Gazelle soldiers on...
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
Entering service on 6th July 1974, the Westland Gazelle seems to have been around forever. The 'Whistling Chicken-leg' as it's fondly nicknamed, has seen service with all three military air arms in the UK as well as the Test Pilot School and even the Royal Flight. With the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Gazelles confined to training, Army Air Corps Gazelles were the only ones deployed overseas in combat operations. The latest military review 'Defence in a Competitive Age' released in March this year however, slated Gazelle to be replaced by the New Medium Helicopter (NMH).
Puma 50 Years
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
For any aircraft, reaching 50 years is a massive achievement. This usually means the designers got it right the first time round and created an irreplaceable aircraft not even modern technology can replace. These include the legendary C-130 Hercules, B-52 Stratofortress, C-5 Galaxy, U-2 Dragonlady and the F-4 Phantom… all ‘A-list’ aeroplanes that have many battle honours to their name. However, far fewer helicopters have reached 50 years of service - and in the UK in particular, the infamous Sea King has been the only rotary winged aircraft to reach the big 50. Not even the Westland Lynx, the workhorse of the Army and Navy was able to reach 50 years.
This year however, the Puma celebrates it’s 50 years of service as it nears retirement.
Kamov KA-32 visits the UK
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
Using helicopters for heaving lifting is a lucrative market and many companies around the world use big ex-military airframes for a variety of jobs including fire fighting, load lifting, ski lift building, electricity pylon work and even cherry drying. Helicopters are perfect for those jobs, but in the UK there is barely any demand for any single one of them.
So when the UK’s tallest free-standing structure, a huge 1,084ft (330m) TV transmitter on Emley Moor, Yorkshire needs a complete upgrade, a heavy lifting helicopter is the only way to do it.
Queen of the Skies bows out
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
The 16th of July. A day a lot of people were hoping wouldn’t be coming so soon. But the COVID-19 pandemic was unfortunately the final nail in the coffin for British Airway’s 747 fleet when staff were sent an email detailing the ‘immediate retirement’ of the type from service.
100 years of 230 Squadron
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
230 Squadron was formed towards the end of World War I on 20th August 1918 at Felixstowe, made up of three Flights. 327 and 328 Flights flew Felixstowe F2 and F2A 'flying boats' and Fairey III's in the maritime reconnaissance role.
Great Western Air Ambulance upgrade to EC135
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
Great Western Air Ambulance is the newest HEMS outfit in the United Kingdom, beginning missions in June 2008. Before then, the area was covered by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance/Police’s MD902 Explorer. GWAA initially began operations with a Eurocopter EC135 +T2 registered G-SPHU, which previously operated with Strathclyde Police Air Support Unit.
BHELTRA V: Spain's Chinooks
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
Batallón de Helicópteros de Transporte V (BHELTRA V) is the biggest aircraft battalion of FAMET, currently operating 17 CH-47D Chinooks based at Coronel Mate airbase in Colmenar Viejo.
144th Fighter Wing
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
The 144th Fighter Wing’s role is to defend California against air threats using its 21 F-15C and D Eagles and also to support America’s counter-drug programme with its single C-26A Metroliner, all of which fly out of Fresno Air National Guard Base situated at Fresno International Airport.
771 NAS Disbands
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
If you have been to Cornwall on holiday, the chances are you would have seen 771 Naval Air Squadron’s unmissable red and grey Sea King HU5’s flying along the coastline.
They have become part of the furniture in Cornwall and it was no surprise to see so much support for them during the Squadron’s wind-down.
I spent their final 6 years of operations, covering their work and seeing how they kept their skills for rescuing people so sharp.
End of RAF SAR
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
On the 4th October 2015, Royal Air Force Search and Rescue finally came to an end after more than 74 years of continuous SAR cover. At 1300hrs the final SAR flight to stand down, ‘A Flight’ of 22 Squadron based at RMB Chivenor, handed over to the new Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) unit based at St Athan in Wales. It was to be a symbolic day that proved just how important SAR is, with the RAF Sea King being scrambled on it’s last day and it’s successor being called upon almost immediately after assuming SAR responsibility.
UK's Upgraded Helicopters
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
The Ministry of Defence has showcased its fleet of newly upgraded helicopters at an event at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. Over the last 12 months, Puma HC2, Merlin HM2, Chinook HC6, and Wildcat AH1 and HMA2 have all been certified ready for operational duties.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance
- Category: Aircraft In Focus
Wiltshire’s Air Ambulance was the result of an agreement in 1990 between Wiltshire Police and the Great Western Ambulance Service as a way for medical assistance to come faster in rural areas by sharing a helicopter. The annual operating cost of £1.5 Million was provided by 66% of funding by Wiltshire Police and 33% by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust. This 33% worked out to be around £700,000 required each year which came completely from public donations.
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