Converted from Mi-9.

Operated by Motor Sich.

This Hip-C was originally '394' with the NVA from August 1968. It was penciled in to be transferred to the East German Police as DDR-VHB but this never happened as Unification meant that it was transferred to the GAF as '94+18'. It is now on display at the Auto & Tecnik museum with a serial that is an amalgam of its previous identities.

This Mi-17 of Valan was first noted at Kandahar early '10, for several years it operated in Afgh. under a contract with Aircraft Charter Solutions (UAE) in support of the US Gvmt. ACS provided airlift support for Afgh. security forces, in the mid-tens out of Mazar-i-Sharif. The Mi-17 was written off on 24 Nov'15 when was hit by a Taliban rocket over Faryab. The helo caught fire and made a forced landing in Pashtun Kot district, 1 of 3 crew and 2 of 18 Afghan soldiers on board were killed, 18 survivors were taken hostage by the Taliban. The Mi-17 was canx from register between 11 Mar'16 and 30 Sep'16.

In the heatwaves of Kandahar, a Vertical-T Mi-8 is executing a landing at Kandahar.

A huge number of civil helicopters operated out of Kandahar airfield. Mainly Mi-8s, but also S-92, S-61, AW139, Bell 214s were seen.

One of two ex Bulgarian machines which were then delivered to Afghanistan.

The OMAR Mine Museum (OMAR = Organization for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation) in Kabul city unexpectedly showed me a number of preserved aircraft. Several former Afghan Air Force aircraft and helicopters were on display, but the war badly damaged most aircraft as well as the infrastructure of the museum. Luckily a large wall around the museum saved the inventory from further damage.