Of the 140 F-4EJ Phantoms delivered to the JASDF, 17 were converted to the (R)F-4EJ recce standard in the 1990's, with 47-6335 pictured here being one of the converted airframes. With the change of it's role, the aircraft's serial became 47-6335 (from previously 47-8335). It lacks the typical camera accomodating recce nose of regular RF-4's and was therefore only able to carry external LOREP pods between the main landing gear. Also clearly visible in this image is the L3Harris built AN/ALQ-211 AIDEWS ECM pod (Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare System).

This 2010 built AS-350B3 has previously been operated by Heli-Linth and occasionaly been leased by the Kantonspolizei Zürich till July 2014, when the police corps got funds to operate HB-ZKZ as the 1st Police helicopter in Switzerland, based at Dübendorf Airport, on standy 24/7 and available for just law enforcement duties. 2014 was also the year the heli got this blue white paint scheme in line with the flag colors of the Canton of Zürich, even though eight other Cantons located in northwestern Switzerland are also participating in the program (its flags are visible on the LH cargo door).

Back in 2011, Air Greenland already ordered two EC225 to replace its two aging S-61's, but the contract was cancelled in 2014, only to be renewed again in 2019. In due course, two 2nd hand EC225 were delivered to Air Greenland in 2020, one of them being OY-HUW formerly operated as LN-OJM by CHC Norway. Both are reported to have been refurbished and re-equipped by Heli-One Poland from the Oil & Gas configuration for SAR duties. Both EC225 are based in Kangerlussuaq with the goal of one always being on duty like OY-HUW in this picture, visible on the installed rescue hoist.

The British Ministry of Defence ordered an initial batch of 60 Gazelles on 21 August 1970. Of those, 29 were destined for the Army Air Corps, 10 for the Royal Air Force and 21 for the Royal Navy, among them XW895. Based at RNAS Culdrose, this very airframe also flew for the Royal Navy's "The Sharks" Display team as can be seen on the vertical fin. The airframe was at one point registered as G-BXZD and then sold / exported to Ukraine in December 2006. Fate unknown, scanned from a slide.

Entered service with the US Armed Forces as 85-24480, later modified to EH-60C. All EH-60s were converted back to UH-60 in the early 2000s. The last ones probably by 2003. Registered as N980AA to Aircraft Investment Holdings, Alabama on July 13, 2018 and used by USATS, a flight school and maintenance training facility based in Titusville, Florida. Among other things, USATS specializes in UH-60 operations and has a partnership with the Slovak Training Academy, to whom the airframe pictured here has been sold in July 2022. Now registered as OM-BHA.

Brymon Airways was the 1st operator of this 1985 built Dash 7, operating it between January 1988 and June 2000. Being one of the last built Dash 7's, it seems to have been stored in 1986/87, although registered as C-GEWQ. Some years after this picture was taken, Berjaya Air applied a less colorful paint scheme to this airframe. A total of four Dash 7's have been operated by the Kuala Lumpur Subang based airline, with all wfu by now. However, Berjaya is still in business as of December 2024, using a single ATR-42 and a single BD-700 Global Express.

The origin of German Airways dates back to 1955, when Theodor Wüllenkemper founded WDL Aviation, focusing on regional passenger charter and cargo flights within Europe. In total and over the years, WDL has been operating no less than 29 Fokker F-27's and 11 BAe-146's, besides a few other a/c types in small numbers. German Airways currently operates seven EMB-190LR, among them this 2009 built airframe, which joined German Airways in April 2022 after flying for brazilian carrier Azul Linhas Aéreas as PR-AZG till March 2020.

HB-XXL was Heli Bernina's first and only AS-350B2. It was delivered new to the 1985 founded company in November of 1990 and served them well till a landing accident at Piz Zupo sealed the helicopters fate in August 2000. Seen here during a lunch break while supporting - through external sling loads - the construction of a new skilift.

Before joining the TNI-AU fleet in October 2004, this 1978 built airframe has been operated by airlines in China, Canada, Cayman Islands, Paraguay, Brasil, Uruguay and finally Indonesia. It was initially assigned to the VIP Skadron Udara 17 at Halim (as pictued here) but with the arrival of additional and more modern VIP B737's, the TNI-AU decided at one point to transfer this legacy airframe to Skadron Udara 5 at Makassar, which was already equipped with three "Maritime patrol" B737-200. Consequently, A-7304 was reserialled to AI-7304 (AI stands for "Angkut Intai" = Maritime patrol).

The RSAF became an A-4 Skyhawk operator in the early 1970's. There are conflicting reports about how many A-4's the RSAF operated in the end, and the US FY # involved are not a 100% clear either. E.g. 912 shown here is reported to have US FY # 144966 (cn 12212) or 144972 (cn 12218). It started life as a single seat A-4B in 1959, and inserting a 28 inch fuselage "plug" modification made it a dual seat trainer at some point, resulting in the odd looking two bubble canopy unique to the ~20 RSAF TA-4's. The TA-4SU designation came after an upgrade carried out by ST Aerospace in the mid 1980's.

A subsidary of the Lion Air Group (LAG, founded in 1999), Batik Air started operating in 2013 with the aim to offer direct flights and a higher travel standard within Indonesia. LAG has since grown considerably and is now operating additional subsidaries in the entire Southeast Asia region, including Malindo Air, Batik Air Malaysia, Thai Lion and Wings. The bulk of LAG's fleet consists of some 150 Boeing 737-800/-900/-MAX 8 aircraft, while all of the group's current 48 Airbus A320 are assigned to Batik Air. LAG aircraft are frequently either moved around, or sold and replaced by new a/c.

Delivered new to Air China in January 1996, which operated it as B-2954 till March 2014. Originally of the passenger version, it was converted to the cargo version in August 2014 and then operated by chinese airline Loong Air (still registered B-2954) till August 2023. It entered service with growing indonesian air cargo carrier Rimbun Air in October of 2023. Rimbun Air - founded in 2018 - currently operates four B737-300F and one B737-800F cargo aircraft accross Indonesia, plus two DHC-6 Twin Otters based in the Papua province.

One of swiss operator Helimission's goal is to support and conduct disaster relief flights. For that, it procured this 1990 built Agusta-Bell 412 in March 1992 (from swiss operator BOHAG). Assigned to Helimission's relief wing "SOS Team", the idea was to ship relief goods, material and medical field clinics (packed in containers) by commercial airfreight to areas struck by disaster, while the AB412 would follow within days to distribute said aid material. In the end, the heli proved to be too big and only saw "action" in Albania (1992) and in the aftermath of the genocide in Ruanda (1994).

This 2001 built LearJet 60 was initally operated as D-CDNX for Daimler Chrysler Aviation in Germany. In December of 2006, it was sold to Aegean Executive and registered SX-BNR. Besides the LearJet, Aegean Executive currently operates a Gulfstream V and a Gulfstream G650 out of Eleftherios Venizelos - Athens International airport (LGAV / AIA).

Between 1986 and 1989, the austrian Police Air Wing took delivery of six AS-350B1 helicopters, a rare AS-350 version only built in small numbers (the more power- and successful AS-350B2 came out in 1990). OE-BXH was the 1st of the six B1's mentioned and remains in service at the time of upload, together with sisterships OE-BXI and OE-BXM. Also operated by the law enforcement agency are - as of December 2024 - three AS-350B3+ and eleven EC135's. OE-BXH is seen here about to land at Wucher Helicopter's HQ in Ludesch for a maintenance visit, after a 2 hour flight from Vienna-Vöslau.

None of Austria's EC135 operators involved in HEMS & Mountain Rescue operations (ÖAMTC, Schiders, Heli-Austria and Wucher) are using hoists on their EC135. Instead, all prefer to use the Human External Cargo (HEC) method regulated under the HESLO rules (Helicopter External Sling Load Operation). This not only saves high expenses in hoist overhauls, it also omits the need to carry a hoist operator. However, to counter the risk of a hook failure, HEC operations require two hooks installed under the airframe. The long "bar" mounted to OE-XAH's center belly is that "two hook" device/system.

N15LA pictured here during a training session dropping and picking up rescue swimmers over Castaic Lake north of LA, is the 3rd S-70A Firehawk the LA County FD took on strength in January 2005. The other two are N160LA and N190LA. Two S-70i Firehawks were added in 2018 and registered N821LA and N822LA respectively, bringing the total S-70 LACFD fleet to five. The LA County FD plans to replace the three older S-70A with two new S-70i's in the near future. Registration N15LA was previously assigned to another LAFCD helicopter, a Bell 205A-1.

During it's first visit to Switzerland's capital, this C-40C had Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the Chief of the US National Guard Bureau, on board. The working visit focused on possibilities to enhance training cooperation between the different military service models the US and Switzerland persue. The talks seemed to have been bearing fruit, as 2024 saw a rise of US military helicopters visiting Switzerland for joint alpine mountain training. Thus, three US Army CH47's based in Wiesbaden (Germany) deployed to Payerne AB in May 2024, followed by two USAF UH-60's from Italy in October 2024.

Established in 1983, Aircalin is the international airline of New Caledonia, a french overseas territory. Over the years, the airline operated a nice mix of aircraft, ranging from SE-210 Caravelles, DHC-6 Twin Otters, ATR-42's, Boeing 737 and 767, plus Airbus A310, A319, A320 and A330. The first long-haul flight was inaugurated in 2000, serving Osaka with a single Airbus A310. As of December 2024, the airline operates two Airbus A320 and two A330-941 Neo, one of them being F-ONEO built and delivered in July of 2019. Congrats to the airline for the nice paint scheme!

Founded in 1970 by swedish company Salenia and Loftleidir Air Cargo, Cargolux became one of the best known, most successful and biggest cargo airline. In 1980, Cargolux received its 1st B747 freighter, which in due course became the only aircraft type operated by the airline. A total of not less than sixty-seven B747 of various versions were operated by Cargolux, with a total of 29 remaining in its fleet by December 2024, compromising of fourteen B747-800 and fifteen B747-400 like LX-SCV shown here. The cargo version of the -400 has - compared to the passenger version - a shorter upper deck.