Aviation news – An-225 visits Prestwick Airport
The world’s largest aircraft landed at Prestwick Airport yesterday and Tom Gibbons was there for Global Aviation Resource.
Military aviation – Westlant 19
Wednesday 9 October saw three F-35B Lightnings of 617 Squadron depart from RAF Marham heading west, for the Lightning Force’s first westbound Atlantic crossing. Their initial destination was Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, in preparation for embarkation onboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth for Westlant 19. Chris Wood reports from Marham.
Luchtmachtdagen 2019
The Dutch are well known for their love of aviation, so it should come as no surprise that they like a good airshow. For several decades the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu – Royal Netherlands Air Force) have held open days, now known as Luchtmachtdagen (Air Force Days), with hosting shared between their three main operational bases; Gilze-Rijen, Leeuwarden and Volkel. The last event was at Leeuwarden in 2016, which saw the first deployment of Dutch F-35A Lightning IIs to their homeland. The 2019 event took place at Volkel, home to two of the KLu’s F-16 squadrons, on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th June, and Chris Wood reports for GAR.
Aviation News – Boeing 777X Starts Taxi Trials
New airliners don’t come along terribly frequently so the first movements of a new jet are bound to attract some attention. Rob Edgcumbe was at Everett when the first Boeing 777X started taxi trials.
Red Flag 18-1
Red Flag 18-1 was a three week exercise which took place at Nellis AFB, Nevada, from January 29th to February 16th 2018. Participating were flying units from the US Air Force, US Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force, as well as a number of ground units from various forces, including the US Marine Corps. Around 100 aircraft deployed to Nellis for the exercise. Chris Wood reports from Nevada.
Airshow report – Dubai Airshow 2017
With an impressive lineup of rare participants, the Dubai Airshow is one of a growing lineup of Middle East trade shows to take place over the course of the year. Paul Dunn reports for GAR.
Exercises and Deployments – Red Flag 17-4
Red Flag 17-4 took place at Nellis AFB, Nevada, between 14th and 25th August 2017, as the latest iteration of the long running series of realistic combat training exercises. Attracting participation from allied nations, alongside the US armed forces, the final Red Flag exercise of this year took place despite several cancellations in the weeks leading up to the exercise itself. Paul Dunn was there for GAR, with additional images by Chris Wood.
Airshows – MAKS 2017 Ramenskoye Airport, Zhukovsky, Russian Federation
MAKS is held at the Ramenskoye Airport, Zhukovsky in the Russian Federation, and is a bi-annual event, located just to the South-East of Moscow. Paul Filmer took his third trip to the event this July.
Aviation Event – Patrouille de France in California
The Patrouille de France has been undertaking a tour of the United States travelling from coast to coast. The halfway point of the trip took them to California staying in Sacramento. Rob Edgcumbe joined them for GAR to see how the tour was going and to watch them perform.
Aviation news: Bronco Demo Team – Bringing Poppies from Flanders Fields
The Bronco Demo Team’s OV-10 will be bringing Poppies from Flanders Fields to venues and airshows all over Europe in 2017; supporting a message of peace and reconciliation in remembrance of the sacrifice by so many, 100 years ago.
Military Aviation – Iraq’s New Fighters
Despite a troubled recent past, which shows little sign of getting better in the short term, Iraq is currently bringing into service its most advanced fighter. With the battle against Islamic State still raging in the country, the growing Iraqi Air Force is finding itself working very hard. Paul Dunn takes a look at the Lockheed Martin F-16IQ.
Author interview – ‘Speed of Sound, Sound of Mind’
Roger Cruickshank is a fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force and recently published his first book, ‘Speed of Sound, Sound of Mind’, but it’s not the usual aviation fare of flying tales and war stories. Gareth Stringer sat down with Roger to learn more about this significant project.
Editorial – back in the hot seat as GAR keeps rolling
Gareth Stringer reflects on a busy few weeks of change for GAR, and takes a look ahead towards 2017.
Aviation Events – Singapore Airlines Launches Direct Service to SFO
With the introduction of more Airbus A350s to service, operators are expanding their usage. Rob Edgcumbe witnessed the arrival of Singapore Airlines’ direct service in San Francisco. He reports here for GAR.
All change at GAR
GAR has evolved much since it’s inception in 2009, and as the site approaches its eighth year, it is evolving once again.
Airshow Review – Wonsan Air Festival, North Korea
When he first visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 2012, Paul Filmer landed at a couple of military bases while visiting outlying cities on his adventures, but was emphatically advised to not shoot any military aircraft or personnel, or even raise a camera in their direction. Now he takes his second visit to North Korea to report on a historic event.
Military Aviation – RAF Chinook Squadron Centenaries
RAF Odiham, Wednesday 14 September 2016 was notable for three of the four RAF Chinook squadrons as six months of complex planning came to fruition with a formation-training sortie conducted to commemorate the 100th anniversaries of 18(B), 27 and 28 Squadrons Royal Air Force. Tom Gibbons was at the home of the UK Chinook Force for GAR.
Military Aviation News – 64th Aggressor Squadron
The 64th Aggressor Squadron (AGRS) at Nellis AFB, Nevada, recently repainted one of their F-16C Fighting Falcons in a new colour scheme – well, new to the F-16. It had previously been seen on the aggressor F-15 Eagles, of the 65th AGRS, until their retirement in 2015.
Military Aviation – Farewell to the ‘Junglie’: Sea King HC4 retirement retrospective
The legendary Sea King HC4 retired from Royal Navy service earlier this year. Andy Aitchison looks back at the service history of the venerable ‘Junglie’.
Military exercise – Anatolian Eagle 2016
Now in its sixteenth year, the latest iteration of Turkey’s Anatolian Eagle exercise recently wrapped up at Konya Air Base in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Chris Wood and Kevin Jackson report.
