Author: Alistair Zammit Farrugia

Italian Air Force HH-139A

Yesterday, 11th October 2018, I had the pleasure to visit the Armed Forces of Malta’s Air Wing for the second time this year. This time however, it was not to visit the AFM air wing, but to take pictures of an Italian Air Force HH-139A that is currently present in Malta to train Maltese crew on the integration of night vision goggles to conduct more effective search and rescue missions within Maltese territorial waters during nighttime. The visit was organised by the Malta Aviation Society

HH-139AHH-139A_2HH-139A_1

More pictures from this visit can be found by clicking here

 

Israel Air Force for Touch and Gos!

It has been an amazing week for military movements at Malta! Some days ago we had visits by the Spanish air force and the French Air Force, whereas yesterday we had movements from the Italian air Force and the Swedish Coast Guard.

Today two other rare movements graced the Maltese skies today 9th October 2018, in the form of  2 Israel Air Force  Gulfstream V Shavits. Each of them performed a touch and go on runway 31 while en route to their final destination in Israel. It unknown from where these two gulfstreams originated, however they were noted to approach Malta from Italy.

679_1676_1

Swedish Coast Guard for Maintenance

Yesterday 8th October 2018, a Swedish Coast Guard Bombardier DHC-8-311AQ Dash 8 landed in Malta for some maintenance checks at Medavia, one of the largest Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul companies in Malta. 

Besides being base in Sweden, in 2017 this particular airframe was deployed for a month in Italy, to patrol the Mediterranean Sea, in the process successfully finding a boat full of 1700 kilos of drugs. 

SE-MAA_1

Spanish Air Force Hercules!

Yesterday, Thursday 4th October 2018 a Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules of the Spanish Air Force visited Malta. It had been quite a while back since we have last seen a Spanish Air Force Hercules pass through Malta. Its visit was tied to the transportation to Spain of a group of around 80 migrants that last August and September arrived in Malta on the Aquarius, which was allowed to disembark 141 migrants after it had been stranded for four days at sea.

44187953875_27f288cb81_o.jpg

 

Bronco for Touch and Go’s!

 

On the 25th of August 2018, Maltese spotters were treated to 2 touch and go’s by a US Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules, on its way from Tunisia to Sigonella in Sicily. This particular aircraft belongs to VMGR-252, based in MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. This was a very welcome sight after long quiet periods of no military movements at Malta International Airport.

On Friday 24th, I also photographed a French Air Force C-160 Transall resting on apron 4 in some glorious evening light, as the sun was setting.

 

 

Air Force 1 Visits the UK

During my recent trip to the UK for my annual pilgrimage to the royal international air tattoo, I had the unique opportunity to also witness for the very first time a presidential flight of the President of the United States of America. Among the variety of aircraft that supported this presidential visit was the world famous Air Force 1, of whom I had the privilege to see both in the air and taxiing for departure in some stunning lighting conditions.

37368517_10156068994732639_7774454842340147200_o

More pictures of this visit will be visible soon on my website.

Fourth Saudi Casa 295W Passing Through LMML

MOI-C4_1

The fourth and final CASA 295W MPA Persuader (serial EC-005) to be delivered to the Royal Saudi Ministry of Interior passed through Luqa last Friday 27th April 2018 in some great weather conditions. In the image attached it is seen backtracking runway 31. Its final serial will be MOI-C4. It departed the following morning after a night stop at Malta International Airport.