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Historic
Vickers Valiant Pioneers
In the February 2016 issue of FlyPast Graham Pitchfork profiled Valiant pilots who helped to trail blaze for the Victor and Valiant
Vickers Valiant and Britain’s first nuclear bomb
British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin’s quote about the necessity of developing an independent nuclear deterrent — “We’ve got to have the bloody Union Jack flying on top of it” — signifies the priority placed on this programme as the Cold War reared its head. It led, 70 years ago, to the first ‘special weapons’ arriving at an RAF station, and to the Vickers Valiant becoming the first platform able to deliver them
V-Force pathfinder - the story of the unique black Valiant B2
The concept of target-marking had been proved with great success by the RAF of World War Two, but how would it translate to the jet bomber age? The Vickers Valiant was chosen to lead the role into this new era. Why, then, did the menacing and very capable ‘Black Bomber’, the Valiant B2, end up being a one-off?
Draken centre stage at Swedish exhibition
The distinctive jet is the showpiece of a recently opened exhibition, while in Spain a retired Falcon is on the move
Vickers Valiant secret reconnaissance
Valiants pioneered long-range, deep-penetration reconnaissance – in the February 2016 issue of FlyPast Vic Flintham revealed the shadowy world of 543 Squadron
Military
USAF’s 305th RQS welcomes first Jolly Green II
The USAF’s 305th Rescue Squadron (RQS) – a component of Air Force Reserve Command’s (AFRC’s) 943rd Rescue Group (RQG) – joined the HH-60W Jolly Green II family on February 1, when the first aircraft (21-14521) arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona
Portugal receives first second-hand P-3C Orion from Germany
The Força Aerea Portuguesa (FAP; Portuguese Air Force) received the first of six former Marineflieger (German Navy)-operated P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) on February 9
USMC’s first East Coast F-35B unit declared operational
The USMC formally declared its first East Coast-based F-35B Lightning II squadron operational when Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) ‘Tigers’ – a component of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) – achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) at MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina on February 5
Commercial
Going short-haul on the long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner
In the March 2018 Aviation News, Spencer Bennett described the experience of flying on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner inter-European service using a South American carrier, for just £33.
LEVEL's huge expansion plans revealed
Barcelona-based low-cost, long haul carrier LEVEL is to obtain its own Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) under plans by owner – The International Airline Group (IAG) – to expand its operations.
Boeing given green light to begin MAX 10 flight testing
Boeing has announced that its 737 MAX 10 has been cleared by the FAA to begin certification flight testing
Incredible Aboriginal A220 Qantas scheme uncovered
An eye-catching Aboriginal-inspired paint scheme adorns QantasLink’s first Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
US airlines welcome Amsterdam Schiphol verdict
JetBlue and trade group Airlines for America (A4A) have welcomed the news that the Dutch government has temporarily abandoned plans to cut the number of flights at Amsterdam/Schiphol airport next year.
Flight Simulation
Orbx's EU Great Britain South review
We take a tour of Orbx's Great Britain South for Microsoft Flight Simulator and see if the masters of scenery can once again bring the real world to the desktop.
Heliports Bratislava released
The latest destination from Aerosoft is Heliports Bratislava for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Hype Performance Group’s H160 review
In this review, we take a detailed look at the H160 helicopter from Hype Performance Group.
