Second UK Poseidon flies

BOEING HAS conducted a maiden flight of the second P-8A Poseidon MRA1 for the RAF.

Poseidon MRA1 [MoD Crown Copyright]
RAF P-8A Poseidon MRA1 ZP802 'City of Elgin' at Boeing's Renton, Washtington, facility. The aircraft will be delivered to No 120 Squadron early next year. RAF/ MoD Crown Copyright

The aircraft, ZP802 (c/n 64176, line number 7642), test registration N469DS, took to the air at the manufacturer’s Renton, Washington, facility on September 15, making the short trip to Boeing Field for outfitting with mission equipment. It will then join the first RAF Poseidon, ZP801, in the mission systems integration phase, prior to delivery to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.

Poseidon MRA1 ZP802 emerged for the first time at Renton on August 22 (see Second UK Poseidon appears, October, p8). It carries the name City of Elgin, in honour of the town close to its future home at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland.