Global Aviation Magazine – Issue 23: April / May 2014

Issue 23 of Global Aviation Magazine has arrived and is FREE to access and download.

Click on the cover image above to be taken to the ISSUU website from where you’ll be able to read Issue 23 in its entirety!

Here’s a look at what’s inside Issue 23:

Red Flag 14-2:

Budgetary pressures meant that Red Flag exercises were put on hiatus during 2013. However, 2014 has seen them return and they have been providing a lot of activity for Nellis AFB. The first exercise of 2014, Red Flag 14-1, was covered on our sister website, Global Aviation Resource. GAM headed back to Nevada for Red Flag 14-2. Rob Edgcumbe reports on how it was conducted. Images as credited.

S2-ACR – The Last Passenger DC-10:

© Steve Comber - www.globalaviationresource.com

Over a three day period spanning 22-24 February, Biman Bangladesh Airlines gave the aviation enthusiast community an unbelievable opportunity to fly on one of nine McDonnell Douglas DC-10 ‘farewell flights’ operating from Birmingham Airport. The aircraft, registration S2-ACR and, ironically, still named “New Era”, was the final passenger configured DC-10 operational in the world. Karl Drage was on board the very last passenger flight.

23rd Flying Training Squadron:

Training tomorrow’s warriors is what the 23rd Flying Training Squadron at Fort Rucker, Alabama, is all about. Erik Roelofs joined the squadron back in 2011 to see how United States Air Force trains its future helicopter pilots using the UH-1H Iroquois and TH-1H Huey II.

60 Years of the Hercules:

© Lindsay Peacock - www.globalaviationresource.com

On 23 August 1954, a revolutionary new transport aircraft flew for the first time. Sixty years later, it remains in full production and serves with operators throughout the world. It has also spawned a whole family of special mission versions, performing roles as diverse as SAR and armed interdiction. Paul Dunn takes a look back at the history of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

No. 1 SoTT and the Jaguar:

It’s a well-known fact that within the great circle of life, there are many stages that ultimately ends with death and the great unknown. The same could be said of aircraft; designed, built, service entry and finally withdrawn for scrapping and a return to their natural compositions of raw materials……………….but not always!

Some aircraft survive for a number of years giving service to their respective air arms in maintenance training roles, and the RAF’s Jaguar Force is still doing its bit within the confines of No. 1 School of Technical Training (1 SoTT) at RAF Cosford, Shropshire. Clive Bennett reports. Additional photography as credited.

British Airways and Heathrow Terminal 5:

© Karl Drage - www.globalaviationresource.com

31 March 2014 marked 40 years since British Airways was formally founded. Ever since the Board was established in 1972, London’s Heathrow Airport has always been the carrier’s main hub. Following the 14 March 2008 opening of Terminal 5, almost all of the airline’s services are now operated from this state-of-the-art facility.

Company Boeing 787 pilot Dheeraj Bhasin takes us on an after-hours tour of BA’s impressive operation.

Real Thaw 2014:

From 3 to 14 February the 2014 edition of Exercise Real Thaw took place. The annual exercise, organised by the Portuguese Air Force, aims to provide specialised training to the operational units most likely to participate in military operations within international cooperative frameworks (NATO and the EU). Jorge Ruivo reports for GAM. Images as credited.