Air France, Anchorage. Transpacifi c fl ights included used its sole DC-7B on the Tokyo to San which made a Boeing 707 available to Tokyo to Los Angeles and San Francisco Francisco service that stopped in Honolulu. the company. A few months later, JAL via Hawaii. In 1962, after the delivery of In 1959, two other transpacifi c services would receive the fi rst jet of its own; the Convair 880s of which the company were started with DC-7Cs between Tokyo DC-8 was introduced on the Tokyo-San ordered fi ve, JAL also initiated fl ights to and Los Angeles (via Hawaii) and between Francisco route, with Tokyo-Hong Kong Europe via India. The aircraft had had Tokyo and Seattle via Anchorage. The added in November that year. JAL would a short-lived run on domestic fl ights Tokyo-Hong Kong link now made a stop operate a total of 51 DC-8 aircraft, made between Tokyo and Sapporo. That year in Taipei. JAL would end up using a total of up of the DC-8-30, DC-8-50, DC-8-53, the Tokyo-Singapore route was extended fi ve DC-7Cs. DC-8-55F, DC-8-60, DC-8-60F, DC-8-62 to take in Hong Kong, Bangkok and

The Boeing 727 was introduced in 1964. Seen at Tokyo/Haneda in 1968, 727-46, JA8312, left JAL to serve with Dan-Air in 1972 Bob O’Brien Collection

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 63 Delivered to JAL in 1970, DC-8-63 JA8045, is pictured at Haneda in May 1977. The airline introduced the ‘stretched’ DC-8 passenger and freight models in 1968 Bob O’Brien Collection

In 1975 JAL subsidiary Japan Asia Airways was established to get around Chinese restrictions on services to Taiwan. JAA DC-8-53, JA8007, was seen at Haneda in 1977 Bob O’Brien Collection

The 747-300 replaced the DC-8 on the transpacific routes from 1983 and then used on European services. JA8186 was photographed at Düsseldorf in 1986 AirTeamImages.com/Wolfgang Mendorf

Jakarta, once again using the Convair 880. airline was lobbying for fifth freedom rights ended, JAL started an independent In 1964, the aircraft was also employed to to fly transatlantic routes from the East operation on the Tokyo-Moscow-Paris start up a Tokyo-Seoul route. Coast. Meanwhile, the transpacific route route and a Tokyo-Moscow-London In 1963, the Japan Air Lines Maintenance was extended east from San Francisco service, each time with DC-8 equipment. Company was absorbed into JAL and at to New York (in 1966) and to London that point changed its name to the Japan (in 1967). It also inaugurated a Tokyo to CIRCLING THE WORLD Aircraft Maintenance Company (JALCO). Amsterdam route via Copenhagen in In 1967, JAL inaugurated its first round the A year later, the first Boeing 727 for JAL 1966, using a DC-8, and a Tokyo-Nagoya- world service with the initial eastbound arrived in Tokyo. The carrier would employ Fukuoka-Taipei-Hong Kong route with flight departing on March 6 and the first a total of 14 Boeing 727-049 aircraft, plus Convair 880s. From 1967-9, JAL had an westbound flight a day later. JAL had also nine second-hand 727-100s from World agreement with Aeroflot for a joint service started cargo flights between Japan and Airways. In 1965, JAL took out options for between Tokyo and Moscow using an San Francisco using DC-7Fs (converted three Concordes, but later decided like Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-114. The flight crew from previously used DC-7Cs), later that most other airlines to cancel this potential included one JAL member, with the cabin year the DC-8-55F took over, followed by deal. By 1965, JAL's revenue was largely crew made up of five Japanese and five additional cargo flights to New York via San generated on routes to the USA, and the Russians. In 1970 when this agreement Francisco and Honolulu.

64 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 JAL Cargo was formed in 1979 and remained as a separate brand until 2010. Ex-Pan Am 747-200F, JA8165, is seen after conversion to Side Cargo Door (SCD) confi guration at Sydney in October 1984 Bob O’Brien Collection

Briefl y, between April 1968 and the end Moscow were inaugurated, each time with venture between 14 municipalities in the of the year, JAL used wet-leased NAMC DC-8-62 aircraft. The same year, fl ights Kagoshima Prefecture. Originally, the airline YS-11 aircraft from Japan Domestic Airlines to China with DC-8s were initiated, but it was controlled by TOA Domestic Airlines, for cargo and mail services between Tokyo was not all plain sailing; an air transport later known as Japan Air System. When and Osaka. In 1969, they were also used agreement between China and Japan JAS merged into JAL, Japan Air Commuter to link Fukuoka with Pusan (now Busan), caused the suspension of the air routes became a feeder for JAL. South Korea. That year, a Boeing 727QC between Taiwan and Japan in April 1975, In 1978, JAL extended its non-smoking would fl y cargo between Tokyo and Osaka. prompting the establishment of Japan Asia sections to all domestic and international When in 1970 the Convair 880s were Airways to restore air services between fl ights. At the same time it started a route retired, JAL received its fi rst Boeing 747. them. The new carrier made its fi rst fl ight from Tokyo to Saipan and Guam as well Over the years the airline would use 115 to Taiwan on August 8, 1975. as linking Japan with São Paulo and Rio Boeing 747s of di erent types, consisting In 1976, JAL introduced the fi rst of 30 de Janeiro. The 747 was introduced on of 20 -100s, 34 -200s, 16 -300s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40s on some connections between Tokyo and Zürich 45 -400s. It started operations on the domestic routes. Later on, these aircraft via Copenhagen. By 1980, domestic transpacifi c routes to Honolulu and Los were also used on the Tokyo-New York demand had increased su ciently for the Angeles. In 1972 JAL was one of the fi rst route via Anchorage – the 747s previously airline to use the Boeing 747SR, optimised airlines to introduce non-smoking seats used could now be allocated to Frankfurt via for shorter routes and with 550 seats (at on its international 747 fl ights. A route to Copenhagen and in 1978 on the fl ights to the time the world's largest capacity), on Mexico via Vancouver was started, using Honolulu. Three years later JAL Cargo was fl ights between Tokyo and Okinawa. In the DC-8-62, which was also introduced launched by the same shareholders who the meantime, the airline obtained fi fth- on Copenhagen-Moscow services. The had set up JAL. It fl ew dedicated freighters, freedom rights to fl y between New York year 1972 also saw 747s being used on 747-100Fs, -200Fs, and later, 747-400s and São Paulo and Vancouver-Mexico domestic operations between Tokyo and converted for cargo use, plus 767-300ERFs, City. In 1981, JAL added fl ights between Okinawa, a high-density route. In 1973, JAL mostly on behalf of the parent carrier. Jeddah and Tokyo. Two years later, the fi rst started its fl ights to Papeete (Tahiti) in a The origins of another subsidiary, Japan 747-300 arrived and entered service on code-share arrangement with Air France. A Air Commuter, can be traced to July 1, December 15, 1983. year later, fl ights to Rome and Frankfurt via 1983 when it was established as a joint Part 2 will cover JAL’s history to date.

The DC-10-40 was a version built for JAL and Northwest Orient Airlines. This example was captured at Düsseldorf in 1985 AirTeamImages.com/Wolfgang Mendorf

WWW.AVIATION NEWS.CO.UK 65 Air Base Movements A selection of the most interesting aircraft to visit air bases in the UK recently

A busy scene at RAF Lossiemouth on the evening of December 17 with four RAF Poseidons parked alongside a similar number of US Navy P-8As from VP-46: 169339, 169344, 169346 and 169349. The US Navy squadron had established a detachment at the Moray base on December 1 with its aircraft still present in early January. Nearest the camera can be seen the nose of a US Navy C-130T from VR-64, 165151, and next to it is RAF BAe 146 C3, ZE708 from 32(TR) Sqn Niall Paterson

MOD BOSCOMBE DOWN RAF LEEMING 12th, also 16th. 26/11 ZZ507 Shadow R1 14 Sqn, 3/11 ZH814 AH1 7 Regt, AAC o/s. 9/11 ZH900 2/11 ZJ194 & ZJ199 Apache AH1s 3/4 Regts, AAC. RAF o/s. 30/11 ZM153, ZM154, ZM155 F-35Bs Chinook HC5 arrived for attention by Boeing. 10/11 4/11 ZJ218 & ZJ223 Apache AH1s 3/4 Regts, AAC. arrived on delivery from USA. ZD981 Chinook HC6A departed from Boeing. 11/11 17/11 T-784 Citation 560XL LTDB, Swiss AF. 18/11 ZZ521 Wildcat AH1 847 NAS, Royal Navy. T-785 Falcon 900EX LTDB, Swiss AF. 19/11 T-786 RAF MILDENHALL PC-24 LTDB, Swiss AF. 24/11 J-5002, J-5014, 1/11 165352 KC-130T VR-62, USN n/s. 2/11 RAF BRIZE NORTON J-5016, J-5017, J-5020, J-5021, J-5025 F/A-18Cs 165349 C-130T VR-62, USN dep 4th. 5/11 2/11 15003 CC-150 437 Sqn, RCAF n/s. 4/11 CT- Swiss AF & J-5232, J-5233, J-5234 F/A-18Ds 167984 KC-130J VMGR-352, USMC n/s. 6/11 01 A400M Luxembourg Armed Forces also 5th; Swiss AF, all arrived for Exercise Yorknite 2020, all G-988 C-130H 336 Sqn, Royal Netherlands AF 253 CN235-100MPA 101 Sqn, Irish Air Corps also dep on 17/12; HB-AZC E190-E2 Helvetic Airways o/s. 12/11 169230 KC-130J VMGR-352, USMC 5th; MM62157 Do.228-212 28 Gr, Italian Army support for F/A-18s. 25/11 T-751 Challenger 604 dep 16th. 17/11 87-0037 C-5M 337th AS, AFRC

AIR BASE MOVEMENTS FROM MAR WWW.MILITARYAVIATIONREVIEW.COM FROM AIR BASE MOVEMENTS also 20th. 6/11 ZZ521 Wildcat AH1 847 NAS, RN; LTDB, Swiss AF also 26th. 30/11 T-752 Challenger n/s. 20/11 86-0014 C-5M 337th AS, AFRC n/s. R211/64-GK C-160R ET64, French AF. 17/11 T.23- 604 LTDB, Swiss AF. 22/11 85-0007 C-5M 436th/512nd AW, USAF. 08-10217 A400M Ala 31, Spanish AF; 84007 Tp84 23/11 84-0061 C-5M 436th/512nd AW, USAF. F7, Royal Swedish AF; 13-5778 MC-130J 67th RAF LINTON-ON-OUSE SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF o/s. 18/11 14+03 Global 1/12 Final residents, the Tutors of Yorkshire UAS RAF SHAWBURY 5000 FBS, German AF. 20/11 MM62158 Do.228- moved to RAF Leeming. Air Tra c Control 17/11 Hawk T1s XX224, XX235 and XX185 212s 28 Gr, Italian Army. 23/11 09-0042 CV-22B ceased on 18/12. (fuselage only) all dep by road to DSAE Cosford. 67th SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF; T-055 A330-MRTT MMF o/s. 24/11 T-054 A330-MRTT MMF o/s also RAF LOSSIEMOUTH RAF VALLEY 30th o/s. 30/11 07-8609/RS C-130J-30 37th AS, 3/11 ZP804 Poseidon MRA1 54/120 Sqns, RAF 3/11 N2786B/(ZM340), N2789B/(ZM341), 86th AW, USAF dep 2/12; OO-FAE Falcon 7X 15 arrived on delivery from USA. 5/11 09-5713 MC- N2790B/(ZM342) & N2911B/(ZM343) Texan T1s Wing, Belgian Defence – Air Component. 130J 67th SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF o/s. 10/11 13- arrived on delivery to 72 Sqn. 5776 MC-130J 67th SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF o/s. RAF FAIRFORD 12/11 13-5786 MC-130J 67th SOS, 352nd SOW, WATTISHAM FLYING 4/11 84-0087 C-21A 76th AS, 86th AW, USAF. USAF o/s.13/11 ZZ512 & ZZ521 Wildcat AH1s 847 STATION 15/11 95-00123 UC-35A E/1-214th Avn, US Army. NAS, RN, arrived for Exercise Terminal Strike. 26/11 ZM704 & ZM705 AH-64Es arrived by road 17/11 95-00105 UC-35A E/1-214th Avn, US Army. from RAF Brize Norton. 18/11 01-0076 C-37A 76th AS, 86th AW, USAF. RAF MARHAM 9/11 169230/QB KC-130J VMGR-352, USMC dep Key: f/v fi rst visit, n/s nightstop, o/s overshoot RAF LAKENHEATH Some corrections to the 366th FW, F-15Es French Air Force Airbus A330 MRTT Phénix, 043/F-UJCI of ERVTS 01.031 on reported last month: 90-0349 should be 90- approach to RAF Brize Norton on December 12 Richard Eccleston 0249, 01-0333 should be 91-0333 and 90-0269 should be 90-0259.

5/11 02-1111 C-17A 155th AS, Tn ANG. 6/11 G-988 C-130H 336 Sqn, Royal Netherlands AF o/s. 7/11 06-6161 C-17A 60th/349th AMW, USAF dep 10th. 9/11 02-1108 C-17A 62nd/446th AW, USAF dep 12th. 18/11 12-1001, 12-1009, 12-1083 & 12-1048 F-15SAs all on delivery to Royal Saudi AF; 12-1001 & 12-1048 dep 21st, the other pair were still present 1/12.

66 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE

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547 F14 Tomcat Spec fp.indd 19 07/12/2020 11:06 Airport Movements A round-up of notable aircraft visiting UK airports

Braathens Regional Airlines ATR 72-600, SE-MKD, on approach to Manchester Airport on December 15. The aircraft was fl ying in Göteborg FC to play against Manchester City FC in the INTERNATIONAL UEFA Women’s Champions League the following evening Martyn Cartledge/ASP Photography AIRPORT 2/10 XX161 Hawk T1A 736 NAS, RN present for 16th & 29th. 9/10 69 Xingu 28F, French Navy. CS-TFQ Learjet 45 also 26th. 11/10 D-CBBS

COMPILED BY CARL HOPE BY COMPILED AIRPORT MOVEMENTS Exercise Joint Warrior dep 14th; XX200, XX256, 10/10 D-AXTM Global XRS; N193LA Global 6000 Phenom 300. 12/10 F-HIJD CitationJet 525A XX239, XX324 & XX329 Hawk T1As 736 NAS, RN also 20th. 11/10 2-FLYT PC-12; D-ASAP Legacy CJ2+; F-HLRA DA62 n/s; N156QS Global present for Exercise Joint Warrior, all dep 15th. 650E. 12/10 099/YP Xingu EAT00.319, French AF; 6000 n/s; OK-FTR Citation 510 Mustang n/s. 4/10 LN-ONH S-92A . 8/10 D-FABS PC-12. 13/10 UR-CQD An-26B Vulkan Air 13/10 A9C-BAH Gulfstream G650 dep 24th. N95VB Beech C.90GTi. 9/10 LN-TRG Beech also 27th & 29th; D-CBTA CitationJet 525C CJ4; 14/10 D-CAGA Phenom 300 n/s. 15/10 EI-FPD 200 Sundt Air; HA-KAN ATR 42-320(F) Fleet Air D-IMPG Beech C.90GTx. 14/10 ES-NSG Saab CRJ900LR CityJet also 17th; I-ELYS Learjet International. 10/10 ZJ120/D Merlin HC4 845 340B/F NyxAir f/v, also 17th & 27th. 15/10 084/ 40; 2-MSTG Citation 510 Mustang also 18th NAS, RN also 12th. 12/10 99-0003 C-32A 89th YH Xingu EAT00.319, French AF; 68 Xingu 28F, & 23rd n/s. 16/10 SP-ENQ 737-85R Enter Air AW, USAF; ZZ516 Wildcat HMA2 815 NAS, RN; French Navy. 16/10 D-IBFS Beech C.90GTi. 18/10 dep 18th. 24/10 D-IAHG CitationJet 525 CJ1 ZH827 Merlin HM2 820 NAS, RN. 14/10 N785CA A6-EPV 777-31H(ER) Emirates f/v. 19/10 TC-LLA dep 26th. 26/10 2-JEZA Eclipse EA500. 30/10 Tecnam P2012 on delivery to Cape Air. 16/10 787-9 Turkish Airlines f/v; 082/YG and 083/ZE D-CTIL Learjet 35A; N542MP HondaJet; S5-CEG D-HHPJ AW169 Heli Service International. 17/10 Xingus EAT00.319, French AF; 2-EMBR Phenom CitationJet 525 CJ1. 9H-ASB Global 5000. 18/10 VT-IBG Global 5000. 300E also 20th. 21/10 OY-NPG Metro 23 North 20/10 D-CROG Phenom 300; 16+01 A340- Flying also 30th; UR-74026 An-74TK-200 Motor EAST MIDLANDS 313 FBS, German AF o/s. 24/10 CS-DSG Global Sich Airlines f/v; D-CAPB Citation 560 Encore+ AIRPORT 6000. 29/10 D-CHIC Phenom 300. also 30th. 22/10 OE-FJB Citation 501 I/SP. 23/10 1/11 VQ-BFE 747-83Q(F) AirBridgeCargo. 2/11 OK-EAS Beech 400XP. 25/10 9H-QAP 737-8AS N707CK 747-4B5(BCF) Kalitta Air also 4th, 11th, Malta Air f/v. 26/10 TC-LLC 787-9 Turkish Airlines 17th, 19th; G-EZFY A319-111 easyJet for painting; 1/10 EC-NIR Metro 23 f/v, also 29th; f/v. 27/10 I-ADJN E195LR Air Dolomiti; 2-RBTS 1630 C-130H 16 Sqn, Royal Saudi AF. 4/11 VP- HB-ALM ATR 72-202/F Zimex Aviation; UR- CitationJet 525B CJ3; D-AEOT Legacy 600. BIG 747-46N(F) AirBridgeCargo; G-SWRD 737- CGW An-12BP Meridian; EC-HGI Citation 550 28/10 D-FUNC Cessna 208B; YU-SPC Citation 3L9 2Excel Aviation. 5/11 N745CK 747-446(BCF) II. 2/10 TF-BBH 737-4Y0(BDSF) 560XLS+. 29/10 I-ADJU E190LR Air Dolomiti; Kalitta Air. 6/11 TC-ACM 747-428(ERF) ACT f/v also 21st & 22nd. 4/10 9H-QBW 737-8AS UR-CSJ An-26B Eleron Aviation Company f/v. Cargo; TC-ACR 747-428(F) ACT Cargo; 1626 Malta Air f/v; D-IHKW CitationJet 525 CJ1+; 30/10 SE-LFS Fokker 50/F Amapola Flyg f/v; C-130H Royal Saudi AF. 7/11 LX-VCG 747-8R7(F) EC-MSS Citation 560XLS+; N73M Gulfstream S107/YV Xingu EAT00.319, French AF; F-HPUR & LX-GCL 747-467(F) Cargolux; A7-BGA 747- G550. 5/10 EI-NEU 787-9 Neos to STS Aviation Hawker 800XP. 31/10 N626JE Gulfstream V. 87U(F) Qatar Cargo; N220CY 767-383(ER)(BDSF) Services dep 9th; D-CJMK Citation 560XLS+. ABX Air/DHL also 13th. 8/11 VQ-BVR 747-867(F) 7/10 D-AJHW E190LR WDL Aviation f/v, also AirBridgeCargo; D-CKJM Citation 560XLS+. 9/11 11th; SP-RKK 737-8AS Buzz f/v; UR-CQV An-26B 2/10 SE-RIL Citation 560XLS dep 4th. 3/10 TC-MCD A300B4-605R(F) MNG Cargo. 10/11 Vulkan Air also 13th; D-ITAN CitationJet 525 CJ1; N670EE Praetor 600. 4/10 9H-ALL CitationJet G-EZIO A319-111 easyJet for painting; 9A-DWA OO-AMR CitationJet 525A CJ2+. 8/10 OK-LRB 525A CJ2 n/s. 5/10 D-CHIC Phenom 300; CitationJet C525A CJ2+; TC-MCZ A330-243F LET L-410UVP-E20C LR Airlines f/v; D-CAWB F-HERE Citation 510 Mustang; SE-RIZ Citation MNG Cargo; N708CK 747-4B5(BCF) Kalitta Air. Citation 680 Sovereign; OH-ZRH PC-12 also 560XLS. 8/10 C-FMBL Falcon 7X dep 10th. 10/10 11/11 TC-MCC A300B4-622R(F) MNG Cargo. 12/11 N401KZ 747-481F Kalitta Air; N774CK 777F Kalitta Air; TC-MCG A300B4-622R(F) MNG Cargo also 13th. 14/11 S5-ABO A300B4- 622R(F) MNG/Solinair. 15/11 VP-BBY 747-83Q(F) AirBridgeCargo; N709CK 747-4B5(BCF) also 18th. 16/11 A7-BFD 777-FDZ Qatar Cargo; EI- HEC A330-322(F) ASL Ireland/DHL also 22nd & 23rd. 19/11 OK-PVN PC-12 also 30th; N775CK 777F Kalitta Air/DHL f/v; OO-ACC CitationJet 525A CJ2+. 21/11 9H-VDO A320-214 Galistair Cessna 680A Latitude, 5A-DFN, stopped at Belfast on December 15 during for painting for Sunrise Airways. 22/11 VQ-BLR its delivery to Libyan Air Ambulance Colin Gordon 747-8HV(F) AirBridgeCargo. 23/11 ZM406 Atlas

68 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 C1 24/70 Sqns, RAF; D-CGGG Learjet 31A. 24/11 N701CK 747-4B5F Kalitta Air also 25th; D-AALQ 777F Aerologic f/v and first revenue flight; F-HTSB Citation CitationJet 525B CJ3. 25/11 PH-CJM Citation 680 Sovereign; 9H-MPW 737-484 Air Horizont also 27th. 26/11 N740CK 747-4H6(BCF) Kalitta Air; N774CK 777F Kalitta Air/DHL. 27/11 CS-DIY CitationJet 525B CJ3. 29/11 VQ-BGZ 747-8HV(F) AirBridgeCargo. 30/11 C-GRJP Astra SPX.

GATWICK AIRPORT GullivAir Airbus A330-200, LZ-ONE, visited Birmingham Airport on December 15. This Bulgarian carrier started operations in 2020 John Mason 1/11 OE-GDS Citation 560XLS+ f/v. 3/11 HA-KAN ATR 72-320F Fleet Air International f/v. 5/11 ZK331 Typhoon FGR4 2 Sqn, RAF o/s; HA-TVJ Air China f/v; TC-LGB A350-941 & TC-LJN 777F G-SAJL ERJ145EP Loganair f/v; N515JM Legacy Saab 340A Fleet Air International. 19/11 HB-FQW Turkish Airlines both f/v. 17/11 N220CY 767-383F 600 f/v. 13/11 N6CP Gulfstream G650ER f/v. PC-12 c/n 2056. 20/11 168850 P-8A USN, arrived ABX Air f/v; TC-JOZ A330-243F Turkish Airlines 20/11 G-JMCU 737-301(BDSF) West Atlantic UK for TDY. 21/11 166694 C-40A VR-56, USN. 23/11 f/v. 18/11 OE-LWB E195LR Austrian Airlines f/c; f/v. 21/11 MM62244 VC-900 Italian AF f/v. 30/11 KAF327 KC-130J 41 Sqn, Kuwait AF dep 25th; TC-LGA A350-941 Turkish Airlines f/v. 19/11 OO-FAE Falcon 7X 15 Wing, Belgian Defence - T-054 A330-MRTT MMF. 24/11 T-055 A330- B-8982 A330-243 Capital Airlines f/v; JA832J Air Component f/v. MRTT MMF; UR-ZYD An-124-100 Maximus 787-8 Japan Airlines f/v; TF-FXA Dash 8-Q402 Air Cargo. 25/11 HB-FQX PC-12 c/n 2057 on Air Connect f/v. 20/11 A6-ENY 777- GLASGOW PRESTWICK delivery; 164598/AX C-130T-30 USN VR-53 n/s, 31HER Emirates f/v; OE-LWO E195LR Austrian AIRPORT also 26th n/s; 910502 C-26D AOD Sigonella, Airlines f/v; VP-BCH 747-467F Sky Gates Airlines 1/11 165158/CW C-130T VR-54, USN n/s also USN n/s; 27/11 240/F-RARF A330-223 ET60, f/v. 21/11 A6-EPG 777-31HER Emirates f/v; OH- 21st-27th. 2/11 05-0409, 07-0838, 07-0840, French AF. 29/11 KAF343 C-17A 41 Sqn, Kuwait LKE E190LR f/v. 23/11 9H-NED A320- & 08-0790 U-28As 1st SOW, USAF; 16-5873/ AF; 144617 CC-144C 412 Sqn, RCAF. 30/11 HB- 251N Air Malta f/v; CN-GMT Gulfstream G450. LI HC-130J 102nd RQS, NY ANG escort for FQY PC-12 c/n 2058. 25/11 B-7185 777-31BER China Southern Airlines U-28As, all dep 10th; UR-GCW An-12BP f/v; HL7610 747-8F Korean Air f/v; OE-LWQ Meridian. 3/11 HA-KAO ATR 72-202(F) Fleet Air HEATHROW AIRPORT E195LR Austrian Airlines f/v. 27/11 A6-BMI 787-10 International; ZP802 Poseidon MRA1 54/120 1/11 SE-DYD A320-251N SAS f/v. 2/11 A7-BFE Etihad Airways f/v; JA830J 787-8 Japan Airlines Sqns, RAF o/s; N214GT Socata TB20 n/s. 4/11 777-FDZ & A7-BHB 787-9 Qatar Airways both f/v; f/v; N362CM 767-338(F) ABX Air f/v. 28/11 KAF342 C-17A 41 Sqn, Kuwait AF also 10th. 5/11 N100QS Global 5000 f/v; TC-LJR 777F Turkish B-1566 787-9 XiamenAir f/v. 29/11 B-1567 787-9 ZH002 Defender R2 651 Sqn, AAC o/s; ZH845 Airlines f/v. 3/11 A7-BHA & A7-BHC 787-9s Qatar XiamenAir f/v; JA831J 787-8 Japan Airlines Merlin HM2 814 NAS, RN; 6/11 14+06 Global Airways both f/v; PR-XTC A350-941 LATAM f/v; OE-LWE E195LR Austrian Airlines f/v. 30/11 6000 FBS, German AF o/s; HB-FQN PC-12 c/n Airlines f/v. 4/11 UP-B6703 767-332ER Sunday A7-BFQ 777-F Qatar Airways f/v; B-2763 787-8 2047; ZG998 Defender R2 651 Sqn, AAC o/s; Airlines f/v. 6/11 OE-LWA E195LR Austrian XiamenAir f/v; F-HZFM A320-216 Air France f/v; OY-VAY Challenger 605 also 23rd. 7/11 94- Airlines f/v. 7/11 OE-LWC E195LR Austrian Airlines OE-LWN E195LR Austrian Airlines f/v. 0316 & 94-0318 C-12Rs A/52nd Avn, US Army; f/v. 8/11 M-ISTY Gulfstream G280 f/v; OE-LWH TF-SIF Dash 8-Q314 Icelandic Coast Guard; E195LR Austrian Airlines f/v. 9/11 A7-BFT 777-F & LEEDS BRADFORD G-BLNI BN-2B-26 Air Alderney; 165349/JW A7-BHG 787-9s Qatar Airways f/v; D-AIJC A320- AIRPORT C-130T USN dep 8th, also 15th & 17th-19th; 271N Lufthansa f/v; OE-LWK E195LR Austrian 1/10 D-CTRL Learjet 35A; D-CASH Phenom N782SP DC-8-72CF Samaritan's Purse n/s also Airlines f/v; TC-LJL 777F Turkish Airlines f/v; 300. 2/10 F-HEMI CitationJet 525A CJ2+. 4/10 16th n/s. 8/11 98-0058 C-17A 62nd/446th AW, VP-BJJ 777-2Q8ER Nordwind Airlines f/v. 10/11 D-IZZY Avanti. 7/10 OO-VMF Citation 560XLS+; USAF dep 11th; N475LC Gulfstream IV(SP). 9/11 A7-ANQ A350-1041, A7-BFB 777-FDZ & A7-BHE ZM313 Prefect T1 3 FTS, RAF. 8/10 M-GFGC LX-NCL 747-4EVF(ER) Cargolux, retro colours. 787-9s Qatar Airways all f/vs; B-8361 A330-343E Avanti. 9/10 F-HJFP PC-12; D-CTWO Learjet 35A. 10/11 LY-MRN 737-36E(BDSF) Klas Air; 10-0215 China Southern Airlines f/v; SX-NAA A321-271NX 11/10 D-CGGG Learjet 31A. 12/10 ZM314 Prefect C-17A 437th/315th AW, USAF dep 14th; N797CX Aegean Airlines f/v. 11/11 A7-BHD 787-9 Qatar T1 3 FTS. 14/10 SP-AST CitationJet 525 CJ1. Citation 750 X also 18th; 14+04 Global 5000 Airways f/v. 12/11 B-7838 787-9 XiamenAir f/v; 15/10 M-SOZO Gulfstream G650. 16/10 ZZ173 FBS, German AF o/s also 17th o/s; G-OSRA ET-AYB A350-941 Ethiopian Airlines f/v; OE-LWD C-17A 24/99 Sqns, RAF o/s. 19/10 ZM405 Atlas 727-2S2F(A)(RE) 2Excel Aviation. 11/11 VT-AHI E195LR Austrian Airlines f/v; OH-LKH E190LR C1 24/70 Sqns, RAF o/s. 20/10 CS-GLG Global Global 6000; C-FIQT Dash 8-314 Voyageur Finnair f/v. 13/11 OE-LWF E195LR Austrian Airlines 6000 & CS-GLI Global 6500 NetJets Europe. Airways dep 12th; 169547 P-8A VP-9, USN, f/v. 14/11 A7-BHF 787-9 Qatar Airways f/v; VP- 22/10 ZM335 Phenom 100 45 Sqn, RAF o/s. based until 20th also 28th. 12/11 165831 C-40A BCV 747-4H6F Silk Way West Airlines f/v. 15/11 27/10 D-CNOC Citation 560XLS. 28/10 9H-YOU VR-59, USN, also 18th & 29th; F-HFRF Beech B-1356 787-9 XiamenAir f/v; B-2099 777-31BER Challenger 850; ZK330 Typhoon FGR4 29 Sqn, 200; 09-0639 MC-12W 185th SOS, Ok ANG China Southern Airlines f/v. 16/11 B-7879 787-9 RAF o/s. 29/10 CS-TFQ Learjet 45XR. n/s; 11-00285 MC-12S B/224th MIB, US Army n/s; 900530 C-26D AOD Sigonella, USN n/s; 169544 P-8A & 169548 P-8A VP-9, USN arrived for TDY. 13/11 14+05 Global 6000, FBS, German AF o/s also 20th o/s; 2-AERO ERJ135(LR) dep 15th; ZZ512 & ZZ521 Wildcat AH1s 847 NAS, RN; 05-5150/HH C-17A 535th AS, 15th WG, USAF n/s; 169546 P-8A VP-9, USN arrived for TDY; 90-1796 C-130H 180th AS, Mo ANG, n/s. 14/11 N789LL Beech 350ER USSOC n/s; 900528 C-26D AOD Naples, USN n/s; 9S-EAU Cessna 208 Mission Aviation Fellowship. 15/11 16/11 15002 CC-150 RCAF also 18th & 25th; 91-1232, 91-1233 C-130Hs USAF Kentucky ANG dep Airbus BelugaXL, F-WBXL, undertook several touch-and-goes at Newcastle International Airport 17th. 18/11 HB-FRV PC-12 c/n 2052 on delivery; on December 16 during a training flightKevin Manning

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 69 Manchester United FC from Istanbul; ZJ223 Apache AH1 656 Sqn, AAC o/s. 6/11 HA-TVJ Saab 340A Fleet Air International. 7/11 N814LL Global 5000 f/v; EC-LEB Global XRS f/v; D-ILWP CitationJet 525A CJ2+ f/v. 8/11 M-BELL PC-12 f/v. 10/11 RA-82079 An-124-100 Volga-Dnepr Airlines, Frankfurt Hahn diversion whilst en- route from Gander, dep 12th. 12/11 D-CDRF Learjet 35A f/v. 13/11 ZM337 Phenom 100 45 Sqn, RAF o/s. 15/11 N711LS Global 6000 f/v. 16/11 253 Casa 235M-100MPA 101 Sqn, Irish Sécurité Civile Beech 200 King Air, F-ZBFK, makes its fi nal approach to on Air Corps. 17/11 D-CMXM Phenom 300 f/v; December 4 Paul Phillips OE-FRS CitationJet 525A CJ2 f/v; ZZ383 Wildcat AH1 661 Sqn, AAC o/s. 18/11 D-CKJM Citation LONDON LUTON A319-111 easyJet dep to Luton after storage. 560XLS+ f/v. 19/11 ES-NSG Saab 340B(F) NyxAir AIRPORT 15/10 G-POWW A321-211(PCF) f/v. 20/11 2-FAST Avanti II f/v. 23/11 TC-JVE 737- 1/10 T7-LASM Global Express. 2/10 N670EE from Amsterdam for storage; ZM405 Atlas 8F2 Turkish Airlines, İstanbul Başakşehir to play Praetor 600. 6/10 CS-GLI Global 6500 NetJets C1 24/70 Sqns, RAF. 16/10 G-EZAJ A319-111 Manchester United FK in the Champions League. Europe. 8/10 N884SG Gulfstream G550. 9/10 easyJet from Gatwick for storage, dep to 25/11 TC-JVE 737-8F2 Turkish Airlines, taking P4-HBK Global 5000; N429DD Gulfstream IVSP. Luton 14/11; G-EZGO A319-111 easyJet dep to İstanbul Başakşehir FK home. 10/10 N202GA Gulfstream G280. 12/10 SX-DGB Gatwick after storage. 17/10 YU-HVZ SA341G A320-232 Aegean Airlines; OY-TCH A320-211 Gazelle f/v; D-HADW H145 f/v, also 22nd. 18/10 NORWICH AIRPORT . 13/10 PH-SFF PC-12; 9H-AMO N854BC Cirrus SR22GT n/s, f/v. 21/10 M-OJOM 1/11 F-GZHF 737-8HX Transavia France to Gulfstream G450; N600EB Gulfstream G600. Gulfstream G550 f/v; G-EZGI A319-111 easyJet KLM UK Engineering. 2/11 F-GZHK 737-8K2 14/10 D-CVAB PC-12. 15/10 283 PC-12NG 104 dep to Gatwick after storage. 22/10 D-CAAL Transavia France to KLM UK Engineering, dep

COMPILED BY CARL HOPE BY COMPILED AIRPORT MOVEMENTS Sqn, Irish Air Corps. 19/10 F-HGSA Legacy 600. Do.228-212 Arcus-Air. 23/10 G-EZBY A319- 21st; F-GZHZ 737-85P Transavia France to KLM 21/10 9H-SBK PC-24. 22/10 LX-PCF PC-24. 111 easyJet from Luton for storage; G-EZFR UK Engineering, dep 30th; F-HZDP A320-214 Air 23/10 CN-GMT Gulfstream G450. 24/10 N9527E A319-111 easyJet dep to Luton after storage. Corsica to Air Livery, dep 12th; G-LCYP E190SR Falcon 8X; OH-WIW Challenger 650. 25/10 25/10 M-TINK Falcon 8X f/v; G-EZTT A320-214 BA Cityfl yer to KLM UK Engineering. 3/11 2-DRDR N60SN Falcon 8X; F-HOSP BAe 1000B; EC-MCI easyJet from Luton for storage, dep to Luton Cirrus SF50 o/s. 4/11 CT-01 A400M 20 Sqn, 737-4Q8(SF) . 28/10 N823AM Hawker 13/11; YU-TBA Citation 560XLS+ f/v; G-EZFV Belgian Defence - Air Component o/s also 5th 800XP. 29/10 N403JS Gulfstream IVSP. A319-111 easyJet dep to Luton after storage. o/s; D-AFAA Challenger 604 dep after painting; 26/10 G-EZEH A319-111 easyJet from Luton for D-IAAR Phenom 100; PH-EUA AW139 CHC LONDON SOUTHEND storage; G-EZAV A319-111 easyJet dep to Luton Helicopters Netherlands based for operations, AIRPORT after storage; D-IGWT CitationJet 525A CJ2+. dep 24th; PH-SHP AW139 CHC Helicopters 1/10 D-CTIL Learjet 35A; D-CESA Citation 550 30/10 G-EZBZ A319-111 easyJet from Luton Netherlands dep after being based. 5/11 OE-FGB Bravo; G-EZBD A319-111 easyJet from Belfast for storage; G-EZDN A319-111easyJet from CitationJet 525A CJ2+. 6/11 CS-TSI A321-253NX for storage, dep to Luton 12th. 2/10 G-EZAN Gatwick for storage, dep to Luton 15/11; G-EZTJ Azores Airlines dep ex Air Livery. 8/11 D-IAAW A319-111 easyJet from Luton for storage, dep A320-214 easyJet dep to Luton after storage; Phenom 100. 9/11 F-GZHL 737-8K2 Transavia to Luton 23rd; G-EZEH A319-111 easyJet dep G-EZWH A320-214(SL) easyJet dep to Gatwick France to KLM UK Engineering, dep 21st; PH- to Luton after storage, returned 26th for further after storage; M-KNOX Citation 525M2. 31/10 HSJ 737-8K2 Transavia to KLM UK Engineering, storage. 5/10 G-EZTA A320-214 easyJet dep N2006M CitationJet 525B CJ3. dep 19th. 10/11 F-GTVC Beech 1900D Twin Jet to Malta after storage. 6/10 G-EZAO A319- n/s. 11/11 F-HTVI 737-8K2 Transavia France to 111 easyJet from Luton for storage, dep to MANCHESTER AIRPORT KLM UK Engineering; PH-BXT 737-9K2 KLM to Luton 6/11; G-EZAY A319-111 easyJet dep to 2/11 SX-DVG A320-232 Aegean, Olympiacos FC KLM UK Engineering; ZK375 Typhoon 41 Sqn, Luton after storage, returned 23rd for further to play Manchester City FC in the Champions RAF o/s; ZZ507 Shadow R1+ 14 Sqn, RAF. 12/11 storage. 8/10 G-EZAV A319-111 easyJet from League; 9H-OPE Global 6000 VistaJet f/v; F-HAHA Citation 510 Mustang; ZZ416 Shadow Luton for storage, dep to Luton 26th; G-EZTR ZK025 Hawk T2 25(F) Sqn, RAF o/s. 3/11 I-ADJO R1 14 Sqn, RAF o/s. 13/11 F-GZHM 737-8K2 A320-214 easyJet dep to Gatwick after storage. E195LR Air Dolomiti f/v, op for Lufthansa; VQ- Transavia France dep ex KLM UK Engineering. 10/10 OE-GPS Citation 550 II. 12/10 G-EZAB BFY A350-941 Aerofl ot f/v, taking Manchester 14/11 D-CMXM Phenom 300; EC-KRJ E195LR Air A319-111 easyJet from Gatwick for storage; United FC to play İstanbul Başakşehir FK in the Europa to KLM UK Engineering. 16/11 PH-EUK G-EZWJ A320-214(SL) easyJet from Luton for Champions League. 4/11 I-ADJN E195LR Air AW139 CHC Helicopters Netherlands. 17/11 LN- storage, dep to Madrid 30th; G-EZBJ A319- Dolomiti f/v, op for Lufthansa; LX-PCF PC-24 RRT 737-883 SAS to KLM UK Engineering; LN- 111 easyJet from Ljubljana for storage; G-EZIY f/v. 5/11 VQ-BFY A350-941 Aerofl ot, returning TUL 737-705 SAS dep ex KLM UK Engineering. 18/11 A9C-HWR RJ85 Bahrain Royal Flight dep ex KLM UK Engineering. 19/11 PH-XRD 737-7K2 Transavia to KLM UK Engineering. 20/11 D-AFUN Legacy 650. 21/11 F-GZHO 737-8K2 Transavia France to KLM UK Engineering. 24/11 PH-EUE AW139 CHC Helicopters Netherlands based for operations; PH-EUF AW139 CHC Helicopters Netherlands. 29/11 OO-VKB Beech A.36. 30/11 9H-WII Citation 650 VII; LN-RRE 737-85P SAS to KLM UK Engineering.

Cessna 650 Citation III, HA-JEV, taxiing at Airport on January 3 Rod Sayer Key: f/v fi rst visit; n/s nightstop; o/s overshoot.

With thanks to. D Apps, D Bougourd, S Boyd, J Brazier, N Burch, P A Clarke, I Cockerton, KW Ede, M Farley, N French, P Gibson, G Green, J Gregory, I Grierson, D Haines, M Harper, G Hocquard, S Lane, G Morris, S Morrison, R Roberts, RJ Sayer, A Smith, D Turner, Blackpool Aviation Society, Solent Aviation Society/‘Osprey’, South Wales Aviation Group, CIAN, GSAE, The Aviation Society, EGPE ATC, www.dtvmovements.co.uk, Aerodata Quantum Plus and RHADS.

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Aviation News Key Aero fp.indd 67 07/01/2021 16:23:24 Register Review The latest changes on the UK, Irish, and Guernsey registers

Embraer Praetor 600, G-FHFX, just prior to landing at Farnborough Airport. The aircraft is a new addition to the Flexjet fl eet AirTeamImages.com/Alex Peake BY STUART MCDIARMID STUART REVIEW BY REGISTER

RESTORATIONS G-CLWG 407B35 Pegasus Sport Aviation W6003 RW Street, Trustee of G-CLWG QuikR Syndicate, East Fortune, East REG’N MODE(S) TYPE C/N OWNER 0805-6972 Lothian G-BSUO 403341 Scheibe SF25C Falke 44501 I Mitchell, Trustee of Southwest G-CLWT 407B48 TLAC Sherwood Scout LAA SSA Withams, Trustee of 2000 Motorgliders, Dunkeswell, (built by P Bartlett, S Carr, Kingsmuir Group, Sorbie Farm, A Liggat & B Withams) Kingsmuir, Fife G-CGMC 40634C Embraer 135ER 145198 International Ltd, Humberside International, G-CLZZ 407B75 Magni M24C Orion Plus CR Lear, Holly Ditch Farm, Mile Lincolnshire (assembled by Magni Elm, Calne, Wiltshire Gyro Ltd) G-CIDI 406AF5 Embraer 190 19000616 Ravelin Jet Leasing 2 DAC, (stored Maastricht, Netherlands) G-EDWA 407B17 Agusta A109E Power 11010 CJ Edwards, Home Farm, Hinton Charterhouse, G-IROW 40427C VPM M-16 Tandem PFA G/12- Danelander Ltd, Rednal, Trainer (built by DR 1239 Shropshire G-EGHP 405CE4 Comco Ikarus C42 FB80 Airbourne Aviation Ltd, Bolsover) (assembled by Aerosport Popham, Hampshire Ltd) G-LFSB 402518 Piper PA-38-112 38- JD Burford, Pembrey, Tomahawk 78A0072 Carmarthenshire G-EXTC 407B59 Ronneberg Berkut LAA P Wyckaert, (Dentergem, Belgium) G-FCTY 407B43 de Havilland Canada 210248 Rayburn Properties Ltd, Audley DHC-1B-2-S5 Chipmunk End, Essex G-FHFX 407AE1 Embraer Praetor 600 Flexjet Ltd, Birmingham, West NEW REGISTRATIONS Midlands REG’N MODE(S) TYPE C/N OWNER G-FLXY 407B26 Piper PA-28-181 Archer Flexifl y Aircraft Hire Ltd, DX Fairoaks, Surrey G-CLNK 407A38 ATR-72-211 147 West Atlantic UK Ltd, , Warwickshire G-FOEW 407B5C M+R BM-77 (built by B BM77-04 B Mead, Trustee of Fields of Mead, N Musson & J Every When Flying Group, G-CLPI 407ABD Sikorsky S-92A 920092 Wilmington Trust SP Services Retallick) (Kettering, Northamptonshire) (Dublin) Ltd, (stored Rzeszow, Poland) G-FRSB 407B49 Dassault Falcon 20F-5 382 FR Aviation Ltd, trading as Cobham Aviation Services UK, G-CLPW 407ACA Cameron O-31 12410 CR Rawson, (Bristol, City of Bournemouth, Bristol) G-FTAC 407B3E Piper PA-28-161 Flying Time Ltd, Brighton City, G-CLTB 407B24 Airbus EC175B 5038 Babcock Mission Critical Warrior II West Sussex Services O shore Ltd, Aberdeen International, G-FTAD 407B3D Piper PA-28-161 Flying Time Ltd, Brighton City, Aberdeenshire Warrior II West Sussex G-GCCM 407B1C Bombardier Challenger 6087 Gama Aviation (UK) Ltd, G-CLTZ 407B2D Textron 3000 Texan T1 PM-137 Ministry of Defence, RAF Valley, 650 Farnborough, Hampshire Anglesey G-GMAF 407B44 Beech B200 King Air BB-1692 Gama Aviation (UK) Ltd, G-CLUA 407B2E Textron 3000 Texan T1 PM-144 Ministry of Defence, RAF Valley, Bournemouth, Dorset Anglesey G-IASC 401166 Beech 200 King Air BB-821 IAS Medical Ltd, Teesside G-CLUC 407B2F Textron 3000 Texan T1 PM-138 Ministry of Defence, RAF Valley, International, Co. Durham Anglesey G-JRZE 407AF0 Flylight SkyRanger Nynja 310-4 JRA Russell, Leicester, G-CLUF 407B30 Textron 3000 Texan T1 PM-139 Ministry of Defence, RAF Valley, Leicestershire Anglesey G-JUNR 407B4C Bölkow Bö208C Junior 597 S Allenby, A Mullin & G Semple, G-CLUU 407B41 UltraMagic H-65 65/230 AGA Barclay-Faulkner, (Hopton, Trustees of the 3 Amigos, Sta ordshire) Brighton City, West Sussex G-CLUW 407B50 Robinson R44 Raven I 2136 Startrade Heli GmbH & Co KG, Burbach, Germany G-JWPP 407B62 Aeropro EuroFOX 912(S) LAA J Padley, (Ruskington, Lincolnshire) G-CLUY 407B53 UltraMagic M-145 145/87 WC Wood, (Little Bromley, Essex) G-KARL 407B51 Guimbal Cabri G2 1144 Helicentre Aviation Ltd, Leicester, Leicestershire G-CLVA 407B3B Rolladen-Schneider 3084 J Franke, Lasham, Hampshire LS3-A G-KDRZ 407B12 Piper PA-28-181 Archer LX British European Aviation Ltd, Wycombe Air Park, G-CLVB 407B5D Cessna 172R Chalrey Ltd, Elstree, Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire G-KEMD 4066DE Westland SA341B Gazelle 1802 Excel Charter Ltd, Stapleford, G-CLVC 407B58 Schweizer 269D 0073A JBS Helicopters Ltd, Retford AH.Mk.1 Essex Gamston, Nottinghamshire G-KUBY 4077CF Piper PA-18-150 Super 18-3854 Propshop Ltd, Duxford, G-CLVF 407B67 Flylight Bivvybee DA188 Flylight Airsports Ltd, Sywell, Cub Cambridgeshire Northampton

72 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 G-LILE 407A5C Cessna 525 CitationJet Sovereign Business Jets Ltd, CJ1 Biggin Hill, Greater London G-MOEL 407AC2 Schempp-Hirth Arcus M 227 JP Roland & RB Witter, Lleweni Parc, Denbighshire G-NEWV 40713D Schempp-Hirth Ventus 020 TS DP Francis, Weston-on-the- 3T Green, Oxfordshire G-NFLB 407B4E SAAB SF340B 340B-458 Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire G-NHVB 407214 Agusta AW139 41354 NHV Helicopters Ltd, Norwich, Norfolk (NB) G-OCLV 407B71 Robinson R44 Clipper II 10498 Heli Air Ltd, Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire British Airways Boeing 777-300ER, G-STBN, taxies out for a test flight G-RASL 40296E Beech 76 Duchess ME-322 AJ Gomes, Redhill, Surrey from Paine Field. The airliner arrived at Heathrow on delivery on November 6 AirTeamImages.com/Dipankar Bhakta G-RAZE 407AD4 Bell 407GXi 54914 HC Services Ltd, (Tortola, British Virgin Islands) G-BKBV SOCATA TB10 Tobago 288 To Germany as D-EYAZ G-SJPC 407B5B Van’s RV-8 LAA JT Garrett, (Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire) G-BPFZ Cessna 152 152-85741 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (CofA G-STBN 407993 Boeing 777-300ER 66583 British Airways PLC, Heathrow, expired 03.04.15, details unknown) Middlesex G-BRFC Percival Sea Prince T1 P57-71 Cancelled as Permanently WFU G-TIAB 40541D Schleicher ASW-27 27188 DN Tew, Gransden Lodge, (No CofA or Permit to Fly issued, Cambridgeshire on display at South Wales Aviation G-TLMI 407B2B Robinson R66 Turbine 638 HQ Aviation Ltd, Denham, Museum, St. Athan) Buckinghamshire G-BRRB Luscombe 8E Silvaire 2611 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed on G-TTEA 407B3C Cirrus SR20 2351 A9 Leasing LLP, Coventry, Deluxe landing at Jericho Farm, Lambley, Warwickshire Nottinghamshire 19.12. 99) G-TUKG 4079A4 Boeing 737-8KN 29636 TUI Airways Ltd trading as TUI, G-BSUO Scheibe SF25C Falke 44501 Cancelled by CAA (but restored again Luton, Bedfordshire (NB) 2000 later in the month) G-VTEA 4077D3 Airbus A350-1041 426 Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd, G-BTPX Thunder AX9-90 S1 1873 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (CofA Heathrow, Middlesex expired 16.07.18) G-XCAP 407B39 Mudry CAP 232 33 DA Britten, Fairoaks, Surrey G-BUTT Cessna FA150K Aerobat 29 To Germany as D-EATU

G-ZIVA 407B47 Cirrus SR22T 1775 CR Barr, Exeter International, G-BVZY Mooney M20R Ovation 29-0045 To Republic of Ireland Devon EI-GRW TBA Piel CP301B Emeraude 117 DT Cross and J Todd, Kilrush, G-BWRS Stampe SV4C 437 To Belgium (modified) (built by Co. Kildare Ateliers Aeronautique G-BXVT Cameron O-77 1444 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (No Rousseau) UK CofA issued) EI-GSO TBA Boeing 737-8Q8 30704 Inishdawson Leasing Ltd, G-BYAY -204 28836 To USA as N28836 (stored Tallinn, Estonia) EI-GTH 4CAB58 Embraer 190 GY Aviation Lease 1707 Co. Ltd, G-BYNY Beech 76 Duchess ME-247 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (stored Warsaw Okecie, Poland) (Crashed at Dunkeswell, Devon EI-GTZ TBA Airbus A321-231 3636 Madeleine Leasing DAC, (stored 06.06.18) Woensdrecht, Netherlands) G-CBKK UltraMagic S-130 130/32 To USA EI-GUI 4CABE0 Robinson R44 Raven I 2625 Alchemist Aviation Ltd, (Dublin, Co. Dublin) G-CDND Gulfstream American GA7-0057 To Germany as D-GZSK M-ABNL 424B91 Embraer 190 CLC Aircraft Leasing (Shanghai) GA-7 Cougar Ltd, (for Myanmar Airways G-CFHP Comco Ikarus C42 FB80 0805-6972 Re-registered as G-EGHP International) G-CFMB P & M Quik GT450 8408 Cancelled as Permanently WFU M-ABNP 424B8E Airbus A320-214 4135 Osprey Aircraft Leasing Ltd (Permit to Fly expired 24.07.10) (Thirteen), (stored Istanbul Ataturk, Turkey) G-CFVA P & M Quik GT450 8441 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (No Permit to Fly issued) M-ABNS 424B9A Boeing 737-8F2 34405 Kotoku Kaiun Co. Ltd, (stored Indianapolis, USA) G-CHBR Westland SA341B Gazelle 1802 Re-registered as G-KEMD AH Mk.1 G-CIEK Flylight Dragonlite Fox DA111 Cancelled by CAA (Badly damaged CANCELLATIONS in forced landing at Moor Farm, Chickerell, Dorset 06.09.16) REG’N TYPE C/N REASON G-CIMH P & M Quik Lite 8706 G-CFMB

G-AVNZ Fournier RF4D 4030 To France G-CIRO Cessna F172H 449 To Germany

G-AWJX Zlin Z.526 1049 To Germany G-CIVF Boeing 747-436 25434 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (flew Cardiff to Newqua

G-AWYL CEA DR253B Regent 143 To France G-CIVY Boeing 747-436 28853 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (flew Heathrow to St Athan 08.10.20 for

G-AZBE Glos-Airtourer Super 150 A535 Cancelled as Destroyed (Crashed on G-CIVZ Boeing 747-436 28854 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (flew landing at Shotton Colliery, Peterlee, Cardiff to Newquay 18.10.20 Co. Durham 31.08.20) G-CJEB Schleicher ASW-24 24172 To Germany G-BDUN Piper PA-34-200T 34-7570163 Cancelled as Permanently WFU Seneca II (CofA expired 01.07.17, withdrawn at G-CKCN Schleicher ASW-27 27188 Re-registered G-TIAB Alderney due to corrosion) G-CKSK Pilatus B4-PC11AF 4 To Austria G-BFDO Piper PA-28R-201T 28R-7703212 To Hungary Turbo Cherokee Arrow III G-CLHR Britten-Norman BN- 2316 To Falkland Islands as VP-FMC G-BGFJ Jodel D9 Bebé PFA 1324 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed 2B-26 Islander on take-off from a private airstrip G-CLKI Airbus BK117D-2 20309 To Ministry of Defence as ZM496 at Kingstanding, near Ascott under Wychwood, Oxon 18.07.20) G-CLPM Robin DR400/180 1904 To France G-BJOV Cessna F150K 558 Cancelled as Destroyed (CofA current Regent to 20.09.21, details unknown) G-CLUW Robinson R44 Raven I 2136 To Austria as OE-XXK G-BJSV Piper PA-28-161 28-8016229 To Netherlands Warrior II G-CLVC Schweizer 269D 0073A To USA as N214MT

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 73 PREVIOUS IDENTITIES REG’N P.I. REG’N P.I. G-BSAX ex G-OLEZ G-KDRZ ex N8063Q G-CGMC ex 5N-BSN G-KEMD ex G-CHBR G-CIDI ex 4X-EMB G-KUBY ex D-ESMV G-CLNK ex EC-JQF G-LILE ex G-SOVI G-CLPI ex LN-ONV G-NEWV ex D-KEWV G-CLTB ex F-WJXO G-NFLB ex SE-LRF G-CLTZ ex N2786B G-NHVB ex G-SNSK G-CLUA ex N2811B G-OCLV ex OE-XDT G-CLUC ex N2789B G-RASL ex G-GCCL Maule MX-7-180 Star Rocket, G-WALY, has been re-registered as G-CLUF ex N2790B G-RAZE ex C-GHFP G-WAYY James Ronayne G-CLUW ex (D-HUND), RA-04353 G-TIAB ex G-CKCN G-CLUY ex OO-BCM G-TLMI ex PH-PVZ

G-DBDB VPM M16 Tandem Trainer PFA G/12-1239 Re-registered as G-IROW G-CLVA ex D-7879 G-TTEA ex N55557 G-CLVB ex PH-TTC G-TUKG ex A6-FDG G-DIGS Hughes 369HE 8790105E To France G-CLVC ex RP-C8456 G-VTEA ex F-WZNA G-EDWA ex 2-GIGI G-XCAP ex F-GXDB G-ECBI Schweizer 269C-1 282 To Australia G-EGHP ex G-CFHP G-ZIVA ex 2-ZIVA G-FCTY ex CF-CTY EI-GGR ex A7-ACQ G-EFFH Cessna T210L Turbo 21060616 To Germany Centurion G-FHFX ex PR-LBX EI-GRW ex G-AXXC G-EXLT Extra EA.300/LT LT004 To Netherlands as PH-ZWZ G-FLXY ex TF-IFH EI-GSO ex S2-AIJ BY STUART MCDIARMID STUART REVIEW BY REGISTER G-FRSB ex N459SB EI-GTH ex B-3206 G-FBKF Cessna 510 Citation 510-0360 To Switzerland as HB-VAL G-FTAC ex HB-PHV EI-GTZ ex 4R-ABR Mustang G-FTAD ex HB-PEY M-ABNL ex B-3205 G-FIFA Cessna 404 Titan 404- To Latvia G-GCCM ex OE-LDN M-ABNP ex 9K-ALE 0644 G-GMAF ex SE-LVU M-ABNS ex TC-JGG G-FLYM Comco Ikarus C42 0707-6903 Cancelled as Permanently WFU FB100 (crashed into trees at Castlewellan, G-IASC ex TF-MYV M-AKKA ex HB-JTJ Co. Down 29.05.17) G-IROW ex G-DBDB M-SKAL ex 9H-HFD G-JUNR ex D-EAMB M-VNES ex C-FMIO G-FXER Raytheon 400A (Nextant RK-310 To USA as N420FL 400XT conversion) G-KARL ex N117HA 2-MNKG ex 9M-NKG G-GCCL Beech 76 Duchess ME-322 Re-registered as G-RASL

G-HEVI Boeing 737-3M8 24020 To Congo G-MWES Rans S4 Coyote PFA 193-11737 Re-registered as G-PAJU

G-JMCZ Boeing 737-4K5 24126 To Spain as EC-NMJ G-MYGP Rans S6-ESD Coyote II PFA 204- To Poland 12368 G-KMLA Cirrus SR20 1763 G-NPTD Boeing 737-83N 32615 To Sweden as SE-RLM

G-KOVU Cessna FA150K Aerobat 81 To Spain G-NROY Piper PA-32RT-300 32R-7985070 Re-registered as G-FDDB Lance II G-KYTT Piper PA-18-150 Super 18-79090174 To Italy G-NTVE Beagle A.61 Terrier 3 B.626 Cub G-LBHA Pilatus PC-12/47E 1904 To Poland G-OARS Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP 172S11048

G-LSFU Piper PA-38-112 38-81A0037 Re-registered as G-LFSU G-OBAP Zenair CH.701SP STOL LAA 187A- Re-registered as G-WFIT Tomahawk II 15075 G-LUUP Pilatus B4-PC11AF 22 To Germany G-OCAK Bombardier Global 9339 To USA as N933JG Express XRS G-LXAA AeroSpool WT9 Dynamic 18003 To Republic of Ireland G-OESC Aquila AT01 AT01-199 To Austria as OE-ASC LSA Club G-MAXT Piper PA-28RT-201T 28R-8031102 To Italy G-OGGI Aviat A-1C-180 Husky 3211 To Netherlands as PH-DOG Turbo Arrow IV G-MAZS Bombardier Global 6000 9549 To USA as N468TN G-OLEZ Piper J3C-65 Cub 18432 Re-registered as G-BSAX

G-MBIZ Mainair Tri-Flyer 250/ 039-251181 (SSDR microlight, No Permit to Fly G-OZAM Piper PA-28-161 28-7816036 Re-registered as G-FTAB Hiway Vulcan Cancelled as required) Warrior II G-MFLE Robin HR200/120B Club 335 Re-registered as G-CROI G-RAYY Cirrus SR22 2921

G-MPAC Ultravia Pelican PL PFA 165- Cancelled by CAA (Crashed G-RNFR Bombardier Challenger 5983 To USA as N155AN 12944 on landing at Stoke Golding, 605 Leicestershire 30.08.20) G-RTEN Pipistrel Alpha BCAR-S AT1840001 Cancelled as Destroyed (Permit to Fly G-MRAG Cessna 182T Skylane 18282414 To France F-HHTT 184 expired 01.10.20, details unknown) G-SASS Airbus BK117D-2 20022 To France as F-HSIK G-MSES Cessna 150L 15072747 To G-SNSK Agusta AW139 41354 Re-registered as G-NHVB G-MTIM Mainair Gemini Flash IIA 553-687-5- Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly W341 expired 29.08.20, last noted being G-SOOM Glaser-Dirks DG-500M 5-E42M20 To Germany as D-KKOM roaded out of East Fortune 10.20)

G-MTLV Solar Wings Pegasus SW-WA-1218 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly G-SOVI Cessna 525 CitationJet 525-04298 Re-registered as G-LILI XL-R expired 11.05.15) CJ1 G-MVCF Mainair Gemini Flash IIA 673-788-6- Cancelled as Permanently WFU G-SUCK Cameron Z-105 10280 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (CofA W463 (Permit to Fly expired 07.07.17) expired 13.05.12) G-MVDF Thruster TST Mk.1 8078-TST-088 Cancelled by CAA (Badly damaged G-SXII Stemme S12 12-028 To Germany as D-KOVA when force-landed in a fi eld near

G-MVTD Whittaker MW6 PFA 164-11367 To Lithuania G-TBLY Eurocopter EC120B 1192 To France (modifi ed) Colibri

74 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 To advertise here please contact GEMMA GRAY CLASSIFIEDS Tel: 01780 663011 Ext. 153 Email: [email protected]

ENTHUSIASTS MILITARIA WANTED MILITARY AVIATION REVIEW COLOUR SLIDES/PHOTOS/ Movements and news from across the world of NEGS/PATCHES/TIMETABLES/ military aviation. Published every month in SAFETY CARDS, etc WANTED - print and digital formats. In depth coverage from the UK, Europe, TOP PRICES PAID - Contact the USA and Asia. Chris Tel: 0208 422 5899 www.militaryaviationreview.com Email:[email protected] Westfield Lodge, Aveland Way, Aslackby, Lincs, NG34 0HG, UNMADE PLASTIC KITS, bought and sold. All subject, all scales. Kingkit (AN) Unit 8, Halesfi eld 17, Telford, Shrops. TF7 4PF  Tel: 01952 586457 WEB DIRECTORY MARCH 2021 ISSUE TOP QUALITY Copy Deadline: Tuesday 26th January Colour Slides/Colour Photos/ B&W Photos On-Sale: Thursday 18th February Check out our website www.airphotographicinternational.com

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AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 75

_Classified_FEB_21.indd 77 08/01/2021 09:16:56 EI-FXG ATR-72-202 224 To Canada as C-FVDO

EI-FXH ATR-72-202 229 To Canada as C-FTMN

EI-FXJ ATR-72-202 292 To Canada as C-FTMY

EI-FXV Best O SkyRanger 16090219 To United Kingdom as G-CLSE Nynja912S(1) EI-GBF Boeing 737-8JP 39022 To Sweden as SE-RPX

EI-GFX Airbus A330-202 571 To Qatar as A7-ACP (subsequently restored as EI-GFX) EI-GGP Airbus A330-202 521 To Qatar as A7-ACR

EI-GGR Airbus A330-202 638 To Qatar as A7-ACQ (subsequently FedEx Express ATR 42-300 freighters, EI-FXA (pictured) and EI-FXE restored as EI-GGR) were fl own to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport for Swiftair (which EI-GIV ATR-72-212A 1056 To Estonia as ES-ATJ fl ies for the US company). After the two were stripped of useful spare parts to sustain Swiftair’s fl eet of the same type they were donated to EI-GSX Embraer 190 19000535 To United Kingdom as G-LCAD Spanish airport operator AENA and are being used to assist with fi re EI-GTF Embraer 190 19000539 To United Kingdom as G-LCAE service training at the airport José Ramón Valero EI-GTJ Airbus A320-232 4312 To Mexico as XA-VAI G-TLDK Piper PA-22-150 Tri- 22-4726 To Republic of Ireland Pacer EI-GTW Boeing 757-2G5 28112 Cancelled as Removed from Service G-TUKU Stemme S10-VT 11-126 To Germany as D-KAYD (to St Athan for parting out 17.09.20) BY STUART MCDIARMID STUART REVIEW BY REGISTER EI-IIN Bombardier Global 5000 9445 To Bermuda as VQ-BVA G-TURF Reims Cessna F406 20 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (CofA expired 20.01.20, last reported at East EI-RJI BAe Avro 146-RJ85 E2346 To USA as N377AC Midlands 11.19)

G-TVIJ CCF Harvard 4 CCF4-442 To Saudi Arabia EI-RJU BAe Avro 146-RJ85 E2367 To USA as N398AC

G-TYRO AutoGyro MTOSport RSUK/ Cancelled as Permanently WFU EI-SIA Airbus A320-251N 7897 To Sweden as SE-DYC MTOS/056 (Rolled over on landing at Ru orth East 27.05.20) EI-SIB Airbus A320-251N 7951 To Sweden as SE-DYD G-VAST Boeing 747-41R 28757 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (fl own Manchester to St. Athan 15.07.20 for EI-SIC Airbus A320-251N 7979 To Sweden as SE-DYM parting out) M-ABNH Embraer 190 19000529 To Myanmar as XY-ALO G-VOLA Hawker 800XP 258786 Re-registered as G-GDEJ

M-AKAL Bombardier Challenger 5520 To USA as N618CR G-VROM Boeing 747-443 32339 To USA as N481MC 604 M-EAGL Dassault Falcon 900EX 237 To France G-VROS Boeing 747-443 30885 To USA as N483MC

M-FALC Dassault Falcon 7X 138 To USA as N993SJ G-VZON ATR-72-212A 853 To France

M-FISH Gulfstream GV 506 Cancelled by Isle of Man Registry G-WALY Maule MX-7-180 Star 11028C Re-registered as G-WAYY (impounded at Basle, Switzerland Rocket 16.05.19 in connection with G-WARH Piper PA-28-161 Warrior 2842063 To Greece as SX-GAP smuggling 600lbs of cocaine from III Uruguay, subsequently fl own to G-WINX Tecnam P2010 48 To Russia Chino, CA (via Bangor, ME) 11.11.20 for parting out)

G-WIRG Embraer EMB-135BJ 14501184 Legacy 650 to USA as The rest of the cancellations will appear in the next issue. N1184U G-WZRD Eurocopter EC120B 1455 To Cyprus Key: NB – Nominal Base Colibri A place name in brackets relates to the owner’s address as where the aircraft is based is unknown. G-XHOT Cameron Z-105 10999 To Netherlands

G-XSCP Piper PA-46-600TP 4698108 To Russia PREVIOUS IDENTITIES M600 REG’N DETAILS EI-DAF Boeing 737-8AS 29939 To USA as N235GE G-ARUH Became D-EGKL 28.08.20 G-AXXC Became EI-GRW 12.11.20 EI-DAG Boeing 737-8AS 29940 To USA as N236GE G-BCBG Became D-IKMA 27.10.20 EI-DAJ Boeing 737-8AS 33548 To USA as N238GE G-BFPO Became D-ELPO 19.08.20 G-BYIR Became F-HYIR 03.11.20 EI-DAK Boeing 737-8AS 33717 To USA as N239GE G-DDUR Became D-1119 10.09.20 G-HEBB Became D-KAHE 01.10.20 EI-DIF Piper PA-31-350 Navajo 31-7752105 Cancelled as Removed from Service G-HETY Builder o cially changed to RA Cole, I McFarlane, J McLean, N Burke & J Tayler Chieftain (last reported stored at Eglinton, and Type to a EuroFOX 912(S) 26.11.20 County Londonderry 03.19) G-JOBS Became D-EGMJ 29.10.20 EI-FBU Airbus A330-322 120 Cancelled as Removed from Service G-KLNE Became F-HPHX 10.20 (stored at Teruel, Spain 12.19) G-LAVA Became ES-AUR 11.20 EI-FFW Boeing 737-85F 30477 To Malta as 9H-HLY G-MZHH Became 21ABI (French ultralight marks, cancelled to France 13.01.98) EI-FNU Boeing 737-86N 28608 To USA as N780BB G-OBEI Became D-EDET 29.10.20 G-OBLU Became I-C855 (cancelled as PWFU 27.10.16) EI-FXA ATR-42-300 282 Cancelled as Removed from Service G-PBII Type o cially changed to a DR107 One Design (Modifi ed) 13.11.20 (to Madrid Barajas 01.06.20 for parting G-SLMG Became F-CLMG (cancelled to Belgium 06.12.19, no OO- marks allocated & based out) at St Hubert, Belgium) EI-FXE ATR-42-300 327 Cancelled as Removed from Service G-VIKE Became D-EMSV 08.09.20 (to Madrid Barajas 12.07.20 for parting

76 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 077_AVN_Feb_21_ad.indd 1 06/01/2021 15:25:08 Mossies Over the Jungle 684 Sqn in the Far East From 1943, the de Havilland Mosquitos of 684 Squadron ranged far and wide over Southeast Asia, supplying the RAF with most of its strategic reconnaissance, as Tom Spencer describes

uring World War Two, the dearth All were fi tted with camera mountings Willis took Mosquito II DZ696 on a sortie of information about Japanese and began operations of the occupied to Rangoon where, fl ying at 27,000ft, they activities in occupied Burma territories immediately, with sorties to encountered some anti-aircraft fi re but D(now Myanmar) led to an urgent Rangoon (now Yangon) and the Andaman easily evaded two fi ghters. However, over requirement by the RAF in India for a long- Islands among the fi rst. The initial Rangoon on November 2, Fg O s Ernest range reconnaissance capability that only dedicated reconnaissance Mosquito PR.IX, Fielding and Robert Turton were not so the could safely fulfi l. LR440, was delivered on October 18, with fortunate when they were shot down and Thus, in August 1943, 681 Sqn based at Flt Lt McCulloch and Sgt Vigors fl ying killed in Mosquito II, DZ697. Dum Dum in Calcutta (now Kolkata) under its fi rst recce to Rangoon and Magwe in Wg Cdr S G ‘Bill’ Wise, received a handful central Burma three days later. A second RECCE TO BANGKOK of Mosquito IIs to trial the type for the PR.IX, LR463, arrived on October 23. Two days later, the crew of Mosquito IX, photo-reconnaissance role in the theatre. The following day, Flt Lts McCulloch HJ459/W, photographed the enemy supply A month later, on September 29, the and Reeves in LR440 returned to the routes from Moulmein (now Mawlamyine) Mosquito Flight was split o to form the Andamans, where some Nakajima Ki 43 to the Sittang River bridge. Japanese new 684 Sqn with a mix of two Mosquito ‘Oscar’ fi ghters failed to intercept the shipping and fl ying-boat movements in IIs and three Mk VIs alongside a handful of high-fl ying Mosquito over Port Blair. Later the Andaman Islands were constantly ex-Dutch B-25Cs. the same day, Flt Sgt Johnson and Sgt monitored too and, on December 9,

Carrying its prominent underwing long-range fuel tanks, Mosquito PR.XVI NS645/P sets o on another sortie in early 1945 Via G J Thomas

78 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 the squadron moved to Comilla in East Bengal to join 171 Wing. From there the CO, Sqn Ldr B S Jones, and Fg Off Dawson in Mosquito IX, LR463 flew the first reconnaissance sortie to Bangkok on December 15 that revealed new information on enemy ‘layback’ airfields and for which they each received the DFC. However, December was a bad month, with Flt Sgt Ray Woods and Fg Off Eugene Cotton being shot down over Rangoon in Mosquito II, DZ696/S. Then, on December 23, Fg Off Alex Orr and Flt Sgt Frank Johnson were lost when Mk VI, HJ760/J, suffered a structural failure and crashed near Feni. During December, Wg Cdr W B Murray assumed command. Under him, the pace Pictured circa August 1943, Mosquito II DZ697 became 684 Squadron’s first operational loss of activity increased into 1944 as further when it was shot down over Rangoon on November 2 S M Coates Mosquitos arrived. At the end of January, 684 Sqn returned to Dum Dum from where days later, Flt Lt Ken Newman with Flt Sgt Smith in PR.IX, LR445/R, flew a survey of it began some vital survey work to update R K Smith in MM295/C, one of the new the island of Great Nicobar. For this and mapping in Burma. PR.XVIs, made 684 Sqn’s longest flight thus previous long-range sorties, they received The Japanese were obviously aware far when they flew 1,860 miles to Bangkok the DFC and DFM respectively. of the presence of the high-flying and Hua Hin airfield on the Gulf of Siam. By the middle of the year the monsoon Mosquitos. Over Port Blair on February Monitoring activity on the Andaman and weather was causing significant problems 7, Wg Cdr Murray with Fg Off Hawson in also continued. and, in June, 81 of 110 planned recces LR440/V were engaged by a fighter and, Much of the squadron’s tasking was in were unsuccessful. on the same day, another Mosquito was support of the burgeoning Allied bombing intercepted over Bangkok and had to campaign in Burma, particularly of the AERIAL SURVEYS abandon the sortie. Later in the month, infamous railway. The most important In early August, a detachment went to two further sorties were intercepted, bridge was that over the Sittang River and, Yelahanka near Bangalore in southern India though again without damage. on April 4, Sgt Cocks and Flt Sgt Smith to conduct aerial survey work. Another During February, nine pressurised in NS497/J discovered that repairs had went to China Bay, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), PR.IXs arrived, allowing the Mk VIs to be been completed and that there was once to undertake the reconnaissance retired. The higher ceiling of the new again a direct line between Martaban and of northern Sumatra and adjacent islands. variant meant there was less chance of Rangoon. The bridge was bombed a few Operations from Ceylon began on August interception. However, the shortage of days later. Other notable tasks during April 15 by Mosquito IX, LR467/R, on a recce spares greatly reduced availability. included photographing the Japanese of Nancowry and Sabang Islands. On Nonetheless, recce operations continued bases at Khon Khaen in central Siam and the 23rd, Sabang and were and, on March 22, Flt Lt Sinclair and Fg Vientiane in Laos. covered. Two days later, the crew of Off Stocks made the first RAF flight over In early June, 684 Sqn moved to Alipore, PR.XVI MM228/D flew an 8hr 45min sortie Malaya since the fall of Singapore. Five from where Flt Lt Newman and Flt Sgt to Sabang and along the west coast of

Ground crew change the starboard engine of Mosquito PR.XVI NS645/P at Alipore, West Bengal, in 1945. All-silver MM367/U is behind 684 Sqn Records

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 79 November 20, it was reduced to four airworthy PR.IXs. Despite this, 33 sorties were flown that month. The New Year of 1945 opened with a long-range survey of Phuket Island off southern Siam, flown by Sqn Ldr Newman with Flt Sgt Williams in NS622/X. As more new or reconditioned Mosquitos were delivered, 684 Sqn soon had a dozen available for operations. The continuing requirement for up-to-date maps of various areas meant a steady flow of missions. To expand coverage of Sumatra, One of the handful of camera-fitted Mosquito VIs that were used as interim equipment by 684 Squadron, show here taxiing at Dum Dum in northeastern India in late 1943 Via G J Thomas aircraft were positioned to Cox’s Bazar in Burma (now part of Bangladesh) the day before the sortie to take advantage of the better weather found in the early morning. During January, the squadron’s activity had increased to 73 sorties covering a wide area and with the arrival of the last of the reconditioned Mosquitos during February, the detachment at China Bay was able to resume operations. Its first successful sortie was flown on January 15, by Flt Lt Lovelock and Flt Sgt Lewin in NS298/K, covering five airfields on Sumatra. The day before, Wg Cdr Lowry and Flt Lt Stevens in NS622/X flew the first in a series of low- level sorties over the Burma-Siam railway from Alipore. By the end of the month, the squadron was back up to the full strength of 22 Mosquitos, three of which were at China Bay.

MONSOON HAZARDS Above: An F.52 reconnaissance survey camera with a 20in lens is loaded into one of 684 Once again, the approaching monsoon Squadron’s Mosquito PR.XVIs in readiness for a mission R C B Ashworth and build-up of tropical storms over the caused many problems. Below: The tail of 684 Sqn Mosquito PR.XVI NS787/M lifts as it takes off from Alipore on Flt Lt Irvine and Flt Sgt Bannister had to another reconnaissance sortie over Burma during April 1945 G J Thomas fly through one storm on March 10 to Sumatra to the harbour at Sibolga; this was anti-aircraft fire and was lucky to escape photograph potential landing beaches on the longest Mosquito sortie flown up to unscathed. After a break for bad weather Phuket Island during a nine-hour sortie. that time. A further lengthy sortie to the in mid-September, the China Bay element During April, the weather made missions area the next day discovered a previously surveyed targets in Sumatra and these increasingly hazardous, with Flt Lt unknown airfield at Padang Tidji near Sigli. flights continued into October. Stoneham and Fg Off Burns in NS646/I The onset of the monsoon saw During November, Wg Cdr William having a narrow escape on the 22nd during increasingly adverse conditions Lowry took command just as 684 Sqn a sortie to Victoria Point. On the same encountered by crews but, despite this, at was grounded. This followed several day, a crew was lost in bad weather on a the end of August Sqn Ldr Ken Newman unexplained Mosquito crashes in India, flight to Nancowry Island, a few days after in PR.XVI, NS622/Y, covered a section of after which defects in the wing structure Warrant Officers John Preston and Syd the Burma-Siam railway. Having had to were discovered. Seven of the squadron’s Plater were killed in similar circumstances. descend to 2,000ft, he came under heavy aircraft had to be sent for repair and, by Operation Dracula, the seaborne assault

80 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 Above: Resplendent in its medium grey and PRU-blue camouflage with two-tone SEAC roundels, Mosquito PR.XVI, RG140, is caught during a sortie in mid-1945 684 Sqn Records

Right: Flt Lt Cliff Andrews DFC prepares to enter the small cockpit access hatch of a Mosquito for a recce sortie in April 1945 RNZAF

Below right: Sqn Ldr Newman taxies the first Mosquito PR.34 for the squadron upon arriving in Karachi on June 1, 1945, at the end of the record-breaking 12hr 45min flight from Britain 684 Sqn Records to capture Rangoon, went ahead on May 2, but due to an inter-tropical weather front of particular severity, the squadron was unable to provide the immediate recce support required. Gradually, the weather improved and, by the end of May, 684 Sqn was sending up to three sorties a day as far as Bangkok, Phuket Island and ‘the railway’. May also saw the withdrawal of the last Mosquito IX and, on June 1, Sqn Ldr K J Newman and WO R K Smith delivered the squadron’s first very long-range Mosquito PR.34 to Karachi in a record-breaking 12hr 45min flight from the UK. By the end of the month, 684’s Mosquitos were regularly flying deep into Siam using Kyaukpyu on Ramree Island off the Burma coast as an advanced base. Much of the operational flying was being accomplished from the No 1 Detachment at China Bay, which continued its coverage of the islands. This detachment received four of the new PR.34s but, on May 29, these moved to form a No 2 Detachment on the recently completed airfield on Cocos Island. This now gave the squadron a secure base within easy range of its main areas of interest. The CO and Flt Sgt Bateman flew the first mission from Cocos on July 3, using PR.34 RG185/Z to photograph Port Swettenham near Kuala Lumpur. This was repeated the following day when Newman and Smith also recce’d northern Sumatra on the return flight. On another sortie, Flt Lt D Warwick and Fg Off G Jowles in RG184/X discovered a new airfield at Pakan Baroe in central

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 81 Sumatra. The Cocos detachment then Mingaladon near Rangoon as the squadron fl ew daily sorties over western Malaya in ‘The unexpected expanded its recces to cover large areas of preparation for the planned invasion, while Japanese surrender French Indochina. On September 1, a sortie the No 1 Detachment covered Car Nicobar photographed the airfi elds at Hanoi and and other islands in the Bay of Bengal. after the dropping Saigon in Vietnam, while the Cambodian During July, No.684 established No 3 capital of Phnom Penh was surveyed Detachment at Chittagong, but because of of the atomic the next day. These sorties were for the tropical storms only one successful sortie reoccupation of Indochina by France. was mounted from Bengal that month. bombs in mid- In Singapore on September 12, Gen Itazaki, commander of the Southern JAPANESE SURRENDER August increased Area, formally surrendered all Japanese Most of the work was fl own by the Cocos the squadron’s forces to Vice Admiral Louis Mountbatten, detachment that now comprised seven bringing the war in Southeast Asia to an PR.34s, and few sorties were mounted workload’ end. The squadron remained operational, from Alipore. The unexpected Japanese supporting French forces as they returned surrender after the dropping of the atomic from Cocos, an aircraft photographed to Indochina and the Dutch into the bombs during mid-August increased the Singapore on August 31, but developed East Indies, as well as conducting survey squadron’s workload as information on an engine fault so the crew decided to work in Malaya. These fl ights continued PoW camps and Japanese dispositions land at Kallang airfi eld on Singapore rather until September 1946, when 684 was was urgently required. On August 20, Flt Lt than risk the long overwater return to renumbered as 81 Sqn, although its Manners and W/O Burley fl ying RG210/J Cocos. The Japanese greeted the crew Mosquitos remained on operations photographed Penang and Taiping in courteously as the fi rst Britons to arrive against Communist terrorists during the northern Malaya. The Sumatran oilfi elds at in Singapore since the surrender. By then, Malayan Emergency, until they were fi nally Palembang where also reconnoitred. Flying the Ceylon detachment had moved to withdrawn in December 1955.

From June 1945, 684 Squadron’s busiest element was based on Cocos Island, where Mosquito PR.34, RG203/E is shown being readied for a sortie over Malaya Via G J Thomas

The next issue is a Classic Jetliners special and will be on sale on February 18, 2021* *UK scheduled on-sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.

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82 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2021 La_Jetee_FP.indd 1 21/12/2020 10:41:44 Hunter_FP.indd 1 19/10/2020 14:04:42