Air International 2000-04
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Airscene
RoSAF Black Knights Display Team
Lockheed Martin was reluctant to divulge the volume of its latest conformal tank modification for the F-16, other than to say it gave a range to within 15nm of that of the F-15E.
A corner of STAero's display in the entrance hall of Asian Aerospace 2000, showing the diversification of its products; the C-130, Boeing 737, EC 120 and F-16 Falcon One.
The Royal Netherlands Navy is planning to update ten of its 13 P-3C Update 11.5 Orion maritime patrol aircraft under a planned $200 million deal which is currently still subject to US congressional approval. One of the fleet, 305, is seen here at RIAT Fairford in July 1996.
Eagle-eyed readers may spot the gold-plated emergency torch clipped to the cockpit bulkhead of this VVIP S-60C. This extremely well-appointed aircraft was the Sultan of Brunei's personal mount, and was transiting through Singapore on its way to the US. It has been traded back to Sikorsky, which is offering him a similarly-equipped UH-60L.
Lockheed Martin’s third flying prototype of the F-22A Raptor, 91-4003 (c/n 4003), tucks up its undercarriage after getting airborne for its first flight from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, adjacent to the Marietta production line, on March 6, 2000 with Boeing test pilot Chuck Killberg at the controls. (USAF)
Another veteran USAF type which has already seen a long and distinguished career, the B-52H, is set to remain in service until around 2040, when even the youngest example will be 80 years old. In addition to continuing upgrades and on/off proposals for re-engining, new roles are also being found for the Buff, the latest suggestion being to convert a small number as stand-off jamming platforms to supplement or replace EA-6B Prowlers. Seen here at RIAT Fairford in July 1998 is AFRC B-52H 61-0092/'BD' from the 93rd Bomb Squadron at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.
Model of the Rafale fitted with conformal tanks, consisting of two fairings straddling the fuselage spine.
Austrian Airlines final Airbus A310-324, OE-LAC, seen en route to Paris on March 6, 2000 for return to the manufacturer, from which it had been leased, before being passed on to another customer. To mark the retirement, the Austrian Air Force escorted the aircraft over Austria with a pair of J 35D Drakens and also two Saab 105OEs. The aircraft is seen here from one of the Saab 105s with Drakens 13 and 18 in close formation. Of the airline’s other three A310s, two have already been leased out by the manufacturer to Spanish carrier Air Plus Comet.
Among the aircraft making their debut at Asian Aerospace was the CASA C-295. Marketed as a complement to the C-130, the C-295 was due to tour the region after the show, with planned visits to Thailand and Malaysia. Also visible in this photograph are an Ilyushin Il-114-100 and Learjet 60.
Botswana Defence Force (BDF) C-130B Hercules OM-1 (c/n 3506, ex USAF/58-0711) had previously been stored at AMARC Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, since November 23, 1993, following retirement by the Wyoming ANG/187th AS. Following its sale to Botswana, it left AMARC on November 14, 1996, and, together with the BDF’s other two C-130Bs, is now being upgraded by Derco Aerospace in the US.
Newly painted up in Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) markings as CR-881, this former RAF C-130K Hercules C.1 is seen returning from a pre-delivery test flight at Cambridge on March 7, 2000 and delivery to Sri Lanka was expected soon afterwards. Formerly RAF Hercules C.1K tanker XV213, it was de-converted from tanker configuration back to basic C.1 standard while in storage with Marshall Aerospace at Cambridge, where it arrived on March 30, 1996, after retirement by the RAF. The SLAF are acquiring three former RAF examples, one of the others being CR-880 (ex XV203) while the planned third example, CR-882 (ex XV201), is now reportedly to be replaced by a different aircraft. It is expected the aircraft will join 2 Heavy Transport Squadron at Ratmalana air base.
Let 410UVP-E YU-BYY (c/n 892316) seen about to depart from Bratislava International Airport on February 14, 2000 on delivery to new Montenegro-based airline Pelikan Blue Line, becoming the first of the type registered in the country. The aircraft was built in 1989 for Aeroflot as CCCP-67619 and latterly operated as RA-67619 with Smolenskavia. After rebuild at Bratislava, the aircraft was test flown with temporary Sierra Leone registration 9L-LBV on February 13 before delivery the following day.
TAM (Transportes Aereos Regionais SA) Airbus A320-232 PT-MZG (c/n 1143) seen during pre-delivery test flying as F-WWBG. The aircraft, together with PT-MZH (c/n 1158, ex F-WWBY), was handed over to TAM at Toulouse on February 18, 2000. These are the first of 32 A320s for the Brazilian airline, which already has six A319s operating on its Super Ponte TAM shuttle system together with four A330-200s (of five on order) flying international routes to Europe and the USA.
Under current USAF plans to re-engine and upgrade its C-5A/Bs, it is intended to keep all of the current fleet in service until at least 2040 and probably beyond. Travis-based 60th Air Mobility Wing C-5B 86-0022, seen here at Nellis AFB, Nevada, in October 1996, will by then be well over 50 years old, while the earliest C-5As will be celebrating their 70th birthdays!
Chinese manufacturer Xian Aircraft Co displayed a model of its stretched Yunshui 7-200 airliner designated MA60 to emphasise the difference in passenger seating. The new variant can seat up to 60 passengers, six more than earlier versions.
There's a tail ... just some of the business jets on display at Asian Aerospace 2000. From front to rear, Learjet 60, Learjet 45, Global Express, and in the background a Gulfstream GIV.
A maintenance crew assists Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) pilots Lt Col Larry Blades (front seat) and Navy Commander John Garbelotti after the first production T-6A Texan II lands at Randolph AFB, Texas, for AFOTEC testing.
Among the more usual 'heavy metal' at Sharjah on January 21, 2000 was this former Gujarat Airways Beech 1900D N22889 (c/n UE-314, ex VT-AGE), which still retained the full colours and titles of its former Indian operator. Until recently Gujarat had a fleet of five Beech 1900Ds, but three of these, including this example, were returned to Raytheon in October/November last year. N22889 was registered to Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corporation on December 23, 1999, and then leased to an unspecified Nepalese operator, to which it is thought likely to have been on delivery when seen here.
Newly acquired by the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS) at Boscombe Down from the UK civil market, AS 355F1 Twin Squirrel ZJ635 (c/n 5115, ex G-NEXT) was resprayed in this stylish new ETPS scheme by McAlpine Helicopters at Oxford/Kidlington before delivery in December 1999 and immediate entry into service. Although traditional red, white and blue colours are retained, the red is now reduced to a minimum and a Griffon is emblazoned on the side for the full height of the cabin.
Seen at Newark on February 23, 2000, Spirit Airlines recently acquired MD-83 N814NK (c/n 49619, ex-D-ALLU of Aero Lloyd), which joined the Detroit Metropolitan-based carrier on December 23, has now been painted in this lively anniversary scheme to celebrate ten years of operation by the airline.
Lufthansa Technik at Hamburg has completed the six-month interior outfitting and customisation of the first Airbus A319-112 Corporate Jetliner for the Italian Air Force, MM62173 (c/n 1002, ex D-AJWF), seen here outside the Hamburg facility. The aircraft was formally delivered to the customer at the VIP Centre at Hamburg in a ceremony on February 15, 2000 and officially entered service following a further official presentation to a delegation led by the Italian Prime Minister, Dr Massimo D’Alema, in Rome on March 7. The Italian aircraft is the third ACJ to be delivered, two others having already joined major corporations. A second example, MM62174 (c/n 1157 ex D-AVWE), will join the Italian Air Force later this year, both examples being operated by 31° Stormo's 306° Gruppo, replacing the two VIP DC-9-32s currently in service.
Boeing reached another milestone on February 25, 2000 when the final two production ‘Classic’ 737s were handed-over to CSA Czech Airlines. The two aircraft, 737-45Ss OK-FGR (c/n 28477) and OK-FGS (dn 28478), illustrated, were both ferried to the carrier’s Prague base over the following weekend, becoming CSA’s fifth and sixth Srs 400 and joining ten Srs 500 aircraft also in the fleet. Production of the 737 Classic family, consisting of the Srs 300, 400 and 500, commenced with delivery of the first 737-300s in 1984, followed by the first of the larger -400s in 1988 and the first smaller -500s in 1990. The Renton production line will now concentrate on production of the Next Generation 737-600/700/800/900 series and the Boeing 757.
NASA ER-2 809 being fuelled at Kiruna, Sweden, during January 2000 prior to undertaking a flight for NASA’s SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE), in which it is hoped the ER-2’s stratospheric measurements over the Arctic will enable scientists to better understand the complicated chemistry involved with ozone loss. On January 27 the ER-2 completed its first science flight through Russian airspace in support of SOLVE, probably marking one of the first times a U-2 variant has ‘officially’ overflown Russia! The Arena Arctica hangar behind the aircraft was especially built for research and housed both the ER-2 and NASA’s flying laboratory DC-8, which was also involved in this third phase of the SOLVE flights, which were completed during March.