The first and so far only AW189 on the Swiss register taxies out in St Stephan for its first flight as HB-XLQ. It took off and proceeded straight to Helicopter Maintenance Company KAREN loacted in Lodrino, Ticino. The 2016 built aircraft has previously been registered as I-AWCU, OY-HFD and finally in Russia as RA-01698, from where it was imported to Switzerland in late 2021, a bare two months before the Ukraine conflicted started and sanctions on Russia were implemented in due course. Carries a small "Helipool" sticker in the white stripe behind the co-pilot's door.

This photo is copyright © Adrian Romang, and may not be used or published in any way without permission.

It was added on 20 May 2023, and has since been viewed 982 times.