Scorpion Air Ka-32T LZ-MOZ, written off in a crash in Turkey on August 28, 2006, is seen here on August 28, 2004.

Russian Air Force Su-27 '11 Red' and Su-27UB '62 Red' from Lipetsk-based 968 IISAP (968 Research Aviation Training Regiment) are seen here on September 21, 2006 whilst deployed to Base Aerienne 132, Colmar-Meyenheim, France. Together with Su-27UB '17 Red' and Su-30 '67 Red', they arrived at Colmar on September 19 for an exchange visit to EC.02.030 'Normandie-Niemen', staying until September 25. Support was provided by Il-76MD RA-78835 from the 196 VTAP (Military Transport Aviation Regiment) at Tver, which landed at Strasbourg Airport.

AgustaWestland EH101 G-17-510, previously used as the US101 demonstrator, was flown at Yeovil, Somerset, on September 26, 2006 after being upgraded into a new high performance variant. A second flight was also performed later the same day, operating at speeds up to 135kts (250 km/h). The helicopter is now fitted with new technology British Experimental Rotorcraft Programme (BERP) Mk IV main rotor blades, more powerful CT7-8E engines and a new integrated cockpit display system.

USAF F-16Cs 86-0309 from the Montana Air National Guard (ANG)/120th Fighter Wing (FW)/186th Fighter Squadron (FS) 'Vigilantes', 87-0237 'CO' from the Colorado ANG/140th FW/120th FS 'Mile High Militia' and 87-0243 from the New Mexico ANG/150th FW/188th FS 'The Tacos' fly over Kunsan City, South Korea, on September 19, 2006. Elements of all three ANG fighter wings have been deployed to Kunsan Air Base since June in support of their Air Expeditionary Force rotations and have together been designated the 186th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ‘Rocky Mountain Coalition’, and integrated into Kunsan's resident 8th Fighter Wing's 'Wolf Pack'.

Royal Netherlands AF/312 Squadron F-16AM J-364 departs from Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, in September 2003. The aircraft was lost in a fatal crash in Afghanistan on August 31, 2006.

Although the SAAF has now placed its Mirage F.1s in storage, the type was represented by one of the 21 recently purchased by a consortium combining Aerosud and the Paramount Group for refurbishing and onward sale. It has been reported that at least eight of these have been ordered by Gabon.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17A Globemaster III A41-206 (c/n P.166) is prepared for roll out of the paint shop at Long Beach, California, on October 6, 2006 after being sprayed up in full RAAF markings, including 36 Squadron’s stallion emblem on the fin. The aircraft is the first of four Block 17 C-17As scheduled for delivery to 36 Squadron and was due to make its first flight towards the end of October, followed by formal hand-over on November 28. It was then due to fly initially to Canberra for a welcoming ceremony, before being delivered to its permanent base at Amberley in early December. The second aircraft is scheduled to follow in 2007 and the final two in 2008.

US Navy/VF-31 F-14D Tomcat 163904 '102', with special tail markings for the occasion, takes part in the 'Sunset Ceremony' for the type at NAS Oceana, Virginia, on September 22, 2006.

A formal ceremony took place at Linkoping on September 14, 2006 to officially induct the AgustaWestland A109 Light Utility Helicopter into service with the Swedish Armed Forces, with which it is designated the HKP.15. A total of 20 HKP.15s are on order.

Despite the current production problems, Airbus continues to advance well with the flight-test programme and on August 30, 2006 put up this formation of four of the five flying prototypes for a photo shoot over southwest France and the Mediterranean Sea.

Seen just after being rolled out of the L-3 Communications Integrated Systems facility in Waco, Texas, on September 25, 2006 is NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Boeing 747SP-21, N747NA, following respray in its new blue/white livery. SOFIA is fitted with a 100in (2.5m) diameter infra-red telescope weighing 20 tons (20,320kg) and the major modifications and installation were performed at Waco. The SOFIA programme is being undertaken jointly with Germany's DLR and is now finally approaching the flight test phase.

Artist's impressions of the Bombardier CRJ900 in NWA Airlink colours.

Artist's impressions of the Embraer 175 in NWA Airlink colours.

The first USAF Hercules to complete the Avionics Modernization Program, C-130H2 89-9101 from Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Airlift Wing/357th Airlift Squadron at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, makes its first flight following conversion from Lackland AFB, Texas.

RAF Typhoon F.2 ZJ931 'DA' departs from the BAE Systems' facility at Warton, Lancashire, on delivery to RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on October 9, 2006. The aircraft is the 100th Eurofighter delivered, the 35th for the RAF and the first for 11 Squadron. Note that Squadron marking colours on the fuselage are applied in reverse.

Chengdu FC-1 (JF-17) PT06, the sixth development aircraft, but only the fourth flying prototype, gets airborne for its first flight on September 10, 2006, joining prototypes 01, 03 and 04 in the flight-test programme of this new Chinese fighter. Prototype 06 is said to have an improved fuel system and all-Chinese manufactured avionics.

Retired Albanian Air Force Shenyang F-6 8-25 (c/n 7125) heads a line up of the type in storage in an underground cavern built into the mountainside at Gjader Air Base on September 19, 2006. Gjader previously housed two operational squadrons of F-6s and a squadron of Chengdu F-7s, but flying ceased in 2001 and it is now merely a reserve base. Since then the cavern from which they operated has been used for aircraft storage and houses a total of 21 F-6s, eight F-7As, a MiG-19S and a Shenyang FT-5. Albanian has withdrawn all of its fast jet fighters, with the last F-7 flight taking place in 2002 and the final F-6 flight in 2004.

Highlight of the static display at the Pratica di Mare Open Days on September 16-17, 2006 was this Italian Air Force Breguet Atlantic, MM40124, from 41" Stormo 'Athos Ammannato'/88" Gruppo AS, based at Catania Sigonella. The aircraft wears an impressive special colour scheme that was applied during the summer for participation in an anti-submarine warfare exercise. The unit emblem of a black eagle hurling red flares at a black shark's fin has been massively enlarged and applied to the entire fuselage and fin, whilst the engine nacelles also each have a shark's mouth and eyes painted on them. The lower fuselage has been painted a wavy blue to represent the Mediterranean Sea whilst, following Italy becoming 2006 football World Cup champions, appropriate titles have been added to the forward end of the extended fin root fillet with the World Cup painted on the blade aerial above it. The aircraft is no longer used for operational sorties, but has been retained for ceremonies and special events.

West Air Sweden Hawker-Siddeley HS.748 Srs 2A SE-LIB (c/n 1776), seen here at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, Sweden, on October 9, 2006, has been wet-leased since May to Spanish freight operator Alaire - Lineas Aereas Alaire and carries Alaire Cargo titles.

Saab 2000 SE-LSG (c/n 055), previously operated by Blue1, has now joined City Airline, becoming the second of the type with the Swedish regional carrier. One operates on the new Stockholm/Bromma - Kristiansand route, which commenced on August 28, 2006, whilst the other is being used for charter flights out of Arlanda.

Former Mesaba Airlines/Northwest AirLink RJ85 N516XJ (c/n E2334) departs Southend Airport, Essex, on September 14, 2006 for Exeter, Devon, prior to delivery to Ireland's CityJet as EI-RJD. The aircraft had arrived from Goose Bay, Newfoundland, via Reykjavik, Iceland, and had been preceded by similar aircraft N518XJ (c/n E2337) which arrived on September 7 from Reykjavik, departing the following day for Cologne for pre-delivery work and painting by Nyack. The aircraft are the first two of a total of 23 acquired by CityJet that will be delivered over the next 18 months.

26 марта 2005г.: созданный специально под требования израильских вооруженных сил, самолет ДРЛО Gulfstream Nachshon был разработан на базе бизнес-джета G550. В первоначальной конфигурации (Shavit, на заднем плане) самолет оснащался системой радиоэлектронной разведки AISIS компании "Elta" (ее аппаратура размещалась в гондоле).
Nachshon - один из наиболее существенно модифицированных Gulfstream. ВВС Израиля эксплуатируют самолет ДРЛОиУ Eitam и самолет радио- и радиотехнической разведки Shavit, поступившие на смену специализированным Boeing 707.
Israel's first Gulfstream G550 CAEW aircraft, N637GA, flies over Georgia during a pre-delivery test flight alongside Israel's other special mission Gulfstream, the GV SEMA.

Brand new, winglet-equipped Hawker 850XP TC-STB is seen about to depart from Southend Airport, Essex, on September 30, 2006 on delivery to new Turkish charter operator Sertur Air. The aircraft arrived from the Wichita, Kansas, factory via St John's, Newfoundland, then routed through Zurich, Switzerland, to join the new operator in Istanbul. It is one of the first of the type to be exported, following FAA certification in June. The 850XP is one of the first two aircraft delivered to Sertur Air, the other being Beechjet 400 TC-STA.

A sight absent for almost 20 years, ever since the Lightning was retired from service with the Royal Air Force. Mike Beachy Head's four-ship display comprised F.6 ZU-BEW/XR773 (lead), T.5 ZU-BBD/XS452 (lower aircraft), F.6 ZU-BEY/XP693 and T.5 ZU-BEX/XS451 (rear).

Lanseria-based AirQuarius is the world's largest operator of Fokker F.28s and is probably best known overseas for its wet-lease charters into Afghanistan and Iraq - though not all its aircraft bear all the advertising carried by F28-4000, ZS-JAV.

Two former Spanish Air Force two-seat Mirage F.1DDAs (which prior to that were with the Qatar Emiri Air Force) have been sold to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) The aircraft have been re-designated F.1DJs in RJAF service and the first aircraft, now serialled 118, is seen here at Al-Azrag/As Shaheed Mufwaffaq Salti Air Base just prior to its first operational flight with the RJAF on September 11, 2006.

Cessna Aircraft's Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) proof-of-concept aircraft, N158CS, is seen here during its maiden flight on Friday October 13, 2006. The aircraft got airborne at 0833hrs from McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas, and landed at 0905hrs a few miles away at Wichita/Mid-Continent Airport. First flight took place exactly nine months to the day after go-ahead was given to build the LSA concept aircraft, which was first unveiled publicly in July at Oshkosh. Cessna has still to reveal a designation for the aircraft, although the registration would suggest it may well be the Cessna 158. A decision on whether to enter production with an LSA is expected to be made in the first quarter of 2007.

Seen here devoid of registration during pre-delivery test-flying on August 2, 2006, AgustaWestland AW139 ZS-EOS (c/n 31052) undertook an eight-day ferry flight from the factory in Vergiate, near Milan, Italy, to Cape Town, South Africa, during September in time to appear at the African Aerospace and Defence Show later in the month. The helicopter, officially registered on September 11 to Fireblade Investments Ltd, is the first of the type in South Africa and wears an unusual customised colour scheme designed for the owner, a South African businessman, by a South African artist.

Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aero) commenced training of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) rotary-wing pilots during September 2006 with the first two of a planned total of five Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri helicopters. One of the first two is seen here on August 29, whilst the remaining three are currently undergoing modifications prior to also entering service. ST Aero was awarded a contract last November to provide the RSAF with a fleet of five EC120s, plus full technical and logistic support over 20 years. The RSAF will buy flying hours from ST Aero for the exclusive use of the fleet.

One of the most colourful aircraft to appear at Africa Aerospace & Defence 2006 was this South African Air Force Atlas Cheetah D of 2 Squadron.

Boeing A/MH-6X manned/unmanned prototype, N206HX (c/n 06-X002), undertook its first flight on September 20, 2006 at Mesa, Arizona.

Venezuelan AF/Grupo 9 Cessna T206H FAV-2905 seen after it crashed at an Amazon airstrip on August 9,2006, although all on board escaped injury.

Paris-based Aero Services Corporate Airbus A319CJ F-GSVU arrives at Orlando Executive Airport on October 15, 2006 for display in the NBAA static park as part of the major Airbus presence at the convention.

US Airways unveiled Airbus A319-112 N709UW on October 5, 2006 in this new paint scheme featuring the logo and colours of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. Philadelphia-based US Airways is the official airline of the Eagles.

Former Lithuanian Airlines Boeing 737-5Q8 LY-AZX (c/n 28052) departs Southend Airport, Essex, on September 9, 2006 on delivery via Vilnius, Lithuania, to Moscow-Domodedovo-based Russian carrier Transaero, with which it will become EI-DTX. The aircraft had arrived at Southend on September 4 for painting by Air Livery.rdoc

Having arrived by sea two months earlier, the SAAF's first JAS 39 Gripen made its public debut at the show. The two-seat JAS 39D 01 (c/n 39-2801/'ZA01') is based at the SAAF Test Flight and Development Centre at Overberg, where it has begun a 14-month flight test programme.

Built in Jordan to the original Seabird Aviation Australia design, the Seeker, SB7L-360A light observation aircraft, is used by the Iraqi Air Force for convoy protection.

Following demonstrations to service and government officials at Pretoria, Brazilian Air Force R-99A, 6700, with Ericsson Erieye AEW&C radar, was exhibited in the static display.

Making its first public display was ATE's Mi-24 upgrade demonstrator Superhind Mk III, ZU-BOI. At the show ATE also unveiled details of the significantly-modified Mk V under development.

Artist's impression of the Piper Aircraft Piperjet, which was formally launched at NBAA.