Aviation News - April 2018 UK

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EUROJET_FP.indd 1 1 09.02.2018 12:56:35
13/02/2018 12:41
CONTENTS
p62
FEATURES p16 REGULARS

20 Liverpool Airport: On the Up 04 Headlines
Liverpool Airport is working ‘Eight Days a Week’ to boost
passenger numbers, as Martyn Cartledge discovered. 06 Military News
26 German Fulcrums: Flying for Both 10 Civil News
Sides – Part 2
Doug Gordon assesses how the West used the Russian 16 Preservation News
fighter for training.
32 Aerospace Bristol: Honouring 31 Flight Bag

Innovation 54 Room with a View
Bristol is a name synonymous with a large part of
Britain’s aviation history and now the story is being told 68 Air Base Movements
on one site, as Adrian M Balch outlines.
70 Airport Movements
36 Career of a King Cobra
Air Cdre John Mitchell (ret’d), flew more than 1,400 74 Register Review
hours on Lightnings. He talks with Dr Kevin Wright p26
about his experiences on this remarkable aircraft.
42 30 Years of Lightning Thunder

Enthusiasts delight in seeing two of the Lightning
p54
SUBSCRIBE
Preservation Group’s jets thundering down the
Bruntingthorpe runway. Hugh Trevor details the work of
AND SAVE!
the organisation that pays tribute to this charismatic fighter. A subscription to Aviation News
offers great savings on cover price.
48 Gone But Not Forgotten
Aviation News charts the units that operated the amazing See pages 18 and 19 for details.
English Electric Lightning fighter in RAF service.
56 Gulf Air: Bouncing Back

Gulf Air is no longer the biggest carrier in the Middle For the latest news and updates from the
East, but can proudly claim to be one of the oldest in the Editorial team, why not find us on your
region. Jozef Mols investigates the airline’s evolution. favourite social media platform?
search Aviation search
62 USAF E-3 Sentry: Eye in the Sky News Magazine @AvNewsMag
Tom Kaminski profiles the heart of the USAF’s airpower
– Boeing’s E-3 Sentry. p78
78 Grumman’s Limousine of the Air Cover photos (main image): LPG Lightning F.3 XR713 in 56 Sqn markings appropriate
The Gulfstream I pioneered corporate flying as it is to 1965. Hugh Trevor. Inset (bottom left): A Gulf Air Airbus A330-200. AirTeamImages.
known today. Charles Woodley details its development com/Steve Flint. Inset (bottom right): British Airways Concorde, G-BOAF, on display at
and career. Aerospace Bristol. Adrian M Balch
Copies of Aviation News incorporating Jets can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of difficulty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in the USA may place subscriptions by visiting www.aviation-news.co.uk or by calling
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www.aviation-news.co.uk 3
03_contentsDC.mf.indd 3 02/03/2018 15:00

First A350-1000 Delivered
HEADLINES
The first A350-1000 flying

alongside an A350-900.
(c) Airbus 2018 – P
Masclet/master films
Airbus handed over its first A350-1000 to Just over a week later, on February 28, The aircraft will then embark on a short
launch customer Qatar Airways at a special Airbus rolled the first Ultra Long Range flight test programme to certify the changes
event in Toulouse, France, on February 20. version of the A350 XWB off its final over the standard A350-900 that will bring
The aircraft, registration A7-ANA, was flown assembly line in Toulouse. The latest variant the additional range capability. These
to Qatar Airways’ home at Doha the following of the A350 XWB Family will enter service include a modified fuel system that increases
day. with launch operator Singapore Airlines later carrying capacity by 24,000 litres, without
The Middle East-based operator, which this year. the need for additional tanks. The test phase
has ordered 39 A350-900s and 37 A350- Altogether, Singapore Airlines has will also measure enhanced performance
1000s, will benefit from the significant ordered seven A350-900 Ultra Long Range derived from aerodynamic improvements,
commonality between the two aircraft aircraft, which it will use on non-stop flights including extended winglets.
types that share 95% of system parts and between Singapore and the US, including To date, Airbus has a total of 854 firm
the same type rating, allowing airlines to the world’s longest commercial service orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers
efficiently operate both A350 XWB variants. between Singapore and New York. worldwide.
The A350-1000’s fuselage is 23ft (7m) Following completion of the airframe Singapore Airlines is one of the largest
longer than its smaller brethren, providing assembly, the first aircraft (construction buyers of the A350 XWB family, having
greater capacity – 40 more seats in a typical number 216) has now moved to an outdoor ordered a total of 67 A350-900s, including
three-class cabin configuration. The A350- station where it will undergo extensive the seven Ultra Long Range models. The
1000 has the new Qsuite seats, offering ground tests, prior to installation of its Rolls- carrier has already taken delivery of 21
double beds in business class. Royce Trent XWB engines. A350-900s.
Turkey’s Hürkus-B Makes Progress

The Hürkus-B prototype on the move at
Ankara on January 29. TAI
LiteHUD lightweight head-up display in the
front cockpit and Martin-Baker’s Mk.T16N
ejection seats.
Ankara has ordered 15 examples for the
Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force),
with options on a further 40.
TAI President and Chief Executive
Officer Dr Temel Kotil said: “Hürkus-B is
100kg lighter, faster, more modern and
stronger than Hürkus-A. This version has
a more stable and comprehensive design.”
Hürkus-A is a civilian aircraft, but Hürkus-B
Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Hürkus-B some 90 hours of trials work to assess its was built specifically for the armed forces.
prototype 17-101 made a successful first flight engine, avionics and flight characteristics. Another version, the Hürkus-C, is being
from the company’s Ankara facility on January Hürkus-B is fitted with full multifunction developed for use as a military counter-
29. The initial air test signalled the start of glass cockpit displays, BAE Systems’ insurgency platform.
4 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018
04-05_headline_newsDC.mfDC.indd 4 02/03/2018 14:29

T-6Cs Arrive at RAF Valley
A milestone was reached at RAF Valley,
Wales, on February 16, with the arrival of
two new training aircraft. The pair of US-built
T-6C Texan II advanced turboprops are part
of a planned fleet of ten that is set to deliver
Basic Flying Training (BFT) at Valley for RAF
and Royal Navy pilots from 2019.
Their arrival represents a further
development in the delivery of the UK
Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS),
the partnership between the UK Ministry of
Defence and Ascent Flight Training Ltd.
RAF Valley Station Commander, Gp
Texan II, N2843B, shortly after arriving at RAF Valley with N2770B. UK MOD Crown Copyright
Capt Nick Tucker-Lowe speaking shortly 2018/Cpl Peter Devine RAF Photographer
after the aircraft had touched down, said:
“Today marks the arrival of the first Texan pilots from 2019 onwards. I am delighted class lead-in aircraft to prepare them for
T-6C aircraft which will enhance the MoD’s that RAF Valley will be the home of Basic their advanced jet training on our existing
basic flying training provision for the next Flying Training and that the Texan T-6C fleet fleet of Hawk T2s, which are already
generation of RAF and Royal Navy fighter will offer our trainee fighter pilots a first- operating here.”
Saab Reveals GlobalEye

Saab unveiled its first GlobalEye Airborne
Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft
at its Linköping site, Sweden, on February
23. GlobalEye is an advanced, swing-role
airborne surveillance system based on a
Bombardier Global 6000 jet.
This first aircraft is equipped for ground
and flight trials to gather aerodynamic data.
The development and production contract
was awarded at the Dubai Air Show in
November 2015 by the United Arab Emirates
with an initial order for two machines. An
additional order by the UAE for a third was
announced in 2017.
Saab’s first GlobalEye AEW&C Global 6000 at
Linköping on February 23. Saab
Boeing Debuts MAX 7

Boeing’s first 737 MAX 7 was rolled out at
Renton, Washington State, on February 5.
The new model is the third and latest member
of the company’s 737 MAX family, with
technology improvements that enable it to fly
1,000nm (1,852km) farther and carry more
passengers than its predecessor, the 737-700,
while having a claimed 18% lower fuel costs
per seat.
The first example, registration N7021S,
will now undergo system checks, fuelling
and engine runs on the flight line in Renton.
The jetliner, the first of two MAX 7 flight test
machines, will begin its flight testing programme
in the coming weeks. The 737 MAX 7 is
The first Boeing 737 MAX 7, N7021S, after being rolled out at Renton on February 5. Boeing
scheduled to enter service in 2019, following
delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines. requirements in place and are moving The variant has a stretched fuselage that is
Boeing has also finalised the configuration towards the detailed design phase prior to the 66in (168cm) longer than the MAX 9 and will
of the fourth member of the MAX family, the start of construction of what will be the largest carry up to 230 passengers. First deliveries
MAX 10. Engineers now have the design member of the company’s single-aisle family. are expected to commence in 2020.
PHOTOS, NEWS STORIES AND ARTICLES

In order to give the best coverage possible, Aviation News is looking for additional contributors. So if you have photos, news stories or articles of
modern or historical civil and military aviation subjects we would like to hear from you. Please contact the Editor at [email protected]
04-05_headline_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 5 02/03/2018 15:45

MILITARY NEWS
USAF Outlines Plans for Bomber Force
The USAF’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget The B-52H is due to continue in service after its platforms it would have swelled to
request, announced as part of the wider US the B-1B and B-2A are retired. USAF/Tech. 257 aircraft, which the USAF says is
Sgt. Richard Ebensberger
defence budget on February 12, calls for unsupportable.
$156bn out of an overall presidential budget The new budget also requests funding Retiring the B-1 and B-2 will also
request for $686bn – a 5% real growth over to upgrade the B-52H fleet, a decision that reportedly save sufficient funds to cover
the initial FY 2018 budget – reversing a appears to have been based on mission- the cost of base infrastructure upgrades to
seven-year decline in defence spending. capable rates, maintenance costs and accommodate the B-21.
Dr Heather Wilson, Secretary of the Air spares supply chains – the B-52 being The new plan means the USAF will man
Force, says the request is aligned with the cheaper to keep operational than its the B-21 squadrons with personnel from
National Defense Strategy, prioritising long- stablemates. the B-1 and B-2 communities as they are
term competition with China and Russia, The type also has the advantage of retired, although the bomber force will grow
and aims to restore the readiness of the being able to carry a versatile payload and overall from the current 157 aircraft to at
force and increase lethality while cost- can carry the new Long-Range Standoff least 175.
effectively modernising the service. cruise missile. Around 75 B-52s will remain The FY19 also request funds for 1.5
Under the plans, the USAF is set to in service until at least 2050, with a $22bn million flying hours at a cost of $8.7bn and
retire its B-1B Lancer and B-2A Spirit package of upgrades including new engines. supports the purchase of 48 F-35A Lightning
aircraft as the new Northrop Grumman B-21 The draft plan says the B-2 will be II fast jets, 15 KC-46 Pegasus tankers and
Raider enters service. The B-1s and B-2s retired “no later than 2032” and the B-1 continued development of the B-21 Raider.
were previously expected to remain in the “no later than 2036”. If Air Force Global It also funds the T-X trainer programme and
inventory until 2040 and 2058 respectively. Strike Command (AFGSC) retained all replacing UH-1N helicopters.
Light-attack Experiment Continues

It was announced by the USAF that another July this year at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, sensor issues, training syllabus validity,
round of light-attack aircraft evaluations after rejecting the Textron AirLand Scorpion. networking and future interoperability with
will take place, following the first phase L-3’s Longsword light attack aircraft has partner forces. The first round was observed
last August. This will further evaluate the apparently also been ruled out by the air force. by five international partners and the USAF
Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine and the Sierra The new tests will study logistics and plans to invite more overseas partners to the
Nevada A-29 Super Tucano between May and maintenance requirements, weapons and second phase.
First Singapore North Carolina

A330 MRTT ANG Retires
the Herc
Lockheed C-130H-3 Hercules 93-
1561, the last of the type in service
with the North Carolina Air National
Guard/145th Airlift Wing’s (AW) 156th
Airlift Squadron (AS), has left the unit.
It departed from its base at
Charlotte Douglas International
Airport on December 18, destined for
The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s first A330 MRTT tanker. Ashley French
Savannah, Georgia, where it joined
the Georgia ANG’s 165th AW/158th
The first of six new Airbus A330 MRTT to be unveiled at a special event in Singapore AS.
tankers for the Republic of Singapore Air on September 1. The order had previously The North Carolina ANG had
Force emerged in national colours from the been announced in March 2014 to replace its operated the Hercules since 1971 but
company’s paintshop at Manching, Germany, ageing Boeing KC-135s. According to Airbus, will now transition to the Boeing C-17A
on February 17. It had been ferried there from a total of 62 Airbus A330 MRTTs have now Globemaster III. Dave Allport
Getafe, Spain, on January 22 and is expected been ordered by military customers worldwide.
06-08_military_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 6 02/03/2018 15:36

Canada Special Marks for
Reveals Singapore Eagles
Fighter Plan
At a recent industry day for its Future Fighter
Capability Project (FFCP) in Ottawa, the
Canadian government revealed that, under
current plans, the last Royal Canadian Air
Force (RCAF) CF-188 Hornets will be retired
in 2032.
The service intends to acquire 88 new
fighters, with the release of a request for
proposals in spring 2019, and a contract
award is expected in 2021/22. Delivery of the
first is planned for 2025 with full operational
capability following sometime after 2031. RSAF F-15SG Eagle 8338
Requirements for the FFCP say the displaying at the Singapore
aircraft must be in production and capable Airshow in its special livery.
of sustaining supersonic speed in level Key-Craig West
flight, air-to-air refuelling and carrying and
employing air-to-air and air-to-surface The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) the numerical ‘50’ over the Singapore city
weapons. has painted two of its Boeing F-15SG skyline. The tails also carry the three RSAF
Although the RCAF plans to keep its Eagles in a unique scheme as part of the roundels that have been used over the five
Hornets viable until 2025, it’s not clear what RSAF50 commemorations – the year-long decades.
will be required to keep them in the air until celebrations to mark its golden jubilee in Singapore President Halimah Yacob
the final retirements in 2032. 2018. unveiled the scheme during February’s
The 88 new fighters are expected to cost The fuselages, wings and tails of Singapore Airshow and one of the jets
as much as $12.2 to $15.4bn. the specially marked Paya Lebar-based participated in an integrated aerial display
Representatives from some 180 F-15SGs sport a blue livery, the tone of with two F-16C Fighting Falcons. The
interested Canadian and international which was derived from that of the nation’s F-15SGs – serial numbers 8335 and 8338
companies and governments attended the state colour. The F-15s' upper sides and – will also take part in various RSAF events
industry day. Tom Kaminski part of the tails feature the RSAF50 logo – throughout the year. Roy Choo
Cameroon Receives ISR Cessnas

Two highly modified Cessna 208B Grand Canary Islands, Spain, on January 12. (NASS) for the supply and conversion of an
Caravan intelligence surveillance and Their serials and national markings were unknown number of Grand Caravans into
reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft have been taped over for the delivery flight. ISR platforms for four foreign military sales
delivered to the Cameroon Air Force. The aircraft are likely part of a May 2016 customers, including Cameroon. L-3 was
The pair, wearing the temporary US civil contract awarded to L-3 Communications to supply the ISR equipment, while NASS
registrations N337ZZ and N339ZZ, were Corporation – Communication Systems West performed installation. Contract completion
noted at Gran Canaria Airport, in the and North American Surveillance Systems was expected by September 30, 2019.
T-50THs Arrive in Thailand

The first pair of T-50THs for the Royal Thai
Air Force was delivered to Takhli Air Base in
central Thailand on January 25, following a
protracted 4,137-mile (6,658km) ferry flight
from South Korea. The two, serials 40101
and 40102, are part of an initial order for
four, for which Thailand signed a $110m
contract on September 2015. Another eight
examples were ordered in July last year in a
deal valued at $260m.
The initial aircraft departed from the
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) factory
airfield at Sacheon, South Korea, on January
T-50TH 40101 departing Taiwan’s Kaohsiung International Airport after a technical stop. Peter Ho
8, a day later than planned, after having
been held up by bad weather. The aircraft The jets were then delayed at Kuantan for The maiden flight of the T-50TH (40101)
made a first technical stop at Kaohsiung two weeks – they had flown through severe for the RTAF took place on August 10
International Airport in Taiwan, followed by weather while inbound to Kuantan and last year at Sacheon. Once the type is in
Clark Air Base in the Philippines, before post-flight inspections revealed the need for service, it is expected to replace the Aero
heading to Kuantan air base in Malaysia. repairs. L-39ZA Albatros with 401 Squadron.
06-08_military_newsDC.mfDC.indd 7 02/03/2018 14:32

Former Czech MiG to Test Pilot School
MILITARY NEWS
A one-time Czech Air Force Mikoyan MiG-

21UM has joined the National Test Pilot
School (NTPS) at Mojave Air and Space
Port, California. The two-seat aircraft,
registered N1165, originally served as 0165
with the Czechs and had been imported
into America in 1992. It was flown to the
NTPS base at Mojave from Wilmington,
Delaware, on January 17.
Although a civilian operation, NTPS
trains military test pilots and has had a
diverse range of types in its fleet over the
years. The MiG-21UM joins several former
military machines in the school’s current
inventory, including the Atlas Impala,
T-38, OH-58C and UH-1N. The MiG will
undergo inspections and FAA approval,
then will enter the school’s curriculum.
Dave Allport
The National Test Pilot School’s new MiG-

21UM N1165 arriving at Mojave. NTPS
Bronco II Launched in the US

Bronco Combat Systems launched a Based on the AHRLAC (Advanced the AHRLAC platform.
new light-attack and tactical intelligence, High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Paramount Group International
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) Aircraft), the turboprop Bronco II is a two- Chairman Ivor Ichikowitz said the aircraft
aircraft, the Bronco II, in the US on crew ISR and precision strike type said to is “unique in that it has been designed
February 23. be capable of carrying a range of weapons, specifically as a light attack and ISR
A purpose-built airborne ‘Find/Fix/ sensors and systems in extended airborne platform from the onset.
Finish/Exploit/Analyze’ (F3EA) aircraft, it’s mission operations. “Every inch of this aircraft is designed
reportedly able to operate for extended Established as a US-based entity, for purpose – specifically for the kind of
periods in remote theatres with minimal Bronco Combat Systems’ founding partners asymmetrical warfare that sophisticated
infrastructure and a small logistics and are Paramount Group USA, Fulcrum military forces are now being asked to
maintenance footprint. Concepts LLC and ADC, which designed conduct.”
RAF Scraps Second E-550A for

Reserve Status the Italian Air Force
for Flying Units
A major reorganisation of the RAF’s
reserve squadron designations has seen
high-profile units such as 72(R) Squadron
return to full unit status.
A statement given to Aviation News
from the MoD said: “On 1 February, 2018
the Air Force Board Executive (AFBEx)
Committee authorised the (R) designator
be removed from RAF flying squadron
number plates. Of the current 45
numbered RAF flying squadrons, 16 are
The second E-550A, MM62303/14-12, in Israel prior to its delivery to Italy. Noam Menashe
affected by this change.”
A spokesperson added: “The change The second of two E-550As has been a military and industrial offset agreement
is primarily one of housekeeping that delivered to the Aeronautica Militare (Italian signed between Italy and Israel in 2012 and
allows a more consistent approach and Air Force). The jet, based on the Gulfstream worth around $1bn. The E-550A contract
naming convention. G550, arrived on January 22. Serial followed Israel’s decision to purchase 30
“Removal of the (R) designator number MM62303/14-12 was modified to M-346 advanced jet trainers.
protects the operational records and Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) The aircraft are assigned to 14° Stormo,
seniority of squadrons, whilst reducing configuration by Israel Aerospace Industries part of 71° Gruppo based at Pratica di Mare
inconsistency and easing complexity for (IAI) and its Elta Systems subsidiary in close air base, southwest of Rome. The first
historians.” co-operation with Leonardo. example (MM62293/14-11) was delivered on
The E-550As were ordered as part of December 19, 2016.
06-08_military_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 8 02/03/2018 15:36

Untitled-2 1
EAA_FP.indd 1 20/02/2018 11:30:37
27/02/2018 09:19
New Look for Lufthansa
CIVIL NEWS
Lufthansa revealed its new branding Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 D-ABYA at Hamburg in the airline’s new livery. Lufthansa
to customers and employees at two
major events in Frankfurt and Munich on Deutsche Lufthansa AG. and markings, Lufthansa’s aircraft will
February 7. The most visible changes An important challenge in revising gradually being given the new livery. The
are a revised livery for the aircraft fleet, the design was to meet the needs of the update comes after intensive preliminary
re-branding at airport counters and new digital world. In addition to optimising the studies considered more than 800 designs
uniforms for staff. airline’s crane emblem for new technical and colour developments in the laboratory.
“Lufthansa has changed and is more requirements, Lufthansa has developed On-board articles, such as tableware,
modern and successful than ever. From its own typeface, which is said to be amenity kits, blankets and pillowcases, will
now on, this will also be visible to the particularly easy to read on mobile devices carry the new design in future, with around
public through a new design,” said Carsten or smartwatches. 160 million items exchanged over the next
Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of After 30 years of the old colour scheme two years.
Sikorsky Sells Schweizer Helicopter Line

US helicopter builder Sikorsky has sold Sikorsky had acquired Schweizer in company will provide spares and service
the manufacturing rights to its S-300 and 2004 but subsequently ceased production support. According to David Horton,
S-333 helicopters to Texas-based Rotorcraft of the three-seat S-300 (derived from Managing Director of Schweizer-RSG, it
Services Group (RSG) along with the the Hughes 269) and the turbine- is envisaged that new production of the
Schweizer factory at Elmira, New York. The powered S-333. Nearly 2,900 S-300 Schweizer models will be undertaken by
deal includes all the spares and support helicopters are currently in worldwide AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of
assets. operation and the new Schweizer-RSG China). Rod Simpson
Launch Orders for N219

A series of launch orders has been placed
for the PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI)
19-seater N219 twin-turboprop. The deals
for the new aircraft were announced at
the Singapore Airshow, which took place
on February 6-11. The first production
machines will be delivered to Indonesian
carriers Pelita Air Service, which has
placed an order for 20, plus 80 options,
and Trigana Air Service which will acquire
five aircraft plus has another five on
options. Pelita said it will also operate and
maintain two N219s for the Kalimantan
regional government, in addition to
a single example for Puncak Jaya
Launch orders have now been placed for the 19-seater PTDI N219 twin-turboprop. PTDI.
(Indonesian Papua).
The prototype N219, registration PK- 19 passengers on board. At its maximum Looking further ahead, PTDI has also
XQT, made its first flight on August 16, take-off weight, it uses as little as 1,289ft signed a framework agreement with Avitra
2017 and a second example is due to join (393m) of runway, making it ideal for Aerospace Technologies of Singapore
the test programme imminently. The N219 many of Indonesia’s small airfields. First regarding the potential future production
is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney customer aircraft deliveries are expected in of the N219 in China. Both Indonesia and
PT6A-42s and has been designed to July 2019 and PTDI is planning to build up China have requirements for rugged low-
operate flights up to 480nm (889km) with to 36 N219s per annum. cost aircraft.
10-12_14_civil_newsDC.mf.indd 10 02/03/2018 18:05

Special Livery for Qantas Dreamliner
Qantas has unveiled a special scheme
that pays tribute the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander People of Australia on its
fourth Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, VH-ZND.
The design takes inspiration from the
1991 painting ‘Yam Dreaming’, created by
late Northern Territory artist and senior
Anmatyerre woman, Emily Kame Kngwarreye.
It has been adapted for use on the aircraft by
indigenous design studio Balarinji.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: “As
the national carrier we’re thrilled to showcase Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner VH-ZND undergoing an air test at Boeing’s Everett facility in
another piece of indigenous culture on one Washington State on February 15. Dipankar Bhakta/AirTeamImages.com
of our aircraft, and to reiterate our ongoing
commitment to reconciliation with Aboriginal It was due to be delivered from Seattle familiarisation flights on the airline’s
and Torres Strait Islander People.” to Alice Springs on March 2, where it will domestic network. It is scheduled to be
The Dreamliner will be named Emily be welcomed by Emily’s family before used on international routes, including Perth
Kame Kngwarreye in tribute to the artist. flying to Sydney and Melbourne for crew to London, from late March.
New Heli-Link for the Scilly Isles

Plans for a new helicopter link from Chairman of the Isles of Scilly travel and makes the transport network
Land’s End Airport to the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, Andrew May said: more resilient, which is exactly what our
have been announced by the Isles of “We’re thrilled to welcome Island customers say they want.”
Scilly Steamship Group. The service, Helicopters to Land’s End Airport and Henk Schaeken, Managing Director
which is due to start in May, will fly up look forward to sharing our modern of SAS, added: “We’re delighted to be
to eight times daily under the Island facilities, which already handle more partnering with the Steamship Group to
Helicopters brand, using a ten-seat than 60,000 passengers a year. We provide the aircraft and crews for these
AW169 operated by Gloucester-based know there is demand from thousands new helicopter flights from Land’s End
Specialist Aviation Services (SAS). of people who have really missed the Airport. The AW169 is a state-of-the-
Rotary wing services to the Scilly Isles helicopter since it stopped in 2012. art helicopter and we’ll be providing
were originally launched back in 1963 but “We’ve listened to that demand, a brand-new aircraft straight off the
ended in October 2012 after the Penzance investigated what we believe can work, production line, offering passengers a
heliport was closed down. Since then, and have partnered with SAS to make speedy and comfortable service. We
links have been limited to fixed-wing it happen. This gives visitors and look forward to expanding our operations
flights by Skybus or sea ferries. islanders more choice over how they in Cornwall.”
First Pilatus PC-24 Delivered admired the quality and state-of-the-art

design of Pilatus aircraft, and are proud to
have partnered with Pilatus for the last 22
years. This is an exciting day for us, as well
as for our clients who are eager to start flying
in this fantastic aircraft.”
The company’s pilots have gained
type ratings for the PC-24 at FlightSafety
International’s Dallas Learning Center, where
the first full-motion, Level-D, PC-24 simulator
is based. As the official provider of PC-24
Pilatus PC-24 N124AF in PlaneSense corporate colours. Pilatus
maintenance training, FlightSafety is also
PlaneSense, the US-based fractional firm, honoured to be the launch customer for the conducting courses with PlaneSense and
has taken delivery of the first production PC-24 and are excited to add this versatile authorised Pilatus Service Centre personnel.
Pilatus PC-24 at its Portsmouth home in and unique jet to the PlaneSense fleet,” Before entering service, the aircraft will
New Hampshire. The jet, registered N124AF, George Antoniadis, PlaneSense founder, complete FAA requirements and undertake
the first of six the company has on order, President and CEO, told guests at the a short tour of the US and international
was handed over on February 7. “We are handover ceremony. “We have greatly locations for current and potential customers.
Nigerian Carrier Expands

Nigerian airline Air Peace has added its was repainted in Dublin by International to include London, Guangzhou and
first Boeing 777-21HER, 5N-BVE, to its Aerospace Coatings and delivered to Houston among the new destinations for
inventory. The one-time Emirates aircraft Lagos on February 23. Air Peace hopes its 777.

Dassault Falcon 6X Launched
CIVIL NEWS
Dassault unveiled its new Falcon 6X

business twinjet at Saint-Cloud, France, on
February 28. The new aircraft is powered
by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada
PW800 engines, has a range of 5,500nm
(10,186km) and is due to make its first flight
in early 2021. Deliveries are set to begin
during 2022.
The 6X is based on the Falcon 5X
aerodynamics and system features, which
were validated during the latter’s preliminary
flight test programme. It has been optimised
to take advantage of the new engine,
offering a greater range and a longer cabin. Computer-generated image of the new long-range Falcon 6X business twinjet. Dassault
“We wanted to further push the of range, comfort and capability no other turbulence and a next-generation digital
boundaries with this new aircraft, to provide large cabin business jet can match, while flight control system that controls all moving
the best flight experience possible using guaranteeing fully mature systems and a surfaces. The 6X is also the first business
today’s aviation know-how,” said Eric proven powerplant.” jet to be fitted with a flaperon, which is said
Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault The Falcon 6X is equipped with an ultra- to considerably improve control during
Aviation. “The Falcon 6X will offer a mix efficient wing that minimises the impact of approach, especially on steep descents.
CIVIL ORDERS Gulfstream

Delivers Final
Airline Aircraft Number Order Placed Notes
Air Sénégal A330neos 2 February 2 The fledgling airline originally signed a
memorandum of understanding for the aircraft at the
Dubai Airshow in November and has now officially
placed the order G450
Bangkok Airways ATR 72-600 4 February 7 The deal, signed at the Singapore Airshow, is The last production Gulfstream G450
valued at over $100m. Deliveries of these aircraft business jet, N607D, was handed
will take place between October 2018 and March
2019
over to its owner, Dominion Energy, at
a ceremony on January 20 and was
China Aircraft A320neo 15 January 12 These A320neos will be delivered in stages between
subsequently delivered to the company’s
Leasing Group 2022 and 2023. Following this incremental order,
CALC’s total order book with Airbus will increase to Richmond, Virginia base. The G450 is a
217 aircraft derivative of the original Gulfstream GIV
Pelita Air Service N219 20 February 8 See news story and is widely used by corporate operators
Spirit Airlines A320ceo 5 January 17 The US-based low-cost carrier is expanding its fleet and by fractional ownership companies,
following the introduction of new routes from Florida notably NetJets.
Trigana Air Service N219 5 February 8 See news story The GIV series has been in production
Unidentified 737 MAX 1 January 30 For an undisclosed business jet/VIP customer for more than 30 years and Gulfstream
Unidentified 737 MAX 4 January 30 Customer details have been withheld by Boeing Aerospace reports that the fleet has
Unidentified 737 MAX 13 January 30 Customer details have been withheld by Boeing flown in excess of 964,000 hours and
UPS 747-8 Freighter 14 February 1 The latest 747-8F commitment builds on UPS’ 461,000 flights. The 3,500nm (6,500km)
original order for 14, three of which were delivered G450 is being replaced on the Savannah
in 2017 production line by the new G500, which
UPS 767F 4 February 1 Kentucky-based carrier expecting to receive the
has longer range. Rod Simpson
airframes by the end of 2022
Embraer E190-E2 Earns its Stripes

A major milestone in Embraer’s certification approvals pave
E190-E2 programme has been the way for delivery of the first
reached with ANAC, Brazil’s customer aircraft to Norway’s
civil aviation authority, the Widerøe Airlines in April.
Federal Aviation Authority, Shortly before the Type
and the European Aviation Certification was granted,
Safety Agency, all granting prototype PR-ZFU appeared
Type Certification on February in the static line-up at the
28. So far, the four E190-E2 Singapore Airshow in ‘tiger’
prototypes have logged a markings. These follow on from
total of 2,200 flight hours and the special ‘Profit Hunter’ eagle
completed some 34,000 hours markings worn by the E190-E2
of rigorous tests in laboratories at last year’s Paris Airshow.
with rigs for avionics, structures
and electrical, hydraulic and Embraer E190-E2 PR-ZFU on show
environmental systems. The in Singapore. Key-Craig West
10-12_14_civil_newsDC.mfDC.indd 12 02/03/2018 18:21

350 Aircraft - 6 Indoor Hangars - Exclusive Tours Of The “Boneyard”
Come explore under our wings!

PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM www.pimaair.org
I-10 to Exit 267 - 6000 East Valencia Road, Tucson, Arizona USA - +1 520 574 0462
PIMA_FP.indd 1 13/02/2018 12:27

IN BRIEF
CIVIL NEWS
Virgin’s Big Thank You Lufthansa’s low-cost offshoot EUROWINGS

has confirmed plans that it intends to
introduce a new service to Cornwall
Airport Newquay from Berlin/Tegel airport
in Germany. The new weekly connection,
which will launch on May 5, is in addition to
previously announced flights from Stuttgart
and Düsseldorf.
AIR ICELAND CONNECT is to drop its

services to the UK as part of a downsizing
programme that also includes disposing of
its Bombardier Dash 8s. The regional carrier,
part of the Icelandair Group, will terminate its
Virgin Atlantic has applied special large Virgin’s thank you to its workforce painted on currently twice-weekly connections to Belfast
the side of Airbus A340-642 G-VNAP. Simon and Aberdeen in May, along with the domestic
lettering to Airbus A340-642 G-VNAP
Gregory/Aviation Image Network link from Keflavík to Akureyri and one of its
which has been in storage for more than
three routes to Greenland.
two-and-a-half years. It has been returned Virgin Holidays have made our business
to service to enable the airline to meet and our brand what it is today. They’re Bell Helicopters announced on February 22
capacity demands while some of its Boeing both our magic ingredient and our that it has rebranded and will now be known
787-9 Dreamliner fleet is grounded due greatest strength. We wanted to take the simply as BELL. The US company says the
new name strategy and modernised logo are
to ongoing issues with their Rolls-Royce opportunity to do something special with
“rooted in the company’s focus on innovation
Trent 1000 engines. The A340 has been this aircraft to recognise all the hard work
and customer experience”. Bell will roll out
renamed Sleeping Beauty Rejuvenated, that goes on, day in and day out, across the rebrand over the next year.
with the additional titles on the fuselage Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays, so the
thanking the airline’s global workforce ‘big Virgin Atlantic thank you’ message US-based NORTHERN AIR CARGO has
for their efforts. It is also one of only two is for every one of our 9,000 people. taken on its first Boeing 767-323ERBDSF,
aircraft to feature an upright version of the Paired with the special edition of our N379CX. The jet, leased from Air Transport
International, entered service on February 5.
airline’s famous ‘Flying Lady’ logo – the first iconic Flying Lady, we hope we’ve created
Cary Liao
being Dreamliner G-VNEW Birthday Girl. something our people can feel proud of,
The carrier’s CEO Craig Kreeger which is also eye-catching and fun for The Swiss company Marenco Swisshelicopter
said: “The people of Virgin Atlantic and our customers.” has changed its name to KOPTER GROUP
and its mid-light all-composite helicopter,
now under development, will be known as
Primera Expands
the Kopter SKYe SH09. The prototype of
the latter first flew on October 2, 2014, and
the second unit followed suit in 2016. One
Transatlantic Routes additional prototype is due to join the flight

test programme and will be followed shortly
after by a pre-production aircraft to be used
Low-cost airline Primera Air has said it Andri Már Ingólfsson, President and
for EASA and FAA certification approval.
will begin direct flights five times a week owner of the airline.
Launch customer is Norwegian company
from London Stansted to Washington The company is opening new bases in
Tronrud Engineering — certification and first
Dulles Airport, with flights commencing Birmingham, Stansted and Paris Charles deliveries are planned for 2019. Rod Simpson
on August 22. Primera Air will also de Gaulle for flights to New York, Boston
increase flight frequency between and Toronto this April along with new The French-based air taxi company, WIJET,
Stansted and Toronto. routes from the UK to Malaga, Palma has ordered 16 HA-420 light jets from
HondaJet with first deliveries due to take
“We’ve been planning to add de Mallorca, Alicante, Barcelona and
place during the first quarter of 2018. They
Washington from the beginning of the Chania. In the next two years, Primera
will replace the company’s existing fleet of
transatlantic flight project. We see a Air plans to increase its presence at 15 Cessna Citation Mustangs, most of which
strong demand for this route and we current bases and add new transatlantic were obtained through Wijet’s acquisition of
are the first low-cost airline to start routes and airports, as the airline has 20 the British operator, Blink. Rod Simpson
operations between both cities,” said Boeing 737 MAX 9s on order.
El Al to Shut Down its UP Brand

Israel’s El Al has announced that in October
it will shut down UP, the low-cost airline
it has been operating since 2014 to five
destinations in Europe (Kiev, Budapest,
Prague, Berlin and Larnaca). The decision
is said to have been the result of high
operating costs, as well as the future merger
with Israir, which flies to similar European
destinations. After the shutdown, El Al will
take over the routes and will re-commission
the business class sections to meet a
growing demand over the last two years. Aircraft carrying the UP branding will be a thing of the past after October as El Al has decided
Noam Menashe to close down the low-cost airline. Noam Menashe

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Dutch Hunters Back in the Air
PRESERVATION
Hunter T.8C G-BWGL taking off from

Both Hawker Hunters operated by the After the CAA lifted the ban on July
Leeuwarden on February 16, for its first flight
Dutch Hawker Hunter Foundation (DHHF), since August 2015. Kees van der Mark 6, 2017, technicians from DHHF and St
Mk.F.6A ‘N-294’ (G-KAXF) and T.8C ‘N- Athan-based Horizon Aircraft Services
321’ (G-BWGL), took to the air for the first Leeuwarden Air Base in Royal Netherlands prepared the Dutch Hunters to return to
time in more than 30 months on February Air Force colours since 2007 (T.8C) and flight. Both aircraft are expected to be
16. DHHF pilots Jan Dam and Patrick Tuit 2009 (F.6A), the classic jets were subject to ferried to St Athan, South Wales, soon for
made two flights in the T.8C during the the grounding order for all UK civil-registered scheduled maintenance by Horizon, before
morning and flew both aircraft together in the Hunters issued by the Civil Aviation Authority returning to normal operations including
afternoon. (CAA) immediately after the tragic accident airshow appearances later this year. Kees
Flying from the group’s home at at Shoreham in 2015. van der Mark
Convair 580 Joins Cape Town Museum

The Wijnland Auto Museum near Cape Airlines in March 1962. After being carrier Air Cape, operating from Cape Town
Town, South Africa, has added Convair upgraded to 580 specification, it was sold as ZS-LYL.
580 ZS-LYL to its impressive vehicle to the Bolivian Air Force and began service Air Cape was taken over by Safair in
collection. The propliner was built in with the air arm at the end of 1974. October 1988, with the aircraft remaining a
1952 as a 340-38 and made its first flight After being withdrawn from military use familiar sight on regional routes along the
on December 24 of that year. Originally in 1979, it re-entered commercial hands, South African coast. Its last operator was
registered N4803C, it flew with Delta Air firstly flying with Gulf Air as N511GA. In the Titan Helicopter Group, from December
Lines before being sold to North Central April 1988, it was acquired by regional 1993. Steve McLean
Classic Propliner Goes on Show Sabre to Fly

Again in the US
The Classic Fighters team are making
good progress in the restoration of Doug
Matthews’ North American F-86F Sabre 52-
5116 in Titusville, Florida. When completed,
Doug hopes to display the jet at airshows
across America. He already operates F-86F
53-1201, currently painted in Skyblazers
aerobatic display team colours.
When the overhaul is finished, Doug’s
latest F-86 will represent 51-12910
Beauteous Butch II, the mount of Captain
HS 748 Series 2 serial 60301 on display at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Gerry Manning
Joseph M McConnell, who served with the
39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Series 2 serial year and served its entire life with the RTAF. 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing at Suwon
number 60301 has joined the Royal Thai Air The turboprop was withdrawn from use in during the Korean War. He is credited with
Force Museum at Don Mueang, Bangkok. 2016 and first arrived on site the last year. It shooting down 16 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
First flown at the end of 1964, it was is now on external display at the museum. jets, making him America’s highest scoring
acquired by the RTAF early the following Gerry Manning jet combat ace.
16-17_preservation_newsDC.mf.indd 16 02/03/2018 11:35

Chinook Arrives at Newark
In a timeframe of a little over ten days, Newark
Air Museum has purchased and moved the
fuselage of Boeing Chinook HC1 ZA717 from
RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, to the museum
site in eastern Nottinghamshire. In doing so
it has become the first independent aviation
museum in the UK to acquire and display an
RAF Chinook. The helicopter had been used
to train loadmasters in slinging techniques
and load securing methods. It arrived at the
museum on February 22.
ZA717’s arrival was particularly poignant for
the museum’s groundsman, Nigel Bean. Not
Chinook HC1 ZA717
only is Nigel a helicopter enthusiast but, as a
arriving at the musuem
serving RAF police officer he also witnessed on February 22.
the non-fatal incident on July 25, 1989 that Howard Heeley, Down
resulted in ZA717 being ‘written-off’ at RAF To Earth Promotions
Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands.
The Chinook’s arrival follows on from the used as a training aid. The Puma had been and the museum is already actively
delivery of Aérospatiale Puma HC1 XW208, transported by road to Newark on February following up leads across the UK to locate
which also came from Cranwell after being 7. Both helicopters are missing components the missing items.
Former Duxford Mustang to Fly in Turkey

Well-known North American P-51D Mustang Flying Machine Company, was flown to its Fighter Collection before moving onto
44-13704 Ferocious Frankie has been new owner by Lee Proudfoot in January. OFMC. It is painted to represent the mount
acquired by a private collector in Turkey. The The Mustang had been based at of 374th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter
fighter, previously operated by Duxford’s Old Duxford for many years, initially with The Group ace Wallace E Hopkins.
B-17 Memphis Belle Thunderbolt

Progressing Well on the Move?
Unconfirmed reports from the US indicate
former Duxford-based Republic P-47D
Thunderbolt N147PF No guts no glory has
been acquired by a new owner and is returning
to the UK. The fighter was deregistered in the
US on February 23, with the reason given as
‘exported to England’. The P-47D was added
to the UK register on February 27 as G-THUN.
It was last in the UK in 2007, being based at
Duxford with The Fighter Collection.
Superfortress
Tanker Gets
Relocated
Boeing KB-50J Superfortress 49-0389
has arrived at the Air Mobility Command
Museum at Dover AFB, Delaware, from its
previous home, the Memorial Park at MacDill
AFB in Florida. This important airframe
Restoration work on Boeing B-17F Flying Members of the restoration team installing – one of the world’s oldest surviving air
propeller number one on the Memphis Belle.
Fortress 41-24485 Memphis Belle – famously refuelling tankers – was proving hard to look
USAF/Ken LaRock
the first USAAF heavy bomber to return to after in the salty and humid environment at
the US after completing 25 combat missions coat of paint, since the aircraft first arrived at its former location in Tampa Bay. The tanker,
over Europe – continues to move forward Dayton in 2005. Various replacements for which had been delivered to the US military
at the National Museum of the USAF in missing internal parts have also been installed in December 1950, had been on show in
Dayton, Ohio. and the final stage has been to return the Belle Florida for more than 20 years. It will now be
Staff and volunteers have worked to the colour scheme it wore after completing restored and will then be placed on display
meticulously to preserve the famous bomber, its last wartime mission. The fully restored alongside a KC-97 Stratofreighter and a KC-
which needed corrosion treatment and a new B-17 will be unveiled to the public on May 17. 135 Stratotanker.
16-17_preservation_newsDC.mfDC.mf.indd 17 02/03/2018 18:14

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LIVERPOOL
AIRPORT
ON THE UP Liverpool Airport is working
‘Eight Days a Week’ to boost passenger
numbers as Martyn Cartledge discovered.
O
ne of the oldest airports in Britain River Mersey, officially opened on July 1,
is enjoying a new lease of life, 1933, although commercial aviation began
thanks to its success in courting in early 1930 when Imperial Airways started
the low-cost market. The airport an experimental service. An Armstrong
at Liverpool, in the northwest of England, has Whitworth Argosy connected Croydon to
enjoyed considerable expansion in the last Liverpool, via Birmingham and Manchester.
two decades and now has plans to capitalise During World War Two, Blenheim and There are tributes to the Beatles all around
on that growth with a development plan Halifax aircraft were built at Speke, and the airport. Yoko Ono unveiled this statue to
covering the next 30 years. Lockheed Hudsons, delivered by sea from the her late husband John Lennon in 2002. It sits
The airport at Speke, seven miles USA, were reassembled there. on a mezzanine floor overlooking the check-
southeast of the city centre and next to the Post-war, the airport expanded and in and arrival areas. Key-Andy Martin
20-24_liverpoolDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 20 02/03/2018 14:01

EasyJet and Ryanair are the
main operators from Liverpool.
Key-Andy Martin
extended its reach. On May 7, 1966, the Palma were added throughout 1999, bringing The former terminal, which is now
09/27 runway in use today was first opened in nearly 1.4m passengers annually. New a hotel, with preserved aircraft on
(as 10/28). Twenty years later the original routes to Paris and Alicante followed. the old apron. Martyn Cartledge/
terminal – often mooted for redevelopment The growing relationship between airport aspphotography.net
– was finally replaced by a new building on and carrier was cemented in 2000 with a
land to the south, much closer to the runway, 20-year agreement. The plan was to increase
thereby shortening taxi times. passenger numbers and, by 2003, the airline
had based seven 737s there.
TURNING POINT The airport expansion was facilitated by
In 1997 the airport reached what has turned infrastructure group Peel, who had bought a
out to be a significant moment in its history. 76% share in the airport from British Aerospace
easyJet, until then a provider of low-cost in July 1997. Peel quickly made its mark when
services from Luton, expanded and set in 1998 work began on extending the main
up its second base at the airport starting apron by more than 49,000sq ft (15,000m²) as
daily Boeing 737 flights from Liverpool to well as starting construction of a new general
Amsterdam and Nice on October 26. aviation parking apron, which opened in 1999.
These were a success and Geneva, This enabled long-term resident, Keenair,
Barcelona, Belfast, Malaga, Madrid and to build a hangar to support its aircraft

was earmarked for closure to make way for a
second runway, built a hangar at its new base
in 2002, after being awarded the concession
for dealing with visiting general aviation
aircraft, handling and engineering services.
Ravenair now operates the Business
Aviation Centre in conjunction with Liverpool
Aviation Services, providing facilities for
general and business users, including
a passenger lounge, operations centre,
conference and training facilities.
A British Eagle Viscount at Liverpool in July 1964. The carrier flew to a range of destinations from The original terminal has been restored
the airport. Bob O’Brien and transformed into an hotel. A small
number of historic aircraft, looked after by a
preservation group, are situated on what was
the airport’s former apron, although this area
is now no longer part of the airfield.
NAME CHANGE
The facility received a massive publicity
boost in 2001 when it was renamed Liverpool
John Lennon Airport (LJLA) at a ceremony
attended by his widow, Yoko Ono.
Airport Chairman, Robert Hough, said
at the time: “Throughout the world, John
Lennon is synonymous with Liverpool. He is
A British Midland Fokker F27-200 in 1985. The airline was a major operator at Liverpool from
an integral part of Merseyside’s heritage and
1978 to 2001. Bob O’Brien
the new name places the airport firmly on the
international map.”
Yoko Ono added: “I was honoured and
delighted when I first heard of the proposal
to name the airport here in Liverpool after
John. As a gateway to the region, this will be
seen by millions of passengers and is a fitting
tribute to the memory of my late husband. I
am proud to be here today to celebrate one of
Liverpool’s greatest men.”
The biggest investment to date has been
a new terminal that completely encompassed
the 1986 building. Costing £32.5m, the first
phase opened in January 2002.
Yoko Ono returned in March of that year
to unveil a statue of her late husband that
now sits on a mezzanine floor overlooking the
check-in and arrivals area. Four months later,
on July 25, The Queen performed the official
The new terminal building is just minutes from the multistorey car park. Key-Andy Martin opening of the terminal.
Initially designed to handle 3m passengers
engineering and charter services as well as vertical guidance) element was added to the per year this was soon increased with a
its sister company, Liverpool Flying School, instrument landing system (ILS) on Runway planned extension to cope with 4.5m.
in addition to operating a scheduled Embraer 09 (a localiser giving lateral guidance had
EMB 110 Bandeirante service to Cork in the been installed in 1983). Runway 27 had an BUDGET BOOM
Republic of Ireland. ILS installed many years ago. The new terminal was designed to appeal to
In 2000, work started on a new air traffic In 2003 passenger figures were just short low-cost operators. It is geared for easy transit
control tower on the south side of the of 2m per year. to reduce boarding delays. There are no
runway – becoming operational in January Ravenair, which had moved in during airbridges allowing operators use both doors
2002. A year later, a glidepath (providing 1998, when its facility at Manchester Airport on the aircraft to achieve faster deplaning and
A charter flight from Italy carrying football fans for a European

soccer match on Merseyside. Martyn Cartledge/aspphotography.net

The departure lounge has a range of food and retail outlets. Martyn The check-in area is dominated by the colour schemes of the major
Cartledge/aspphotography.net operators. Key-Andy Martin
enplaning of passengers; ultimately helping In 2014 the airport attracted the Romanian PASSENGER NUMBERS
complete 30-minute turnarounds. airline, Blue Air. In March last year the carrier The new airlines and the expansion of
It was also designed to maximise revenue opened a base with a single 737-800 adding existing operators from 2000 helped LJLA to
opportunities to help create a win-win position services to Milan, Hamburg, Rome and consistently increase passenger numbers to
between the airport operator and the airlines. Alicante in addition to its original flights to and nearly 5.4m by the end of 2008.
Low-cost airlines need to keep costs to a from Romania. From June 2, the company will However, numbers then began to fluctuate
minimum, including airport charges, which operate twice weekly departures to Palma. around the 5m mark, and in 2012-2014, due to
makes it vital for the airport to gain revenue the economic recession and competition from
from passengers. FREIGHT other UK airports, Liverpool went into decline.
This is, in effect, the ‘contract’ that airlines Cargo throughput, however, is not such a More airlines and more destinations have,
and airports enter into: Charge us very little to success. In the past, Liverpool airport had however, driven a recovery and in 2016 4.83m
bring our airliners to your airport and we will strong national newspaper and postal traffic, passengers passed through its doors, rising
bring you thousands of potential customers peaking at nearly 47,000 tons at the turn of to just shy of 5m in 2017 – a 3% year-on-year
the millennium, of which just in excess of increase. It is now the 12th busiest airport in
BEATLES REMEMBERED 17,000 tons was mail. This was an era when the UK, up from 20th in the mid-1990s.
There is a very Beatles feel to the airport. In the big Fleet Street newspapers had a few The airport now covers 579,000 acres
addition to the statue and photographs of John major printing presses strategically placed (2,343km²) with the three-storey terminal
Lennon, there are quotes from his songs on many around the country. Papers were shipped around 430,000sq ft (40,000m²).
of the internal terminal walls. There is also a out, many by air, to ensure they were on sale Given the type of operations, passengers
model of a vivid yellow submarine situated just first thing in the morning in remoter areas. travel almost exclusively to European
before the drop-off area, a nod to the band’s 1966 News International had a large site at destinations and a large percentage on
hit and film of the same name. Knowsley, about ten miles from the airport, aircraft based at LJLA. This generates daily
and Emerald Airways/Reed Aviation BAe 748s movements in three waves. Aircraft leave in
to the duty-free shops, car parks and other were used in the first stage of distribution. the early morning and then return to create the
concessions. Reed even named one of the aircraft The next surge of departures at around lunchtime.
Liverpool’s strategy to become a hub Paper Plane and it sported a folded paper They’re back again in the late afternoon/early
for low-cost airlines seems to be paying off. airplane logo on the tail. evening for the next outbound wave.
Following the easyJet deal, Hungarian carrier Print technologies changed and smaller During the downtime, easyJet makes use
Wizz Air started flights to Budapest, Warsaw printing plants around the UK took over, leading of its line maintenance facility to carry out
and Katowice with a based Airbus A320 in to a reduction in the need for air transport. work on its based aircraft.
2004. Ryanair, which had been operating from During 2006/2007 cargo traffic from Ryanair has four 737-800s year-round,
LJLA since 1988, also made Liverpool one LJLA was almost annihilated. TNT had and five in summer, Blue Air has one 737-800
of its bases in 2005. Four aircraft served 13 terminated its operation, all newspaper with Wizz Air’s single A320 now flying to six
destinations, with Italy and Spain the focus. traffic disappeared, and Royal Mail switched destinations in Poland, Latvia and Hungary.
Neil Pakey, the airport’s managing director to roads and railways. This, and the move Other operators are flybe, serving the
at the time, said: “Ryanair’s commitment is towards specialising in low-cost operators, Isle of Man – one of the oldest routes out of
a clear coming of age for Liverpool John which do not want hold cargo, led to just Liverpool – and, during the summer season,
Lennon Airport, bringing around a further 1m 270 tonnes of freight being handled in 2016, TUI offers holiday charters to Palma on
passengers through the airport next year.” dropping further to 130 tonnes last year. Majorca and Ibiza.
Flybe operates to the Isle of Man, one of the oldest routes from Liverpool. Martyn Cartledge/aspphotography.net

New routes are being added this updating its master plan with a
year, including easyJet flights to target of 7.8m passengers by 2030
Dalaman in Turkey, Palermo in Sicily and 11m by 2050. It is hoped more
and Pula in Croatia. The operator destinations will be added, ideally
expects to fly around 20,000 including long haul, which will entail
passengers between Liverpool and an extension to the main runway.
these new destinations this summer. This would involve adding an extra
There are occasional charters, 1,030ft (314m) to the existing
just like any commercial airport, runway’s 7,497ft (2,285m) at the
but in sports-mad Liverpool, flights eastern end.
serving major football games It is a positive sign that easyJet
and horse racing are important is upping its based fleet from
traffic drivers. When the city’s two seven to eight and swapping two
Premiership clubs, Liverpool and A319s for the larger A320 from this
Everton, are involved in European summer.
competition fans are either travelling to away The Beatles’ connection with the city is To accommodate this increase, new
perhaps most obviously made by a huge
games abroad or continental supporters stands are planned along with an extension
yellow submarine positioned at the entrance
are flying in for matches at either Anfield to the terminal.
to the terminal area. Martyn Cartledge/
(Liverpool) or Goodison Park (Everton). aspphotography.net New hotels, offices, car parking, retail
On the author’s visit, Everton was playing and commercial services are earmarked
Italian team Atalanta that evening and there for an area north of the runway, while
were 11 flights from Milan ranging from a AIRPORT BY THE MERSEY the development of cargo, business and
Take-offs and landings at Liverpool John Lennon
Fokker 50 to Boeing 767 filling the airport’s general aviation facilities, including MRO, is
Airport are made over the River Mersey at the
remote stands. scheduled on the south side.
western end of the airfield. The airport’s fire and
rescue service has specialist equipment and trains
A spokesman for the airport said: “As part
CONCORDE to deal with potential water-based emergencies. of the Airport Master Plan a new visitor centre
The yearly Grand National horse race at Birds, attracted by the river, have to be managed to is planned to the south of the runway which
Aintree has also brought about an increase prevent potential problems to aircraft, while ensuring will serve both the coastal nature reserve
in traffic. Liverpool has the highest number their habitats are as unaffected as possible. environmental scheme and be a viewing area
of Concorde visits and movements of any On the upside, however, the Mersey helps for aircraft enthusiasts too and is planned to
regional airport in the UK as it was used to Liverpool have a better weather record than most be in place by 2030.”
operate charter flights to this historic event, other UK airports. To assist with future plans, Liverpool City
arriving on an annual basis in the 1990s. Council acquired a 20% stake in the airport in
In total there were 88 movements from 22 The airport has to work hard to attract March 2016. At the time, Mayor of Liverpool,
separate visits by aircraft, from both British airlines, especially as the main competition is Joe Anderson, said: “John Lennon Airport
Airways and Air France. They often made just 40 minutes down the road at Manchester delivers a huge economic boost for the city
short supersonic flights once the racecourse Airport. LJLA has improved the terminal region, it is the gateway to the city from many
visitors had deplaned. experience with all areas having recently destinations and it is absolutely vital that it
Alongside football, racing and events at undergone a refit. Passengers can be at their continues to grow, create more jobs, boost
the Liverpool Echo Arena the airport has departure gate in as little as 30 minutes after economic growth and develop tourism. This
seen an increase in business aviation. leaving their car due, claim airport managers, opportunity to play a more active part in its
Airbus Beluga, which carry aircraft parts to the proximity of the multistorey car park future expansion and success makes it a
between the company’s manufacturing and swift security screening times. sound investment for the city council.”
bases, diverts to Liverpool if the weather A relaxed and hassle-free environment is Robert Hough, Chairman of Liverpool
makes it unable to land at Hawarden Airport the aim, as well as maintaining impressive John Lennon Airport, said: “We are delighted
where a Airbus factory is located. on-time performance statistics. Data from by the city council’s decision to invest in LJLA.
The airport has good transport links, with OAG, which compiles punctuality league They will bring strong support both financially
road access via dual carriageway to the tables, shows LJLA has the seventh best and strategically, with interests aligned to
motorways. Local bus services include an record in the world for scheduled flight on- those of Peel and the wider city region.”
express route to Liverpool city centre, which time performance when compared to airports Considering what has been achieved over
also connects to regional and national rail of a similar size. When compared to all the last 20 years, your author would not bet
networks through the nearby Liverpool South airports globally, LJLA was placed 13th. against this ambitious airport succeeding in
Parkway interchange. The airport is currently in the process of its goals.
Ryanair has four aircraft based at Liverpool with

another boosting its fleet there during the summer
season. Martyn Cartledge/aspphotography.net

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AER0-MODELLING
Reference Title Subtitle Author Format Subject Publisher Published Pages Condition £ Price
1 AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1959-60 VARIOUS HARDBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD 1959 160 FAIR 5.00
2 AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1963-64 VARIOUS HARDBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD 1963 160 GOOD 5.00
5 AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1968-69 VARIOUS HARDBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD 1968 128 GOOD 5.00
6 AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1969-70 VARIOUS HARDBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD 1969 128 VERY GOOD 5.00
secondhand booklist.
AND MODEL KITS
12 AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1975-76 VARIOUS SOFTBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD 1975 144 GOOD 5.00
15 AN ABC OF MODEL AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION C RUSHBROOKE SOFTBACK AERO MODELLING HARBOROUGH 1943 80 FAIR 10.00
16 DURATION FLYING MODELS F ELLIS SOFTBACK AERO MODELLING JOHN HAMILTON LTD. N/K 72 FAIR 95.00
17 FLYING AND IMPROVING SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES W MCCOMBS SOFTBACK AERO MODELLING MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS 1977 120 FAIR 15.00
18 FLYING MODELS, RUBBER, CO2, ELECTRIC & MICRO RADIO CONTROL TIPS & TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNER & EXPERT, BOOK 2 D ROSS SOFTBACK AERO MODELLING AVIATION PUBLISHERS 1998 240 GOOD 5.00
19 FROG MODEL AIRCRAFT 1932-1976 THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE FLYING AIRCRAFT & THE PLASTIC KITS R LINES / L HELLSTROM HARDBACK AERO MODELLING NEW CAVENDISH 1989 272 GOOD 30.00
Information published here may be subject to change.

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GERMAN PART 2
FULCRUMS
It also enabled NATO to develop tactics
against the MiG-29.
The Federal Republic of Germany and
the German Democratic Republic became
one nation on October 3, 1990. A day later,
JG-3 (of the former East German Armed
FLYING FOR BOTH SIDES

Forces/NVA) at Preschen and its 24 MiG 29s
came under the control of the Bundeswehr,
the armed forces of the Federal German
Republic. They were then assigned to 1.
Last month, Doug Gordon told the story Jagdstaffel, Jagdgeschwader 73 (from
September 1997 the Wing received the
of how 24 MiG-29 Fulcrums switched from the right to use the name Steinhoff in honour
of the World War Two fighter ace Johannes
Warsaw Pact to NATO after the reunification of Steinhoff who also became a four-star
general serving high-up in NATO).
Germany and flew with the Luftwaffe. In this The jets were relocated from Preschen to
concluding part, he assesses how the West Laage in northwest Germany in 1994. The
majority of Dissimilar Air Combat Training
used the Russian fighter for training. (DACT) exercises were conducted from the
latter base. There were deployments to
other NATO countries and regular exercises
T
he Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum’s various sources and operating under the were held at Decimomannu, Sardinia. A
arrival as part of NATO’s air control of the 4477th Test and Evaluation number of visits were made to North
defence structure presented Squadron based at the Tonopah Test America from 1999 onwards.
a big opportunity for training Range (TTR) airfield in Nevada had given The adversaries were varied, but
against the Soviet-built fighter. Prior to some pilots an insight into fighting Warsaw typically were from most of NATO’s main
this certain Soviet types acquired from Pact aircraft. fighter units.
26-30_german_migs_part_2DC.mfDC.indd 26 02/03/2018 14:08

NATO TACTICS Above: In service with the Luftwaffe, the MiG- The MiG-29 always flew on the wing in
29UB was redesignated as the MiG-29GT
MiG-29 pilots trained in NVA tactics, but a multi-ship exercise, never as lead, owing
– 29+23 is taxiing at Laage in the summer of
flying under NATO rules of engagement, to the relative inefficiency of some of its
2001. Stefan Petersen
experienced initial difficulties. They were, avionics in the NATO environment.
to all intents and purposes, on their own Left: MiG-29G, 29+10 was painted in a special Oberstleutnant Peter Steiniger was the
without the aid of the datalink and the scheme to commemorate the final visit of operations officer of 1/JG 73 during that
the Fulcrums to the United States in 2003 – time. He was both an F-4F and Fulcrum
GCI controller, on whom they had come
here it’s flying in formation with MiG-29G,
to depend. For them, there was a big pilot and remembers the many NATO force
29+02 and two F-15C Eagles of the 60th
learning curve before they would become Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing. USAF
deployments to Laage. “I would pair this
proficient enough to use their skills and Archives young, pumped-up, and all-excited F-16
unique aircraft to the greatest potential. pilot with an ‘original’ NVA equivalent to go
For pilots of the F/A-18s, F-16s, Mirage Bottom: MiG-29G 29+16 lifts off in a formation out and fight one-on-one,” he said. “We
take-off at Laage. Peter Steiniger
2000 and F-15Cs, there was a different had hundreds of missions like this, with
learning curve: how to engage and defeat thousands of lessons learned in debriefings
this highly manoeuvrable aircraft which was, ‘Undoubtedly, the with our counterparts hanging on our
words and staring at our video tape… in
for most of them, beyond their experience.
The value of exercises increased as the combination of the visual close-in fights, most of the time in
MiG pilots became more familiar with their astonishment.
new role; a process greatly helped by the AA-11 missile and “We accepted that role of showing other
arrival of an F-4F squadron at Laage in NATO partners how this aircraft could
1997. With only 13 of the original MiG pilots the head-mounted perform, with Western mind-set and training
remaining in 1997, it had been necessary to in Eastern hardware.”
train more candidates to fly the MiGs. These sight made the Undoubtedly, the combination of the R-73
were drawn from the Phantom squadron, (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) missile
and JG 73 now had pilots who could fly both MiG-29 formidable and the head-mounted sight made the
the MiG-29 and the F-4F. MiG-29 formidable in a close-in combat with
Often the two aircraft exercised in in a close-in combat other NATO aircraft; where the Russian-built
tandem, matching the short-range aircraft’s manoeuvrability could also be used
capabilities of the Fulcrum against the long with other NATO to its greatest advantage.
range of the Phantom, with its more efficient Oberstleutnant Johann Koeck, another
APG-65 radar. aircraft’ F-4F pilot, took command of the

Maj Peter Meisberger fires a
radar-guided R-27 (AA-10 Alamo)
air-to-air missile at a QF-4 full-
scale, aerial target drone during
a live firing over the Gulf of
Mexico during Exercise Sniper in
October 2003. USAF Archives
MiG squadron, JG 73, when role for the MiG-29s in the

Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Luftwaffe.
Michalski left in 1995. He too The primary mission for
extolled the undoubted superiority the fighter during this period
of the aircraft in close-in combat was as an adversary aircraft
saying: “On one occasion I to train other Western pilots in
remember the F-16s did score air combat and to this end the
some kills eventually, but only unit was in constant demand in
after taking 18 Archers. We didn’t Europe and the United States.
operate kill removal [forcing ‘killed’ However, the jet’s role as a point
aircraft to leave the fight] since defence fighter was also retained
they’d have got no training value. with two aircraft allocated to QRA
We killed them too quickly. They duties.
couldn’t believe it at the debrief.” On October 1, 1999 the first
In the early 1990s and into North American visit took place.
the new millennia, the West and The six Fulcrums, not equipped
NATO had nothing to match the for air refuelling, flew to the
efficiency of the helmet-mounted continent via Scotland, Iceland
sight and the R-73 in close-air and Greenland to Goose Bay,
combat. It is a testament to the Labrador.
Oberstleutnant Udo Sadzulewski began
prowess of Soviet designers that they were Oberstleutnant Udo Sadzulewski was
flying the MiG-29 with the NVA in 1988 after
the first to field such a system. nine years on the MiG-21. He remained among them. He said: “At Goose Bay we
However, the lack of range, relatively with JG 73 when that unit converted to the trained in low-level flying down to 100ft. It
inefficient radar and no air refuelling Eurofighter, and now serves as the unit’s was very impressive to see the landscape of
capability were major factors mitigating Flight Safety Officer. via Oberstleutnant Udo Labrador from that low altitude.
against allocating a meaningful air defence Sadzulewski “After that, we went to Nellis AFB to fly in
Swedish Air Force Saab Gripens visited

Laage in March 2002 to exercise with
the MiG-29s. Peter Steiniger

Red Flag. We were the F-4Fs of their
flying as part of Red sister squadron at
Air with the callsign Laage. “They had
‘Fulcrum’.” the APG-65 [AN/
On exercise, APG-65 All-Weather
they went to the Multimode Airborne
northwest of the Radar System] of
training area and the F/A-18 installed
surprised the Blue and were able to
Air side with a beam shoot the AIM-120.
approach from very So we got a superb
low level. knowledge of when
Sadzulewski to turn in terms of
continued: “They distance, altitude
noticed us, but and aspect angle
thought we were when faced with an
other F-15s and AMRAAM threat.”
continued to prepare
for their air-to-ground EXERCISES
role. When the first The Fulcrums
‘kills’ were passed it returned to North
was too late for them America several
to react. times over the
“Since we had next four years to
no AAR [air-to-air refuelling] participate in various exercises,
capability with our MiG-29 we including Agile Archer in 2002
were allowed to land in Tonopah and Sniper in 2003. During
Test Range airfield for refuelling. the latter, which took place at
“During that time most of our Eglin AFB in Florida, the MiGs
opponents went back to Nellis. were flying against drones with
The Red Air F-16s used AAR to their R-73 and R-27 missiles.
stay in the area. After departing Exercises involving different
from TTR we met with those guys adversaries at Deci and other
for a DBFM [defensive basic flight NATO bases continued apace.
manoeuvres] sortie and return to The main opponents for the
Nellis. MiGs were F-16s (450 flights),
“For most of the Red Flag F-15s (more than 400 flights),
participants, it was the first air-to- F/A-18s from different nations
air contact with the real MiG-29. (almost 350 times). The Mirage
Despite threat simulation with 2000 or the JAS-39 Gripen were
the F-16, they totally agreed that less frequently used.
nothing is better than to fight the F-4Fs or Panavia Tornado
‘real thing’.” Above: Oberstleutnant Peter Steiniger F.3s did not play an important
In May 2000, the MiGs returned to was operations officer with the MiG-29 role in the DACT with the MiG-29G.
North America to take part in Maple Flag in squadron at Laage. In common with many Oberstleutnant Michael Wegerich, who
Canada. During this exercise the Fulcrums of the Luftwaffe pilots, he originally flew the led the integration of the Soviet fighter
were on the defender’s side, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom before into the Luftwaffe said : “The MiG-29G
pilots’ training with the F-4Fs of their sister converting to the Fulcrum. Peter Steiniger was able to maintain its advantage against
squadron paid dividends. Sadzulewski Top: Looking through the Head Up Display the Mirage 2000 and F/A-18 better during
recalled: “When we were ‘spiked’ we had (HUD) of a MiG-29, which is in formation. high-speed combat and achieved a higher
to react in a defensive way to avoid being It was considerably more sophisticated than angular speed.
killed by an AMRAAM [AIM-120 Advanced those on the MiG-21 that many of the NVA “F-15s were similar to the MiG-29G if
Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile] shot. pilots had been used to. Peter Steiniger they did not carry conformal and/or other
During the debriefing a F-15 pilot told me Below: From September 3 to 17, 2003, additional fuel tanks. If they did carry
that I managed to defeat four AIM-120s.” He MiG-29s detached to Deci for exercises additional fuel tanks, they had poorer
attributed his success to good situational with Israeli Air Force F-15Ds of 106 Sqn. manoeuvring qualities. F-16Cs, especially
awareness – the result of daily training with Peter Steiniger Block 30/40, slightly exceeded the

MiG-29G in the accepted. The
manoeuvring first five aircraft
characteristics were flown to
(Block 50/52 Bydgoszcz, Poland
aircraft are much on September 6,
heavier due to 2003, however,
their equipment). they required
However, this refurbishment
advantage of the and structural
F-16 could be renovation before
compensated for by they could enter
using the helmet- service. The last
mounted sight in examples left for
combination with the Poland on August
R-73.” 4, 2004.
Of the 24
UPGRADES aircraft transferred
The MiG-29 – its to the Luftwaffe
avionics, weapon in 1990, 22 were
systems and sold to Poland.
performance – were One, 29+03,
constantly upgraded was retained for
during its service display at Laage,
Above: This shot from above a MiG-29G
with the Soviets and other air forces. clearly illustrates the subtle two-tone grey and later moved to the Luftwaffe museum
This did not happen with the NATO MiG- camouflage adopted when the aircraft were at Gatow, Berlin in 2006. Another, 29+09,
29Gs which were first-generation Fulcrums. transferred to the Luftwaffe. Stefan Petersen crashed on June 29, 1996, the pilot
At the end of the type’s career with the managing to eject.
Below: MiG-29G, 29+01, flies in formation
Luftwaffe, it was essentially the same aircraft It is debatable whether the MiG-29 ever
with a two-seat Eurofighter EF-2000T. The
that had been delivered to the NVA 15 years Luftwaffe’s JG 73 converted to the Eurofighter
flew to its full potential with the Luftwaffe.
earlier. in 2004. Note the dummy cockpit on the Because its systems were not compatible
The MiG-29 was a weapons system of underside of the Fulcrum. Stefan Petersen with NATO tactics (which led to some not
the early 1980s, based on the technologies being used or removed from the aircraft)
of the 1970s and needed to perform to the April 30, 2004 during the last MiG-29 DACT and rules of engagement, some pilots have
requirements of the new millennia. However, training which took place at the base between argued these inevitably downgraded its
in 2001 plans were laid to retire the type April 23 and May 7, with US Air Force F-15Cs performance.
from the Luftwaffe and convert JG 73 at from RAF Lakenheath. However, in spite of these drawbacks,
Laage to the Eurofighter. The Fulcrums were offered to Poland for there is no doubt that it served as a valuable
The first Eurofighters arrived at Laage on a nominal €1 each; a deal that was gratefully resource to NATO and the Luftwaffe.

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one is talking to) –
‘The Strategic Situation’, ‘The but instead the story Most similar memoirsthe
is presented through tendeyes
to shipsThe captions
carrying are generally
supplies to Allied weak, but to
allied sufficient to identify
a spacious cabin. Those
of different aircrew
Combatants’ and ‘Combat’and groundcrew.
. The
skateresultover is the asearlyengaging
days of asanit is locations
forces andand
in Africa the elsewhere.
units depicted, although most
built for the readers
support will simply
helicopter
informative.
The B-29’s lengthy development RAF career but this one describes be absorbed in the photographs.
Well before Brazil declared There are scenes
role can accommodate 30 of domesticity
period Through
is discussed,the Cold War, IX Squadron
inevitable theoperated
whole process the Avro fromLincoln
the and warandin regular airfieldUS
August 1942, life,Navy
as well as more harrowing
passengers andimages
up to 24offully-
crashed
English Electric Canberra,
because so many problems had to before returning
time he was accepted for directThe
to Avro with the Vulcan. and, in some cases,
patrol squadrons were being burning bombers. Those fortunate
equipped combat troops. enough to
belatter gave way
overcome. Thetofithe PanaviatoTornado
rst bomber entryas theas an unit oncewith
officer again took on
aircrew live in ortoaround
permitted Norfolkbases
use Brazilian will enjoy the The
possibility of spotting
Royal Navy a familiar
took delivery
a pioneering role, introducing the swing-wing
be fully pressurised, it was powered ambitions. Aptitude tests followed strike aircraft into RAF forairfield, pub or other
anti-submarine location. Thisof
operations, is the
a book to be dipped
first production into at
examples
service. There are hair-raising
by the largest piston engines ever accounts from crews involved
and after gruelling basic training, in the leisure, rather than
and numerous aircraft were read cover to cover.
in 1997 and the RAF followed in
Tornado’s first combat
built at that time. It also boasted operations overthere was navigator ground of
Iraq in 1991 and coverage beingPublished
delivered to byBrazil
Fonthill to Media; ISBN9781781553565,
2001. Among the countries available from
using
a subsequent
revolutionaryaction centralover fire the Balkans,school
control Afghanistan and then andthe Libya.
Buccaneer www.fonthillmedia.com
modernise its air arm. The it are Canada, Italy, Denmark,
All of the many photographs
system that allowed the turrets to are reproduced in
Operational Conversion black and white,
Unit. Brazilian Air Force’s considerable Norway and Japan. Portugal is
bewhich is a pity
controlled given the many colourThis
electronically. images of IX Squadron’s
impressive aircraft had none FROM and
successes SPITFIREthose ofTO the METEOR
US another major customer, finding
operations
Unlike thefrom earliermoreZero recentwhichtimes. Readers
of today’swill notice and,
avionics that the
in theBristol Navy operating in the area are the Merlin ideal for long-range
Book
Scout
had shown on
no armour pageno
plating, 18 is a Bristol author’s
Fighter and words might “Markpuzzle
Oneateyeball;
Litening described in detail. search and rescue (SAR) duties
being described as a radar defence pod Written by: Albert Horton
self-sealing fuel tanks and thus a stopwatch; infinite crew co- but
rather than a targeting pod, Somewhat better known is in its vast area of responsibilities,
given the extent of the book’s coverage, these are Price: £9.75 plus postage
suffered accordingly, the Tojo (to operation andminor criticisms.
guile were required the fact that a Brazilian fighter which include Madeira and the
Published by Pen
use its allied reporting name), was & Sword Aviation;
to get a bomb on time,available
ISBN1783036346, on target.” Given the
squadron and quality of reproduction ofAzores.
an artillery its blackAn interesting chapter
from www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
designed from the outset to have The author flew over 2,000 and white squadron
observation photographs were and inconsistent
describes how the Portuguese Air
both. It would also prove to be one hours on the Buccaneer with typography,
sent to Italy to the serve self-published
alongside origins Force of this
utilises the helicopter and
ofOSPREY AIRCRAFT
the fastest climbing Japanese OF THEseveral ACES squadrons on three book are immediately
USAAF units supporting its own apparent, but neither
another covers the Norwegian
detracts from the excellence
forces. of its content,
– SPITFIRE
fighters of the war, ACES as wellOF NORTHWEST
as the operational tours in Scotland and and other Allied ground government’s SAR Merlins.
which essentially comprises the memoirs of the 124 colour
EUROPE
most heavily armed 1944-45 – making it a West Germany and saw him flying The operations of the P-47 Among
formidable Royal Air Force
Thunderbolts are recorded on afi ghter pilot Albert Horton.
Book opponent for the B-29. over the Mediterranean and North photographs are images of all the
Japanese Hortonbasis,
day-to-day graduatedtogether onto the Supermarine
with Spitfire in June 1949,
Written by:pilotAndrewinstructionThomas America. The rigours of low-level foreign operators.
contrasted with that of the USAAF navigation in bad weather and after training on
pilot and aircraft losses. the de Havilland Tiger Moth and North
Considerable American
progress was
Price: £13.99 Harvard. Moving
and the intensive training of challenging terrain are grippingly Appendices coveronallfrom 48 the Merlin-engined
made in selling Mk the16, aircraft
he accumulated
to the
This new
gunners title fromthe
to operate Osprey
B-29 fiisrenumberdescribed. 122 in its And from here he the majorityon
Thunderbolts of strength,
his Spitfire hours onUS theNavy
PR.Mk but 19 and FR.Mk
for reasons 18,
outlined
acclaimed Aircraft
control system is also outlined. of the Aces series and
completed the a tour as a weapons both of them Griffon
German and Italian submarines engined. Photographic reconnaissance
in a separate chapter this did not became
fact that it is written
Combats ranged from high-level by RAF authority instructor. Thomas, with cover
Andrew his speciality
which operated and in the Horton
Southwas posted come to the MiddleInEast
to fruition. with 208 up,
his summing
artwork by Mark
interceptions to night Postlethwaite
fighting when and colour Theprofi les by Chris
Buccaneer wasThomas,
evidently Squadron.
Atlantic and their fates, along with the author asks: “Is today’s AW101
all under the careful
B-29 tactics switched to mass editorial guidance of Tony Holmes,
happiest at “580 knots willand
add up to a list His
of allwas
theaBrazilian
fascinating time, for the
merchant a newRAF orwas transitioning
old aircraft?” to jets
He answers
recommendation
incendiary attacks on enough
Japan’s for many readers.
100 feet”. No wonder it was so and he made the
ships they sank. There is also change from piston power to the Gloster
his own question by saying that Meteor
cities from much lower altitudes.Aircraftsuccessful
For those not familiar with of the Aces, duringthis would
Red Flag be an a FR.Mk 9, gleefully
bibliography. Supported notingbythat he flew fasterthe
although in abasic
Spitfi re than
design he was
remains
Aexcellent
list of thefi14 rstTojo
volume.pilotsDealing creditedwith the Supermarine
exercises, continually Spitfiout-foxing
re in its permitted
154 black and to white
in the and Meteor.
four Horton the gives engaging
same, recollections
its multi-role capabilityof
lastB-29
with yearvictories
of service over off
rounds Northwest Europe,
the opposition it abounds as iswith artwork,
recounted flyingphotographs,
colour in the relativeasfreedom well as of theand immediate
systemspost-war world and
have developed to the
photographs and
the book, along with a list of first-hand accounts set into Andrew
here with glee! Verdict: a very Thomas’s excitement of service
nine maps and 11 colour aircraft life. the point where it is definitely a
authoritatively
suggested further researched
reading. There narrative.readable
The beautifullyinsight rendered
into work profiand les Thisthis
profiles, is abookbookprovides
written a by someone who was there,
new-generation and hisHe also
helicopter.
– 36
are 40 altogether
black and white – illustrate Mks VB, VII,
illustrations playIX onand XVI, and
a frontline are complete
squadron in the passion
large amount for flofying and the on
information Spitfire insuggests
particular, thatshines
there isthrough.
yet more
with
and extensive
nine captions. An plus
colour photographs, appendix 1970sdetailing
and ’80s.individual pilot scores, Although
aspects of an it repeats
air war whicha couple is of photographs
“wizardry toand come would
frombenefi t from
Merlin!”
15a pieces
bibliography
of colour andartwork.
comprehensive index round offbyanother
Published Pen andsuperb Sword tighter editing
rarely covered. in places, this modest book is recommended
Published by Amberley as an
package from Osprey.
Published by Osprey Publishing: Aviation; ISBN 9781526706591, engaging, illuminating and entertaining
Published by Helion & Company Publishing: ISBN 9781445674360,read.
ISBNPublished
9781472818867 by Osprey, available Publishingavailable
Ltd; ISBN9781782003380,
from www.pen-and-sword. Published
Limited: by Robert Davies; ISBN9781291969085,
ISBN 9781911512585, available from www.amberley- available from
available from www.ospreypublishing.com
from www.ospreypublishing.com co.uk www.lulu.com
available from www.helion.co.uk books.com
36 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft November 2014
36_FlightBagDC.mf.indd 36 03/10/2014 14:40

31 flightbagDC.indd 31 27/02/2018 18:08
AEROSPACE BRISTOL
HONOURING
INNOVATION
Bristol is a name synonymous with a large part of Britain’s aviation history
and now the story is being told on one site, as Adrian M Balch outlines.
32-35_bristolDC.mfDC.mfDCDC.indd 32 02/03/2018 14:33

C
Main photo: Star of the show at Aerospace
oncorde is clearly a huge attraction Bristol is British Airways Concorde G-BOAF. attraction to life. A Heritage Lottery grant, plus
at Aerospace Bristol, but the new Visitors can discover how the aircraft was sponsorship from Airbus, Rolls-Royce, BAE
museum is far more than just a created and what it was like to work on and Systems, GKN, South Gloucestershire Council
chronicle of this supersonic airliner’s fly the supersonic airliner. All photos Adrian M and engineering company Renishaw, helped
life. The site at Filton Airfield has played a Balch unless stated fund the project.
huge part in building iconic military and civil Above: The new museum at Filton tells the
Funds are still required to help restore a
aircraft and that tale unfolds as visitors make story of aviation on this historic site, from Bristol Freighter, which arrived earlier this
their way around the attraction. World War One to the present day. Aerospace year. The last few miles travelled by the former
The legacy of the British & Colonial Bristol Royal New Zealand Air Force Bristol 170 Mk
(later, Bristol) Aeroplane Company and its 31M, NZ5911, were by road on January 4 after
Left: A projection onto the nacelle to give
successors unfolds in a timeline arrangement an 11,000-mile (17,703km) sea voyage from
an insight into the workings of Concorde’s
of aircraft and vehicles built by this pioneering Olympus engines. Aerospace Bristol Auckland, New Zealand, en route to Bristol’s
manufacturer. Royal Portbury Dock.
Thousands of visitors have flocked through The museum sits on a nine-acre site in two The aircraft is stored in the huge
the museum’s doors since it opened last refurbished World War One-era ‘Belfast Truss’ Brabazon Hangar on the other side of the
October. Many have come to see the star hangars together with a new building housing airfield so not on show to the public, awaiting
attraction, Concorde, G-BOAF, which was Concorde on the northern perimeter of the a decision on its restoration and future
brought under cover after standing on the former airfield. display. Donations for the work can be made
airfield exposed to the elements for 14 years Millions of pounds have been spent on via the museum’s website, aerospacebristol.
since its last flight on November 26, 2003. the restoration of aircraft and bringing the org
32-35_bristolDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 33 01/03/2018 18:57

Left: Visitors can view the cockpit of a
Britannia airliner in this nose-section which
was taken from an aircraft that crash landed
in mud flats of the River Severn.
Below left: The Sea Harrier, was powered by a

Bristol Siddeley (later Rolls-Royce) Pegasus
jet engine built at Filton.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE

As you enter the museum, you are greeted
by the earliest Bristol aircraft from World
War One, albeit replicas of the F2b Fighter
(A7288) and Scout D (A1742). There is also
a replica Babe (G-EASQ] from the immediate
post-war period, together with vehicles of
the era. The Bristol Fighter replica was built
by GKN and Rolls-Royce apprentices for the
BAC 100 exhibition in 2010.
A cutaway nose of a Bristol Beaufighter,
on loan from the RAF Museum, represents
World War Two. It will be joined by a Bristol
Bolingbroke (Blenheim) when restored.
The Britannia airliner is represented by
the nose section of G-ALRX and visitors
can view the cockpit. This was the second
prototype, which first flew on December
23, 1953, but unfortunately made a forced
VISITING AEROSPACE
BRISTOL
Address: Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol BS34
5BZ. Please note that the postcode does not
take you to the exact entrance of the museum.
Tickets: 01179 315315 or email boxoffice@
aerospacebristol.org
Note: Aerospace Bristol tickets entitle you to free
return visits for a year from the date that your
ticket is first used
Website: aerospacebristol.org Check before
travelling.
wheels-up, crash-landing on February 4,

1954 on the mudflats of the River Severn
at Littleton-upon-Severn, a short distance
from Filton. The cause was an oil-fed engine
fire. All occupants scrambled out safely and
were rescued. The airframe was cut up and
recovered to Filton, this nose section going to
the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental
Establishment Boscombe Down, Wiltshire,
where it was used as an instructional airframe
for many years.
The Bristol helicopter division is next on
the tour, represented by Bristol Sycamore
HR.14, XL824, displayed in RAF Central
Flying School colours. It came from the RAF
Museum’s store at Stafford.
Nearby is the beautifully restored Bristol
173 (XF785/G-ALBN), which has its cabin
interior illuminated, and is on loan from the
RAF Museum.
Visitors may think the rotor blades have
been chopped in half to fit the allocated
Above left: Bristol Sycamore HR.14, XL824,

displayed in RAF Central Flying School
colours.
Left: A surface-to-air Bloodhound missile is

a dominant feature of this part of Aerospace
Bristol. Aerospace Bristol

Right: A replica of the Bristol Babe biplane
produced just after World War One.
Below right: The cut-down blades of the Bristol

173 were tailor-made because the full rotors
were too big for the space. The originals are
safely stored.
space, but Adam Jones, the museum’s

marketing manager, explained: “We haven’t
cut the rotor blades in half. We still have the
full set of complete rotor blades in store. The
blades on display on the 173 were handmade
from wood by our skilled team of volunteers,
specifically for the exhibition.
“We decided to add this ‘half’ set of blades
due to the space allocated in the gallery,
and the fact that the full set of blades would
impact on the display area for other exhibits.”
Coming more up to date, a Sea Harrier
FA.2, ZD610, is displayed wearing 800 Naval
Air Squadron’s tail markings on the port side
and those of 801 NAS on the starboard. This
aircraft is privately owned and on loan from
Gary Spoors, arriving from Bruntingthorpe,
Leicestershire, in 2015. The Harrier was
powered by a Bristol Siddeley (later Rolls-
Royce) Pegasus jet engine built at Filton.
There are cabinets of Bristol-related
models and interesting artefacts interspersed
with the aircraft.
SUPERSONIC STAR
Components for Concorde were manufactured
at several locations in the UK and France.
There were two assembly lines: one at Filton
and the other at Toulouse. Ten Concordes
were built at the Bristol site and ten in France.
The museum’s Concorde, G-BOAF, is in
a separate building entirely devoted to the
aircraft with an historical display of artefacts
and test models. A visual display of archive
film and slides is projected onto Concorde’s
nose, which enhances the exhibit and tells
the aircraft’s story. Another projection is
placed over a nacelle to give an insight into
the workings of Concorde’s Olympus engine.
Lloyd Burnell, Executive Director of
Aerospace Bristol, said: “Aerospace Bristol
offers something for everyone: Concorde, as
always, has the power to amaze and looks
just stunning in her new home.
“We have created a first-class exhibition
to tell the story of Bristol’s aerospace
achievements from 1910 to the modern day,
and there are great fun interactives to keep
all members of the family interested and
entertained.
“We hope that all those who saw
Concorde on her final flight into Filton that
historic day will want to come and pay tribute
to this very special design and engineering
icon and learn about the Bristol people Wwho
worked here over the years”.
Above right: A cutaway section of the World

War Two Bristol Beaufighter.
Right: Newly arrived at the museum (though

not on show) and awaiting restoration is a
former Royal New Zealand Air Force Bristol
170 freighter.

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING SPECIAL
CAREER OF A
KING COBRA Air Cdre John Mitchell (ret’d), flew more than 1,400 hours
on Lightnings, including two years as Officer Commanding
92 Squadron at RAF Gütersloh in West Germany. He talks with
Dr Kevin Wright about his experiences on this remarkable aircraft.
36-40_lightning_cobraDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 36 01/03/2018 19:17

J
ohn Mitchell started his flying training His first Lightning flight was in F.1,
in Southern Rhodesia during 1949. XM136, at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk in January
After graduation during 1950-51 he 1961. “It was a quantum leap over anything
flew the de Havilland Vampire and I had flown before, but I wasn’t surprised
Gloster Meteor and was swiftly recognised by it. I was aware what was going to
as instructor material. He was ‘creamed happen. Nothing was strange, the cockpit
off’ to join the Central Flying School at RAF was familiar from the simulator. As a result,
Cranwell in Lincolnshire as a qualified flying my first Lightning flight was probably the
instructor (QFI). most comfortable of any first solo in all
In May 1955 he was posted to 256 Sqn, the types I have flown. The performance
flying the Gloster Meteor NF.XI at RAF was as advertised, a thoroughly enjoyable
Ahlhorn in West Germany before the unit experience.” John followed the Lightning
moved south to RAF Geilenkirchen. He then element of AFDS when it moved from
moved to 72 Sqn at RAF Church Fenton, Coltishall to RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire.
Yorkshire in June 1958 to fly the Meteor
NF.12 and 14. The unit re-equipped with the AIR REFUELLING TRIALS
Gloster Javelin towards the end of that year Initial air refuelling trials had been carried
and moved to nearby RAF Leconfield the out on P.1B, XA847, at Boscombe Down
following June. in Wiltshire during 1959, flown by Roland
It was at this base, during 1960, where Beamont, although the necessary internal
John first encountered early English Electric equipment was not being installed on the
Lightnings being temporarily tested by the F.1s then coming off the production line. The
Central Fighter Establishment’s (CFE), Air RAF had to wait until the F.1A arrived to get
Fighting Development Squadron (AFDS). air refuelling-capable aircraft. Even then the
John explained: “Although the CFE was system had only been proved on the first
based at West Raynham its Lightnings were production F.1A, XM169, by connecting the
detached to RAF Coltishall, mainly because refuelling probe to an air refuelling basket on
of its 1,500ft longer runway.” Assigned to the ground. John explained: “At that time I
the AFDS in June 1960, with its Meteors, was not very experienced on the Lightning,
Above: Lightning F.2A, XN791/D, 92 Sqn Javelins, Hunters and Lightnings, John flying it for just over a year. If I got seven to
about to touchdown at RAF Gütersloh. spent much of his time flying the English eight hours a month I was doing pretty well.
Hugh Trevor Collection Electric fighter. However, after being with AFDS a year or so,
Below left: Lightning F.1, XM136/E, of the Air In preparation for his first Lightning flight our boss – Wg Cdr John Nicholls – appointed
Fighting Development Squadron – the unit he undertook a considerable amount of me as Project Officer for the Lightning’s
that developed the aircraft’s tactics. Hugh simulator training. “The simulator instructors service air refuelling trials. I went to Warton
Trevor Collection were already very experienced on the and talked to current test pilots, but there was
Below: Wg Cdr John Mitchell (left),
Lightning’s systems and its emergencies. no pool of experience to learn, or get advice
OC 92 Sqn, after a check ride with Gp From simulator training I was made well from on aerial refuelling. Aircraft XM169 had
Capt John Howe – the then new RAF aware of how capable the aircraft was, and been loaned to ‘A’ Squadron at Boscombe
Gütersloh Station Commander and a very pretty confident that in any situation, short Down for various testing tasks, controlled
experienced Lightning pilot. via John of a total disaster, I was competent enough by the Ministry of Supply, and they had to
Mitchell with the systems. The simulator staff did a authorise its use for the refuelling trials. On
Below right: John flew Lightning air fantastic job in emergency drills and helped August 28, 1961 I took a Meteor down to
refuelling trials using 56 Sqn F.1As and rehearse missions before getting in the air. I Boscombe and observed one of its [the
Valiant tankers in the summer of 1962. appreciated what they taught me, they were base’s] Canberra’s, with a fuselage-mounted
BAE Systems Heritage Warton a thoroughly professional outfit.” hose-drum unit [HDU], perform an aerial

No.111 Sqn F.1A, XM214, was one of the Lightnings flown by John scope of the trial and we managed to quickly
Mitchell in the U-2 interception trials. Hugh Trevor Collection get operational squadron pilots trained. I
remained at Wattisham until July 23 and
then we did the proving flight, which was
a 4hrs 20mins trip with frequent top-ups to
RAF Akrotiri. The two other pilots brought
them back to Suffolk a couple of days later
and then trained other squadron pilots.
Being a frontline unit, their experience grew
very rapidly, quickly overtaking mine and
they soon became the experts.”
INTERCEPTING U-2s
With the advent of aeroplanes like the
refuelling. On September 1, I took XM169 Although there was a steep initial learning Lockheed U-2, the RAF felt it needed to
to practise refuelling from the Canberra, but curve the technique was quickly picked up.” develop the tactics for intercepting such
just ahead of me another aircraft slightly A lengthy flight was required to trial the high-flying aircraft. No sooner had John
damaged its HDU basket, so I had to settle air refuelling procedures, so it was decided finished the air refuelling task when he
for holding formation on the Canberra and to fly non-stop to RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus. was given a classified project – to practise
practising approaches. From that I learned a John continued: “I suggested to my boss intercepting U-2s. The aircraft had deployed
great deal about the aerodynamic influences that I remain at Wattisham and, rather than to Europe for the first High Altitude Sampling
of the fuselage on the basket. On September taking one aircraft out to Cyprus myself, we Program (HASP). As the deployment
5, now with all the necessary permissions, I could train the squadron commander and was only for three-weeks, time was short.
did wet and dry hook-ups with the Canberra two other pilots. Myself and then OC, Sqn “Everything happened quickly because of
for about two hours over the Solent at Ldr Dave Seward, would take two Lightnings the urgent timescale. First, I travelled to
around 30,000ft, which was then obviously out to Akrotiri and two different pilots bring visit Frankenstein & Sons at Newton Heath,
exceptional endurance for the Lightning. them back. Doing it that way extended the Manchester and was fitted for a full pressure
“I was then supposed to start the formal
Fighter Command sponsored test of aerial A 92 Sqn Lightning F.2. John assisted
refuelling, but at almost the same time the with the unit’s weapons conversion onto
F.1As were grounded for a major hydraulic the Lightning at RAF Leconfield in 1963.
Hugh Trevor Collection
and fire risk modification programme. AFDS
did not have F.1As at the time and it was
nearly nine months before the first modified
examples were returned to service. As
soon as the initial aircraft arrived at RAF
Wattisham, [Suffolk] I was detached there to
work with 56 Sqn. There we used 214 Sqn
Valiants from RAF Marham. They showed
me how to use the HDU, ran through the
required radio contacts and other tanking
techniques and on June 13, 1962 I did the
first Valiant test with some 15 contacts.
“I talked with my boss at AFDS and
explained, in my opinion, the refuelling
task was not a complicated one, as long as
you followed the rules. At first it was quite
intimidating having a large tanker aircraft in
close proximity, but if you had the correct
power setting, used the cuing points on the
Valiant, and ignored the basket it worked.
Trying to do it any other way saw the hose
and basket just bounce around. I learned as
much about tanking procedures by watching
the others do it as I did by doing it myself.
suit, necessary because of the extremely high

operating altitudes we would work at. I went
to Warton to discover the Lightning’s weapons
and performance limits above the already
cleared 56,000ft. I didn’t get much information
about how it would perform at even higher
altitudes, as it simply had not been attempted.
There were similar responses when I asked
the same question of de Havilland, which
A Lightning F.3 of 74 Sqn at RAF Leuchars, Scotland where John assisted both 74 and 23 Sqn produced the Firestreak missile, and Rolls-
with conversion to this variant. The Aviation Photo Company Royce about the engines, although the latter

warned I might lose reheat or power at too
steep an angle of climb.
“Fighter Command told us if there
were too many early morning overland
supersonic bangs, the trial would have to
be abandoned. The profile we worked out
was an accelerating-climbing one. It was
expensive on fuel but largely reduced the
effects of the sonic bangs. When I visited
Farnborough to test my pressure suit, I took
the opportunity to find someone who knew
about the propagation of sound waves and
sonic booms. He made it quite clear that
John was the first pilot to fly 1,000 hours on the Lightning while with 111 Sqn at RAF Wattisham
by accelerating over the sea and pointing
in 1967. Hugh Trevor Collection
the nose inland the ‘bang’ could be directed
“The U-2s took was relatively slow, I was climbing on full
off at 0700hrs and power. As soon as I raised my nose, I got
returned about the U-2 on my radar. On a couple of later
1600hrs. On departure sorties, I lost the reheat, but it didn’t affect
the U-2s climbed to the intercept. The Firestreak acquired on
altitude, heading up each interception. My over-riding memory
the spine of England, is of eventually lifting my head up out of the
leaving land at points radar [screen], looking up and seeing the
roughly between Elgin U-2 with a very high closing speed. At close
and Cape Wrath in to a supersonic overtake, the last bit of the
Scotland. We had a interception was extremely rapid! I lost a
fighter controller on the little bit of speed, maybe down to Mach 1.6
staff of AFDS, so we to 1.5. Then I had to immediately return to
worked out the profile base because of a fuel shortage. There was
together. He consulted absolutely no possibility of re-attack.”
with other controllers at John flew 19 or 20 sorties against
Neatishead, Boulmer, the U-2s up to October 28, 1962 and
Buchan and Saxa again briefly in November. He explained:
The pilots who flew the nine-ship Lightning Vord, so they all knew what was going on “They were very much ‘canned’ sorties
formation at the 1965 Paris Air Show. Rear, in their airspace. To reduce the possible but demonstrated the U-2 was within the
from left: Tony Doyle, Kiwi Perreaux, John
sonic boom effects, we deployed from capability of the Lightning, a quantum leap
Mitchell, Hedley Molland and Pete Creigh.
Coltishall to operate from RAF Middleton in capability, something no other aircraft
Front: Dave Samuels, Bob Chisholm, George
Black, Chris Carr-White and Barney Bullocke. St George on Teesside, alongside the then then matched – American or Soviet. The
via Lightning Pilots Association Lightning Conversion Squadron (LCS). Lightning climbed well above 70,000ft but I
We used Wattisham F.1As for the trial with think the U-2 pilots, even then, still felt they
away from populated areas, out over water. an engineering officer and about a dozen were invulnerable to manned aircraft. There
“By then the situation was urgent as ground crew. was never a malfunction of the aircraft
the U-2 detachment to Upper Heyford was “The first intercept was on October 18, system. It behaved absolutely perfectly,
already flying a sortie each day. I visited and 1962. I started at 25,000ft then climbed to no suggestion of flick or yaw at all. The
saw the three aircraft and met the five pilots. about 50,000ft at Mach 1.7, turning about interception always ended with a common
They only told me about their flight track and 20 miles behind the U-2. When the U-2s result. I was either short of fuel or very
timing, which were fixed, but told me nothing returned in the afternoon, lighter on fuel, short of fuel and still about 150 miles from
about their speed or altitude, we had to work they flew even higher. Rapidly closing Middleton St George. That was ok in the
that out. By then we were into the fourth day behind the aircraft, with a lot of energy and morning when there was no other air traffic.
of a three-week deployment. no idea of the U-2s speed, other than he Breaking off the interception close to
Lightning F.2A, XN728/V, of 92 Sqn in a natural metal

finish taxiing out at Gütersloh. Hugh Trevor Collection

Aberdeen, I couldn’t afford for anyone to get total surprise, they conducted an informal Live and practice launches could
in my way, especially during the afternoon ‘coronation’ and declared me King Cobra – be erratic, spells with nothing and then
recovery when the skies were much busier. an honour that I cherished for the remainder several in quick succession. “We would
At Middleton St George the enforced of my tour with 92 Sqn.” often be brought to cockpit readiness but
secrecy caused me some frustration. In The unit was equipped at the time with progress no further. In live situations we
the morning it was not so much of an issue. Lightning F.2As and based at RAF Gütersloh were not authorised to fire, we had to be
I was up at 0530hrs, I was pre-breathing in West Germany. This, his ultimate given permission by the fighter controller,
oxygen from about 0600hrs to 0700hrs. Lightning posting, he describes as: “Heaven although we were permitted to respond to
Then I took off, made the interception about on Earth. It was quite an accolade to have ‘an aggressive act’. It was a demanding task
0730hrs and was back on the ground by your own squadron. Then squadrons but a rewarding one, [with] a real enemy out
0745hrs, before anyone else started flying were pretty much autonomous units, a real there.” German winter weather in particular
at 0830hrs. For the afternoon intercept, I command position, thoroughly enjoyable.” was often challenging. Sometimes we
took off at 1530hrs, all the students saw this He was responsible for 130 ground crew and declared a state called ‘Mandatory’. This
apparition walking around in a pressure suit engineers, 20 pilots and 15 Lightnings. meant we were able to get airborne, but with
and I couldn’t tell them what I was doing, Talking of his time in charge of the unit, marginal weather we were not guaranteed to
apart from then Sqn Ldr Ken Goodwin, the he added: “As a squadron commander land back at Gütersloh. During our training
LCS commander.” you used the training syllabus provided we regularly practised diversions, often
John’s career with the Lightning and developed it with additional material using Hannover’s civil airport as it was open
continued, posted to 92 Sqn at Leconfield and encouraged further personnel all the time as many military airfields were
in May 1963 to help with the weapons not. Experience had taught us just diverting
conversion on the F.2. This task lasted until “to my total surprise, to an unfamiliar airfield undoubtedly
January 1964 when he was assigned to 226 increased the pilot’s adrenalin, so practice
Operational Conversion Unit and detached they conducted an diversions made it somewhat easier if ever
to RAF Leuchars in Fife, converting 23 and necessary for real.
74 Squadrons to their new F.3s. informal ‘coronation’ “Sometimes during TACEVALs an aircraft
He was next posted to 111 Sqn at was brought to readiness, then scrambled
Wattisham as a flight commander during and declared me to launch a live Firestreak on the Aberporth
which time he took part in the 1965 Paris Air range in Wales. The annual Missile
Show where the Lightnings flew a diamond King Cobra.” Practice Camp usually involved sending
nine formation and performed a combined four Lightnings to RAF Valley and everyone
display with the Red Arrows, then in their advancement.” As the closest unit to the would get a chance to launch a live missile
first season. In 1967 he became the first Inner German Border, a major station task during their tour.” For gunnery practice the
RAF pilot to pass 1,000 flight hours on was operating the Battle Flight shared squadron deployed to Decimomannu, in
Lightnings. Subsequently, he was posted to between 19 and 92 Squadrons. “We kept Sardinia.
RAF Rheindahlen as the 2 Allied Tactical Air two aircraft with two pilots on five-minute “It was a very, very rewarding two years,
Force (ATAF) Desk Officer for the Lightning, readiness, 24 hours a day, every day of the all CO’s ran their squadrons in slightly
and the British national representative on year. One aircraft was tasked as primary, different ways but when I left in August 1973,
the 2 ATAF Tactical Evaluation (TACEVAL) the other as reserve. We were there ‘to it was what I wanted out of a squadron: it
team. maintain the integrity of West German was ready to go to war and very efficient.
airspace’ and carried live Firestreaks and We had great guys, super pilots and
SQUADRON COMMANDER cannon. It usually took new pilots about the excellent ground crew.”
In August 1971 John became Officer first six months of their tour before being In 1977 John returned to West Germany
Commanding 92 Sqn, unofficially gaining declared operational and commencing Battle as station commander at RAF Wildenrath.
the title of King Cobra (based on the unit’s Flight duty. At any one time there were He was responsible for overseeing its
badge which features a cobra). He recalled: probably a dozen pilots available, but leave, conversion to the air defence role as well
“With a reasonable amount of certainty, I lay other training and aircraft maintenance all as the 19 and 92 Squadron transitions to
claim to being the original ‘King Cobra’. My impacted availability. So, the Battle Flight the McDonnell Douglas
aircraft, Alpha, was in the hangar overnight commitment was a considerable one.” All Phantom, which had a
for routine servicing. During this period the the pilots took their turn, including John, massively superior
ground crew, of their own volition, stencilled whose duties were usually at the weekends weapons
a crown on the fin above the squadron because he was busy on the squadron system to the
badge. The following morning, to my during the week. Lightning.
King Cobra’s Lightning. John Mitchell’s personal aircraft, F.2A, XN793/A, with a gold crown above the cobra on the unit badge on the tail, and
inscription ‘Flagship 92’ below the cockpit. The aircraft is attending an airshow at Ramstein in 1973. Hugh Trevor Collection

p041_AN_Apr18_ad.indd 1 27/02/2018 16:19
30 YEARS OF
LIGHTNING
THUNDER
Enthusiasts delight in seeing two of the Lightning Preservation Group’s
jets thundering down the Bruntingthorpe runway. Hugh Trevor details
the work of the organisation that pays tribute to this charismatic fighter.
“B
uchan Master Controller on 04, we have a contact strength two. Eighty to flight level two-five-zero, call Buchan
telebrief. Binbrook, alert miles northeast of Aberdeen heading south, Control on fighter stud five, standby fighter
one Lightning.” Wing Ops: height 8,000 and climbing, speed 250kts… stud 8. Scramble, scramble, scramble
“Binbrook acknowledged – 04, your mission is to intercept, identify – acknowledge.” Wing Ops: “Binbrook
Mission 04.” Master Controller: “Mission and report. Vector zero three-zero, climb acknowledged, 04 scrambling.”
42-47_lightning_lpgDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 42 02/03/2018 17:16

John Ward taxiing Lightning F.6 XS904
from the then recently completed
Q-Shed for the first time, in July 2012.
All photos Hugh Trevor unless stated
Top right: Flt Lt Chris Berners-Price brings

Lightning F.6 XR728 in low over Bruntingthorpe
on June 24, 1988 during the delivery flight.
Steve Gensler
Above right: Founder members of the LPG (L-R):

Chris Norris, Tony Hulls, Andy Rickard, the
late Peter Talbot, ‘Rick’ Rickard, Bob Tuck, Geri
Jackson, Richard Norris, Jim Henderson, Hugh
Trevor, Graham Jackson and John O’Callaghan.
Graham Jackson
Right: The first reheat test in 1990. Pete

O’Callaghan is perched on the tailplane
checking for fuel leaks.
Below right: Lightning F.6 XS904, piloted by Peter

Orme, on final approach to Bruntingthorpe on
January 21, 1993. Note the overwing tanks fitted
for greater range during Warton trials flying.
The alarm blares, the ‘Q-Shed’ doors open

and the unmistakeable shape of an English
Electric Lightning is revealed. Wheee-
phwoosh! A rumble. Wheee-phwoosh! The
thunder increases. Clouds of fumes have
enveloped the aircraft and almost immediately
the drab slab-sided monster lurches into
the daylight, accompanied by an impressive
amount of noise, executes a sharp right turn
and accelerates towards the runway. As the
decibels fade, a pleasant warming breeze
carrying the smell of burnt kerosene wraps
around the appreciative onlookers.
This is not a scene from the Lightning lair

at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, during the Cold
War in the late 1970s – but the first simulated
scramble held on July 22, 2012 by the Lightning
Preservation Group (LPG) on a ‘QRA Day’ at
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome in Leicestershire.
For added authenticity the dialogue was
provided by former Buchan Master Controller
Dave Lowry, played over speakers for visitors to
soak up the atmosphere.
THE END – AND A BEGINNING

This future could scarcely have been
envisaged back in 1987, when the nascent
LPG (including the author) coalesced
around RAF Binbrook’s Crash Gate 3 –
contemplating the depressing prospect of no
more Binbrook and no more Lightnings.
Above: Reheat runs are regularly performed

at Bruntingthorpe.
Left: A gathering of Lightning pilots on the

tenth anniversary celebrations of the LPG
in 1998. Left to right: Brian Carroll, John
Spencer and Jimmy Dell (who have since
died) with Dennis Brooks and Keith Hartley,
beside XR728. Jimmy Dell’s total of more
than 1,500 Lightning sorties (1,000-plus
flown at supersonic speeds) exceeded that
of any other test pilot; the other four men
regularly fast-taxied the LPG’s aircraft.
A large selection of aircraft publication

manuals was collected from Binbrook and in
the process several experienced Lightning
engineers encountered, many keen to supply
advice and assistance; they included Ray
Nightingale – believed to be a former RAF
Corporal – and Chief Technicians Roly Elliott
and Pete O’Callaghan (all ret’d). The original
intention had been simply to store the aircraft,
ideally in a hangar, and to clean, polish and
love it! The engineers held a different view.
The Lightning was ‘down-declared’ from Price inspected the runway. Forbidden to “The best way to preserve the aircraft is to run
NATO at the end of April 1988 and so the display the aircraft, several low passes and the engines, exercise the systems and stop
LPG, comprising 12 members, submitted breaks over the (inactive) tower, raised the seals drying out.” “Are we allowed to do
a bid for a surplus airframe. To their excitement levels still further. All too soon, that?” “Yes, of course…”
astonishment and joy, the bid was successful ’728 touched down on Bruntingthorpe’s Some weeks later, when exiting the nose
and they were allocated the ‘flagship of the runway, the brake parachute was streamed intake after checking the turbine blades, Ray
fleet’, Lightning F.6 XR728 – base commander and the aircraft taxied behind the ‘Follow Nightingale exclaimed, “If someone had told
Gp Capt (later Air Cdre) John Spencer’s Me’ vehicle. The engines shut down and the me a few months ago I’d be spending my spare
personalised aircraft coded ‘JS’. turbine blades clattered to a stop after their time working on Lightnings I’d have said they
The Walton family gave the ‘green light’ for final flight. A happy moment, tinged with were mad!” Taxiing the aircraft would exercise
the aircraft to land at their company-owned sadness. other systems including the brakes…
Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Proving
Ground, with a 10,000ft (3,048m) runway
available. Now, as then, the LPG would not
exist without the Walton family’s continued
support.
To the amusement of 11 Sqn’s Flt Lt
Chris Berners-Price, tasked with the delivery
flight, air traffic control would be provided
via the radio of a light aircraft parked on the
airfield. Fire cover was also in place. Chris
then pored over his maps to find this quaintly
named location, Upper Bruntingthorpe.
It was Friday, June 24, 1988 and a shout
from LPG member Geri Jackson of “She’s
here!” pierced the air, signalling the arrival
of the fighter. The distant grey form of the
Lightning F.6 could be discerned curving into Lightnings have always been maintenance intensive. LPG engineer Pete O’Callaghan gives the
the airfield for a low fly-by, as Flt Lt Berners- signal to lift XS904’s No.2 engine in 2003.

Wattisham in Suffolk – one of three erected
at air bases along the east coast of Britain to
house Lightnings at ten minutes’ readiness.
LPG President Richard Norris (then and
now) had persuaded the demolition contractors
to donate the historic building to the group.
Again, the Walton family appreciated the
hangar’s Cold War significance and allocated
a dispersal area for reconstruction. This would
be a massive task for the LPG and a major
financial burden, but it offered the prospect
of both aircraft being housed under cover,
Above: Two good ’chutes – the first double
fast-taxi run in May 1997. Tim Senior
Right: John Ward crews up Lightning F.6

XS904 in 2010.
Below: On alert. The two ground-running

Lightnings in the Q-Shed during an LPG
night photoshoot.
Former Lightning pilots were contacted,

including Wg Cdr (later Gp Capt) Andy
Williams, former Officer Commanding 5 Sqn
at Binbrook, and John Spencer himself, who
were both delighted to be asked to carry out
taxi trials. And then a bigger step – whether
to engage reheat?
First a static test. Excitement was intense
as, singly, each reheat lit successfully.
Diamond shock waves speared the winter
gloom as ’728 strained against the chocks
that were spigotted into the concrete. The
huddled form of Pete O’Callaghan was
perched on the port tailplane, peering through
inspection holes on the lookout for leaks –
ear defenders clamped tightly to his head as
the tailplane lurched beneath him. All was
well, and the group members breathed a
sigh of relief. With professional pilots in the
‘hot seat’ and a very long runway to provide were up for tender, and the LPG’s New Year facilitating deep maintenance and ultimately
a large safety margin, the decision to begin celebrations were complete as Lightning F.6 the development of a Lightning museum.
reheat taxi trials was taken. XS904 approached Bruntingthorpe’s runway Estimates of £250,000 were received,
Before long, the pilots who took the aircraft on January 21, 1993. BAe Warton’s Peter partly due to the cost of raising the surface of
down Bruntingthorpe’s runway began to read Orme had been tasked with delivery – the the proposed hard standing to be level with the
like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the Lightning world and last military flight of a Lightning, escorted by taxiway. A Heritage Lottery Fund application
included two former BAC Chief Test Pilots its successor, a Tornado F3 flown by Andy was rejected as a lease for the building
of major consequence to the P.1A and P.1B/ Williams who just happened to have a training plot was not available, so other strategies
Lightning programme, Wg Cdrs Roland flight scheduled! were required. One idea was to record a
Beamont and Jimmy Dell, both of whom benefactor’s name on a Donors’ Board for
became enthusiastic supporters. Q-SHED a minimum £50 contribution. This worked
Christmas 1992 and Britain’s Lightning In January 1994 five 40ft (12m) trailers incredibly well; over £130,000 was raised and
era was ending. The five Lightnings used of girders and metalwork arrived at with generous practical help from individuals
as targets by British Aerospace (BAe) in Bruntingthorpe. This was the Quick Reaction and companies sympathetic to the project, the
Tornado F3 AI.24 Foxhunter radar trials Alert (QRA) hangar or ‘Q-Shed’, from RAF Q-Shed was completed in June 2010.

starboard side should bear the startling
finish adopted by 56 Sqn, 111 Sqn’s sister
unit at Wattisham in 1965, where the fin was
transformed into a red and white chequerboard.
Nice idea, but the ’713 project had depleted
the LPG’s coffers and the focus had to be on
keeping the two F.6s in good running order.
A casual conversation between the author,
the LPG’s Bob Tuck and Steve Comber of
the Centre of Aviation Photography (COAP),
led to Steve generously offering to fund
half the cost in exchange for an exclusive
photographic opportunity for COAP.
Estimates obtained and terms agreed,
Chris Norris authorised former RAF painters
Steve Thompson and Danny Collin to begin
the long and arduous task of preparing the
surface for painting, following which aircraft
finisher Steven Hand and decal specialist Paul
Atmospheric images can be captured during the periodic night photoshoots held by the LPG. Balfour of AB Military set to work.
Unforeseen delays led to the 56 Sqn
XR713 up with model paints. Enthusiasts and online scheme being completed with literally hours to
The LPG’s most recent venture was to save auction sites were scoured for panels and spare before the photographers arrived. The
Lightning F.3 XR713 from the scrapman’s instruments; Richard Hall, owner of T.5 XS420 stunning paint scheme was an immediate
torch. The F.3 had landed at RAF Leuchars, at Farnborough Air Sciences Trust, made success. The aircraft serial on the starboard
Fife in March 1987 and, having been adopted available a selection of hard-to-find items, and side was changed to ‘XR718’ as XR713 never
by 111 Sqn, received the unit’s markings. the collection of late LPG founder member Peter wore such a scheme.
However, in 2014 with 111 Sqn disbanded Talbot was an invaluable source. Altogether The LPG holds several events during
and the Eurofighter Typhoon squadrons XR713 was very much a team project. the year, including a static night shoot in
about to move to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, February with dramatic lighting and posed set
the airframe was put up for disposal. LPG NEW SCHEME pieces, and a twilight taxi-run with reheat in
Chairman Chris Norris (brother of Richard) Over the years there had been talk of “wouldn’t November. In addition, LPG aircraft take part
placed a successful bid for the airframe which it be nice to strip a Lightning to natural metal in the Bruntingthorpe Cold War Jets Open
was without engines, and project manager and have a change of finish”. Arguments Days, usually held on the last bank holidays
Chief Technician Max Waldron (ret’d) began against this were varied, the most important in May and in August.
to assemble a dismantling team. being that paint provides corrosion protection.
Lead engineer was Chief Technician But now there was a ‘fresh canvas’ available. BACK TO THE FUTURE
Dave Blissett (ret’d), highly experienced on It was clear that XR713’s appearance The LPG is realistic that fast taxi runs
Lightnings and owner of T.5 XS416 which had deteriorated and a complete repaint cannot go on forever. The group has owned
resides in New York, Lincolnshire. Dave, was desirable, but the 111 Sqn finish was and operated two serviceable, though
Max and six more volunteers converged on attractive and authentic in that XR713 did admittedly non-airworthy, Lightnings for 30
Leuchars to join former Lightning engineer sport this scheme in 1965. Additionally, many years – which is longer than the RAF had
Sergeant Arthur Hewitt (ret’d) and enthusiast ‘Treble One’ personnel had supported the the type in service! The Lightnings were
Scott McPhee, who had begun preparatory project and 111 Sqn members were planning notoriously ‘high maintenance’ – in service
work. By the end of the week over 700 man- to hold their centenary anniversary event in each aircraft averaged 20 hours maintenance
hours had been expended and the cockpit the Q-Shed in 2017. for one hour’s flying, even with highly trained
had been split from the fuselage, but the However, maybe a ‘split personality’ engineers, manufacturer back-up and a
wings and fuselage refused to separate and was feasible; Richard Norris suggested the massive stock of spares.
the fin was stuck fast.
A hydraulic ram was used on the second
visit to provide more ‘muscle’, and with much
protesting, the fuselage and wings parted
company. The fin was more reluctant but
eventually jerked free. Which just left 800
bolts to be removed to split the port and
starboard wings.
Early in May 2015 the final load from
Leuchars arrived at Bruntingthorpe, where
Dave Thomas unloaded the valuable cargo.
Martin Blaze of BAE Systems kindly arranged
for apprentices from his company, led by Claire
West, to spend a week assisting the rebuild.
With further help from Dave Blissett and Chief
Technician Phil Wallis (ret’d), this enabled
major components to be reassembled and
XR713 to be on her wheels by the Cold War
Jets Open Day at the end of August.
Refurbishment of the cockpit had begun
immediately XR713 arrived, powdery corrosion The cockpit section of XR713 is finally freed from the rear fuselage, enabling the wings to be
being removed and instrument panels touched extracted and split for transport from RAF Leuchars to Bruntingthorpe.

Former RAF Chief Technician and LPG
Chief Engineer is Derek Robinson (ret’d)
who, with civilian engineers such as former
LPG Chief Engineer Jim Featherby, together
with Group member Jack Read and many
others, have almost worked miracles keeping
the jets serviceable, seeking expertise
and assistance outside of the group where
necessary. Nevertheless, it has always
been understood that at some point spares
and serviceability issues will mean the Avon
engines will fall silent.
The long-term aim is for the QRA hangar
at Bruntingthorpe to form the nucleus of
a Lightning museum. In addition to the Reassembled and looking resplendent, 111 Sqn-marked XR713 in the sunshine at
two complete F.6s in running order and Bruntingthorpe. Colin Collis
F.3 XR713, it has the nose of T.5 XV328
acquired from Neville Martin of Phoenix Many enthusiasts ask: ‘Will Lightnings ever full reheat as a Lightning blasts down the
Aviation in November 2014 and the cockpit fly in the UK again?’ Due to the vast amount runway – the ground shakes and ribcages
section of F.3 XP703. The latter came from of money required, the lack of spares and the vibrate, followed by a car alarm chorus! The
British Aerospace in August 1989 where Civil Aviation Authority’s refusal to authorise reheat is cut, the roar is gone and the brake
that part of the aircraft had been used as an flight on the civil register without the backing ’chute bobbles behind the distant speck;
engine ground testing simulator. In addition, of a recognised design authority, the answer giving perhaps an inkling of the power once
the group has archives of memorabilia: is an emphatic ‘No’. also enjoyed by the elite pilots of this all-
books, manuals, photographs, documents The Lightning Preservation Group does British Cold War interceptor.
and other artefacts, and not least, of course, the next best thing. The expectant crowd For further information see the LPG
the historic Q-Shed. feels the raw energy of the Avon engines in website at www.lightnings.org.uk
A PILOT’S VIEW
The LPG’s regular pilots are currently Sqn Ldr distinctive, pungent exhaust fumes from the
Dennis Brooks (ret’d), Wg Cdr John Ward (ret’d, Avpin starters, eyewatering in an enclosed
replacing Flt Lt Brian Carroll who passed away environment!
in 2004 and is sadly missed) and the former OC “Checks of hydraulic services and flying controls
of 11 Sqn, the last RAF Lightning unit, Air Cdre take place after No.1 engine start and then we’re
Jake Jarron (ret’d). Dennis Brooks said of his good to go after starting No.2 engine. There is
time serving on the fighter: “I was privileged to lots of thrust with the engines at idle/fast idle
fly the Lightning many years ago, between 1970 while taxiing, and frequent brake application is
and 1978, achieving just under 2,000 hours on required to control the speed.
type. Nowadays, I still have the great privilege “Throttles are moved forward towards the
and pleasure of carrying out high-speed runs in maximum dry power setting and stabilised for
Lightnings at Bruntingthorpe and Cranfield. about 2 seconds before rocking outboard [moving
Dennis Brooks is one of the former RAF
“There is an instant feeling of nostalgia and both throttle levers to the left and then further
Lightning pilots who performs fast taxi runs.
familiarity when I strap in to carry out these runs. advanced] to select reheat.
I also feel very excited, knowing that I will shortly Brakes are released at about 93% when the apply maximum wheel braking and deploy the
be experiencing once again the tremendous aircraft can no longer be held on the brakes. brake parachute. Once the ’chute is deployed
thrust and acceleration produced by the two Acceleration is amazing and after about six to wheel braking is applied as required and flaps
Avons in reheat. eight seconds we are between 150-160kts, not and airbrakes are deployed to increase the drag.
“When I press the start buttons the engines far short of rotation speed. I then effectively It’s all over very quickly but what an adrenaline
rapidly burst into life and I experience the abort a take-off run by throttling back to idle/idle, rush when it’s happening.”
Lightning F.3 XR713 in July 2017, during the photoshoot for

its official unveiling, wearing 56 Sqn markings appropriate to
1965 on the starboard side and carrying the serial ‘XR718’. The
LPG’s two taxiable Lightnings are behind. Colin Collis
42-47_lightning_lpgDC.mfDC.mfDCDC.indd 47 02/03/2018 17:51

GONE
BUT NOT
FORGOTTEN
Aviation News charts the units that operated the

amazing English Electric Lightning fighter in RAF service.
W
hile the number of English Above: The final days of the type in RAF service in the late 1980s: F.6 XR728/JS,
Electric Lightnings built in Lightning Training Flight markings. This aircraft is kept in live condition at
Bruntingthorpe. See the feature that starts on p42 for more on this aircraft and
– 337, including 25 pre-
the Lightning Preservation Group.
production, prototype and
test aircraft – mean it wasn’t the most it was also the RAF’s longest serving system, eventually equipping nine RAF
numerous type to be operated by the interceptor. squadrons, plus a host of training and
RAF, the charismatic fighter does have a Deliveries of the F.1 variant to test units. The last Lightning fighters
special place in the service’s long history. frontline RAF units began in 1960. were officially retired from front line use
The Lightning was, for example, the only Once established, the Lightning formed at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, on April
all-British fighter capable of Mach 2 and the backbone of Britain’s air defence 30, 1988.
48-52_lightning_unitsDC.mfDC.mf.indd 48 05/03/2018 12:20

RAF LIGHTNINGS –
OPERATIONAL
SQUADRONS
Number Notes
No.5 Received its first Lightning,

T.5 XS451, at Binbrook,
Lincolnshire, on November
19, 1965 and operated the
type (including F.6s, the first of
which arrived on December 10,
1965) until December 1987.
No.11 Took its first Lightning, F.6

XS928, on charge at Leuchars,
Scotland, on April 4, 1967 and
later moved south to Binbrook.
Operated the type until April
1988.
No.19 Received its first Lightning, The distinction of being the first operational unit to be equipped with the Lightning fighter fell
T.4 XM988 at Leconfield, to 74 Squadron, which flew the type from 1960 to 1971. These are F.3 variants. Crown Copyright
Yorkshire, in October 1962, via Hugh Trevor
with its first F.2 XN775,
arriving on December 17,
1962. The unit later moved to
Gütersloh in West Germany
and flew the type until
December 1976.
No.23 A pair of Lightnings, F.3s

XP707 and XP708, were
delivered to the unit at
Leuchars, Scotland, on August
18, 1964 but No.23 didn’t
officially ‘stand-up’ with the
type until October that year.
They operated various marks
of the English Electric fighter
(including F.6s and T.4s) for
11 years. A Lightning F.6 of 5 Squadron in May 1982. AirTeamImages.com/Carl Ford
Above: The ‘Firebirds’ – 56 Squadron – was the second frontline

unit to operate the type. This photo shows XS417/Z – the
first production T.5 to fly – in the unit’s markings. Today this
aircraft preserved at the wonderful Newark Air Museum on the
Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire border. All photos Key Collection
unless stated
Right: A flight of F.6s from 23 Squadron. The aircraft illustrated

are XR754/M, XR747/K, XS937/C and XR728/D. Of these,
XR728 is today privately owned and kept in running order at
Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire, while the nose sections of XR754
and XR747 have both been preserved – in Cambridgeshire and
Devon respectively.
48-52_lightning_unitsDC.mfDC.mfDCDC.indd 49 05/03/2018 13:02

No.29 The first Lightnings for the unit,
F.3s XP765 and XP698, arrived
on May 10, 1967 at Wattisham,
Suffolk, and it operated the type
(including T.5s) until December
1974.
No.56 The ‘Firebirds’ received their

first Lightning, F.1A XM172,
at Wattisham, Suffolk, on
December 14, 1960 and flew
the type (including F.3s, F.6s, a
T.4 and T.5s) until June 1976. It
spent a lengthy spell based at
Akrotiri, Cyprus during its time
as a Lightning unit.
Top right: A fine study of F.3 XP756/K of 29

Squadron. This aircraft was with the unit
for four years before it was destroyed in a
crash in early 1971.
Above right: Lightnings based in West

Germany in the 1970s adopted the RAF dark
green paint over bare metal. This reflected
the type’s change in role from high-level
fighter work to low-level interceptor
tasking. After leaving the RAF in 1983, this
Gütersloh-based 92 Squadron example,
F.2 XN728, was placed on display/open
storage by a private owner close to the A1
road near Balderton, Nottinghamshire. It
fell into a state of extreme disrepair and
was eventually broken up in 2011, with
the cockpit being saved - it’s now being
restored to its former glory by a private
collector.
Right: No.11 Squadron’s F.6 XR757/D,

circa 1971.
TRAINING
SQUADRONS/
UNITS
Right: Lightning F.1 XM139/F of the

Air Fighting Development Squadron,
the unit tasked with bringing the
type and its variants into RAF
service.
Name/Number Notes
Air Fighting Development Squadron AFDS received its first Lightnings in December 1959 and operated the type (including F.1s, F.3s,
F.6s, T.4s and T.5s) until February 1, 1966, when it was renamed the Fighter Command Trials Unit
(FCTU) and adopted the Binbrook station badge of a blue lion on the tail.
Binbrook Target Facilities Flight Established in 1966 with F.1s and F.1As to provide targets for practice high-speed fighter interceptions.
Disbanded in December 1973. Aircraft were borrowed from other units.
Fighter Command Trials Unit Formed at Binbrook on February 1, 1966 and operated the type (including F.1s, F.3s and F.6s)
until June 1967.
Leuchars Target Facilities Flight Equipped initially with a trio of F.1As, the Leuchars TFF was formed in April 1966 and served for
four years.

No.74 Lightning F.1 XM165 was the first example for 74
Squadron and was delivered to the unit at Leconfield,
Yorkshire, on June 29, 1960. It operated the type
(including F.3s, F.6s and T.4s) for 11 years. Also based
at Coltishall, Leuchars and Tengah, Singapore at various
times in the 1960s.
No.92 This famous unit took on its first single-seat Lightning,

F.2 XN783, at Leconfield, Yorkshire, on March 26, 1963
and operated the type (including F.2As and T.4s) until
late March 1977. No.92’s Lightnings were also based at
Gelsenkirchen, West Germany (1966 to 1968) and then
Gütersloh.
No.111 Received its first Lightning, F.1A XM185, on August 29,

1961 and operated the type (including F.3s and T.4s)
until September 1974. The unit’s operational base was
Wattisham.
Above: A spectacular photo of F.2 XN787/M

of 19 Squadron, circa 1962. via Andy
Thomas
Left: This aircraft – F.3 XR715/E of 111

Squadron – was first flown on November
14, 1964 and served with the unit from 1965
to 1969. It was lost in a crash while being
operated by 29 Squadron in 1972.
Above: Aircraft serving with No.3 (Advanced) Squadron of 226 OCU

usually carried ‘2T’ unit markings, as illustrated by XR716.
Right: Lightning F.1A XM181 of the Binbrook Target Facilities Flight in

1974. The Aviation Photo Company
Lightnings T.4 XM970/G, XM971/K and XM972/J of the Lightning Conversion Squadron based at Middleton St George. LCS markings were simply
yellow trainer bands around the wings and rear fuselage and a tail letter. Crown Copyright via Hugh Trevor

Twin-seat trainer T.4 XM969 of 226 OCU in July 1980. This aircraft was first
flown on March 28, 1961 by test pilot Jim Dell and served with the unit for
most of its flying career. It was scrapped at Binbrook circa 1988.
The three Lightning F.1As of the Leuchars Target Facilities Flight. The Aviation Photo Company
Lightning Augmentation Flight Formed at Binbrook in 1981 and used by Lightning pilots not assigned to flying units to maintain their
currency on type. It drew aircraft from rotated storage. Fin markings were a fluorescent orange ‘LAF’
(similar size and style to ‘LTF’) or the lettering was smaller enclosed within a diamond.
Lightning Conversion Squadron Established on August 10, 1961, at Middleton St George (now Durham Tees Valley Airport).
Operated the T.4 variant. It became 226 OCU on June 1, 1963.
Lightning Conversion Unit Formed at Coltishall on January 4, 1960 and borrowed F.1s and F.1As from other units. It became
the Lightning Conversion Squadron.
Lightning Training Flight Formed at Binbrook in September 1975 and operated the type (including F.3s, F.6s and T.5s) until
April 1987.
Wattisham Target Facilities Flight Formed in 1966 with F.1s to provide targets for practice high-speed fighter interceptions. Disbanded
in December 1973.
226 Operational Conversion Unit This unit ‘stood up’ at Middleton St George (now Durham Tees Valley Airport) as 226 OCU (145
Shadow Squadron) on June 1, 1963. In April 1964 the OCU relocated to Coltishall. It was renamed
226 OCU (65 Shadow Squadron) in January 1971. Sub-units within the OCU included No.1
(Conversion) Squadron, No.2 (Weapons) Squadron and No.3 (Advanced) Squadron – the latter
being referred to as ‘2T’. The OCU disbanded in July 1974 with many aircraft transferring to Binbrook
to form the Lightning Training Flight. The OCU flew F.1s, F.1As, F.3s T.4s and T.5s, and also
converted Saudi pilots to the T.55.
Note: Lightnings were occasionally loaned or temporarily assigned to other test or maintenance units; due to the transient nature of these
deployments, they have been omitted from this list.
Above left: The OCU’s conversion squadron was also known as 65 (Shadow) Squadron, and many of its aircraft, such as F.1A XM182, carried 65’s
unit markings. The fighter is illustrated here at an airshow in August 1972.
Above right: Lightning F.1 XM147/C of the Wattisham Target Facilities Flight, circa 1966.
48-52_lightning_unitsDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 52 05/03/2018 12:44

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LARNACA
AIRPORT: LARNACA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
HOTEL: FLAMINGO BEACH HOTEL
Balconied rooms and a rooftop terrace provide a

perfect vantage point to turn the camera lens on
Larnaca airport, as Martyn Cartledge reports.
J
ust metres from Mackenzie Beach approach to Runway 22 as well as a
is the Flamingo Beach Hotel and roof terrace, with a swimming pool,
associated apartments some of from where the aviation action can be
which have good views of aircraft enjoyed.
using Larnaca International Airport (IATA The Cypriot airport receives a
code LCA and ICAO LCLK), plus a more broad selection of European carriers
distant perspective of the airfield. The including Russia – such as Rossiya
hotel has a number of rooms that offer Airlines, Orenair, Aeroflot and S7 Main photo: An S7 Airlines Boeing 737-800
photographic opportunities of aircraft on Airlines – and others from the former taken at 312mm with a crop sensor camera.
Soviet republics. Middle Eastern All photos Martyn Cartledge/aspphotography.
operators are well represented net unless stated
utilising equipment rarely seen Above: The Flamingo Beach Hotel and has
in mainland Europe, such as good views of the approach to Runway 22.
Embraer 190s of Royal Jordanian
and Arkia Israeli Airlines. beach and approach. Hotel rooms 101, 201,
Resident Cobalt Air and the 301 and 401 have among the best views
‘new’ Cyprus Airways use A319s and it is advisable to book the highest floor
and A320s and TUS Airways available.
(flying the Fokker 70 and ’100) is
also based at Larnaca. ROOF TERRACE
The airport, which last year A roof terrace, complete with a swimming
catered for 7.7 million passengers, pool, provides an excellent panorama of the
handles relatively few cargo flights approach and part of the airport. Aircraft
– TNT (ASL Aviation) operates a taxiing to and from the runway and some of
Boeing 737 that day-stops until its the general aviation/cargo apron is visible
departure in the evening. On the from here, although most of the terminal
plus side there are usually plenty area is obscured except for a few stands.
of bizjets to be seen during an The hotel has a restaurant and bar on the
average day. ground floor from which the Runway 22
The one- and two-bed hotel approach can be monitored.
A map showing the hotel’s location rooms and apartments all enjoy Aircraft are approximately 1 mile (1.6km)
relative to the airport. Andrew Hay – Flyingart a balcony with some looking out over the from the threshold of Runway 22 when
54-55_rwav_larnaca_v2DC.indd 54 01/03/2018 16:57

HOTEL DETAILS
Floors: Four, plus roof terrace with swimming pool
A typical room at the Flamingo Beach Hotel. Rooms: 64 The roof terrace at the Flamingo Beach Hotel.
Flamingo Beach Hotel Arrivals on Runway 22 can be photographed
Rooms with best views: 101, 201, 301 and 401
from here and it also affords a distant view of
they pass the hotel and apartments. An Rating: 3 stars the airport.
Airbus A320 fills three-quarters of a frame
Transport to/from airport: bus number 425
at approximately 280mm focal length on a at a cost of €1.50 one way. The bus stop is With the option to enjoy the aircraft
Canon crop sensor camera. The afternoon approximately a five-minute walk away movements from a room balcony or the roof
provides the best light for photography. Parking: Free for guests, but limited spaces
terrace and being so close to the waterfront,
Unfortunately, aircraft departing Runway the Flamingo Beach Hotel is the ideal
Internet access: Free Wi-Fi
04 are usually too high for good photos by location to combine a sunshine holiday with
the time they pass the hotel complex. Website: www.flamingohotelcyprus.com some aviation.
Telephone: +357 24 828208
Larnaca International Airport receives a
wide variety of European carriers, such as
this Austrian Airlines’ A320.
Below: A view from the roof terrace of part of the general aviation/cargo apron and a
Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 767 in the distance parked on the terminal ramp.
54-55_rwav_larnaca_v2DC.indd 55 01/03/2018 16:57

GULF AIR
BOUNCING BACK Gulf Air is no longer the biggest carrier in the Middle East,
but can proudly claim to be one of the oldest in the region.
Jozef Mols investigates the airline’s evolution.
G
ulf Air has faced tough Freddie Bosworth, a British former RAF His fleet comprised seven Avro Ansons,
competition, political disruption pilot and entrepreneur, started an air taxi used until 1952, and briefly during 1951
and financial woes, but is operation in Bahrain soon after World War three de Havilland DH.86B four-engined
now back on a trajectory of Two ended, operating flights to Doha in aircraft. Bosworth’s business was formally
expansion. Qatar and Dhahran in Saudi Arabia. incorporated as Gulf Aviation Company
56-61_gulf_airDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 56 02/03/2018 17:32

In 1999, Gulf Air received the first two of six Airbus A330-200s. AirTeamImages.com/Steve Flint
flight was to Doha and took off on July 5,

1950, with Dhahran rotations beginning
on September 28. Bosworth intended to
rejuvenate his fleet by adding de Havilland
Doves.
However, he was killed at Croydon
on June 9, 1951 during a demonstration
flight while preparing to introduce the DH
Dove to the company. Following his death,
BOAC took a 22% shareholding through its
subsidiary, BOAC Associated Services.
Two de Havilland DH.114 Heron aircraft
joined the fleet in 1956, remaining until
retirement 11 years later. A Douglas Dakota
was added in 1961 which stayed for ten
years.
In 1967, the airline began the
A Douglas Dakota was added to the then Gulf Aviation Company fleet in 1961. The real G-AMZZ
introduction of Fokker F 27s. The only
was broken up for spare parts, this is a former RAF example. The aircraft is on display at the Al
Mahatta Aviation Museum in Sharjah. Also on display are an example of an Anson, Heron and new one, A40-FA, arrived in 1976, the next
Dove to show other types used in the past. Wikimedia Commons/Aeroprints was second-hand from KLM in 1968 and
the third, in 1971 came from Balair. These
in 1950 with the purpose of establishing charter and air taxi work, aircraft handling pressurised and air-conditioned aircraft
scheduled flights between some of the and flight training. were much appreciated in the heat of the
Arab States of the Persian Gulf, alongside The new company’s first scheduled Middle East by Gulf Air passengers.

Three Fokker F27-400s joined the Gulf Air fleet. Bob O’Brien
They were used on short-haul flights and GULF AIR five Boeing 737-200s (which would serve
served until 1981. In 1973 the governments of the Emirate of until 1995).
The Herons were replaced by two Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and the Sultanate In 1978, the TriStar fleet was doubled to
Beechcraft B80 Queen Airs, flying in the of Oman purchased the BOAC shares replace the VC10s. The airline only ever
colours of Gulf Aviation Company. A Short in Gulf Aviation. The Foundation Treaty operated four TriStars at any one time but in
Skyvan was mostly used for cargo flights of the business was signed on January total used 18 different airframes. The Boeing
supporting oil exploitation and also on 1, 1974 which gave each country a 25% fleet was increased to nine aircraft, replacing
scheduled flights when passenger numbers shareholding in Gulf Aviation, which became the One-Elevens.
didn’t warrant a larger aircraft. The aircraft a holding company. The operating firm A single Boeing 707-320C was leased
was in service from 1970 until 1981. was rebranded as Gulf Air and became a from 1979 until 1980 for Gulf Air’s cargo
On December 2, 1971 the Trucial multinational flag carrier. operations. Later, between 1993 and 1996,
States, which included Bahrain, became The airline leased two Lockheed L-1011 a single Boeing 757-200F would be leased
independent. Previously, these nations, TriStars in 1976 when the Gulf Air network for the same purpose.
in the southeast Persian Gulf, formed an included Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, A sole Boeing 747-100 was leased from
informal British protectorate through treaties Baghdad, Bombay, Bangkok, Beirut, 1984 until 1987. Three 747-200s increased
(hence Trucial). Six of the sheikhdoms Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Hong Kong, Gulf Air’s long-haul capacity between 1984
(Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Jeddah, Karachi, Khartoum, Larnaca, and 1985 and a single 747-200 was briefly
Al Quwain and Fujairah) formed the United Manila, Paris, Ras Al Khaimah and Sana’a. leased later in 1995 from Middle East
Arab Emirates. In 1972, Ras Al Khaimah Five Boeing 737-200s were added in Airlines (MEA).
would become the seventh member of the 1977. At this time, the fleet comprised four In 1989 and 1990, two extra Boeing 737-
UAE. Bahrain, however, decided to remain Vickers VC10s (1974-1978), three BAC 200s were leased for a short period of time.
on its own. One-Elevens (1969-1978), two TriStars and Destinations were selected to support
the oil and banking sectors in the Gulf
States and to import foreign workers, which
explains the importance of flights to Sri
Lanka, Bangladesh and India.
ANNIVERSARY
When Gulf Air celebrated its 40th
anniversary in 1990, the aviation landscape
had changed completely in the region.
Increasing oil revenues resulted in greater
air travel and economic growth. Gulf Air
added Boeing 767-300ERs to its fleet in
1988. It would go on to fly 19 of this variant
Three BAC One-Elevens were used on short-haul flights between 1969 and 1978. plus one 767-200 and a 767-300. The
AirTeamImages/Carl Ford 767s were replaced in 2008 by 777-300s
leased from Jet Airways. In the same year
Frankfurt, Istanbul, Damascus, Dar es
Salaam, Fujairah and Nairobi were added to
the route map.
On the downside, Emirates of Dubai
entered the market in 1985 and would soon
become a major rival. Gulf Air decided to
fight the competition by further expanding
its route network. Singapore, Sydney,
Johannesburg and Melbourne were added.
The 1991 Gulf War to remove Iraqi
forces from Kuwait considerably affected
Gulf Air and other airlines. The cost of fuel
and insurance increased. Rerouting to
avoid flying over the war zone meant using
A Short Skyvan was used by the airline from 1970 until 1981. Bob O’Brien more fuel and there was also a downturn in

From 1974 until 1978, Gulf Air used four Vickers VC10s. AirTeamImages.com/Carl Ford
passenger demand. The second Gulf War in where the more tickets a passenger books, the fleet and recapitalising the company
2003 had similar effects. the more they save. through private-sector financing.
Oman Air was founded in 1993 and The airline also announced a sponsorship New challenges appeared. On
Qatar Airways operated its first flight on deal for the Bahrain F1 motor racing Grand September 3, 2005, the Emirate of Abu
January 20, 1994. Gulf Air now had three Prix through to 2010. Dhabi decided to fully withdraw from Gulf
competitors. By the end of 2004, it had become Air and to establish its own airline: Etihad
In May 1994, Gulf Air received its first clear that Hogan’s restructuring had paid Airways. Gulf Air had to change operations
Airbus A340-300 and by the end of the year off. The airline had carried a record 7.5 to become just a dual-hub between Bahrain
it had four examples in its fleet, with three million passengers and its accounts were and Muscat.
more following between 1995 and 1997. The back in the black with the best financial As the national carrier for the Gulf States
type would remain in service until 2012. In performance since 1997. Despite rising fuel for more than 35 years, Gulf Air had a large
1999, when the airline received the first costs, it posted a profit of $4m for 2004 on customer base in Abu Dhabi which it tried
two of six Airbus A330-200s, it opened new revenues that were up 23.8%. The result to support by offering flights between Abu
routes to Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. meant the airline out-performed the targets Dhabi and Bahrain and Muscat, connecting
The remaining four A330s were delivered set under Project Falcon, the three-year to the rest of the Gulf Air network.
in 2000, when Gulf Air celebrated its 50th restructuring plan. One year after the withdrawal of Abu
anniversary. The carrier also introduced direct Dhabi, James Hogan resigned as President
flights between Dubai and London, and and CEO to become CEO at rival airline
RESTRUCTURING between Muscat and London, as well as Etihad.
In May 2002, James Hogan became a daily service from Abu Dhabi to Ras Ahmed Al Hammadi took over the role
President and CEO of Gulf Air. The airline Al Khaimah. The owner states of Gulf on October 1, 2006, to be replaced on April
had experienced serious financial problems Air (Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and Oman) 1, 2007 by André Dosé, former CEO of
in the past, and the new skipper decided confirmed their support for further Crossair and Swiss International Airlines.
to launch a restructuring and turnaround expansion through a new three-year A few days later, Dosé announced
programme in response to a drastic fall in strategic plan that included re-equipping a $825m restructuring plan. This
profits and increasing debts.
The company’s board unanimously
approved the three-year plan at an
extraordinary general meeting held that year
on December 18.
The Qatar Government withdrew its
involvement with the airline because it now
had its own national flag carrier, Qatar
Airways (founded in 1993) and didn’t want
to spend money in a debt restructuring
programme that would improve the financial
standing of Gulf Air.
As part of Hogan’s rebranding Gulf Air received its first Lockheed L-1011 Tristar in 1976. AirTeamImages.com/Ralf Meyermann
programme, the airline introduced a new
Landor-Associates-designed livery in 2003,
when daily flights to Athens were started,
and set up the Gulf Traveller subsidiary
as an all-economy, full-service airline. Its
inaugural flight between Abu Dhabi and
Jeddah took place on June 15 that year. It’s
main base was in Abu Dhabi but it relocated
to Bahrain and Muscat airports after Abu
Dhabi pulled out of the Gulf Air consortium.
In May 2007, when Oman also withdrew,
leaving Bahrain as sole owner of the airline,
these changes led to Gulf Traveller being
shut down that year. However, the name
was revived in 2016 for a marketing strategy Gulf Air leased five Boeing 737-200s in 1977, which served until 1995. Wikimedia Commons/AeroIcarus

Beechcraft B80 Queen Airs replaced the de Havilland Herons in 1981. Bob O’Brien
included originating and terminating all directors. He was replaced by Bjorn Naf. He Boeing 767 flight landed in Bahrain. The
flights in Bahrain, and closing routes to had previously worked as CEO for Transafrik same year, Gulf Air signed a six-year lease
Johannesburg, Dublin, Jakarta, Singapore, International in Kenya. His view of Gulf Air’s for five aircraft (two Airbus A319s and three
Hong Kong and Sydney. It also eliminated situation was that it needed to expand to Airbus A330-200s) with International Lease
all Boeing 767s and Airbus A340-300s survive. Finance Corporation.
from the fleet, and introduced the Airbus It also established codeshare A second 42-months’ lease contract for
A321 in July 2007 as well as the Airbus agreements including with Oneworld’s four Boeing 777-300ERs was confirmed in
A330-300 in 2009. Potentially, Dosé also American Airlines and Royal Jordanian, and March 2009 with Jet Airways, but the aircraft
wanted to terminate employment based on Star Alliances’ Thai Airways and Egypt Air. were returned by September 2009.
poor performance and without regard to the Gulf Air inaugurated a third daily service In May, the airline started seasonal flights
nationality of affected workers. to London Heathrow, besides flights to to Alexandria, Aleppo and Salalah (in Oman)
This led to unrest among the staff and Shanghai Pudong (from June 16, 2008 until and on September 1, 2009 it resumed flights
some employees applied for jobs at other December 25, 2009). to Baghdad for the first time since 1991,
carriers. In less than a month, Gulf Air lost On January 13, 2008, Boeing announced followed by Najaf and Erbil soon afterwards.
500 people from its workforce, so mass lay- a Gulf Air order for 24 Boeing 787-8 In 2010, Gulf Air received two Embraer
offs as part of the recovery plan were ruled Dreamliners, which was subsequently 170s, on lease from the manufacturer, and
out. altered twice – on November 12, 2012 to 12 as the smallest aircraft in its fleet, they were
firm orders and four options and at the 2016 used on the Larnaca route. The aircraft
STANDING ALONE Bahrain Air Show, the 787-8s were converted remained until 2012. Two E190s arrived in
On May 5, 2007, the government of Bahrain to 787-9s. 2010, leaving in 2013 for Denim Air in the
claimed full ownership of the airline when Orders for 15 Airbus A320s and 20 A330s Netherlands.
Oman withdrew from the company. A few were announced during the ILA Berlin In March 2011 a single Boeing 737-
weeks later, on July 23, André Dosé retired Airshow in 2008. 700 was leased briefly from Swiss-based
as CEO due to clashes with other Gulf Air On May 29, 2008, the last commercial PrivatAir in order to cope with seasonal
traffic. The fortunes of Gulf Air were not only
dictated by competition from Qatar Airways,
Etihad and Emirates, however.
Local political problems darkened the
horizon. Due to domestic unrest, Gulf Air
had to suspend flights to Iran, Iraq and
Lebanon during the height of the Bahraini
uprising.
The airline originally planned to resume
flights to Iran from November 2012, but had
to cancel them as the Iranian authorities did
Three Boeing 747-200s increased Gulf Air’s long-haul capacity between 1984 and 1985. not grant authorisations. A religious divide
Wikimedia Commons/Michel Gilliand was at the heart of the tensions. Iran and
Iraq have Shiite Muslim religious sites which
Bahraini Shiites want to visit. At the same
time, the Bahraini Shiite majority complained
they had long been marginalised in political
and economic life by the Sunni rulers of
Bahrain. The government of Bahrain in turn
accused Iran of supporting the protests led
by majority Shiite Muslims, a charge which
Iran denied.
Mainly due to the political unrest in
Bahrain this cost Gulf Air $250m in 2011 and
$520m in 2012. The government of Bahrain
Between 1993 and 1996, a single Boeing 757-200F was leased for cargo operations. Wikimedia felt it had no other choice but to bail out the
Commons/Thursten Maiwald ailing airline.

The Gulf Traveller subsidiary flew for four years from 2003.
AirTeamImages.com/Europix
Conditions of the financial aid included • January 2017: Five weekly flights to wake of political disputes between Qatar
the selection of another CEO and the return Colombo added and other Gulf States.
to Hogan’s restructuring plan. The staff was • June 2017: A Gulf Air aircraft made its The latest expansion appears to indicate
reduced by 1,000 and it was also mandated maiden flight to Tbilisi (Georgia) on a direct Gulf Air has managed to cope with past
there be a minimum requirement for 76% three-weekly service basis challenges – shrinking from a four-hub,
Bahraini personnel, meaning the airline • September 2017: Moscow flights multinational airline to a single-hub, national
would have to let go a high proportion of increased from four weekly to daily flights flag carrier; political unrest in the area; Gulf
expatriate staff. • September 2017: Daily flights to Istanbul Wars, and stiff competition from Emirates,
In November 2012, Gulf Air phased in direct response to passenger demand. Etihad and Qatar Airways.
out its last remaining Airbus A340-300. Network growth was supplemented by Maher Salman Al Musallam, the CEO
Maher Salman Al Musallam was appointed a series of codeshare arrangements with who had guided the airline through this
as acting CEO in December 2012. He foreign carriers: difficult period and had reduced the airline’s
remained in this role for four years, being • August 2017: Agreement with Aegean debts by 88% during his tenure, stepped
confirmed as CEO in 2016 Airlines of Greece down in June 2017. He was replaced by
These measures paid off, and by • August 2017: Similar deal with Oman Air Krešimir Kučko, previously President and
2015, Gulf Air – though not yet profitable for flights between Bahrain and Muscat CEO of Croatia Airlines.
– announced an 88% drop of its losses • September 2017: Codeshare A lot has changed for Gulf Air including it
compared with 2012 levels. In October with Turkish Airlines to expand travel now having more competitors in the region.
2015, Bahrain’s transport minister Kamal opportunities for passengers flying between Thanks to turnaround programmes, started
Bin Ahmed said the airline aimed to clear Bahrain and several Turkish cities. under James Hogan, it is in a far better
its debts by the end of 2016 and move Unfortunately, Gulf Air also had to cancel position today than ten years ago and is
into expansion mode. It’s intended that its flights between Bahrain and Doha in the going in the right direction.
the airline will restore the previous size
of its fleet and network over the next
decade.
On January 21, 2016 it confirmed its
future narrowbody plan, adjusting a previous
order with Airbus. To be delivered from
June 2018, the new assets will include 17
A321neo and 12 A320neo aircraft. The
aircraft order replaced a 2012 commitment
for ten A320neos and an earlier deal to
acquire six A330-300s. The new neo-series
aircraft will take over from the existing fleet
of A320/321s. And the planned A330-300s
were axed after Gulf Air’s decision to base
its widebody strategy on the use of a future In 2010, Gulf Air received two Embraer 170s on lease from the manufacturer. AirTeamImages.
fleet of 787-9 Dreamliners. The first of these com/Chris Goodwin
will arrive this year.
By the end of 2016, Gulf Air’s fleet
comprised 16 A320s, six A321s and six
A330-200s.
On November 13, 2017, Gulf Air decided
that five of the number of 787-9s it is to
receive should be leased from Dubai
Aerospace Enterprise. The airline’s first 787-
9 will be delivered this year and the initial
service will be to London Heathrow starting
in June.
Not only has the fleet been expanding but
Gulf Air been growing its route network:
• March 2016: Four additional afternoon
flights per week to Riyadh
• April 2016: Return to Dhaka announced Gulf Air has 16 Airbus A320s and ordered the neo variant. AirTeamImages.com/Felix Gottwald

USAF E-3 SENTRY
EYE IN THE SKY Tom Kaminski profiles the heart of the
USAF’s airpower – Boeing’s E-3 Sentry.
B
etween March 1977 and May 1992, suppression of enemy air defences and Conceptual development of the AWACS
Boeing delivered 68 E-3 Sentry overwatch missions – and can also manage began in response to a 1963 joint Specific
Airborne Warning and Control air-refuelling flights, combat search and Operational Requirement (SOR) undertaken
System (AWACS) aircraft to the US rescue (CSAR) and special ops missions. by Tactical Air Command and Air Defense
Air Force, NATO, the Royal Saudi Air Force, Its long-range surveillance multi-mode Command for a beyond-the-horizon system
the French Air Force and the RAF. radar can locate and track targets flying at capable of tracking low-flying targets against
Considered a low-density/high-demand medium and low altitudes at ranges greater ground clutter. It was planned to be a more
(LD/HD) asset, the Sentry serves as an than 325 miles (520km) and 250 miles capable replacement for the Lockheed
all-weather airborne early warning, air (400km) respectively. EC-121D Warning Star, which had entered
surveillance, air battle management, and At an altitude of 30,000ft, the system service in 1953.
command and control platform. is capable of longer-range detection than A request for proposals (RFP) was
It provides command and control of conventional ground-based platforms that released in June 1965 and Lockheed, Boeing
offensive and defensive counter-air and -sea are inherently constrained by line-of-sight and Douglas Aircraft, which were already
operations as well as strike, close-air support, limitations. developing concepts that could meet the
62-67_e3sDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 62 02/03/2018 17:53

The ‘ZZ’ tail code on E-3B 71-1408 shows
it’s allocated to the 18th Wing at Kadena
AB, Okinawa, Japan. This was the second
development aircraft, flown under the EC-
137D destination. Jim Haseltine
SOR, responded. In July 1966, Boeing and August 31, 1972. As the integrator, Boeing The E-3A’s first USAF tasking began in
Douglas received contracts for advanced selected the Westinghouse (now Northrop September 1978 when the 963rd Airborne
concept formulation studies. Grumman) system, which received the Warning and Control Squadron (AWACS)
General Electric, Raytheon, Hughes designation AN/APY-1. deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan.
Aircraft and Westinghouse each received Design, development, test and evaluation Whereas the initial 25 ‘Core’ E-3As
similar contracts for the radar – for which, formally began in October 1972 and approval featured the AN/APY-1 radar, the 26th and
in 1967, Westinghouse and Hughes were to begin full-scale work-up followed on subsequent aircraft were equipped with the
selected to compete – and the Department January 19, 1973. Although the USAF’s initial upgraded AN/APY-2 system – development
of Defense formally approved the AWACS requirements included 64 production aircraft, of which started in December 1976 and flight
Program in December 1968. Responsibility by 1973 the number had been cut to 34. testing in June 1979.
for development was assigned to the Air Force Delivered from December 10, 1981, the
Systems Command’s Electronic Systems FIRST FLIGHT APY-2-equipped ‘Standard’ aircraft featured
Division at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts. Four test aircraft clocked up around 1,800 hours a maritime surveillance mode capable of
Boeing and McDonnell Douglas (created and 451 flights during a 16-month evaluation detecting large and small surface ships. In
through the 1967 merger of McDonnell that concluded before the first production addition to the USAF jets, Boeing delivered
Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft) responded aircraft conducted its maiden air test under the 18 Standard E-3As to NATO from January
to a final RFP in December 1968, offering designation E-3A on October 31, 1975. 1982. The first production E-3A (serial 73-
variants of the 707-320 and DC-8-62 airliners Westinghouse delivered the first 1674) was also converted to the Standard
respectively – with Boeing chosen in July production radar in October 1976 and the configuration and served as a dedicated test
1970 as the prime contractor and AWACS Tactical Air Command’s 552nd Airborne bed.
systems integrator. Warning and Control Wing (AWACW), from The Sentry achieved full operational
The company received a contract to October 1991 it became the 552nd Air Control capability with the delivery of the last of the
modify two 707-320 airframes to support the Wing, at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, received its 34 USAF jets in June 1984. They included
evaluation of competing radars under the first E-3A, 75-0557, on March 23, 1977. both EC-137Ds, which were brought up to
‘Brassboard Flyoff’ assessment. The wing’s first mission followed a Core E-3A configuration.
The first of two prototypes took its week later and the E-3A achieved initial The E-3’s most eye-catching feature is
maiden flight under the designation EC- operational capability (IOC) on April 16, its 30ft-diameter (9.1m) rotating dome, or
137D on February 6, 1972, and testing of 1978 – with the name Sentry assigned to the rotodome. Mounted on struts above the aft
the trial radars followed from March 14 to type a month later. fuselage, it houses antennas for the radar

Above left: An E-3G from the 552nd Airborne
and the Identification Friend or Foe/Tactical radar computer and upgraded the operator
Warning and Control Wing on the ramp at
Digital Information Link (IFF/TADIL) systems. consoles, system hardware and software.
its base in Oklahoma. Greg L Davis/Public
It turns at a rate of 6 RPM, enabling the Domain Image It also increased the radar sensitivity to
S-band pulse Doppler surveillance radar to detect and track smaller targets, such as
survey, every ten seconds, an area larger Above right: Tinker AFB in Oklahoma is still cruise missiles, at greater distances and
the primary home for the USAF’s Sentry fleet,
than 200,000sq miles (519,998km²) and improved the system’s electronic counter-
including E-3G 82-0006. Greg L Davis/Public
extending over 250 miles around the aircraft. countermeasures (ECCM) capability,
Domain Image
Although later Saudi, French and British reliability and maintainability.
E-3s feature more powerful 24,000lb st communications and an upgraded central Initial operational test and evaluation
(106.76kN) CFM International CFM56-2A-2/3 mission computer. (IOT&E) ran from August 1995 to October
high-bypass turbofans, USAF and NATO Developed from the US Army’s Advanced 1996, enabling Low-Rate Initial Production
Sentries were delivered with four 21,000lb Quick Look (AQL), the ESM’s passive (LRIP) to begin. RSIP-equipped E-3B/Cs
st (93.41kN) Pratt & Whitney TF-33-PW- sensor detects and acquires radio frequency achieved IOC in June 2001 and the 32nd and
100/100A turbofan engines. emissions from threat radars at distances up final upgraded Sentry was accepted by the
to 300nm (556km). It identifies the emitter USAF on April 15, 2005.
UPGRADES and determines the type of platform, and The next-generation identification friend or
Since entering service, the E-3 has had information from the ESM is correlated and foe project provided new secure Mode 5 and
numerous upgrades to its mission systems displayed with inputs from other sensors on Mode S civilian air traffic control capabilities
and cockpit avionics suite. the operator consoles for analysis. for 31 aircraft, beginning in 2015. Current
Begun in 1984, Block 20/25 modifications The system can classify more than 100 modernisation is focused on upgrading
updated the Core and Standard E-3As with targets in ten seconds and scan across its the battle management mission, combat
a faster, more capable IBM CC-2 computer. entire frequency band in two seconds. Its identification systems and cockpit avionics.
The incorporation Sharing many
of five additional elements with the
situation display NATO Mid-Term
consoles increased upgrade plan for
the number to the type, the $2.7
14, improving the bn Block 40/45
system’s ability programme began
to process and in 2003. The largest
disseminate upgrade in the
information. AWACS’ history,
ECM-resistant E-3G standard, it
voice communications replaced the mission
modifications computing system
meanwhile boosted with open-architecture,
the number of radios commercial off-the-
to 20 through the shelf hardware and
installation of a third software, new mission
HF and five UHF consoles and battle
units, while the Core management tools,
model’s AN/APY- and reduced weight
1 radar gained a by 4,000lb (1,814kg).
Inside the cockpit of 77-0351, the first of
maritime surveillance capability. The new software enhances tracking
24 E-3 Sentries to undergo the glass flight
Once upgraded, the Core and Standard and combat identification capabilities,
deck modification known as DRAGON.
aircraft took on E-3B and E-3C designations USAF/Kelly White providing operators with a better picture of the
respectively, with the first E-3B accepted on battlespace, and the open-architecture will
July 18, 1984. The programme, completed antennas are installed under the aircraft nose, make future upgrades quicker.
in summer 1990, was followed by installation tail and in cheek locations on the forward ESM updates under Block 40/45
of jam-resistant Have Quick radios, which fuselage aft of the cockpit. expanded target identification and processing
finished in 1994. The 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW) capabilities and enable greater integration of
Development of the Block 30/35 upgrade declared IOC with the upgraded variant in information from sensors both on- and off-
began in May 1987, with modifications May 1998 and modifications were completed board the aircraft.
to the first aircraft completed in October on October 20, 2001 when Sentry serial 75- Flight trials began using E-3 test
1995. It added the passive AN/AYR- 0557 was delivered by the Oklahoma City Air system aircraft TS-3, 73-1674, on July 15,
1 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) Logistics Center (OC-ALC) at Tinker. 2006. Mission systems air tests followed
system, a NAVSTAR GPS navigation Started in 1994, the Radar System between April 2007 and July 2008, when the
capability, upgraded TADIL-J secure data link Improvement Plan (RSIP) replaced the development and demonstration phase ended.

Above left: The Sentry is due to remain in
In July 2009, Boeing received a $44m radar with a second processor, is currently
USAF service until 2035. USAF/Kelly White
LRIP contract for six Block 40/45 upgrade under development. According to USAF
kits from the Electronic Systems Center at Above right: The first of 24 E-3 Sentry aircraft budgetary documents it will provide improved
Hanscom AFB. Work to update the aircraft to undergo the DRAGON complete glass radar processing “in a specific flight envelope
flight deck modification close to touchdown
to the E-3G configuration is being carried out to meet a classified requirement” and
at Tinker AFB January 9, 2017. USAF/Kelly
by what is now called the Oklahoma City Air developmental testing will begin early next
White
Logistics Complex at Tinker during regularly year. The Communication Network Upgrade
scheduled periodic depot maintenance. the legacy avionics are replaced with updated will improve communications performance by
Modification of the first aircraft, 82-0007, airspace-compliant subsystems. incorporating the Multifunctional Information
began in November 2010 and was completed The programme also includes new air Distribution System/Joint Tactical Radio
on May 17, 2011, after which the E-3G flew data and flight management computers, a System (MIDS/JTRS). EMD is scheduled to
to Boeing’s facility in Seattle, Washington, for weather radar that can predict wind shear, begin later in 2019.
qualification testing. an enhanced ground proximity warning
Delivery of the second E-3G followed system (EGPWS), Mode-5 IFF capability, an DEPLOYED
on March 20, 2012 and a 24-flight IOT&E, engine instrument and crew alerting system The E-3G began its first combat deployment
supported by the 965th AACS, concluded (EICAS) and a fully digital flight deck audio to the US Central Command’s (CENTCOM’s)
in June 2012. The centre delivered the final distribution system. This modification enables area of responsibility (AOR) on November 18,
LRIP E-3G on June 26, 2014 and IOC was the aircraft to meet International Civil Aviation 2015.
achieved on July 28. A full-rate production Organization communications, navigation On arrival at Al Dhafra Air Base in the
contract, which included a technology refresh and surveillance/air traffic management United Arab Emirates, the aircraft and crews
for the LRIP aircraft, was issued to Boeing mandates. were assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary
on December 27, 2012 and the first aircraft Besides ensuring the Sentry complies Wing’s 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air
entered the depot on April 8, 2015. with current and future international and Control Squadron (EAACS), the E-3G
Designated as D-1, E-3B serial 77-0351 domestic air traffic control requirements, the conducting its first combat mission on
was the first USAF Sentry to undergo a major upgrades also enable the aircraft to access to November 21.
cockpit modification under the Diminishing reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) Prior to this deployment, E-3Gs flew
Manufacturing Sources Replacement airspace and optimal flight levels, increasing counter-drug sorties and Operation Noble
of Avionics for Global Operations and fuel efficiency and reducing clearance delays Eagle homeland defence missions in support
Navigation (DRAGON) programme – for – and eliminate the need for a navigator, of US Southern (SOUTHCOM) and US
which Boeing received a $368m engineering, reducing the flightdeck crew from four to Northern Command (NORTHCOM).
manufacturing and development (EMD) three. As of March 2018, the USAF had received
contract to modernise the flight deck and The D-1 aircraft arrived at Boeing’s Seattle 17 E-3Gs, and conversion of the last of 24
avionics for the USAF and NATO E-3 fleets in facility on October 22, 2014 and made its aircraft should be completed by 2020.
May 2012. initial post-modification test flight on April The E-3G is flown by three crew – a pilot,
The company had previously selected the 20, 2016. It returned to the 552nd ACW on co-pilot and flight engineer. Responsibility
Rockwell Collins Flight2 Integrated Avionics January 9, 2017. IOT&E is scheduled to begin for the AWACS mission set is assigned to the
System, which also equips the USAF KC-10A in mid-2019 and the upgrades will eventually Mission Crew Commander: typically 14 or
Extender tanker fleet. be installed in 31 Sentries. Boeing received more personnel are allocated, although the
DRAGON replaces most of the Sentry’s an LRIP contract on June 29, 2017 and the number varies.
analogue indicators with five customisable USAF expects delivery of the last DRAGON- The aircraft’s 14 configurable situation
digital multicolour ‘glass’ displays, which enabled E-3 in 2025. display and two battle staff consoles are
can show engine, navigation and situational Another upgrade, known as Electronic operated by specialists comprising a Senior
awareness information. Additionally, many of Protection (EP), which will equip the RSIP Director (SD), Air Weapons (AWO), Air
USAF E-3s deployed to Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates to provide air communications and surveillance capabilities to US and Coalition
fighter and reconnaissance aircraft conducting air strikes and patrols in Iraqi and Syrian airspace in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
USAF/Tech Sgt Gregory Brook

Above left: Captain Jeff Dale (left) and 1st
Surveillance (ASO) and Electronic Combat in Turkey providing round-the-clock radar
Lt John Zanfardino at work in an 960th
Officers (ECO), Communications Systems coverage over the region.
Airborne Air Control Squadron E-3 Sentry
Operator (CSO), Senior Surveillance (SST), on September 7, 2015. USAF/Staff Sgt Stacy L During the subsequent Desert Storm,
Air Surveillance (AST), Computer Display Fowler E-3s provided radar surveillance and control
Maintenance (CDMT), Airborne Radar (ART) for more than 120,000 coalition sorties
and Communications Technicians (CT). Above right: An E-3 Sentry over the desert and assisted in nearly all the air-to-air kills
during Operation Desert Shield. USAF
The crew is responsible for the command, recorded during the conflict.
control, surveillance, communications/ phased’; the retirement was shifted to Fiscal E-3s flew 385 sorties in support of Desert
electronic and management functions. 2019. More recently, with the release of the Shield and 379 during Desert Storm, totalling
During North American Aerospace FY19 Defense Budget the USAF revealed the of 7,315 hours, and later supported Operation
Defense Command (NORAD) operations, seven aircraft would be retained and receive Northern and Southern Watch.
more personnel can be added to the crew. the DRAGON upgrades, along with advanced Sentries also controlled allied airpower
As well as Battle Director Technicians (BDTs) management and surveillance bridge over the former Yugoslavia region during the
specifically trained to support the mission, capabilities that will improve their ability to Kosovo War, which began in March 1999. As
the complement may also include a NORAD conduct air-to-ground battle management. part of NATO’s Operation Allied Force, NATO,
Airborne Battle Commander (NABC) and Sentries have spent considerable time USAF and RAF E-3s logged approximately
Weapons Resource Officer (NWRO). supporting of CENTCOM since beginning 4,800 flight hours on around 500 missions,
Sentries are operated by five active their first deployment to Southwest Asia in which involved co-ordinating and tracking
duty USAF squadrons within Air Combat March 1979. The initial placement saw two offensive and defensive missions, searching
Command (ACC) and two under the Pacific dispatched to Saudi Arabia to monitor a for enemy aircraft and assuring safe
Air Forces (PACAF). Most of the fleet, border war between North and South Yemen. separation of inbound and exiting aircraft.
comprising 27 aircraft, is assigned to units In September 1980, the 552nd ACW The type also provided initial CSAR co-
under the 552nd ACW’s Operations Group sent four E-3s at the request of the Saudi ordination and directed aerial refuelling efforts
(OG) at Tinker and four Sentries are evenly government, the jets bolstering the Saudi over the Adriatic Sea. While most sorties
split between the 3rd Wing/3rd OG at Joint air defences during the Iran-Iraq War under involved NATO E-3As, three USAF aircraft
Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the Operation European Liaison Force One. logged 47 missions over the course of the
18th Wing/18th OG at Kadena. Aircraft and crews were stationed in 78-day air campaign.
A single Air Force Reserve Command Riyadh from October 1, 1980 to April 16, Following the terror attacks of September
(AFRC) associate squadron is also assigned 1989, during which time they flew around 11, 2001, USAF E-3s conducted round-the-
to the 513th Air Control Group (ACG) at 87,000 hours, logging some 6,000 sorties. clock missions over the homeland as part
Tinker. Activated in March 1996, it shares of Operation Noble Eagle from September
responsibility for operating and maintaining DESERT SHIELD/STORM 14. With its own E-3s heavily committed to
the aircraft assigned to the active duty units. The Sentry was among the first aircraft worldwide operations, the US government
As part of its Fiscal 2015 budget deployed in support of Operation Desert requested assistance from NATO, marking
submission, the USAF disclosed plans Shield in August 1990, following the Iraqi the first time in the alliance’s history that it
to retire seven E-3s – but elected officials invasion of Kuwait. The USAF sent 11 E-3As had been called to defend the United States.
blocked the move and the plan was ‘re- to Riyadh while three operated from Incirlik Between October 9, 2001 and May 16, 2002
USAF SENTRY ORDER OF BATTLE

Squadron Location Aircraft Wing/Group Command Tail code
960th AACS Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3B/C/G 552nd ACW/OG ACC OK
961st AACS Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan E-3B/C 18th Wing/OG PACAF ZZ
962nd AACS JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska E-3B/C 3rd Wing/OG PACAF AK
963rd AACS Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3G 552nd ACW/OG ACC OK
964th AACS Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3G 552nd ACW/OG ACC OK
965th AACS Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3G 552nd ACW/OG ACC OK
966th AACS (FTU) (Note 1) Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3G 552nd ACW/OG ACC OK
968th EAACS (Note 2) Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates E-3B/C/G 380th AEW/EOG AFCENT
Det 1, 605th TES (Note 3) Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3B/C/G 505th CCW/TEG ACC OK
AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND

970th AACS (Note 4) Tinker AFB, Oklahoma E-3G 513th ACG ACC OK
Notes: 1 – Formal Training Unit. 2 – Expeditionary squadron supported by deployed aircraft and personnel. 3 – No aircraft assigned Det. 1 605th TES and the 505th
Test & Evaluation Group are located at Nellis AFB, Nevada and conduct Operational Test of ISR weapons systems; 605th TES and 505th Command & Control Wing
are located at Hurlburt Field, Florida. 4 – Unit operates E-3B/C/G as an associate to the 552nd ACW.

Above left: A 961st Airborne Air Control
seven NATO E-3As deployed to Tinker and to rescue helicopters. They also provided
Squadron E-3 Sentry moves down the runway
flew around 4,300 hours during 360 sorties in communication between helicopters and
during an exercise at Kadena Air Base,
support of Operation Eagle Assist. Japan, on April 12, 2017. USAF/Senior Airman ground-based elements to help co-ordinate
USAF Sentries operating over Afghanistan John Linzmeier rescue efforts.
as part of Enduring Freedom chalked up Since entering service, two USAF Sentries
15,713 hours in 1,259 sorties between Above right: An E-3 prepares to receive fuel have been written off. The first loss occurred
from a 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling
September 27 and May 23, 2003. near Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, on September
Squadron Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker during
Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began on 22, 1995 when E-3B serial 77-0354 went
a flight in support of Operation Inherent
March 19, 2003, saw deployed Sentries fly Resolve on May 27, 2017. USAF/Staff Sgt down, killing the entire crew of 24.
313 sorties totalling 3,115 hours by the time Michael Battles A second was badly damaged by a fire
major combat ops concluded on June 8. following a nose gear collapse on landing at
E-3s returned to the CENTCOM AOR counter-drug mission since 1979. It continues Nellis AFB, Nevada, on August 28, 2009. The
under Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn to conduct regular rotations to forward aircraft, E-3C 83-0008, was subsequently
in March 2007, and in March 2013 the 968th operating stations in the Caribbean and written off in 2012.
EAACS was activated under the 380th Air Central America. The missions are currently In 2003, the USAF began planning to
Expeditionary Wing (AEW). It assumed conducted from bases in Aruba, Curaçao and replace the E-3, the E-8C Joint Surveillance
responsibility for the deployed assets and El Salvador. Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) and
continues to support the military over The type also provides a peacetime RC-135V/W Rivet Joint signals intelligence
Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. capability for emergency air traffic control, (SIGINT) reconnaissance aircraft with a single
The squadron flew the 4,000th AWACS area surveillance and humanitarian support. platform. Under the Command and Control
combat sortie in April 2014 before flying its This was first put to the test after Hurricane Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
first missions against the so-called Islamic Katrina struck the US Gulf Coast in 2005. (C2ISR) programme, it was known as the
State in Iraq and Syria, under Operation And in late August 2017, after Hurricanes Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft
Inherent Resolve, two months later. Harvey and Irma struck Texas, Louisiana, (MC2A) for which the USAF had in fact
Sentries also deployed to support the the Caribbean and Florida, the 552nd ACW selected Northrop Grumman to develop the
military over Libya as part of Operation provided vital communication links between new Boeing 767-400ER-based E-10A.
Odyssey Dawn/Unified Protector from March the various local, state and federal agencies. The plan was cancelled in 2007 after
to October 2011 – when USAF E-3s were E-3s acted as a critical co-ordination hub being restructured several times. A single
initially based at Naval Station Rota, Spain, between the Federal Aviation Administration’s 767, set aside for C2ISR, was sold to Bahrain
before transferring to Naval Support Activity Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center, the in 2009.
Souda Bay, adjacent to Chania airfield on USAF’s Western Air Defense Sector (WADS), The USAF now expects the E-3G to
Crete. an Air Support Operations Squadron and remain in service until 2035 and is currently
more than 80 SAR aircraft. considering plans for replacing the platform
VERSATILE Controllers aboard the AWACS relayed with the Advanced Battle Management and
Besides its wartime and homeland defence information about hospital status, helicopter Surveillance system, which is expected to
duties, the E-3 fleet has supported the Joint landing zones and airfields for fixed-wing deliver an evolutionary leap in capability over
Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) aircraft, and gave co-ordinates and taskings the Sentry.
Elmendorf-based Sentry
80-0139/AK. Jim Haseltine

AIR BASE MOVEMENTS
AIR BASE MOVEMENTS FROM MAR WWW.MILITARYAVIATIONREVIEW.COM
A selection of the most interesting aircraft

to visit air bases in the UK recently.
Kuwait Air Force Lockheed Martin KC-130J, KAF 328, on approach to RAF Brize Norton on
RAF BRIZE NORTON January 30. It departed on February 1. Richard Eccleston
4/1 ZJ186 & ZJ190 Apache AH1s 3/4 Regts, AAC.
8/1 ZJ218 Apache AH1 3/4 Regts, AAC arrived for 08 blue C-27J TE, Lithuanian AF; CE-01 ERJ 135LR RAF MILDENHALL
airfreighting. 14/1 0452 C-295M 242.tsl, Czech AF. 15 Wing, Belgian Defence – Air Component: 07-7179 6/1 87-9288 AC-130W 16th SOS, USAF. 9/1 60-0012/
18/1 09-0050 CV-22B 7th SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF. C-17A 60th/349th AMW, USAF; 50+81 Transall LTG MT B-52H 69th BS, 5th BW, USAF n/s. 10/1 58-0069
22/1 54+02 A400M LTG 62, German AF. 23/1 01-0028 62, German AF n/s; 014 C-295M 13.eltr, Polish AF KC-135T 100th ARW, USAF returned to USA. 16/1
C-37A 310th AS, 6th AMW, USAF. 25/1 11-00610 CV- dep 16th. 16/1 50+17 Transall LTG 63, German AF; 59-1513 KC-135T arrived on delivery to 100th ARW.
22B 7th SOS, 352nd SOW, USAF o/s. 28/1 A41-211 07-7186 C-17A 437th/315th AMW, USAF n/s. 17/1 17/1 10-5701 C-130J-30 317th AW, USAF. 19/1 86-
C-17A 36 Sqn, RAAF n/s. 30/1 KAF 328 KC-130J 41 G-988 C-130H 336 Sqn, Royal Netherlands AF. 18/1 0011 C-5M 60th/349th AMW, USAF. 22/1 70-01610
Sqn, Kuwait AF dep 1/2. 06-6156 C-17A 60th/349th AMW, USAF; CE-02 ERJ C-130E 222 Filo, Turkish AF n/s also 29th n/s. 27/1
135LR 15 Wing, Belgian Defence – Air Component. 87-0036 C-5M 436th/512nd AW, USAF n/s. 28/1
RAF CONINGSBY 19/1 06-6159 C-17A 60th/349th AMW, USAF dep 168432/LA P-8A VP-5, USN. 29/1 168071/BH KC-
10/1 ZK427 Typhoon FGR4 arrived on delivery from 22nd; 87-0032 C-5M 60th/349th AMW, USAF n/s; 02- 130J VMGR-252, USMC. 31/1 33/XA TBM 700 ET43,
BAE Systems Warton. 11/1 ZJ918 & ZJ927 Typhoon 1109 C-17A 62nd/446th AMW, USAF. 22/1 62-4132 French AF n/s.
FGR4s dep to AMSU Shawbury for storage. 15/1 RC-135W 55 Wg, USAF dep 27th. 28/1 J-362 F-16AM
ZK360 Typhoon FGR4 arrived on delivery from BAE 322 Sqn, Royal Netherlands AF o/s. RAF NORTHOLT
Systems Warton; 083/ZE Xingu EAT00.319, French AF 11/1 68 Xingu 28F, French Navy. 12/1 258 Learjet
also 18th. 16/1 30+54 EF2000(T) TLwG31, German RAF LOSSIEMOUTH 45 102 Sqn, Irish Air Corps. 17/1 MM62029 Falcon
AF. 19/1 ZJ800/BC Typhoon T3 29(R) Sqn, RAF 1/12 T-784 Citation 560XL LTDB, Swiss AF also 3rd & 50 31° St, Italian AF; TR.20-02/403-11 Citation 560 V
last flight before Reduction To Produce. 22/1 ZJ930 5th. 6/12 AT-01 & AT-18 Alpha Jets Belgian Defence – Air 403 Esc, Spanish AF; ZZ403 & ZZ407 Wildcat AH1s
Typhoon FGR4 dep to AMSU Shawbury for storage. Component. 8/12 166694 C-40A USN. 11/12 E116/8- 1 Regt, AAC. 18/1 4/FRAFQ Falcon 900 & 86/FRAFB
26/1 ZK429 Typhoon FGR4 arrived on delivery from FN, E90/8-TH, E93/8-RD & E160/8-UH Alpha Jet Es Falcon 7X ET00.060, French AF; 101 Falcon 10MER
BAE Systems Warton. 29/1 67 Xingu 28F, French French AF. 13/1 84-00156 C-12U E/1-214 Avn, US Army. 57S, French Navy.
Navy; ZJ182 Apache AH1 3 Regt, AAC o/s.
4/1 165836 C-40A USN also 8th. 9/1 ZZ504 Shadow RAF VALLEY
RAF CRANWELL R1 14 Sqn, RAF n/s. 17/1 164998/AX C-130T VR-53, 15/1 ZH950 Merlin HM2 814 NAS, RN. 30/1 FB-23
15/1 ZJ221, ZJ222 & ZJ225 Apache AH1s 4 Regt USN n/s also 22nd . 29/1 84-00173 C-12U E/1-214 Avn, F-16BM Belgian Defence – Air Component.
AAC. 16/1 G-CKLJ & G-CKLO Prefect T1s arrived on US Army. 30/1 PR-LTJ Phenom 100 routing Prestwick-
delivery, will become ZM317 & ZM318. 30/1 PR-LTJ Cranwell on delivery. 31/1 166693 C-40A USN. Key: n/s night stop; o/s overshoot
Phenom 100 delivery, will become G-CKEF then
ZM336.
RAF FAIRFORD
4/1 83-1285 C-5M 436th/512nd AW, USAF dep 6th.
9/1 60-0005/MT B-52H 23rd BS, 5th BW, USAF dep
30th; 60-0009/MT B-52H 69th BS, 5th BW, USAF
dep 30th. 10/1 60-0012/MT B-52H 69th BS, 5th
BW, USAF dep 30th; 80-1085 U-2S 99th RS, 9th
RW, USAF dep 12th; 80-1093 U-2S 99th RS, 9th RW,
USAF dep 16th. 11/1 60-0005/MT B-52H 69th BS,
5th BW, USAF dep 30th. 12/1 61-0018/MT B-52H
69th BS, 5th BW, USAF dep 16th. 18/1 07-7188
C-17A 437th/315th AW, USAF dep 20th.
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, 60-0318, of the 940th Air Refueling Wing during its take-off
run at RAF Mildenhall on January 30. The unit had previously operated the KC-135, but in
RAF LAKENHEATH 2009 became the 940th Wing operating the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and also
7/1 J-021 F-16AM 312 Sqn, Royal Netherlands AF performed other command and control and intelligence missions. It reverted to its current title
o/s. 8/1 ZJ169 Apache AH1 3/4 Regts, AAC. 13/1 in April 2016 and resumed flying the Stratotanker. Matt Varley
68_airbasesDC.mfDC.indd 68 01/03/2018 19:01

THE GLOBAL AIRLINE SCENE
MARCH ISSUE OUT NOW:
THIS ISSUE FEATURES:
FROM VIETNAM TO THE WORLD

Fuelled by a vibrant domestic market and rapidly
growing international traffic, Vietnam Airlines is
well on the way to establishing itself as a major
force in Southeast Asia.
THE SOVIET WORKHORSE

The Tupolev Tu-154 is in many ways the definitive
Soviet airliner – a true mainstay, with 1,000-plus
examples built during more than four decades of
production.
BREAKING THE DUOPOLY

Once the domain of Air Canada and WestJet, a
raft of new ultra low-cost carriers are attempting to
conquer the Canadian market.
JUST OFF THE BEATEN PATH
£4.95 Allegiant Air is one of the most profitable low-cost

airlines in the US. With 89 aircraft and 3,700
employees, it has carved out a niche in serving
smaller regional airports.
AND MUCH MORE!

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AIRPORT MOVEMENTS
AIRPORT MOVEMENTS COMPILED BY CARL HOPE
A round-up of notable aircraft

visiting UK airports.
An aircraft type rarely seen in the UK these days turned up at Gatwick Airport on February 7 in
ABERDEEN the shape of IAI Westwind 1124A, C-GIAW, of Integra Air. Mark Stevens
4/1 9H-DDJ Learjet 45; N158AC Sikorsky S-64F
Erickson made approach down to one mile. 6/1 0404 C-37A 99th AS, USAF n/s; SE-LLU Beech 300. D-CCGM Phenom 300. 13/1 EW-275TI An-12BK
PH-CTR Citation 680 Sovereign+. 9/1 OO-NAD 20/1 N910ME TBM 910 on delivery, dep 21st. 23/1 Rubystar. 14/1 OK-GFS ATR 72-500 CSA f/v. 15/1
Falcon 7X also 11th. 10/1 OO-ACO Citation 510 N934EA TBM 930 on delivery; EW-435TI An-12BP D-ABQL Dash 8-Q402 Eurowings f/v; D-CDAS
Mustang. 11/1 LN-AGR Falcon 7X. 14/1 D-ITAN Grodno Aviakompana. 28/11 61-0030 KC-135R Phenom 300. 16/1 UR-CKM An-12BP Cavok Air.
CitationJet 525 CJ1. 15/1 D-CONE Learjet 45; C-172 108th ARW, IL ANG. 29/11 165830 C-40A VR-59, 17/1 UR-CNT An-12BK Cavok Air; D-CFGG Learjet
Challenger 604 Esk 721, Royal Danish AF. 18/1 USN. 35A. 18/1 S5-AAW CRJ700 Adria Airways f/v also
C-GJKI Falcon 2000EX. 20/1 N420EA Hondajet. 22/1 20th; D-CKJE Phenom 300 also 19th. 19/1 EI-FPA
G-MCGV AW189 Bristow Helicopters for maintenance, BIGGIN HILL CRJ900LR SAS f/v; UR-CQD An-26B Vulkan Air.
dep 1/2. 23/1 EI-DMG Cessna 441; G-VINR S-92A 2/1 C-GGLO Global 5000. 5/1 2-AVCO Challenger 20/1 D-CCCB Learjet 35A. 22/1 5N-FGV Falcon 7X
Babcock MCS Offshore dep by road. 31/1 G-MCGU 850; 2-TBMI TBM 910. 6/1 VP-CFO Global 6000. 7/1 Nigerian AF; EC-MRL Gulfstream G550; SX-DGM
AW189 Bristow Helicopters for maintenance, dep 7/2; D-AHOS Legacy 650; HB-JLG Challenger 350. 10/1 Legacy 600. 23/1 UR-CGV An-12BP Ukraine Air
9H-BSA Hawker 750. OK-AST Citation 560XL. 11/1 D-EKGK PA-46-350P. Alliance; D-IGER Beech 200. 24/1 D-FCOC PA-46-
12/1 HB-PJG PA-46-500TP; PP-LFS Falcon 2000; 500TP; N150GV Gulfstream G150; OY-RIB Avanti.
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL T7-BRE Challenger 604; 9H-MCM Citation S550 S/II. 26/1 HB-JSF Challenger 650 also 30th; N588SB
1/11 99-0402 C-37A 76th AS, 86th AW, USAF; 16/1 T7-SKA Global Express. 17/1 9A-JSD CitationJet Gulfstream G280; T7-SLA Challenger 850. 28/1
96-7322 C-130H 731st AS, AFRC; 94-7321 C-130H 525A CJ2. 18/1 I-PFLY Global 6000. 19/1 OO-CLA D-BTLT Challenger 300. 20/1 D-ATUO 737-8K5
130th AS, WV ANG; RA-76511 Il-76TD-90VD CitationJet 525C CJ4. 20/1 OE-LEO Gulfstream TUIfly f/v; HB-FWI PC-12. 31/1 D-ABQA Dash
Volga-Dnepr Airlines; D-ILHC CitationJet 525 CJ1+ G650. 23/1 OY-JSW CitationJet 525A CJ2+; T7-JAT 8-Q402 Eurowings f/v; EI-FPD CRJ900LR SAS f/v;
Lufthansa dep 3rd. 2/11 84-0126 C-21A 76th AS, Global Express. 24/1 4X-CPX Gulfstream IVSP. F-HBPP CitationJet 525B CJ3; OE-GMM Citation 680
86th AW, USAF; 95-6710 C-130H 130th AS, WV 25/1 S5-ADF Challenger 605. 26/1 YR-PDV PC-12. Sovereign.
ANG dep 4th. 3/11 95-6709 C-130H 130th AS, WV 27/1 HA-JEV Citation 650 III. 29/1 HB-GJM Beech
ANG; 95-6711 C-130H 130th AS, WV ANG dep 5th. 200; OY-VIZ Global 5000. 30/1 OK-AOA Challenger BLACKPOOL
4/11 96-7323 C-130H 130th AS, WV ANG dep 6th. 300; T7-BCS Falcon 900EX; 100/ABP TBM 700A 3/11 D-AGRA Challenger 850 also 4th n/s & 25th.
7/11 97-8613 C-130H 130th AS, WV ANG; N626AS ET00.060, French AF. 31/1 OY-APM Gulfstream G450. 9/11 2-DARE PC-12; 9H-BOO Challenger 850 also
737-790/F Alaska Airlines on re-delivery after 12th-14th; OO-KIN Citation 680 Sovereign. 10/11
freighter conversion n/s; OY-GFS Falcon 2000LX BIRMINGHAM F-HXRG Global Express n/s; HB-JLG Challenger 350
also 8th n/s. 9/11 12-00279 MC-12S 224th MI Btn, 1/1 P4-YAS A319-112 Air Astana to MAEL. 6/1 OE- n/s; N801EE Legacy 450. 16/11 EC-JDT PA-34-220T
US Army; HB-JOH A319-112 Germania; HB-FVW HWM Gulfstream G280. 7/1 OK-TSM 737-9GJER o/s also 17th o/s. 18/11 OE-GKW Gulfstream G100
PC-12. 12/11 166694 C-40A VR-59, USN n/s; Travel Service f/v. 9/1 RA-26101 An-26-100 Pskovavia n/s. 22/11 F-WWQA Falcon 8X o/s
D-ASTR A319-112 Germania n/s. 13/11 HA-FAY f/v; PH-CTN Avanti; YU-SVL Citation 560XLS. 10/1
737-429/SF ASL Airlines op for DHL. 17/11 EI-FAB OH-SWI CitationJet 525A CJ2+ also 11th. 11/1 OH- BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL
EC120B n/s. 19/11 165151 C-20G VR-48, USN; 99- WAU PC-12. 12/1 D-ASTU A319-111 Germania. 12/1 1/11 LX-LAR Learjet 45. 3/11 T.18-5 Falcon 900B 451
Esc, Spanish AF. 4/11 D-IEFD Citation 525 M2 n/s.
8/11 EC-LBB Gulfstream G200; LX-NCG CitationJet
525B CJ3 also 9th. 9/11 I-NHCO Falcon 2000LX.
10/11 F-HAHA Citation 510 Mustang. 13/11 EC-JFT
Citation 560 Ultra; 84-0085 C-21A 76th AS 86th AW,
USAF. 16/11 D-AVIB Legacy 600; OY-NDP CitationJet
525A CJ2+ n/s. 17/11 4K-AZ78 A320-214 Azerbaijan
Airlines dep 19th; D-ITIM Hondajet n/s. 18/11 OE-GDF
Phenom 300 n/s; OK-RAU Beech 400A. 19/11 2-PLAY
TBM 700; OE-HOP Gulfstream G200. 26/11 2-MIKE
Commander 114B. 28/11 D-APLC Falcon 7X n/s.
DURHAM TEES VALLEY

San Marino-registered Bell 429WLG, T7-LSS, visited Denham Aerodrome in Buckinghamshire 1/11 N551VL Gulfstream G550 n/s. 8/11 N360PZ
on February 1. Brian G Nichols Falcon 7X; N63M Gulfstream G550 n/s. 10/11 N559H
70-72_airportsDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 70 01/03/2018 19:03

Gulfstream G550 dep 12th. 14/11 OH-RBX Citation
560XL. 15/11 EC-JDA PA-34-220T o/s also 28th o/s;
2-CUTE Challenger 601-3A. 16/11 N288Z Gulfstream
G650 dep 26th. 23/11 D-AVAN Legacy 600 dep 26th.
26/11 N550VE Gulfstream G550 dep 28th.
EAST MIDLANDS
1/12 LX-ICL 747-467F Cargolux F1 charter; G-CLAA
747-446F CargoLogic Air F1 charter also 2nd. 2/12
G-CLBA 747-83QF CargoLogic Air F1 charter. 3/12
RA-82077 An-124-100M Volga-Dnepr Airlines; N920FD
757-23A FedEx. 4/12 C-GUAJ 767-35E(ER)/F Arrow Aviation Hawker 800XP, 4X-CUZ, arriving at Cardiff Airport on February 7. Phil Woods
Cargojet op for DHL. 5/12 F-HATG CitationJet 525C
CJ4. 6/12 EC-ISQ Citation 560XL. 7/12 YL-BBR 737- Flybe Aviation Services 28/11 LX-LXL Falcon 900LX dep 27th. 29/11 OY-NDP
315 Air Baltic for painting. 8/12 D-CASH Phenom 300. 25/11 C-FXIN Dash 8-Q402 ex G-JECG dep to CitationJet 525 CJ2+.
10/12 N745CK 747-446BCF Kalitta Air op for DHL also Canada. 27/11 EC-KYO E195LR Air Europa dep 4/12.
17th. 11/12 C-GYAJ 767-35EER Cargojet op for DHL; 28/11 OY-GRM Dash 8-202 Air Greenland dep. JERSEY
9H-AUL 737-375/BDSF Maleth Aero. 12/12 D-CNMB 1/12 D-GGER Diamond DA42; F-HIJD CitationJet
Learjet 45. 13/12 D-CKJE Phenom 300. 15/12 5/12 EC-LLR E195LR Air Europa dep 13th. 9/12 525A CJ2+; F-HKHL Cirrus SR-22. 4/12 PH-CCD
YL-BBS 737-31S Air Baltic for painting; EI-HEA A330- 4X-EMA E195LR Arkia Israeli Airlines dep. 13/12 Diamond DA42; YU-BTB Citation 550 Bravo. 7/12 T7-
322F ASL Ireland op for DHL; CS-DGW CitationJet EC-LKX E195LR Air Europa dep 19th. AZH Gulfstream G450. 8/12 D-AAHB Global Express;
525B CJ3. 17/12 LX-LGM Dash 8-Q402 Luxair. D-AHOX Legacy 650. 12/12 OH-SWI CitationJet
18/12 PH-BXB 737-8K2 KLM, Birmingham diversion; GUERNSEY 525A CJ2+; 77 Xingu 24F, French Navy; 81 Xingu 28F,
C-FGSJ 767-39HER Cargojet op for DHL. 20/12 HB- 4/12 YR-TRC Challenger 300; 2-WOOD Citation 550 French Navy. 15/12 OK-RAH Beech 400A; OM-FWW
JSF Challenger 650; SE-DDY Citation 550 II; HB-IGV Bravo. 5/12 2-AVCO Challenger 850 dep after storage. Premier 1. 17/12 F-GYPF Mooney M.20M. 20/12
Falcon 50EX; EI-RUN 737-808 ex-Transaero, Lasham 6/12 P4-AMR Challenger 300 dep 11th as OK-AOA. F-ZBMD Dash 8-Q202 Securite Civile. 23/12 N542MP
diversion. 22/12 EC-MRR Falcon 2000LX; A7-CGC 9/12 N5839P PA-24-260. 1311 OY-GSA PC-12. 16/12 Hondajet on delivery. 27/12 F-HGIO Citation 510
Gulfstream G650. 24/12 N741CK 747-4H6BCF 2-MATO Challenger 601-3A; F-HERE Citation 510 Mustang.
Kalitta Air op for DHL. 26/12 D-AIUW A320-214(SL) Mustang; 2-AWBN PA-30-160. 18/12 HB-JSN Falcon
Lufthansa Birmingham diversion. 7X. 19/12 G-GLEG Legacy 650 dep 29th as XA-FUF. LEEDS BRADFORD
20/12 F-ZBMD Dash 8-Q402 Securite Civile o/s. 27/11 1/11 F-HISS Mooney M.20R. 2/11 SP-ATT Beech
EXETER LX-LXL Falcon 900LX. 28/12 F-GLAL Socata TB-9. 400A; D-CFGG Learjet 36. 3/11 D-CSLT Learjet 60;
20/11 OK-BEE & SP-TAT Beech 400As. 23/11 LX- OE-GPS Citation 550 Bravo. 4/11 LX-SAB Falcon
VMF Citation 560XL. 24/11 ZM415 Atlas C1 70 Sqn, 2/1 D-CFOR Learjet 35A. 8/1 OY-JPJ Citation 650 900DX. 8/11 D-CGMR Citation 560XLS; CS-TTA
RAF; N1F Gulfstream G650. 26/11 OE-GNP Citation III; F-HKCK Cirrus SR-20. 10/1 F-HAMJ TBM 700. A319-111 TAP Portugal, Manchester diversion. 9/11
560XLS; OE-IMI Falcon 900EX; LX-NCG CitationJet 11/1 2-GOLF CitationJet 525A CJ2+. 13/1 F-HIVE OK-POK Cirrus SR-22; OK-HWK Hawker 900XP; SE-
525B CJ3; D-GLUX Diamond DA42NG. 27/11 Cirrus SR-22. 15/1 OE-GJP CitationJet 525B CJ3. RMJ CitationJet 525B CJ3. 10/11 N4422P PA-23-160.
PH-CJM Citation 680 Sovereign; N780SP Falcon 17/1 HB-JFB Global 5000 dep 22nd as T7-AAZ. 18/1 13/11 F-HGOD & OE-FVS Avantis. 15/11 D-CFOR
900. 28/11 LX-WEB CitationJet 525B CJ3; OE-HAS 2-MSTG Citation 510 Mustang. 25/1 F-HKCE Cirrus Learjet 35A. 17/11 C-GKTO Challenger 604; LZ-PDM
Gulfstream G200; 9H-FGV Phenom 100. 30/11 SR-20. 26/1 D-FLEX TBM 700. 29/1 OO-SCR Falcon Premier 1. 18/11 G-JZBD 737-8MG Jet2 on delivery.
SP-HAW A321-211 Small Planet Airlines; LX-FPF 900EX. 30/1 OO-VKB Beech A.36. 31/1 F-HKCQ 21/11 D-CTRI Learjet 35A. 24/11 OY-INS P-68C; OK-
CitationJet 525B CJ3. Cirrus SR-20. KIN CitationJet 525B CJ3. 25/11 G-JZBC 737-8MG
Jet2 on delivery.
2/12 D-CTRI Learjet 35A. 4/12 N747RL Falcon 7X; INVERNESS
N276A Gulfstream G550. 5/12 T7-PNI Legacy 600; 3/11 OY-INS P-68C dep 11th. 5/11 OY-MLS P-68C LIVERPOOL
D-CEIS Citation 680 Sovereign. 6/12 D-CZZZ Citation dep 28th; N280EX Gulfstream G280 dep 7th. 7/11 1/12 2-RODS Cessna 310Q. 2/12 D-IKOE Citation
560XLS+. 7/12 LX-EBE Citation 560XLS+; ZM401 N271DV Gulfstream G650ER n/s, f/v. 8/11 OY-JPJ 510 Mustang n/s. 4/12 VP-BBQ A320-214 Ural
Atlas C1 70 Sqn, RAF. 8/12 F-HBAI Avanti. 9/12 Citation 650 III. 10/11 LX-LXX Gulfstream G650 n/s. Airlines, also 7th. 5/12 9H-BVJ Challenger 850 dep
5Y-JXD Dash 8-Q402 Jambojet on delivery; EI-RJN 13/11 VP-CYL Gulfstream G650ER. 15/11 OE-FGG 7th. 6/12 SE-RMB CitationJet 525B CJ3 n/s; OK-HWK
RJ85 CityJet. 10/12 F-HMBG CitationJet 525A CJ2+; P-68R f/v, dep 4/12. 16/11 9H-FGV Phenom 100 Hawker 900XP; 9H-GGF Citation 560XLS; OY-APM
LN-SOV Citation 680 Sovereign; F-HEGA Phenom dep 19th; N284SE Gulfstream G280 n/s, f/v also Gulfstream G450. 7/12 D-CTRI Learjet 35A. 8/12
300. 12/12 C-FEMT Learjet 36A. 16/12 5Y-JXC Dash 18th; D-CPRS Beech 350 dep 18th. 20/11 PH-BEH N270LE Gulfstream G650ER dep 10th; YL-PSH 737-
8-Q402 Jambojet on delivery. 17/12 D-IJET Avanti. Cessna 182P. 23/11 PH-CJM Citation 680 Sovereign 86N Primera Air also 10th n/s; LN-AKR Falcon 900EX
19/12 OO-GEE PC-12. dep 25th, f/v. 25/11 OO-FPE CitationJet 525B CJ3. n/s also 10th; SP-KPZ Saab 340A/F Sprint Air. 10/12
N480CH BBJ1 n/s. 12/12 HB-JUF G650 dep 17th.
16/12 D-IAAY Phenom 100. 17/12 D-CARO Citation
680 Sovereign. 18/12 SE-RFH Citation 680 Sovereign
n/s. 26/12 D-CASH Phenom 300. 28/12 D-CHIC
Phenom 300; SE-RIZ Citation 560XLS.
LONDON GATWICK
2/1 F-HSFJ Citation 680A Latitude f/v. 3/1 D-BFIL
Legacy 450 f/v. 8/1 N702TR Gulfstream G450 f/v;
OE-GWS Citation 560XLS f/v. 9/1 9H-YES 737-5Q8
Air X Charter f/v; N82A Gulfstream G650ER f/v. 11/1
EC-MSC Global 6000 f/v; LX-LAR Learjet 45 f/v. 13/1
D-CEIS Citation 680 Sovereign f/v. 14/1 SP-TAT
Beech 400A f/v. 18/1 N585DW Gulfstream G550 f/v.
Piper PA-46-500TP Meridian, F-HEDG, was wearing a stylish scheme when seen at Exeter 24/1 EC-MUB 737-86J AlbaStar f/v. 25/1 D-AFAC
Airport on February 12. Ian Simpson Challenger 604 f/v; N2016A Falcon 7X f/v.

AIRPORT MOVEMENTS COMPILED BY CARL HOPE
Maintenance, dep 22nd; G-MISG 737-3L9 Cello
Aviation to KLM Maintenance, dep 8th. 8/11 PH-HZO
737-8K2 Transavia to KLM Maintenance, dep 17th.
9/11 OO-JAS 737-7K5 JetairFly to Air Livery, dep12th.
11/11 LX-LAA Learjet 45. 12/11 N747YK Cessna
310R; D-CAPO Learjet 35A. 14/11 OO-JAO 737-7K5
JetairFly to Air Livery, dep 20th. 17/11 PH-XRB
737-7K2 Transavia to KLM Maintenance, dep 26th.
19/11 F-GZHF 737-8K2 Transavia France to KLM
Maintenance. 21/11 OO-JAR 737-7K5 JetairFly to
Air Livery, dep 26th; PH-BGD 737-7K2 KLM, to KLM
Maintenance. 22/11 LN-WFO Dash 8-311 Widerøe.
Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 737-700, EZ-A007, departing London Luton Airport on February
17. Paul K Ferry / Sky Wings 23/11 PH-BXY 737-8K2 KLM, to KLM Maintenance.
26/11 PH-HZN 737-8K2 Transavia to Air Livery;
LONDON HEATHROW Phenom 300 f/v. 16/1 OO-CQD Robin DR.400/120; HB-IHZ A320-214 Edelweiss Air to Air Livery. 30/11
1/1 G-DHLE 767-3JH/F DHL Air f/v; LZ-BHG A320-232 LX-ONE Learjet 45 f/v. 18/1 D-HOAE H145 T2 Wiking HB-FVM PC-12.
Balkan Holidays Air op for Bulgaria Air f/v. 2/1 EC- Helikopter Services; OO-VKB Beech A.36. 19/1 FAB-
MOO A321-231SL Vueling f/v; PH-EXS E175STD 108 RJ70 Bolivian AF ex VT-MDN. 20/1 9H-WFC PRESTWICK
KLM f/v. 4/1 VQ-BRH 747-8HVF AirBridgeCargo f/v. Legacy 600. 21/1 D-CKJE Phenom 300 dep 23rd. 2/12 KAF 343 C-17A 41 Sqn, Kuwait AF also 5th, 17th
11/1 VP-BBY 747-8F AirBridgeCargo f/v. 12/1 22/1 OY-NCM Do.328JET Sun-Air f/v, Cambridge & 20th; XA-UZN Fokker 50 westbound ferry flight.
D-ABAF & D-ABKJ 737-86J TUIfly op for Eurowings, diversion. 25/1 D-IABE PA-42-720 Cheyenne 3A; LX- 3/12 UR-82073 An-124-100 Antonov Airlines. 4/12
both f/vs. 13/1 F-HELA E145EP Si Avia f/v; OO-KIN TAC Phenom 300. 26/1 HA-TAD Saab 340A/F Fleet N821SY 737-8FH Sun Country Airlines; 240/F-RARF
Citation 680 Sovereign f/v. 15/1 D-ABMQ 737-86J & Air International, dep 30th. 29/1 9H-FOM Phenom A330-223 ET00.060, French AF. 8/12 UR-CQD An-
D-ATUD 737-8K5 TUIfly op for Eurowings, both f/vs. 100. 26B Vulkan Air. 6/12 84-0173 C-12U E1-214th Avn,
17/1 TC-GAP Gulfstream G450 f/v. 19/1 D-ABBD US Army. 9/12 166694 C-40A VR-56, USN. 11/12
737-86J TUIfly op for Eurowings, f/v. 21/1 G-DHKK MANCHESTER N95NA Gulfstream V NASA also 14th. 13/12 UR-CKM
757-28A/PCF DHL Air f/v. 23/1 OM-JEX 737-8AS 2/1 OK-REQ A319-112 Czech Airlines f/v, op for An-12BP Cavok Air. 15/12 09-0700, 09-0715, 09-0835
Air Explore op for Air Algerie f/v. 25/1 D-CBEN Eurowings; D-ALPA A330-223 ex Air Berlin for painting & 01-0415 U-28As 319th SOS, USAF, all dep 17th; 92-
Citation 560XLS+ f/v; OY-RCJ A320-214 Atlantic for Virgin Atlantic. 3/1 EC-KXN 747-4H6 Wamos Air 2105 HC-130H 39th RQS, USAF support for U-28s;
Airway op for SAS f/v. 28/1 G-DHKI 757-28A/PCF op for Thomas Cook; OY-JJJ Hawker 4000 f/v. 4/1 60-0351 KC-135R 22nd ARW, USAF; N401SE PC-12.
DHL Air f/v. 29/1 D-ABKN 737-86J TUIfly op for F-HBXD E170LR Hop! Aberdeen-Paris diversion; 16/12 LY-VEG A321-211 Avion Express to Chevron
Eurowings f/v. N225RP Hawker 800XP f/v. 8/1 UR-82007 An-124- hangar. 18/12 HB-FQY PC-12 c/n 1762 on delivery;
100 Antonov Airlines. 9/1 LX-GLD Falcon 900EX UR-CKL An-12BP Cavok Air. 19/12 N788DP BBJ1.
LONDON LUTON EASy f/v. 10/1 D-ASAP Legacy 650 f/v. 12/1 F-GVZJ 20/12 N840PH & N841PH Cessna 208Bs on delivery;
5/1 T7-OCC Citation 750 X. 6/1 VP-BGM Challenger ATR 42-320 Chalair f/v. 13/1 CN-RGQ E190IGW 177705 CC-177 429 TS, RCAF. 23/12 165836 C-40A
605. 7/1 4K-JJ88 A319-115CJ. 9/1 LX-MCO Royal Air Maroc f/v; PH-CDE B737-8GQ Corendon VR-57, USN. 27/12 58-0059 & 60-0365 KC-135Rs
A319-115X. 10/1 N259FG Gulfstream G280. 11/1 Dutch Airlines for painting at Air Livery. 14/1 15+01 117th ARS, Ks ANG dep 1/1; 63-7984 KC-135R 106th
5Y-WHB Citation 560XL; OE-GOL Citation XLS. 12/1 A319-115CJ FBS, German Air Force o/s. 18/1 D-ATUI ARS, Al ANG. 29/12 UR-82029 An-124-100 Antonov
F-HRGD ERJ 145LU Regourd Aviation. 13/1 UP- 737-8K5 TUIfly op for Eurowings, f/v. 19/1 EC-KQC Airlines. 31/12 UR-CJN An-12B Cavok Air; N208GC
C8505 CRJ200 Comlux; D-ASAP Legacy 650. 14/1 747-412 Wamos Air op for Thomson; N203JE Global Cessna 208B.
YR-BMM 737-82R Blue Air. 16/1 VP-BNF Gulfstream Express f/v. 26/1 N904TS Gulfstream G450 f/v. 27/1
G550. 18/1 OE-IMS Legacy 600; TF-ISW 767-319ER N789RR Global Express f/v. 28/1 OY-TCG A321- WICK
Icelandair, for maintenance. 19/1 HB-JKK Falcon 211(SL) Thomas Cook Scandinavia medical diversion. 3/11 5H-MAD Cessna 208B n/s. 6/11 N171CJ
8X. 20/1 F-HCPE Avanti II. 21/1 N6D Gulfstream 29/1 M-WONE Gulfstream G450 f/v. F-HASJ Citation Beech 1900D Raytheon; 84-0126 C-21A 76th AS,
G650ER. 22/1 131 TBM 700A ET00.041 French 510 Mustang f/v. 30/1 258 Learjet 45 102 Sqn, Irish USAF. 14/11 N583JM Cessna 208B dep 16th. 16/11
AF; N656TT Gulfstream G650ER. 26/1 LX-NMX Air Corps. N6RA Cessna 425. 17/11 HI-1000 ATR 72-202/F
Citationjet 650 III; OE-GVB Hawker 850XP. 28/1 T7- Airbox Cargo dep 21st; OE-GJR CitationJet 525B
OKY Global Express 6000. 29/1 8P-ASD Gulfstream NORWICH CJ3. 25/11 A6-CTG & A6-CTH Cirrus SR-22s. 27/11
650ER; XA-AZT Gulfstream V; P4-PKZ Challenger 1/11 PH-BGA 737-7K2 KLM to KLM Maintenance; PR-LTF Phenom 100. 29/11 OE-UDA & OE-UDB
604; 2-AVCO Challenger 850. 31/1 OE-HGG OK-PRG Beech C.90B. 3/11 D-AGRA CRJ200LR Diamond DA42s; PR-TLI Diamond DA62.
Challenger 350; LN-AGR Falcon 7X. ProAir also 24th; SP-SPE ATR 72-202 SprintAir.
6/11 F-GZHC 737-8K2 Transavia France to KLM Key. f/v first visit; n/s night stop; o/s overshoot.
LONDON SOUTHEND
1/12 SP-MRB Saab 340A Air Taxi also 5th. 3/12 SP-
KPH Saab 340A/F Sprint Air. 4/12 CS-DFF Falcon
2000EX. 8/12 OO-KPA Cessna 172R. 10/12 9H-KAP
Legacy 600 f/v. 11/12 SP-TAT Beech 400A f/v. 12/12
T7-AMS PC-12 f/v. 13/12 F-GPKL PA-46 JetPROP
DLX; SP-MED Beech 58. 16/12 D-CGGG Learjet
31A. 19/12 SP-MRC Saab 340B Sky Taxi f/v. 20/12
F-HEND Citation 510 Mustang f/v; D-AERO Legacy
650 f/v.
10/1 F-HAKE PA-31-350P dep 12th. 11/1 D-CFOR

Learjet 35A. 14/1 HB-VFG PC-12 f/v; D-CKJE Cardiff Airport played host to Embraer Legacy 600, 9H-JPC, from February 14 to 16. Phil Woods
With thanks to: D Apps, D Banks, D Bougourd, S Boyd, J Brazier, N Burch, A Clarke, I Cockerton, KW Ede, M Farley, N French, P Gibson, J Gregory, G Green,
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, Manston
Movements, 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 April 2018 73
April2018Classified.indd 1 26/02/2018 16:03

REGISTER REVIEW
REGISTER REVIEW BY STUART MCDIARMID
The latest changes on the UK, Irish, Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey registers.
Boeing 737-436, G-POWS, is a new addition to the Titan Airways fleet. It is shown departing Turin Airport on January 16. Marco Rossi
RESTORATIONS
REG’N MODE(S) TYPE C/N OWNER G-CKUO 407532 Aeroprakt A22-LS Foxbat LAA 317B- P Gosney, (Sutton Coldfield, West
15487 Midlands)
G-ARJT 400AEC Piper PA-23-160 Apache G 23-1931 JH Ashcroft, Netherthorpe, South
Yorkshire G-CKVF 407542 Aeroprakt A22-LS Foxbat LAA 317B- RJ Davey, (Great Hale Fen,
15464 Lincolnshire)
G-AYRL 407529 Sportavia SFS-31 Milan 6606 A Hoskins and KM Fresson,
(Storrington, West Sussex) G-CKWZ 407511 Grob G.109B 6270 TR Dews, Wing Farm, Longbridge
Deverill, Wiltshire
G-BHRK 40753A Colt Saucepan 56SS 062 DP Busby, (Broughton,
Northamptonshire) G-CLPZ 406F46 Jonker JS-MD Single 1C-MD104 RED Bailey trading as Bailey
(converted by M & D Aviation, Sutton Bank, North
G-BOCU 407502 Piper PA-34-220T Seneca III 3433114 Advanced Aircraft Leasing
Flugzeugbau) Yorkshire
(Teesside) Ltd, Sherburn-in-Elmet,
North Yorkshire G-CLUG 4073FB Schleicher K.8B 8809 The Windrushers Gliding Club Ltd,
Bicester, Oxfordshire
G-BROP 402FE6 Van’s RV-4 (built by AE Tolle) 3 N Huxtable and K Keen, (Princes
Risborough & Denham, G-CLVJ 40752B Glaser-Dirks DG-500 Elan 5E177X29 Coventry Gliding Club Ltd trading
Buckinghamshire) Orion (built by Elan Line D.o.o.) as The Gliding Centre, Husbands
Bosworth, Leicestershire
G-BYPJ 404228 Pegasus Quantum 15-912 7565 Airmasters (UK) Ltd, Sulby,
Leicestershire G-CSEE 407490 Kubicek BB20ED 1405 Fairfax Aviation Ltd, (Langford,
North Somerset)
G-CGCI 406156 Sikorsky S-92A 920103 Bristow Helicopters Ltd, Aberdeen
International, Aberdeenshire G-CWTT 407482 Cessna 182T Skylane 182-83029 SB Turner, Gloucestershire
G-PUSH 4022BE Rutan Long-Ez (built by EG PFA 074A- WS Allen, Gloucestershire G-DINS 403138 Boeing A75N1 Kaydet (PT-27) 75-4041 MV Linney, Duxford, Cambridgeshire
Peterson) 10740 G-EGKB 400DA4 BAe 125-800B 258021 Mountfitchet Aircraft Ltd, Biggin
EI-FED 4CAB95 Boeing 737-8KN 40236 AWAS 40236 Ireland Ltd, (for Jet Hill, Greater London
Airways as VT-JTN) G-EZRO 4074AE Airbus A320-214 8065 Easyjet Airline Company Ltd,
London Luton, Bedfordshire (NB)
G-EZRR 4074B0 Airbus A320-214 8075 Easyjet Airline Company Ltd,
NEW REGISTRATIONS London Luton, Bedfordshire (NB)
REG’N MODE(S) TYPE C/N OWNER G-FDHS 4074F0 Leonardo AW109SP Grand New 22378 Knaresborough Aviation LLP, Leeds
G-CJSO 407307 Airbus Helicopters EC135P3 2015 Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Oxford, Oxfordshire (for RAF, RAF G-FESX 4073D8 Schempp-Hirth Discus 2C FES 20 PK Carpenter and KS McPhee,
Shawbury) (Tonbridge, Kent)
G-CKLJ 407402 Grob G.120TP-A 11142 Affinity Flying Training Services Ltd, G-FFFF 407528 Zenair CH.750 STOL LAA 381-15485 J Bate, (Burnley, Lancashire)
RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire G-FXPR 407498 Raytheon 400A (Nextant 400XT RK-468 Flexjet Ltd, Birmingham, West
G-CKLO 407403 Grob G.120TP-A 11143 Affinity Flying Training Services Ltd, conversion) Midlands
RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire G-HAZA 4073FD Diamond DA42 NG Twin Star 42.N306 RWF Jackson, (Effingham, Surrey)
G-CKNZ 40742D Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner 38895 Norwegian Air UK Ltd, London G-ICEI 4074E9 Leonardo AW169 69065 Iceland Foods Ltd, Dunsfold, Surrey
Gatwick, West Sussex
G-IROJ 407525 Magni M.16C Tandem Trainer 16-18-1144 AG Jones, Chiltern Park,
G-CKRA 40744D Airbus Helicopters EC135P3 2040 Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
Oxford, Oxfordshire (for RAF, RAF
Shawbury) G-JSSE 40747D Dassault Falcon 900B 120 XJC Ltd, Southampton, Hampshire
(NB)
G-CKTA 407491 Aerochute Hummerchute 482 G Stokes, (Sutton Coldfield, West
Midlands) G-JZBG 407183 Boeing 737-800 63164 Dart Group PLC, Leeds Bradford,
West Yorkshire (for Jet2) (NB)
G-CKTL 4074BD Aerochute Hummerchute 484 RD Knight, (Westport, Somerset)
G-JZBH 40717C Boeing 737-800 63163 Dart Group PLC, Leeds Bradford,
G-CKUC 4074F5 Beech C90A King Air LJ-1371 JH Gottlieb, Stuttgart, Germany West Yorkshire (for Jet2) (NB)
G-CKUH 407517 CZAW Sportcruiser (built by OC4902 K Rogan, (Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo, G-KYLA 407501 Cirrus SR22 3698 J Bannister, Cotswold, Wiltshire
G Doody) Republic of Ireland)
G-LUGS 406020 Agusta A109S Grand 22125 Volare Aviation Ltd, Oxford,
G-CKUI 407518 Kubicek BB40Z 902 Charbonnier di Diego Charbonnier Oxfordshire
E C SNC, (Quart, Italy)
G-MCGW 406DEC Leonardo AW189 92009 Leonardo MW Ltd, Yeovil, Somerset
G-CKUJ 40751A ATEC 212 Solo S030306A Mission Capital Ltd, Elm Tree Park, (for Bristow Helicopters/HM
Manton, Wiltshire Coastguard)
G-CKUK 40751D UltraMagic Shemilt Eco 50 50/16 Thames Valley Balloons Ltd, G-MCGX 406DED Leonardo AW189 92010 Leonardo MW Ltd, Yeovil, Somerset
(Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire) (for Bristow Helicopters/HM
G-CKUL 407531 Ace Aviation As-Tec 13 AA13264 GL Logan, (Great Bourton, Coastguard)
Oxfordshire) G-NGAA 407538 BRM Aero Bristell NG5 Speed LAA 385-15524 AJ Palmer and F Sayyah, Chilsfold
G-CKUM 40751F Fresh Breeze Xcitor Paratrike 218/-929-42362 D Burton, (Topsham, Devon) Wing Farm, Northchapel, West Sussex
(Modified)/Swing Xwing G-OJMP 4174A6 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 208B0917 Parachuting Aircraft Ltd, Old
G-CKUN 407526 Bareford DB-6R 1 D Bareford, (Morda, Shropshire) Sarum, Wiltshire
74-76_registerDC.mfDC.indd 74 01/03/2018 19:12

G-OODX 403FFC Robinson R22 Beta 0720 HQ Aviation Ltd, Denham, 2-PETE TBA Piper PA-32-300 Six 32-7940242 P Biggins, Guernsey
Buckinghamshire 2-PSFI TBA Boeing 737-33A 23631 European Aviation Ltd,
G-ORST 4074C1 Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 1269 Babcock Mission Critical Bournemouth, Dorset
Services Onshore Ltd, 2-RPDA TBA ATR 72-212A 1022 NAC Aviation 29 Ltd, (stored
Gloucestershire (NB) Saarbrucken, Germany)
G-PBIG 4072DB Airbus Helicopters EC130T2 8298 Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd, Oxford, 2-RPDC TBA ATR 72-212A 1040 NAC Aviation 29 Ltd, (stored
Oxfordshire Saarbrucken, Germany)
G-POWS 400513 Boeing 737-436 25853 Titan Airways Ltd, London Stansted,
Essex
G-PPBZ 407522 AutoGyro Calidus RSUK/ Dept of Doing Ltd, (Kettering,
CALS/036 Northamptonshire)
G-PTIX 403F95 Vickers Armstrong Spitfire IX CBAF.IX.2922 PA Teichman trading as Hangar
Eleven Collection, North Weald,
Essex
G-RORA 4073D0 Embraer Legacy 500 55000057 Centreline AV Ltd trading as
Centreline, Manchester, Greater
Manchester
G-SEZA 40752D Schleicher ASW-20C 20824 AH Brown, Portmoak, Perth &
Kinross
G-SLIV 407520 TAF Sling 4 LAA 400-15445 DJ Pilkington, (Goosnargh,
Lancashire)
G-SPCY 4068E9 Embraer Legacy 650 14501162 London Executive Aviation Ltd, London Executive Aviation Embraer Legacy 650, G-SPCY, touching
London Luton, Bedfordshire (NB)
down at London Luton Airport. The aircraft is in the new registrations
G-STVL 407513 Lindstrand LBL 77A 624 SJ Donkin, (Leyland, Lancashire)
listing this month. John Lythgoe
G-SUKK 4074ED Sukhoi Su-29 75-03 M Benshemesh, White Waltham,
Berkshire
G-SUUK 4074E6 Sukhoi Su-29 001-01 DJ Barke, Southend, Essex CANCELLATIONS
G-SWRD 400778 Boeing 737-3L9 27834 TAG Aviation (Stansted) Ltd and REG’N TYPE C/N REASON
Onexp 2006 ApS, (Copenhagen,
G-ARFG Cessna 175A (Modified) 56505 To Russia
Denmark & London Stansted)
G-AWWM Gardan GY-201 Minicab A195 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expired
G-UKPB 407472 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 208B0629 UK Parachute Services Ltd, Beccles, 10.12.92. For sale as a restoration project
Suffolk 06.17)
G-VWOO 4072EA Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner 37979 Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd, London
G-AZFF Jodel D112 1175 To Republic of Ireland
Heathrow, Middlesex
G-BLDD Wag-Aero Acro Trainer PFA 108-10653 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed on
G-XJCI 40747A Cessna 550 Citation Bravo 550-0874 XJC Ltd, Southampton, Hampshire
landing at Northrepps, Norfolk 06.06.11)
(NB)
G-BNUX Hoffmann H.36 Dimona 36236 To Poland
G-YROU 407503 Magni M.24C Orion 24-17-1064 Fairoaks Gyros Ltd, Fairoaks,
Surrey G-BSBM Cameron N-77 2229 Cancelled by CAA (CofA expired
25.02.17)
EI-FVZ 4CA680 Boeing 737-800 42093 Norwegian Air International Ltd,
Oslo-Gardermoen, Norway (NB) G-BSYA Jodel D18 PFA 169-11316 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expired
01.10.07. Last noted stored at Andreas,
EI-GCV 4CACB7 Boeing 737-7CT 37088 Wilmington Trust SP Services
Isle of Man 10.16)
(Dublin) Ltd, (leased to Alrosa Avia,
Moscow-Vnukovo, Russia) G-BTCD North American P-51D-25-NA 122-39608 To Turkey
Mustang
EI-GDP 4CA683 Boeing 737-800 44813 Ryanair Designated Activity
Company, Dublin (NB) G-BUOE Cameron V-90 2938 To Malaysia
EI-GDR 4CA898 Boeing 737-800 44812 Ryanair Designated Activity G-BXGB Eurocopter AS350BB Ecureuil 2985 To USA as N119CA
Company, Dublin (NB) G-BXLB Eurocopter AS350BB Ecureuil 3013 To USA as N34JK
EI-GDS 4CAC7C Boeing 737-800 44811 Ryanair Designated Activity G-BXXN Robinson R22 Beta 0720 Re-registered as G-OODX
Company, Dublin (NB)
G-BYDE Vickers-Armstrong Spitfire IX CBAF.IX.2922 Re-registered as G-PTIX
EI-GDT 4CAC92 Boeing 737-800 44815 Ryanair Designated Activity
G-BYMK Dornier 328-100 3062 Cancelled as Permanently WFU (Stored
at Dundee, then flew to Bangor, Maine
EI-GDV 4CAC99 Boeing 737-800 44816 Ryanair Designated Activity 23.08.17 for parting out in USA)
G-BYSN Rans S.6-ES Coyote II PFA 204-13459 Cancelled as Destroyed (details unknown,
EI-GDW 4CAC9A Boeing 737-800 44814 Ryanair Designated Activity last reported at Over, Gloucestershire
Company, Dublin (NB) 09.16)
EI-GDX 4CAC9B Boeing 737-800 44817 Ryanair Designated Activity G-CBHB Raj Hamsa X’Air 582(5) BMAA/HB/189 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly current
Company, Dublin (NB) to 09.06.18)
EI-SID 4CAE8E Airbus A320-251N 8031 Scandinavian Airlines Ireland Ltd, G-CBSR IAV-Bacau Yak-52 877913 To Belgium
Stockholm-Arlanda, Sweden (NB)
G-CCCI Medway EclipseR 174/152 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expired
M-ABKY 424B1A Avro RJ100 E3377 MA Elobeid, (stored Cranfield, 11.09.14)
Bedfordshire)
G-CDFA Kolb Twinstar Mk.III Xtra PFA 205-14274 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expires
M-ABKZ 424B1B Avro RJ100 E3381 MA Elobeid, (stored Cranfield, 11.05.18)
Bedfordshire)
G-CDLB Cameron Z-120 10672 To Mexico
M-ABLD 424B0F Boeing 737-86J 37745 SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd, (for Jet
Airways, India as VT-JTL) G-CDMU P & M Pegasus Quik 8121 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed on
landing at Hawksview, Stretton, Cheshire
M-BRAB 424B14 Diamond DA42M Twin Star 42.MN057 Bravura Group of Companies Ltd, 30.07.16)
(Johannesburg, South Africa)
G-CECX Robinson R44 Raven II 11390 To USA
M-BRAC 424B15 Diamond DA42M Twin Star 42.MN058 Bravura Group of Companies Ltd,
(Johannesburg, South Africa) G-CEOF Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III 2837008 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed into
Kilbrannan Sound, off Skipness, Mull of
M-ICRO 424B18 Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 525C0257 Pektron Group Ltd, Retford
Kintyre, Argyle & Bute 25.05.17)
Gamston, Nottinghamshire
G-CFAB Avro RJ100 E3377 To Isle of Man as M-ABKY
M-URRY 424B10 Hawker 800XP 258311 Corporate Sealandair Ltd,
Bournemouth, Dorset G-CFAE Avro RJ100 E3381 To Isle of Man as M-ABKZ
2-CAUL TBA Bombardier Dash 8-Q402 4019 Aerocentury Corp, (stored G-CFAH Avro RJ100 E3384 To Australia as VH-NJE
Maastricht Aachen, Netherlands) G-CGFS Nanchang CJ-6A 4532008 To Norway
2-CFFV TBA Bombardier CRJ200ER 8050 Regional One Inc, (stored Osaka G-CGKB Grob G.115E 82302/E To Finnish Air Force
International, Japan)
G-CHMJ Sikorsky S-92A 920176 To Norway
2-FIEX TBA Airbus A340-642 933 European Aviation Ltd,
Bournemouth, Dorset G-CIWJ Lindstrand LTL Series 1-180 004 To Italy
2-FINA TBA Embraer 175 17000121 Aerfin Ltd, (stored Teruel, Spain) G-CJMI Eurocopter BK117C-2 9423 To Belgium
2-FIXP TBA Airbus A340-642 1030 European Aviation Ltd, G-CJSO Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 2015 To Ministry of Defence as ZM515
Bournemouth, Dorset G-CJSW Rolladen-Schneider LS4-A 4262 To France
2-GZEH TBA Airbus A319-111 2184 SAP Meridian 7 LP, TBA G-CJTL Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18 8317 To Czech Republic

REGISTER REVIEW BY STUART MCDIARMID
G-CJTR Rolladen-Schneider LS7-WL 7104 To Germany
G-CJYT Airbus Helicopters EC130T2 8298 Re-registered as G-PBIG
G-CKOB Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 2033 To Ministry of Defence as ZM527
G-CKPT Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 2038 To Ministry of Defence as ZM529
G-CKRA Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 2040 To Ministry of Defence as ZM530
G-CKRG Avro RJ100 E3359 To Canada as C-GZRJ
G-CKTI Boeing 737-33A 23631 To Guernsey as 2-PFSI
G-CLPF Rolladen-Schneider LS8-A 8083 To Germany
G-DAJC Boeing 767-31K 27206 To USA as N1489A
G-DAVZ Cessna 182T Skylane 182-81958 To Poland
G-DCPA Eurocopter BK117C-1 7511 To Australia
Gulfstream G550, G-ZNSF, is now on the US register as N881FS.
G-DDAK Schleicher K.7 893 Cancelled as Permanently WFU AirTeamImages.com/Alex Peake
(crashed on approach to Brentor,
Devon 13.04.14)
G-DEMM Eurocopter AS350B2 Ecureuil 3741 To France as F-HPKM EI-FVO Boeing 737-800 42278 To Argentina as LV-HQH
G-DEWF Airbus Helicopters EC135T3 1269 Re-registered as G-ORST EI-GCS Airbus A320-214 4101 To Spain as EC-MUM
G-DORM Robinson R44 Clipper II 12330 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed at EI-GCY Airbus A320-214 4128 To Cambodia as XU-993
Top Hill, near Carlingford, Co. Louth, EI-ROB Robin R1180TD Aiglon 270 To Belarus
Republic of Ireland 12.03.17)
M-ABLB Boeing 737-86N 36815 To India as VT-JTG
G-ENES Bell 206B JetRanger III 4601 To USA as N105AT
M-ABLD Boeing 737-86J 37745 To India as VT-JTL
G-EZBT Airbus A319-111 3090 To Austria as OE-LKE
M-AFMA Bombardier Global Express 9050 To USA as N945AF
G-EZDO Airbus A319-111 3634 To Austria as OE-LQX
M-OGMC Bombardier Global Express XRS 9268 To USA as N726BF
G-EZDR Airbus A319-111 3683 To Austria as OE-LQY
M-SWAN Gulfstream G450 4181 To USA as N48PL
G-EZDT Airbus A319-111 3720 To Austria as OE-LKD
2-AVIT Boeing 737-3K2 27635 To Kyrgyzstan
G-EZDU Airbus A319-111 3735 To Austria as OE-LQN
2-CFMM Bombardier CRJ200ER 7834 To South Korea as HL8298
G-EZDW Airbus A319-111 3746 To Austria as OE-LKF
2-CNBA Boeing 737-75C 30634 Cancelled as Parted Out (flown to
G-EZEH Airbus A319-111 2184 To Guernsey as 2-GEZH Shanghai-Pudong 02.02.18)
G-EZEV Airbus A319-111 2289 To USA as N312NV 2-HJMN Airbus A340-313 175 Cancelled as parted-out (broken up
G-EZFI Airbus A319-111 3888 To Austria as OE-LQK Tarbes-Lourdes, France
G-EZFO Airbus A319-111 4080 To Austria as OE-LQJ 2-HJMO Airbus A340-313 179 Cancelled as parted-out (broken up
Tarbes-Lourdes, France
G-EZFS Airbus A319-111 4129 To Austria as OE-LQW
2-MCGE Airbus A319-112 1377 Cancelled as parted-out (broken up
G-EZMH Airbus A319-111 2053 To Spain as EC-MTL
Tarbes-Lourdes, France
G-EZSM Airbus A319-111 2062 To Spain as EC-MTM
2-RLAU Boeing 777-31H 29064 To Nigeria
G-EZTF Airbus A320-214 3922 To Austria as OE-IJO
2-YAGY Bombardier CRJ-200LR 7439 To Armenia
G-EZTX Airbus A320-214 4286 To Austria as OE-IVH
G-FRZN Agusta A109S Grand 22125 Re-registered as G-LUGS
G-GALC Sikorsky S-92A 920200 To Norway as LN-OIG
PREVIOUS IDENTITIES
G-IFTF BAe 125-800B 258021 Re-registered as G-EGKB
REG'N P.I. REG’N P.I.
G-IVIV Robinson R44 Astro 0016 To Germany
G-BHRK ex (N ) G-RORA ex PR-LNP
G-JMOF Boeing 757-330 29013 To Germany as D-ABOF
G-BOCU ex EC-JDA G-SEZA ex D-3493
G-KBMM Bombardier Global 5000 9186 To Luxembourg as LX-ABM
G-BROP ex G-NADZ G-SPCY ex G-OTGL
G-LUBE Cameron N-77 1127 Cancelled by CAA (CofA expired
27.07.05) G-BGCI ex 5N-BMN G-STVL ex SX-MAG
G-MGCB Pegasus XL-Q 7267 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed on G-CJSO ex D-HECT G-SUKK ex HA-YAR
landing at Headon Farm, Headon, G-CKRA ex D-HECD G-SUUK ex HA-YAO
Nottinghamshire 25.03.17)
G-CKUC ex M-KING G-SWRD ex OY-JTE
G-MWMY Mainair Gemini Flash IIA 809-1090-7-W602 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expired
19.04.14) G-CKUH ex EI-EHV G-UKPB ex N850SD
G-MYPY Solar Wings Pegasus Quantum 6786 Cancelled by CAA (wing folded in flight G-CKUI ex OO-BYY G-XJCI ex N237MB
15 and crashed at Friskney, Lincolnshire G-CKWZ ex HB-2088 EI-FED ex A6-FDF
28.05.17)
G-CLPZ ex D-KPAI EI-FVZ ex N1782B
G-MZES Letov LK-2M Sluka PFA 263-13064 Cancelled by CAA (Permit to Fly expired
13.03.15) G-CLUG ex PH-414 EI-GCV ex C-FBWS
G-NADZ Van’s RV-4 3 Re-registered as G-BROP G-CLVJ ex D-4182 EI-GDR ex N1786B

G-OJVH Reims Cessna F150H 0356 To France G-CWTT ex N9020Z EI-GDT ex N1786B
G-OPMP Robinson R44 Raven II 11638 To USA G-DINS ex G-RJAH EI-SID ex D-AXAQ
G-OZBE Airbus A321-231 1707 To Austria as OE-IFC G-EGKB ex G-IFTF M-ABKY ex G-CFAB
G-OZBF Airbus A321-231 1763 To Austria as OE-IFZ G-EZRO ex D-AXAU M-ABKZ ex G-CFAE
G-PLMI Aérospatiale SA365C1 Dauphin 5001 Cancelled by CAA (CofA expired G-EZRR ex D-AUBB M-ABLD ex TC-IZC
06.07.13, parted out at Wolverhampton G-FXPR ex N467FL M-ICRO ex N5233J
Halfpenny Green 12.13)
G-ICEI ex I-RAIL M-URRY ex N225RP
G-RJAH Boeing A75N1 Kaydet 75-4041 Re-registered as G-DINS
G-JSSE ex C-FWKX 2-CAUL ex C9-AUL
G-RMTO AutoGyro MTOSport RSUK/MTOS/027 Cancelled as Destroyed (crashed into
Great Knoutberry Hill, Widdale Fell, near G-KYLA ex OK-TTP 2-CFFV ex JA207J
Dent, Cumbria 29.04.17) G-LUGS ex G-FRZN 2-FIEX ex A6-EHJ
G-SNSG Agusta AW139 41210 To Malaysia G-OJMP ex N106AN 2-FINA ex HZ-AEE
G-SUEB Piper PA-28-181 Archer III 2843466 To Czech Republic G-OODX ex G-BXXN 2-FIXP ex A6-EHK
G-VRCW Cessna P210N Pressurised P210-00790 Cancelled as Permanently WFU G-ORST ex G-DEWF 2-GZEH ex G-EZEH
Centurion (substantially damaged on landing with
G-PBIG ex G-CJYT 2-PETE ex N2967N
its undercarriage retracted at Naples, Italy
20.04.16) G-POWS ex N853AT 2-PFSI ex G-CKTI
G-ZBAS Airbus A320-214 6550 To Austria as OE-ICT G-PPBZ ex LY-BAR 2-RPDA ex PR-PDA
G-ZNSF Gulfstream G550 5425 To USA as N881FS G-PTIX ex G-BYDE 2-RPDC ex PR-PDC
EI-DSD Airbus A320-216 3076 To USA as N273NV
EI-DSE Airbus A320-216 3079 To USA as N274NV
Key: NB – Nominal Base
EI-FMU Airbus A319-112 2122 To Spain as EC-MUC A place name in brackets relates to the owner’s address as where the aircraft is based is unknown.

Air-Britain_FP.indd 1 19/02/2018 10:44
GRUMMAN’S
The Gulfstream I
pioneered
corporate flying
LIMOUSINE as it is known today.

Charles Woodley
OF THE AIR
details its
development
and career.
T
he Grumman Aircraft Engineering Above: An aerial shot of Gulfstream I customers seeking a replacement would
Corporation originally made its demonstrator N712G, which went on to see want a DC-3-sized aircraft with ‘stand-up’
name as a supplier of carrier-borne service in Australia with Skywest Airlines. cabin headroom, a cruising speed of around
aircraft to the US Navy. It, like Key Collection 350mph (563km/h) and a range of 1,800 to
other American military suppliers, realised Below: The Gulfstream I is powered by two 2,200 miles (3,540km).
the end of the Korean War in 1953 was likely Rolls-Royce Dart 529 turboprop engines and Grumman’s research led it to believe
to signal reductions in lucrative defence has built-in hydraulic airstairs. Rolls-Royce around 1,000 examples would be needed.
contracts.
Grumman’s solution DESIGN
to impending cutbacks Initially, the company
was to fill the need for considered producing
a dedicated business a ‘stretched’ version
aircraft to replace the of its TF-1 Trader, a
many war-surplus carrier-based naval
transports then in transporter derived
use. Market research from the Tracker anti-
was commissioned submarine machine.
to discover likely That idea was
requirements from dropped because
existing and potential the Trader’s wing
users. had been designed
In the mid-1950s for optimum, high-
they found 478 endurance, low-
Douglas C-47/DC- altitude flight, making
3s and around 260 it unsuitable for
Lockheed Lodestars modification to permit
were in corporate the high cruising
service. Potential speed required. A
78-82_gulfstreamDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 78 02/03/2018 17:23

completely new design chosen for the G-159.
evolved, designated as To give the aircraft
the G-159 project. an additional role as
The aircraft would be a feeder airliner it was
of similar dimensions designed to satisfy the
to the DC-3 and be the Civil Aeronautics Board’s
largest aircraft at the time 4b regulations for civil
produced specifically for airliners. Four cabin
the corporate market. windows doubled as
Its design was of a emergency exits and a
low-wing, nosewheel roof escape hatch was
undercarriage layout, incorporated.
with a swept fin and two Above: One of several Gulfstream Is to be
Built-in hydraulic
Rolls-Royce Dart 529 turboprop engines. operated by the USA’s Federal Aviation airstairs and an integral auxiliary power
This form of propulsion had been selected Administration, N3, which ended its days unit (APU) gave the Gulfstream a degree of
because Grumman was uncertain whether underwater, as an artificial reef off Hawaii. self-sufficiency and speeded turnarounds.
corporate operators would commit to a Bob O’Brien In January 1958, Grumman was offering the
turbojet-powered aircraft until jet airliners corporate version to potential purchasers for
Below: A US Navy TC-4C Academe, modified
had proved their operational reliability over with an A-6 Intruder nose for bombardier $700,000 (around £250,000), exclusive of
several years. training. AirTeamImages.com/Caz Caswell electronics fit and cabin furnishings.
The Dart was already The latter items were
powering almost 100 supplied to meet each
Viscounts in North customer’s requirements
American airline service, by one of four appointed
had the backing of distributors: Atlantic
a worldwide support Aviation (of Delaware),
organisation, and was Pacific Airmotive (of
considered capable of California), Southwest
future development. The Airmotive (of Texas),
G-159 would typically and Timmins Aviation (of
accommodate 10 to 14 Canada).
passengers in a cabin
fitted with five large oval windows on each baggage compartment, accessible during INTO THE AIR
side. flight. Go-ahead for the project was given in The initial prototype (registered N701G)
A fully enclosed lavatory and washroom the spring of 1957, with a projected break- undertook its maiden flight in August 14,
was located at the rear of the passenger even point of somewhere between 125 and 1958 from the Grumman facility at Bethpage,
compartment and behind that was a 150 unit sales. The name Gulfstream was New York, crewed by test pilots Carl Alber
A flightdeck from the 1950s of a Gulfstream I, in this case N190PA. AirTeamImages.com/Jan Severijn
78-82_gulftsreamDCmfDCmfDCDCDC.indd 79 02/03/2018 23:11

customer, the Sinclair Refinery Company
of Tulsa, Oklahoma, took delivery of aircraft
of N704HC on June 23 of that year. It was
then fitted out and entered company service
a few months later in September, based at
the Westchester County Airport at White
Plains, New York.
One of two examples operated by
the National Distillers and Chemical
Corporation, N358AA, was the first
Gulfstream to visit the UK. It flew into
Gatwick in June 1960, having travelled
Gulfstream I N142TG, fitted with a large freight door for cargo services with Purolator Courier. from Teterboro, New Jersey, via Goose Bay
Bob O’Brien (Labrador) and Keflavík (Iceland) in a total
elapsed time of 36 hours.
The aviation press was invited to inspect
its cabin, which was furnished in an eight-
seat lounge layout, complete with a bed and
a then state-of-the-art radio/tape player. In
October 1960, Grumman announced that
Gulfstream distribution in Europe was to
be handled by the London arm of Atlantic
Aviation.
Buyers on this side of the Atlantic, could
expect delivery of the Gulfstream within 90
days of order, complete with weather radar,
radio fit and cabin furnishings to customer
specifications for around £360,000 to
£370,000. The first two European customers
were the Maritime Investment and Shipping
Company (owned by the Greek shipping
magnate Stavros Niarchos), and the Italian
A G-1C, briefly called the Commuter for marketing purposes, alongside an original Gulfstream
motor manufacturer Fiat.
1 showing the fuselage stretch and the additional cabin windows. Key Collection
Atlantic Aviation estimated that each
Gulfstream manufactured contained British-
made components to the value of almost a
quarter of the purchase price of the aircraft.
AIRLINE SERVICE
In December 1962, the FAA certificated a
version of the Gulfstream, fitted with a rear
cargo door and a convertible interior for up
to either 24 passengers or 8,000lb (3,628kg)
of cargo (or any combination of the two).
This version was aimed at the local service
airline market and came with a ‘jump-seat’
Chaparral Airlines’ G-1C N328CA wearing American Eagle livery for franchise services. Bob O’Brien
for a cabin attendant.
Around 25 to 30 Gulfstreams were
eventually to fill this role. The first airline
operator was US carrier Air South, and
the type was also used by Royale Airlines,
carrying out flights for Continental Airlines
under the brand name Continental
Connection. Carriers which used the type
outside America included Cimber Air of
Denmark and Propair from Canada.
The Gulfstream also found favour with a
number of show business personalities of
the time. Elvis Presley purchased N300MC
as a present for his manager ‘Colonel’ Tom
Parker.
Gulfstream I, G-BRWN, served with Brown Air from December 1985 to September 1988 (the
Movie mogul Walt Disney used N732G
airline was renamed Capital Airlines from July 1987). The aircraft was traded in to Short’s as
(later re-registered as N234MM), complete
part payment for a Short 360 and then went on lease to Peregrine Aviation, which later became
Aberdeen Airways. Alastair T Gardiner with Mickey Mouse logo on the tail, to
transport film stars such as Julie Andrews
and Fred Rowling, accompanied by an F8F February the following year respectively. around the country. More workaday journeys
Bearcat chase plane, piloted by Bob Smyth. By April, firm orders had been placed for were in connection with the development of
It was joined on a programme of around 27 production examples. Federal Aviation Walt Disney vacation complexes.
800 hours of test flying by the second and Administration (FAA) certification was The type also served in a number of
third prototypes in November 1958 and granted on May 21, 1959 and the first specialised roles. Operators included the
78-82_gulfstreamDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 80 02/03/2018 17:23

FAA, which acquired its first example in June
1959. Grumman was selected by NASA
to construct lunar modules for America’s
space programme and the company fitted a
Gulfstream with a cargo door and used it to
transport some of the assemblies.
The US Navy and the US Marine Corps
utilised a total of nine examples under the
designation TC-4C Academe for training
bombardiers and navigators destined for
the Grumman A-6 Intruder aircraft. This
variant first flew in 1967 and was fitted with
an Intruder nose radome in place of the
aircraft’s normal nose profile.
A typical corporate Gulfstream I: C-FHBO served with Petro-Canada from the beginning of
A single Gulfstream was acquired by the
1985. AirTeamImages.com/HAMFive
US Coast Guard for operation as a VC-4A
VIP transport.
When production of turboprop-powered
Gulfstreams ceased in February 1969,
exactly 200 examples had been built.
The last production aircraft was delivered
as N750G to the New York-based IT &
T Corporation in June of that year, but
the airframe was still judged capable of
development.
STRETCHED VARIANT
In 1978, the Gulfstream American (later to
become Gulfstream Aerospace) Corporation
One of two Gulfstream Is operated by the Venezuelan carrier Aero PAR. Key Collection
acquired the rights to the Gulfstream I
design from Grumman and set about
producing a longer version for the commuter
airline industry.
The existing airframe was modified
to incorporate a 128in (325cm) fuselage
stretch, to carry up to 38 passengers plus
baggage.
The Rolls-Royce Dart powerplants were
retained, and the modified aircraft was
initially designated as the G-159 Gulfstream
1-C, later amended to the G-159C
Gulfstream. It was also briefly called the
Commuter for marketing purposes.
The first converted aircraft flew in this Gulfstream I, G-BRWN, was one of two examples operated by Aberdeen Airways on UK
form for the first time on October 25, 1979, domestic routes. AirTeamImages.com/Keith Blincow (ATI)
and certification followed a year later.
The G-159C offered potential operators
a maximum cruise speed of 345mph
(555km/h) at 30,000ft, and a range with
maximum payload of 500 miles (805km),
but it did not attract much interest. Just five
conversions were carried out, the modified
aircraft being delivered from November
1980 onwards to US commuter carriers
such as Air North and Chaparall Airlines,
whose examples flew in American Eagle
livery under a franchise agreement with
American Airlines.
In September 1982, General Electric
adapted one of its corporate Gulfstream
Is for a programme of 23 test flights of its Birmingham Executive Airways operated Gulfstream I, G-BNKO, on scheduled services out of
CT7 turboprop engine, being developed England’s ‘second city’ in the mid-1980s. AirTeamImages.com/Carl Ford
then to power the CASA Nurtano and Saab
340 transport aircraft. One of the General corporate aircraft by both the Ford Motor domestic flights on behalf of British Airways.
Electric powerplants, coupled with a Dowty Company and Shell Aircraft, and pre-owned The failure of the Scottish city’s Air Ecosse
all-composite, four-bladed propeller, was examples found a new role with several in 1987 opened up an opportunity for the
mounted on the left wing in place of the British airlines in the latter half of the 1980s. airline to take over scheduled routes from
usual Rolls-Royce Dart, and 39 flight hours Aberdeen-based Peregrine Air Services Aberdeen to Edinburgh, East Midlands and
were logged in this configuration. acquired two from the USA, originally Manchester, and to operate Gulfstream Is
In the UK, Gulfstream Is were used as for oil-related charter work and later on on them as Aberdeen Airways. The airline
78-82_gulfstreamDC.mfDC.mfDCDC.indd 81 02/03/2018 18:10

used the type until ceasing operations in
July 1992. “Elvis Presley different examples at various times with the
peak in the early 2000s.
In April 1986 Leeds/Bradford Airport-
based Brown Air introduced a single purchased N300MC As jets became more popular Grumman
responded to the emerging demand from
Gulfstream I onto Leeds/Bradford-Glasgow
and Glasgow-Cardiff services, and, during as a present for his large corporations for aircraft that offered
the speed and prestige of jet propulsion.
its first year of operations, this aircraft was
flying up to 50 sectors each week. The manager ‘Colonel’ One proposal was the G-159A project, a
stretched version of the Gulfstream with
aircraft served this carrier, and the also
when it was renamed Capital Airlines, until Tom Parker” two wing-mounted Lycoming ALF-502 fanjet
engines, in place of the Dart turboprops.
September 1988. This design would have been capable
From September 1986 until September were still active, mainly in the USA, but also of carrying 30 passengers at 368mph
1987 Birmingham European Airways in South Africa and Mexico. (592km/h) at an altitude of 30,000ft, and
(originally Birmingham Executive Airways) Almost certainly the most prolific operator was intended to be produced alongside the
used three 24-seat Gulfstreams on services was the Cartersville, Georgia-based Phoenix turboprop variant.
from its home base to Düsseldorf and Air Group, which still had five aircraft In the event, the design was rejected
Frankfurt. available for charter, and had operated 19 and work on the jet-powered Gulfstream
The Gulfstream I undoubtedly changed GII began in 1960 which featured two rear-
Below: Birmingham European Airways, and
the face of corporate flying and the aircraft used Gulfstream Is, including G-BMOW, mounted engines. The GII first flew in 1966
has proven long-lived. Last December, it on services to Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. and the original Gulfstream became the
was estimated that around 38 examples AirTeamImages.com/Keith Blincow (ATI) Gulfstream I.
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LIGHTNING SPECIAL ISSUE

the Charismatic ROOM WITH A VIEW

English Electric A LENS ON

GULF AIR Bouncing AEROSPACE BRISTOL Honouring Innovation

The EJ200: the engine

leading design and maintenance

FEATURES p16 REGULARS

32 Aerospace Bristol: Honouring 31 Flight Bag

42 30 Years of Lightning Thunder

56 Gulf Air: Bouncing Back

03_contentsDC.mf.indd 3 02/03/2018 15:00

The first A350-1000 flying

Turkey’s Hürkus-B Makes Progress

4 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

04-05_headline_newsDC.mfDC.indd 4 02/03/2018 14:29

Saab Reveals GlobalEye

Boeing Debuts MAX 7

PHOTOS, NEWS STORIES AND ARTICLES

04-05_headline_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 5 02/03/2018 15:45

USAF Outlines Plans for Bomber Force

Light-attack Experiment Continues

First Singapore North Carolina

6 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

06-08_military_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 6 02/03/2018 15:36

Cameroon Receives ISR Cessnas

T-50THs Arrive in Thailand

06-08_military_newsDC.mfDC.indd 7 02/03/2018 14:32

A one-time Czech Air Force Mikoyan MiG-

The National Test Pilot School’s new MiG-

Bronco II Launched in the US

RAF Scraps Second E-550A for

8 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

06-08_military_newsDC.mfDCDC.indd 8 02/03/2018 15:36

Sikorsky Sells Schweizer Helicopter Line

Launch Orders for N219

10 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

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New Heli-Link for the Scilly Isles

First Pilatus PC-24 Delivered admired the quality and state-of-the-art

Nigerian Carrier Expands

10-12_14_civil_newsDC.mf.indd 11 02/03/2018 18:05

Dassault unveiled its new Falcon 6X

CIVIL ORDERS Gulfstream

Embraer E190-E2 Earns its Stripes

12 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

10-12_14_civil_newsDC.mfDC.indd 12 02/03/2018 18:21

Come explore under our wings!

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Virgin’s Big Thank You Lufthansa’s low-cost offshoot EUROWINGS

AIR ICELAND CONNECT is to drop its

Transatlantic Routes additional prototype is due to join the flight

El Al to Shut Down its UP Brand

14 Aviation News incorporating Jets April 2018

10-12_14_civil_newsDC.mf.indd 14 02/03/2018 18:05

What we’ve got in store...

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