US Marines KC-130J 169228 "RANGR88"

RANGR88 169228 KC130J PGUA-YPDN, 15/6 noted in PWAK, SEL/LPMS, ICAO24 AE5B6A, USMC VMGR-234 QH

169228 KC130J at Darwin, Photo by Jaryd Stock,
Aviation Photo Digest 2017

COral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL) Gulfstream IV N198GS to Palau

5/5/2017 - N198GS wrkg SFO 17904, rqst 2 hrs overhead PTRO ops within 60nms of PTRO. N198GS PTYA-PTRO RTN PTYA GLF4 SEL/BPHQ.

NASA Surveying Coral Reef Link:
https://www.nasa.gov/content/earth-expeditions-coral

File Picture - N198GS GLF4.

POSTCARD from FIJI

Nadi International Airport (NFFN/NAN) lies on the shore of Nadi Bay on the west coast of Viti Levu island, overlooked by the Sabeto Mountains which offers a very picturesque scene.  The airport is the centre of aviation in Fiji, is HQ of Fiji Airways, the domestic hub for the Fiji Islands, and houses a buoyant General Aviation, rotary and charter facility.  The nearby island group of Mamanuce with the idyllically named islands of Castaway, Beachcomber, Treasure and Musket Cove are some on the periphery of the bay, which are all within a day return trip from Port Denarau Marina (on Nadi Bay) for visitors longing for those golden beaches with swaying palms, straight out of the brochures. A few of the islands have airstrips able to handle BN-2 Islanders and Twin Otters, but the majority of transfers are by boat with the alternative being float planes, amphibians and helicopters. 

Turtle Airways operate DHC-2 Beaver floatplanes for transfers from their exclusive New Town Beach jetty adjacent to Nadi Airport.  Kokomo Yaukuve resort operate their own Twin Otter-400 amphibian. Pacific Island Air provide transfers with amphibious DHC-2 Beavers and DHC-3T turbine single Otters from Nadi Airport’s domestic terminal. The seaplane option however does open up access to all the islands in the area. They also fly BN-2 Islanders and helicopters.  Island Hoppers operate rotary and PAC750’s which include Freefall Fiji options, while Heli-Tours and Sunflower also compete. The National Carrier, Fiji Airways concentrate on domestic schedules from Nadi (and Suva, the capitol) to all major centres with ATR-42 and ATR-72 equipment, along with a trio of Twin Otter 300’s.

A selection of images taken in Dec 2016 are below.

Thanks to GAFLIKS for providing this report.

Japan Air show autumn 2016 round up - Yokota

2. YOKOTA Air Festival 17/18 September

 

Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo is the US Air Forces major logistic base in Japan.  The base is home to the 374^th Air Wing (YJ) operating the C-130H Hercules.  Weekly operations see numerous C-17 and C-5 traffic from mainland USA as well as a variety of visiting USAF types in the region. The sprawling ramp allows for a comfortable visit despite the huge crowds.  A selection of images from the static display is posted below.

air festival banner

60082 based C-12J

UH-60J of JASDF ARW



based C-130H’s of the 374^th AW

RF-4J of 501 Hikotai

F-2 of 3 Hikotai wearing their 60^th Anniv tail marks



F-16’s from 51FW/7^th AF‘OS’ based Osan South Korea



A-10 from 51FW Osan

MC-130H of 353SOG Kadena

Fussa entrance gate

Thanks to GAFLIKS for this report.

Japan Air show autumn 2016 round up - Misawa

1. MISAWA Air Festival Sep 11

 

Misawa AB is located on the outskirts of the town, in Aomori Prefecture northern Honshu.  It is home to the 35^th FW US Air Force operating the F-16CM, the 3^rd and 8^th Hikotai JASDF with Mitsubishi F-2A/B’s and the 601 Hikotai operating E-2C’s.  It also houses an US Navy facility. A small civil air terminal is located at the eastern end of the airfield. A selection of images from the static and flying is attached below.

entrance to the US facility



an F-2 being towed to a QRA shelter

EA-18G Growler US Navy from VAQ138 ‘NL512’

MH-53E US Navy HM-14 ‘BJ554’

4 x F-16CM of 35FW ‘WW’ fly by

RQ-4B Global Hawk 08-2034 ‘GF’ 248RS 9^th RS
(Guam Detachment)

The T-4’s of the Blue Impulse performed



91505 KC-135R of Tennessee ANG landing RW28

F-2 on take off

base operations office

Thanks to GAFLIKS for providing this report.

Atsugi NAF Open Day report 30 Apr 2016

Atsugi is shore base for CVW-5 (NF) aircraft component when the carrier is in homeport Yokosuka.  Current carrier is CVN-76 ‘Ronald Reagan’

Atsugi base sign

MH-60R ‘700’ of HSM-77 ‘Sabrehawks’

F/A-18E ‘400’of VFA-195 ‘Dambusters’

F/A-18E ‘300’ of VFA-115 ‘Eagles’

EA-18G Growler ‘500’ of VAQ 141 ‘Shadowhawks’

E2C 165812 ‘600’ of VAW115 ‘Liberty Bells’

F/A-18F ‘100’ of VFA-102 ‘Diamondbacks’

C-2 ‘24’ of VRC-30-DET 5

CVW-5 chevron markings (left) on this VFA115 F/A-18E

167016 ‘TA’ MH-60R of HSM-51‘Warlords’

165815 E-2C ‘601’in low-viz finish taxies by crowd line

EA-18G Growler ‘504’ of VAQ141 with folded wings




Thanks to GAFLIKS for this report.

Japan autumn round up 2015 - 7. Kadena

Japan autumn round up 2015 - 7. Kadena




J-Stars E-8 97-0200 ‘GA’ approaches 05R

E-3 AWACS 81-0004 ‘OK’ turning to port off 05L

Hunter N322AX on TT duty

a pair of resident F-15C’s turn onto finals for 05R

USN C-2 162152 ‘32’ of VRC-30 taxiing out for 23R

RC-135V 64-14844 ‘OF’ returning from a mission

P3C of VP-62 ‘Broadarrows’ circuit bashing

eight resident F-15C’s line up at the 05R hold

AV-8B 165588 ‘WL’ of VMA-311 hovers down to 05R

visiting F-16C’s of 112FS ‘Stingers’ from Toledo 

Thanks to GAFLIKS for providing this report.