8-Dec-2013
Royal Air Force Chinook made emergency landing while en route from Amman (Jordan) to Akrotiri (Cyprus). Some reports suggest location is in or near a minefield... Read more
26-Nov-2013Source: RAF
Pictures released today show crews from 33 and 230 Squadrons carrying out training flights of the upgraded aircraft from their base at RAF Benson in Oxford. The multi million pound upgrade means that the helicopters benefit from new engines which give them 35 per cent more power and improved fuel efficiency to allow them to... Read more
29-Oct-2013Source: Selex ES
Selex ES, a Finmeccanica company, has been awarded a contract worth €8.1M (£6.8M) from the UK Ministry of Defence to supply further Titan 385ES-HD electro-optic turrets for the Royal Air Force’s fleet of CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters. The contract follows the successful delivery of 45 Titan turrets procured under previous contracts and will see 15... Read more
4-Oct-2013Source: RAF
A Royal Air Force Chinook pilot who skilfully guided his helicopter through dense fog to try and save an Afghan soldier’s life has been awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Bravery in the Air. Chinook Pilot Flt Lt Christopher Gent31-year-old Flight Lieutenant Chris Gent, of 27 Squadron at RAF Odiham, Hampshire, was among 23 RAF personnel... Read more
27-Sep-2013Source: RAF
The RAF Merlin Force is celebrating its return from 10 years of continual operational deployments following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The RAF Merlins, which are based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire first deployed to Bosnia in 2003 and have since provided essential helicopter lift for land forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the first Merlin helicopters... Read more
20-Sep-2013
Precautionary landing after bird strike with a goose. 16 hours later it was flown to Lossiemouth for more detailed examination... Read more
12-Sep-2013Source: Royal Family
His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge is to leave operational service in the Armed Forces. He completes his Tour with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force at RAF Valley, Anglesey, after more than seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service. He will continue to support the work of The Queen and the Royal... Read more
7-Aug-2013
An RAF helicopter was forced to land in a field in Conwy county as a precaution after encountering tail rotor issues... Read more
5-Aug-2013Source: RAF
THE RAF Chinook Display Team repeat last year’s success and returned home with two more awards from the world’s largest military airshow, a grand total of four awards for the team so far this display season. The team picked up the Sir Douglas Bader Trophy for the Best Individual Flying Display and the Crew Challenge... Read more
1-Aug-2013Source: Royal Air Force
Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford KCB CBE ADC RAF a former Wessex and Chinook pilot has taken over as Chief of the Air Staff – the most senior RAF Officer and first helicopter pilot ever to be professional head of the Royal Air Force. He has taken command of the RAF from Air Chief... Read more
19-Jun-2013Source: RAF
Squadron Leader Toby Sawbridge has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2013 for his services both to the Merlin Force and the wider community. Toby, a Merlin helicopter pilot who is currently the Second in Command of 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at RAF Benson, has been honoured for outstanding contribution to... Read more
7-Jun-2013Source: Eurocopter UK
Eurocopter UK’s role in maintaining the United Kingdom’s military helicopter capabilities has been further expanded with the award of a three-year support contract for the fleet of 24 Royal Air Force Puma Mk2 helicopters being upgraded by the company to extend their life, enhance performance, mission capability and operational safety. The contract – valued at... Read more
5-Jun-2013Source: Royal Air Force
The RAF’s Merlin helicopter fleet has finished operations in Afghanistan after providing nearly 4 years of continuous front line support. The Merlins have flown more than 18,000 hours in the dust and heat of Helmand – moving more than 7,900 tonnes of kit and stores and transporting over 130,000 personnel during that time. The Merlin... Read more
3-May-2013Source: RAF
The captain for 2013 will be Flight Lieutenant Paul Farmer. This will be his second year with the Display Team. This year’s Co-Pilot is Flight Lieutenant Gareth Allen, the Display Manager Flight Lieutenant Kyle Thomas and the Rear Crew are Sergeants Andy Caldwell and Steve Jones. The season this year will be made all the... Read more
1-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
UK’s Royal Air Force has reduced its fleet of VVIP AgustaWestland 109E Powers from two to one from the end of March 2013, two years after taking another of the original three away. The remaining aircraft is expected to fly 500 hours a year The unexpected move of serial ZR323 back to the UK civil... Read more
1-May-2013Source: RAF
On 23 April 2013 Squadron Leader Craig Finch, Lieutenant Jim Fraser RN, Flight Lieutenant Mark Lazenby and Flying Officer Ryan Stowe from the Defence Helicopter Flying School, RAF Shawbury, attended the Royal Aero Club’s awards ceremony held at the RAF Club in London. This is a very prestigiousannual event during which the Club presents awards... Read more
23-Apr-2013Source: RAF
The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show team is excited to announce that a Chinook and an Apache helicopter from the MOD Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) will be coming to the event on Sunday 9th June. The Chinook helicopter, operated by the Royal Air Force primarily to support troop movements, will be joined by an... Read more
23-Apr-2013Source: RAF
A Qualified Helicopter Instructor with the Central Flying School (Helicopters) at RAF Shawbury has achieved a flying milestone in passing an incredible 6000 hours of flying. Flight Lieutenant Jim Hobkirk is a Qualified Helicopter Instructor with Central Flying School (Helicopters) at the unit. He spends his days training future Qualified Helicopter Instructor pilots on the... Read more
16-Apr-2013Source: Boeing
Boeing recently completed the first flight of the newest CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The March 15 flight, at the Boeing helicopter facility near Philadelphia, happened ahead of schedule and confirmed initial airworthiness for the Mk6 Chinook. “This is a truly impressive achievement for both Boeing and the project... Read more
27-Mar-2013Source: GKN Aerospace
GKN Aerospace has been contracted by Eurocopter UK to develop upgraded fuel tanks as part of the UK RAF’s life extension programme (LEP) for its fleet of Puma helicopters. The new self-sealing fuel tanks will enhance the helicopter’s survivability in today’s theatres of operation, providing extended protection for the crew against weapons such as heavy... Read more
26-Mar-2013Source: RAF
He is among a total of 27 RAF personnel named in the latest Armed Forces Operational Awards and Joint Commanders Commendations for their service in Afghanistan, Britain and around the world. Flight Lieutenant Christopher Gordon used his helicopter to shield the troops as they boarded the aircraft, resulting in the loss of one of his... Read more
15-Feb-2013Source: Royal Air Force
Group Captain Sara Mackmin has taken over as the RAF Search and Rescue Force Commander from Group Captain Frazer Nicholson The RAF SAR Force is now being commanded by the most senior female aviator within the UK’s Armed Forces. Group Captain Sara Mackmin’s recent appointment as the RAF SAR Force Commander marks the first time... Read more
12-Feb-2013Source: Heli-One
On Feb. 7 Lars Landsnes from Heli-One, joined Ian Craddock, head of helicopters for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), to sign a multi-million pound, 13-year contract to provide long-term logistic support for the Makila 1A1 engines fitted in new Puma HC2 helicopters used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The RAF fleet of 24... Read more
8-Feb-2013
Shattered windscreen from bird strike. Emergency field landing... Read more
5-Feb-2013Source: DIO
Maintenance staff at a frontline RAF helicopter base are enjoying a better working environment, thanks to new lighting that not only brightens their working day but also saves energy and money. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has worked with its regional industry partner PriDE to improve lighting in hangars at RAF Benson, in Oxfordshire, as... Read more
5-Feb-2013Source: CAE
The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently awarded CAE two contracts for simulator upgrades and training services at CAE’s Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF). A contract to provide both ground school and simulator aircrew training services at MSHATF for the Royal Air Force (RAF) on the Puma HC2 helicopter has been... Read more
25-Jan-2013Source: Royal Air Force
Air Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a pilot in 1977 and, after flying training, joined No 72 Squadron, flying Wessex helicopters, beginning an association with the Support Helicopter Force which would last 25 years. During his flying career he accumulated over 5,000 hours on both Wessex and Chinook... Read more
11-Jan-2013Source: Royal Air Force
With an initial release to service granted in May 2012, RAF Chinooks crews were able to begin their operational work-up on the Mk 4 before declaring an initial operating capability in June 2012. This in turn allowed the first RAF crews to operate the Chinook Mk4 in support of UK security operations during the London... Read more
7-Oct-2012Source: UK MoD
An RAF Chinook helicopter captain has been honoured for his ‘outstanding bravery and airmanship’ evacuating battlefield casualties while under heavy fire during a mission in southern Afghanistan. Flight Lieutenant Gerald Wyatt, known as ‘Gez’, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his actions in last week’s Operational Honours and Awards List. His citation... Read more
13-Sep-2012Source: Eurocopter
The upgrade of UK Ministry of Defence Puma aircraft took a further major step forward yesterday when Eurocopter handed over its first Puma Mk2 aircraft to MOD. This upgrade will significantly enhance the aircraft’s performance, mission capability and safety. The first modified aircraft will fly from Oxford into QinetiQ’s Boscombe Down facility where it will... Read more
20-Jul-2012
Aircraft damaged after hitting powerlines on a training flight out of Odiham... Read more
16-Jul-2012Source: Royal Air Force
Extra airspace restrictions around London and the Southeast, designed to ensure a safe and secure London 2012 Olympic Games, began on Saturday 14th July. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the Ministry of Defence have worked together to inform airspace users about the restrictions and how people can continue to... Read more
16-Jul-2012Source: Royal Air Force
RAF Puma helicopters have arrived at Ilford Territorial Army Centre as they prepare for a key role providing air security for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The aircraft from 33 Squadron, based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, are part of a multi-layered air security plan. These additional security measures build on the RAF’s existing air... Read more
9-Jul-2012Source: Eurocopter
The upgrade of UK Ministry of Defence Puma aircraft took a major step forward last week with Eurocopter completing its first internal qualification of the Puma Mk2 aircraft. This upgrade will significantly enhance the aircraft’s performance, mission capability and safety. The first modified aircraft will fly into the UK in the coming weeks to conclude... Read more
7-Jun-2012Source: Prince of Wales website
The Duke of Cambridge has qualified as an operational captain within the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force. Flight Lieutenant Wales, as he is known in the military, will now command Search and Rescue operations in RAF Sea King helicopters. Until now, Flight Lieutenant Wales has only co-piloted the aircraft. The operational captaincy check... Read more
6-Jun-2012
Emergency field landing due to loose/missing tail rotor blade tape. Stayed overnight and cleared for flight next day... Read more
1-Jun-2012Source: Basingstoke Observer
Government defence secretary Philip Hammond was at RAF Odiham last Thursday to meet serving RAF personnel and unveil a new ‘Gate Guardian’ – a retired Chinook helicopter which had been donated by Boeing Rotorcraft UK. (see full story) File photo Editor update – the said aircraft flew as 03-08003 in the US Army, and the... Read more
6-May-2012Source: Royal Air Force
For the past half century Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopter crews trained by an RAF Valley based unit have saved countless lives. On station to rescue downed arcrew military helicopter crews have been there to pluck to safety all in peril. With search and rescue being, by it’s very nature, often extremely dangerous... Read more
7-Apr-2012
Royal Air Force Chinook suffered unspecificed “mishap” during training exercise. It is known that Chinooks ZA671, ZA711 and ZA712 (and maybe a fourth?) are all currently based in Yuma on training work, so subject aircraft will be one of these.... Read more
20-Mar-2012
The downdraft of a Merlin helicopter on a training exercise at Colchester General Hospital damaged support poles holding up a covered walkway linking Gainsborough Ward with the main hospital building so badly it had to be taken down. Cars in the car park – including a police vehicle – suffered broken windscreens.... Read more
14-Mar-2012Source: Flightglobal
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)... Read more
28-Feb-2012Source: National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum Cornwall has just installed its biggest object to date as part of the forthcoming blockbuster Search & Rescue exhibition – a 70ft long, 16ft high, 6 tonne Sea King helicopter which had just 1½ inches of clearance through the Museum’s doors. National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s new Search & Rescue exhibition is just... Read more
4-Jan-2012Source: National Maritime Museum
Search and Rescue, the new blockbuster exhibition from National Maritime Museum Cornwall invites you to enter the world of the rescue services where ordinary people lead extraordinary lives, risking their life to save yours. Opening on 16 March 2012, the exhibition takes you on an interactive, stimulating and emotive journey into the role of the... Read more
16-Dec-2011Source: UK MoD
The extent to which Britain’s Armed Forces will support the security effort for next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in London was announced today by the Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond. While the safety and security operation for the Games remains for the police to lead on, the Government has agreed that the Ministry of Defence... Read more
29-Nov-2011Source: CAE
Today at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), the world’s largest military simulation show, CAE announced that it has completed a major upgrade to one of the CH-47 Chinook dynamic mission simulators located at CAE’s Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) in the United Kingdom, and the Royal Air Force (RAF) is... Read more
4-Nov-2011Source: Royal Air Force
A helicopter Instructor with No 660 Squadron on the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury has gained an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. On 27 March 2011, at the Yeovil Half Marathon, Lieutenant Jim Fraser RN broke a Guinness World Recordâ„¢ by running a half marathon whilst wearing a respirator. He... Read more
2-Nov-2011Source: Virtual Simulation Systems
Australian company Virtual Simulation Systems (VSS) has completed installation of two Complete Aircrew Training Systems (CATS) at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in the United Kingdom. The CATS simulators will be used by AgustaWestland (AW) as part of a contract to deliver whole crew tactics training. CATS will provide AW with the ability to teach a range of... Read more
21-Oct-2011
The Ministry of Defence has begun an investigation after Ann Duffield and her husband, the former jockey George Duffield, complained after the Chinook swooped low over their animals. Mrs Duffield said the pilot had shown no regard for the safety of horses and riders as it flew near her stables. (Full story)... Read more
30-Sep-2011Source: Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force Puma helicopter officially celebrates its 40th anniversary today; with the first aircraft having undertaken its first operational flight on 29th September 1971. Video of Puma in Action The Puma helicopter, currently serving with 33 and 230 Squadrons at RAF Benson, has seen stalwart Service over its forty year career, deploying on... Read more
29-Aug-2011Source: UK MoD
Awards were presented to a Sea King pilot and civilian engineers of the RAF’s 202 Squadron at Leconfield in Yorkshire last week, in recognition of their outstanding performance. The Arthur Barratt Memorial Prize, consisting of a silver salver and cheque, was presented to Flight Lieutenant Andy ‘Spacer’ Johnston by Air Vice-Marshal Barry North, Assistant Chief... Read more
22-Aug-2011Source: Boeing
Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a $1.64 billion (£1 billion) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide 14 new CH-47 Chinook helicopters and associated support for the first five years to the Royal Air Force (RAF). The new-build CH-47 Mark (Mk)-6 Chinooks are part of the MOD’s Strategic Helicopter Vision to modernize... Read more
19-Jul-2011Source: UK MoD
Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has today published the conclusions of an independent review into the Chinook Mk2 helicopter crash of June 1994 on the Mull of Kintyre which tragically resulted in the deaths of all 29 people on board. The review, led by Lord Philip and assisted by three Privy Counsellors, examined the evidence... Read more
5-Jul-2011
Helicopter is on its side in a corn field, more details when available. One report suggests bird strike to blame?... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: UK MoD
The RAF’s youngest female pilot, Flying Officer Emma Atkinson, is currently training Afghanistan’s first female Air Force helicopter pilots in a small office tucked away in a corner of Kabul’s airport. The ‘Thunder Lab’ flight school is part of the NATO Air Training Command (Afghanistan) and the training given there is designed to help ease... Read more
24-Jun-2011Source: Eurocopter
The first upgraded Puma Mk2 helicopter developed by Eurocopter in a life extension programme for the UK’s Royal Air Force performed its initial flight this week from Eurocopter’s facility at Marignane, France. It is the first helicopter to be modified under the Puma Life Extension Programme, which was approved by the UK Ministry of Defence... Read more
8-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com
UK’s Royal Air Force has quietly reduced its fleet of VVIP AgustaWestland 109E Powers from three to two from the end of March 2011, apparently a budget cut industry sources tell us. No indication of this was made when the contract renewed on 1st April (see our story here), but the unexpected move of serial... Read more
13-Apr-2011Source: BBC
Newly discovered Ministry of Defence documents have cast further doubt on the cause of the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994.... Read more
12-Apr-2011Source: RAF
The Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury recently hosted the 13th Annual Raoul Hafner memorial lecture. The lectures are held each year at the north Shropshire airbase on aviation subjects with presentations by specialists across the genre. The lectures are held in memory of the Austrian inventor responsible for developing the modern helicopter, Raoul... Read more
7-Apr-2011Source: Royal Air Force
RAF Linton-on-Ouse hosted the Yorkshire Air Ambulance recently when they dropped by to thank the station for their on-going support to the life-saving charity. Group Captain Terry Jones, station commander, welcomed the 160 mph MD902 Explorer helicopter and it’s crew, which was flanked in a unique photograph by a Grob Tutor trainer aircraft of 85... Read more
1-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com
HeliHub.com has heard qualifed reports that Sloane Helicopters have had their contract to support the Royal Air Force 32 Squadron A109 Powers extended for a further year to 31st March 2012. Â While the contract is officially held by AgustaWestland, the Anglo-Italian manufacturer subcontracts the technical support and training services to UK/Eire distributor Sloane Helicopters. The... Read more
20-Mar-2011Source: Royal Air Force
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in conjunction with industry partners, today showcased the development of world leading technology designed to help helicopter pilots land more safely and efficiently in Afghanistan. Scientists from Dstl, part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), have led the technical development of a pioneering approach to the problem of... Read more
10-Feb-2011
Hydraulic problems force helicopter to land in field... Read more
8-Feb-2011Source: Royal Air Force
On the 6th February 2011, the RAF Search and Rescue Force (SARF) commemorate seventy years of saving lives. Born out of the Battle of Britain, its predecessor, the Directorate of Air Sea Rescue (ASR) was formed at the HQ of RAF Coastal Command in 1941, with a mandate to form a combined and effective rescue service... Read more
24-Jan-2011Source: Boeing
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and its Boeing Defence UK subsidiary today announced that the Boeing UK Rotorcraft Support team has begun flight testing the first Chinook Mk4 helicopter for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The first flight took place on Dec. 9 in Hampshire, England. “Project JULIUS, as the Mk4 program is known, will modernize the... Read more
30-Nov-2010Source: RAF
From Benson to Bastion – today the Royal Air Force Merlin Force marked their first anniversary on Operation HERRICK. Following transportation to Afghanistan, re-assembly and pre-flight checks, the Merlin Force officially declared that they were ready for operational flying on the front line a full year ago. The Merlins have spent those twelve months transporting... Read more
26-Oct-2010Source: Daily Record
The MoD have accepted liability, but the exact settlement has yet to be decided. The men are suing for “injury, loss and damage”. The accident happened in August 2007 during low-level flight near the Army’s Catterick base.... Read more
21-Oct-2010Source: Royal Air Force
Monday, 25th October sees that start of a new series “Frontline Battle Machines†on the Discovery Channel. The series, which is presented by Discovery’s “Wheeler Dealer†frontman Mike Brewer, takes an up close and personal look at the UK’s equipment and personnel operating in Afghanistan. Explaining why he made the series Mike said, “We were... Read more
27-Sep-2010Source: Royal Air Force
19 Royal Air Force personnel have been honoured in the Armed Forces Operational Awards and Joint Commander’s Commendations for their bravery and service in Afghanistan and during UK Operations and Search and Rescue missions. Three Chinook pilots based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire were awarded the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) one of which was... Read more
23-Sep-2010Source: Shephard
A rescue helicopter crew from 22 Sqn ‘C’ Flight of the UK’s Royal Air Force have become the first winners of the new annual Shephard SAR award.... Read more
18-Sep-2010Source: UK MoD
Prince William has today graduated from his Search and Rescue training course at Royal Air Force Valley in Anglesey, Wales. He will now join C Flight of Number 22 Squadron, remaining at RAF Valley, as a fully-qualified, fully-operational Search and Rescue pilot flying the Sea King helicopter. Prince William will begin his operational service as... Read more
30-Jul-2010Source: Royal Air Force
After several weeks providing support to troops on the ground in Helmand province, the Merlin helicopter crews from 28 (Army Cooperation) Squadron’s B Flight, based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, are coming home. B Flight arrived at Bastion Airfield in late May 2010. Following multiple detachments in Iraq over the past five years, this was... Read more
22-Jul-2010Source: Defense News
The military equivalent of an iPad for pilots’ mission planning will be among the features included in the avionics upgrade of 46 Royal Air Force Chinooks to the Mk.4 standard, said Peter Hitchcock, Avionics VP at Thales UK... Read more
