This 1982 built Bell 222 became the presidental helicopter of Madagascar in late 2003. Previous registrations of this airframe were N1982P, N18UC, N990JB, C-GSVD, N32GH, XA-SII, and N444MA. It was operated by Madagascar's small Air Force but actually flown by foreign pilots. After less than two years in service, it was written off after an accident on October 12, 2005. Coming in a bit too fast and with tailwind, the underpowered helicopter hit the ground hard, rolled over and caught fire. Luckily, all seven persons on board - incl. the then president Marc Ravolomanana - walked away unhurt.

Seen taking off from Chamonix Mont Blanc Hélicoptères's Heliport near the village of Argentière, is this 2012 built Ecureuil. The heliport is situated at the feet of the famous Argentière-Glacier, a touristic hot spot in the Mont Blanc area (Europe's tallest peak). Blugoen operates a few AS-350B3, and leases heavier helicopters from Rotox (K-Max) and Heliswiss International (KA-32 and AS-332) if need be. Note the "Maximum Pilot View Kit" installed on the pilot side of F-HSBH, a modification developped by Swiss Rotor Services, increasing the pilot's view by factor 10.

Aero Caribe was founded in 2013 and currently operates a fleet of six aircraft, equally divided to three Cessna 206 Stationair and three Piper PA-34 Seneca, like TI-BEL shown here. The other two PA-34 carry registrations TI-AUA and TI-AHU. Aero Caribe's main business is air charter flights to Costa Rica's tourist destinations, but it also offers scenic and photographic flights, MEDEVAC / air ambulance services plus skydiving.

Registered in the Comores but pictured while for maintenace work on the neighbouring island of Madagascar. This 1978 built airframe was later sold to "Go Comores" and repainted, but suffered an accident on July 19, 2019 while attempting an emergency landing at its home base Moroni airport, Comores Island. Luckily, all 10 passengers and the sole pilot escaped, but the aircraft was partially destroyed by a post crash fire and subsequently written off.

The eyecatcher of the LIMA'15 exhibition was this 1967 built Nuri, the very first entering service with the Royal Malaysian AF that same year. 42 more would follow till 1978, but accidents and technical issues gradually reduced the availability of Nuris. When 12 new EC725 helis started to pour in as from 2012, the remaining Nuri's were to be handed over to the Malaysian Army. Thus AIROD delivered the first two during LIMA'15, both refurbished and wearing this stunning digital camo (the 2nd was M23-31, c/n 61798). The two were the only ones delivered, as technical issues grew and prevailed.

Delivered new to the RMAF in January of 1977 carrying serial FM-1720. It was then re-serialled to M23-16 in 1984 and is reported to have briefly carried civilian registration 9M-ZAR in 2008 (for modification and certification work?). A total of 16 RMAF S-61's were written off over the years, with M23-16 being the last one, suffering a hard landing on August 2, 2019. Actually, this very accident - luckily without loss of life - sealed the fate of the surviving 12 or so RMAF's Nuris, as the fleet was permanently grounded. Keeping them airworthy has become an issue in the previous years anyway.

1968 built M23-08 (ex FM-1708, ex FM-1148) was among the first batch of ten S-61 Nuri's (Parrot) delivered to the Royal Malaysian AF as from 1967. They were initally serialled FM-1140 to FM-1149. While FM-1143 was written off in 1972, the remaining nine in 1975 were re-serialled to FM-1701 to FM-1709. A further 33 Nuri's were deliverd between 1971 and 1978, bring the total number operated by the RMAF to 43. Unfortunately, 16 helicopters were lost over the years, finally grounding the fleet in August of 2019, after more than 50 years of operation.

Something special to "celebrate" my 500th image on the airhistory.net database. I was very fortunate to catch this single seat Hawk in this special 3-tone trial camo, which was unfortunately dropped in favour of a standard two-tone grey camo. This particular airframe was among the first batch of 16 single-seat Hawks initially ordered by the TNI-AU. Having had british test serial ZJ156, it was handed over to the Indonesian AF in March of 1997 as TT-1220, and was later re-serialled to TT-0213. TT stands for "Tempur Taktis", meaning tachtical fighter.

Delivered new to Garuda Indonesia Airways in April 2011 and returned to lessor in August 2021. During it's 10 years with Garuda, it always carried this retro livery, paying tribute to the airline's brand logo between 1969 and 1985. Briefly registered VQ-BBT and since October 2022 operating as SE-RXC for Norwegian.

Batavia Air was founded in 2001 but filed bankruptcy on January 31, 2013 already. During it's 12 year of operation, it operated a total of 56 aircraft, 43 of which were Boeing 737 of various series. Also operated were small numbers of A320 Series, A330's and a single Fokker 28. The 1978 built airframe pictured here first flew for Britannia Airways as G-BFVA, before being sold to COPA Airlines as HP-1163CMP in 1990. Joined Batavia in October 2004, becoming one of sixteen B737-200 Series operated by the airline.

Arriving on it's first cargo run of the day to the Baliem Valley region in Papua province. Over the years, this 1986 built airframe carried registrations N5573K (for testflying), then B-2522 with China Southwest Airlines, Air China and Okay Airways, before becoming N23451 and finally PK-YSZ with Trigana around 2011. It was damaged beyond economical repair after a landing accident in Wamena on July 27, 2020. As of January 2024, Trigana operates eight 737-300 as freighters, plus one single 737-500 and six ATR42/72 in the passenger role.

Built in 2023 and only registered HB-ZUO in early May of 2023, this airframe had a bare nine flight hours when it was photographed during it's first aerial work mission. As of January 1st 2024, Air Zermatt's fleet consists of six AS350B3/H125 and three Bell 429's.

Air Madagascar introduced it's first two ATR-72 in 2005 (5R-MJE and 5R-MJF), followed by two more in 2015 (5R-EJA & 5R-EJB). With the exception of 5R-MJE, all were transferred to the the then newly established domestic airline Tsaradia in 2018.

Built in 1989, M37-01 is the sole Falcon 900 operated by the Royal Malaysian AF, and current as of December 2023. Other Biz-Jets operated by the RMAF over the years included two BAe-125, a Learjet 35, a Canadair CL600 Challenger and two BD-700 Global Express (one of them - M48-02 - is still current as of December 2023). A Boeing 737-700 (M53-01) was also operated in the VIP role between 2003 and 2018, while a 1975 built Fokker F-28 seems to remain operational as M28-01 too.

This 1969 built Agusta-Bell 206 Jet Ranger initially carried German registration D-HBBZ and Austrian registration OE-DXS, before becoming HB-XHO in May 1978. It was operated on pontons under the ownership of Giori Roberto till August of 1979, before being sold to another private owner. Since then, it changed ownership seven times and was also operated by some commercial Swiss helicopter companies. Still registered as HB-XHO as of December 2023, and owned by a private person.

Usually, Wucher's AS-350 helicopters wear some form of advertisment stickers, but this one was seen "blank" at Wucher's main base in Ludesch, which offers a great background for photography. OE-XGA was built in 2010 and delivered to Wucher factory new.

In October 2013, in May 2014 and again in October 2014, the Government of Morocco sent approximately 100 civil defence servants and equipment for training to Switzerland. Air transport of the delegation and material was each time secured by three aircraft, mainly various RMAF C-130 Hercules. However, during the May 2014 trip, this 2011 built C-27 Spartan joined two C130's. The Royal Moroccan AF operates three Spartan's, the other two being serialled CN-AMN and CN-AMO. All are based in Kénitra, together with the remaining C130's and a small number of CASA CN-235.

In 2010, the Czech AF started to operate four C-295 medium airlifters, of which 0452 was the first delivered, followed by 0453 through 0455. Apparently being happy with the aircraft, two more were ordered in December 2019 and delivered in 2021 (serialled 0481 and 0482, equipped with winglets), bringing the total Czech AF C-295 fleet to six units.

Of the approximately eighty SA-365C Dauphin 2 built between 1977 and 1981, six or seven served with Heli-Union. Not much is known of F-GFPB pictured here, as Heli-Union used to shuffle helis around between it's bases in West-Africa. In any case, it started off as F-ODNJ before joining Heli-Union. It was based in Douala for a while in the mid 1990's, serving the oil industry off Cameroon's coast and flying for TOTAL and Pecten Cameroon (a subsidary of Shell). Believed to be withdrawn from use in 1998.

Singapore Airlines Cargo started to introduce the Boeing 777-F freighter in August of 2022 and has so far taken delivery of five units (9V-DHA through 9V-DHE). 9V-DHE pictured here had it's first flight on November 9, 2023 and was delivered two weeks later, some two weeks before this picture was taken. As can bee seen, SIA Cargo operates them on behalf of / in cooperation with DHL International.