Why is the X3′s speed an unofficial record?
Source: HeliHub.com, 13-Jun-13
Here in the HeliHub.com office, we’ve been wondering how Eurocopter have decided that the X3 speed is an “unofficial speed record”. What are they measuring it against? Who have they beaten? What makes it a record? The Eurocopter X3 is a hybrid aircraft which has vertical lift and hover capability, but features two massive tractor [...]
CAE upgrades visuals on Royal Navy Lynx Mk8 full-mission simulator
Source: CAE, 22-May-13
CAE announced today at the International Training and Education Conference (ITEC), Europe’s leading showcase for military simulation and training, that the Royal Navy’s Lynx Mk8 full-mission simulator located at Royal Navy Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is now in-service and ready-for-training following a major visual system upgrade. The visual system upgrade, which included the addition of [...]
CAE-built Lynx full-mission flight trainer celebrates 25 years of service
Source: CAE, 21-May-13
On the eve of the International Training and Education Conference (ITEC), Europe’s leading showcase for military simulation and training, CAE announced that the Portuguese Navy recently completed 20,000 incident-free flight hours for its fleet of Lynx Mk95 helicopters. The Portuguese Navy has been training its Lynx helicopter pilots for the past 19 years at the [...]
Unique Anglo-French link-up hailed a success,after hunting pirates.
Source: Royal Navy, 11-Mar-13
A dozen-strong team from 217 Flight – observer/flight commander Lt Mike Curd, pilot Lt Chris Southworth, senior maintenance rating CPO Matthew ‘Cakey’ Eccles and seven technicians, plus two Royal Marines snipers – return to base at RNAS Yeovilton just before mid-day on Friday (8 March). The highlight of the deployment – for the ship and [...]
APPH to Supply Landing Gear for Super Lynx and AW159
Source: APPH, 06-Mar-13
APPH, a BBA Aviation company, has been selected by AgustaWestland to supply landing gear for the Super Lynx 300 and AW159 helicopters. AgustaWestland recently announced its first export order for the AW159 from South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), initially for eight aircraft. This order is in addition to 62 aircraft under contract to [...]
UK’s 847 Sqn completes Arizona hot-and-high training
Source: UK MoD, 28-Nov-12
After a gruelling month-long training package in the hot and arid deserts of Arizona, 847 Naval Air Squadron personnel, along with their Lynx Mk9A aircraft, have made the 6,000-mile (9,700km) return journey to RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. Why did 847 Naval Air Squadron go all the way to the US Naval Air Facility at El [...]
Royal Navy’s 815 Sqn nurtures French links
Source: Royal Navy, 13-Nov-12
THE first Royal Navy Lynx helicopter to join a French frigate on a full counter-piracy deployment has arrived on board the ship in Toulon. As part of the initiative for the UK and French armed forces to work more closely together, the Lynx Mark 8 aircraft from Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton will deploy with [...]
Royal Navy helicopter deploys on French warship
Source: Royal Navy, 22-Oct-12
The helicopter from 217 Flight (a flight from 815 Naval Air Squadron), headed up by Flight Commander Lieutenant Mike Curd, will join FLF Surcouf at her base in Toulon on Monday for a four-week training period. In November they will then deploy on Op Atalanta for four months as part of an initiative for the [...]
Dutch Lynx returns home from Libya
Source: Rotorspot, 04-Jul-12
The Netherlands military have today reported that their Navy SH-14D Lynx helicopter (serial 277) that was abandoned on the beach of the Lybian city of Sirte in February 2011, is back in the Netherlands. The helicopter was used last year in an unsuccessful evacuation attempt from Hr.Ms. Tromp frigate. The three crew members were held [...]
Thales wins support contract for South African Rooivalk and Super Lynx
Source: Thales, 30-May-12
Thales has been successfully selected by the South African Department of Defence, South African Air Force and ARMSCOR (Armaments Corporation of South Africa Ltd) for a five years Through Life Support [TLS] of all Thales avionics equipment on-board several fleets of aircrafts. Under the terms of the multi-year contract signed with Armscor, Thales will support [...]
Black Cats ready for Diamond Jubilee display season
Source: Royal Navy, 17-May-12
Validation’s what you need… if you want to be the best Naval helicopter display team in the land. The head of the Fleet Arm Arm watches the Black Cats put on their final practice display before he gives the seal of approval to their 2012 season. Rear Admiral Tom Cunningham, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff [...]
Famous Lynx retires to Fleet Air Arm Museum
03-May-12
Lynx XZ720 shot up or sank five Iraqi warships in three days in January 1991 – and also came through machine-gun fire in the Falklands. The five tallies painted on the cabin door show that this Lynx has seen some action. It is, for this is one of the most battle-hardened helicopters in recent Royal [...]
Thales to provide GPS SAASM receivers for French Navy Lynx
Source: Thales, 09-Apr-12
Thales has been awarded a contract by the Service Industriel de l’Aéronautique (SIAé), France’s military aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul service, to supply stand-alone GPS receivers for the French Navy’s Lynx helicopters, which are currently being upgraded by the French defence procurement agency (DGA). Thales’s GNSS 1000-S receiver relies on SAASM (Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module) [...]
UK helicopter fleet trains in “Pashtun Jaguar” exercise
Source: Flightglobal, 14-Mar-12
Seventeen aircraft from the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) are taking part in a major pre-deployment exercise on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, providing support for British land forces due to begin operations in Afghanistan during April. (see full story)
Lynx Wildcat makes first deck landings
Source: Royal Navy, 23-Dec-11
Being guided down on to the flight deck of HMS Iron Duke, this is the first appearance of the Fleet Air Arm’s next-generation helicopter on the back of a Royal Navy warship. On a very wet December day, a Wildcat landed aboard the frigate in Portsmouth Harbour for three days of trials in and out [...]
AgustaWestland completes Lynx AH Mk.9A program
Source: AgustaWestland, 16-Dec-11
A ceremony was held today at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility to mark the completion of the Lynx Mk9A programme and the scheduled delivery of the 22nd and final Lynx AH Mk9A helicopter to the British Army Air Corps in December 2011. The twenty-two aircraft programme was the result of Urgent Operational Requirement contracts placed in November [...]
AgustaWestland takes work back from Vector Aerospace
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-16186665, 15-Dec-11
AgustaWestland said it was withdrawing the Lynx and Sea King work from Vector Aerospace’s Almondbank site so it could bring the work in-house at their Yeovil plant by April 2012. (see full story)
Lynx crew from HMS Chatham win rescue award
Source: GAPAN, 27-Oct-11
The Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award will be presented to the crew of a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter from HMS Chatham for the successful rescue in May last year of 23 crew from the container ship ‘MV Dubai Moon’ in the Northern Indian Ocean. Caught in a tropical cylone, the merchant ship was rolling heavily [...]
Black Cats conclude 2011 display season at Duxford
Source: Royal Navy, 26-Oct-11
We opened our 2011 display season at the Duxford Spring air show in May, so it is fitting to end at the same venue. Nearby residents of Duxford airfield will agree that we disturbed a wonderfully peaceful autumnal Sunday afternoon with our distinctive slapping blades and high-pitched gas-turbine engines, but we’re sure that the spectators [...]
Danish Lynxes fly again
Source: HeliHub.com, 20-Sep-11
Following the accident suffered in Greenland in August, the Royal Danish Air Force have signed the Lynx helicopter off to fly again. The investigation into the accident example found a tail rotor drive shaft failure, as announced by Colonel Karsten Schultz, chairman of the Defence Air Accident Investigation Commission. Each aircraft in the fleet will [...]
Royal Navy observer marks 6,000 flying hours
Source: Royal Navy, 14-Sep-11
A Lynx helicopter flight commander embarked on Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring has achieved 6,000 hours of helicopter flight. Fleet Air Arm Lieutenant Commander Joe Harper clocked up his six-thousandth helicopter flying hour whilst taking off at night from HMS Daring’s flight deck. The 6,000 hours have been achieved during 32 years of constant service [...]
Lynx on display at Portland – past air base and future Olympic venue
Source: HeliHub.com, 27-Jul-11
A Westland Lynx has recently been put on display outside Portland Marina, on the UK’s south coast. Previously the site of Royal Naval Air Station HMS Osprey, the Marina will be the venue for the sailing events of the London Olympics in 2012. At an event hosted by marina owners Dean and Reddyhoff, the helicopter [...]
Netherlands stops using Lynx helicopters for SAR work
Source: HeliHub.com, 04-Jul-11
From Friday 1st July, full responsibility for SAR work in the Netherlands passed from 860 Sqn in the Navy to 303 Sqn in the Air Force. 860 Squadron has operated Westland Lynx helicopters in this role since the late 1970s, when they superceded Wasps. The Lynx helicopters will continue with 860 Squadron in other roles, [...]
French Navy’s 34F Squadron celebrates 100,000 flight hours on Alouette III and Lynx
Source: HeliHub.com, 23-Jun-11
On June 16, 2011, the French Navy’s 34F squadron celebrated its 100,000 flight hours on Alouette III and Lynx at Lanvéoc-Poulmic base. Present were pilots, crew members, technicians, past and present – to celebrate this important event with nearly 13,000 flight hours performed on Alouette III and 87,000 on Lynx . Vice Admiral Olivier de [...]
World’s Fastest Helicopter returns to museum after four-year restoration
Source: The Helicopter Museum, 22-Jun-11
The World’s Fastest Helicopter returns to The Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare in July, following a four year restoration to its original 1986 World Speed Record configuration by Apprentices at the AgustaWestland factory in Yeovil, Somerset. This August marks the 25th Anniversary of the Lynx helicopter setting up the new record at an average 400.87kmph (249.1mph). [...]
Black Cats display team given green light for 2011 airshows
Source: Royal Navy, 30-May-11
The award-winning Black Cats – the Royal Navy’s official helicopter display team – have been given the go-ahead for the 2011 air show season. The display contains two helicopters flying close, fast passes, dramatic synchronised manoeuvres and close-formation in rearwards flight. Since announcing the 2011 display programme in March, the Black Cats have been busy [...]
Netherlands replaces Lynx taken captive in Libya
Source: HeliHub.com, 22-Mar-11
An Ilyushin II-76 transport plane took off from Leeuwarden Air Base yesterday towards Djibouti. On board was a replacement Lynx helicopter for the Netherlands Navy frigate Hr. Ms. Tromp. The previous helicopter for this naval ship was captured in Libya on 27th February along with its crew of three, when they were attempting to evacuate [...]
Royal Navy “Black Cats” display team release 2011 schedule
Source: Royal Navy, 22-Mar-11
The Royal Navy helicopter display team, the Black Cats, have announced their 2011 season. Following on from a very successful 2010 season, the 2011 programme for RNAS Yeovilton-based team, is shaping up to be just as exciting. Lt Chris Chambers, last year’s No 2 Black Cat Pilot, has assumed the role as the Lead Pilot [...]
Libya Crisis – Dutch trio freed
Source: HeliHub.com, 12-Mar-11
Following our article Libya Crisis – Three Dutch soldiers and one Lynx captured, we can now advise that the three members of the Dutch military have been released and are already in the Greek capital Athens en route home. Defense Minister Hans Hillen: “We are very pleased. Our people are safe, what a wonderful news.” [...]
Libya Crisis – Three Dutch soldiers and one Lynx captured
Source: HeliHub.com, 04-Mar-11
The Dutch military have announced that the three of their soldiers have been captured by Libyan Government troops – the action taking place last Sunday and not broadcast until yesterday. The Lynx was operating from the Dutch Navy ship Tromp, landing in Libya to evacuate two people who were being held against their will. However, [...]
UK helicopter fleet trains in “Pashtun Jaguar” exercise
Source: Flightglobal, 28-Jan-11
Exercise involving Army Air Corps Lynx, RAF Merlin and Chinooks as well as Royal Navy Sea Kings – in view of operations starting in Afghanistan in April. This major pre-deployment exercise is being held on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire
New commanding officer for Britain’s 815 Squadron
Source: BBC, 24-Jan-11
Cdr Louis Wilson-Chalon, 44, from Yeovil, will now be in charge of 815 Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton. Mr Wilson-Chalon was inspired by his father who was a flight test engineer that helped to build the Lynx helicopter at Westland’s Yeovil factory more than 40 years ago.
CAE renews Royal Navy Lynx and Sea King training contract
Source: CAE, 20-Jan-11
CAE today announced it has been awarded a series of military contracts for the defence forces of more than 12 countries valued at more than C$140 million. Among the contracts are: the design and manufacture of a C-130J weapon systems trainer and other training devices for Lockheed Martin; a contract from Boeing Training Systems and [...]
Denmark moves Navy helicopters to Air Force’s control
Source: Danish military, 11-Jan-11
[electronic translation of Danish press release] The transfer of 723 Squadron, a former Navy Helicopter Service, from Navy to Air Force on Friday marked with gatherings and speeches of the two defense commanders “I have been and remain a highly effective and valued instrument, not just for the Navy, not only for defense but for [...]
Royal Navy takes delivery of first BAE Systems’ Q-Sight helmet-mounted display
Source: BAE Systems, 22-Nov-10
BAE Systems has delivered the first order of a new helmet-mounted optical sighting system to the Royal Navy, addressing a mission-critical need for increased air door gunner situational awareness on helicopters. BAE Systems, prime contractor for the Lynx PT, earlier this month delivered 12 Q-Sight™ Gunner Remote Sighting Systems (GRSS) that are qualified for use [...]
Small Ship’s Flight comes to British carrier HMS Ark Royal
Source: Royal Navy, 03-Jun-10
212 Flight from 815 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton, is normally associated with the Ice Patrol Ship HMS Endurance, but for the last two months the crew and two Mark 3 Lynx Maritime Attack helicopters have been embarked in HMS Ark Royal, conducting the Helicopter Delivery Service (HDS) in addition to planned attack [...]
Black Cats team launch 2010 season at Duxford Air Show
26-May-10
The Black cats kicked off their season for 2010 at the Duxford Spring Air Show in Cambridgeshire. As this was the first event of the season, hopes were high that the weather would hold and the display would flow. Luckily both did! The crowds had already gathered to see the various visitors turn up on [...]
Lynx “9 Alpha” boosts air support in Afghanistan
Source: UK MoD, 26-May-10
Upgraded Army Lynx Mk9A helicopters have arrived for use in Afghanistan after being shipped from the UK, and are already being put to good use. The Lynx Mk9As, with their increased fire power, more powerful engines, and the ability to operate all year in the harsh ‘hot and high’ Afghan environment, have increased the total [...]
Ten More Lynx “9 Alpha” Upgrades For The British Army
Source: AgustaWestland, 27-Mar-10
AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a £42 million contract extension by the UK Ministry of Defence for the upgrade of 10 more British Army Lynx Mk.9 helicopters with LHTEC CTS800-4N engines. The contract was announced by Quentin Davies MP, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, during a visit to AgustaWestland’s [...]
AgustaWestland awards Lynx rotorhead contract to Northstar Aerospace
Source: AgustaWestland, 25-Mar-10
Northstar Aerospace (Canada) Inc., a subsidiary of Northstar Aerospace, Inc. (“Northstar”), has been awarded a $7 million contract to manufacture rotor heads for the AgustaWestland Lynx helicopter, a multi-purpose helicopter used in military applications. Northstar will manufacture the rotor heads at its Milton, Ontario site with delivery to AgustaWestland’s Yeovil, England facility to begin in [...]
British Army to extend Lynx upgrade, review training system
Source: FlightGlobal, 03-Mar-10
he British Army’s remaining Lynx AH9 utility helicopters will be modified to AgustaWestland’s improved AH9A configuration, following MoD approval to extend the effort to all 22 aircraft.
Future Lynx renamed as AW159 Lynx Wildcat
Source: AgustaWestland, 25-Apr-09
During a ceremony at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility today it was announced that the Future Lynx has been renamed the AW159, bringing it in line with the other products in the growing AgustaWestland range of commercial and military rotorcraft.
UK MoD Confirms Future Lynx Programme
Source: AgustaWestland, 11-Dec-08
UK MoD Confirms Future Lynx Programme
South African Super Lynx 300 Officially Handed Over
Source: AgustaWestland, 15-Feb-08
South African Super Lynx 300 Officially Handed Over
