Announcement

**Savoia** · 30th May 2016, 09:32

SA341G(S) N150SF (cn 1584) as seen at Cheltenham Racecourse on 17th March 2016 (Photo: Tony Jarvis)

SA341B G-CDNO (cn 1385) as seen at Swansea Airport in Wales on 29th May 2016 (Photo: Derek Flewin) Ex-XX432

Also .. see ZB691 touch down at the Helicopter Museum on Friday.

Elsewhere on Aviafora: See Ukraine's V-52 project here.

Plus .. Sav's 'mini-rant'

Share the link to Storm Clouds with friends and family and help others discover why it is sensible to be skeptical about continued integration with the EU. If the UK withdraws from the EU it will strengthen the case for other European nations to pursue their fight for a referendum. Many in northtern Italy want out but, unlike the Brits, we don't have the privilege of a referendum .. yet!

To the naysayers and Europhiles among our readers, for the record I am not anti immigration, I am anti 'mass uncontrolled' immigration. Controlled legal immigration and responses which are measured according to a nation's willingness and ability to assist in the event of crisis are both normal and acceptable in my view. However, long before immigration became an issue the EU (or EEC as it was then) was a blight upon both small and medium sized businesses (which in Italy are the backbone of our local economies). This remains the case, more so than ever, with small and medium sized businesses having suffered extensively under the 'reign' of the EU. The EU agenda (in addition to the thousands of corrosive and debilitating pieces of legislation they churn out each month) is depriving Europeans of every vestige of personal freedom, whether it be religious, political or economic. Doubtful? Well, just wait a while longer, as the damaging consequences of this bureaucratic monstrosity are becoming increasingly clear with each passing year.

Finally, for Britain to exit the EU will require nothing short of a miracle, for it is evident that the British PM and the UK's political class are hell-bent on forcing (if possible) the remain agenda. Nevertheless if you research the longterm implications of a bureaucracy such as the EU when applied to such a diversity of nations in the manner conducted so far, it is obvious that the end result is anything but positive. History contains numerous examples of such 'systems' of governance - all of which have utterly failed!

**Savoia** · 31st May 2016, 09:20

Another take on G-CDNO ..

SA341B G-CDNO (cn 1385) as seen at Swansea Airport in Wales on 29th May 2016 (Photo: Alun Jones)

**Zishelix** · 31st May 2016, 11:04

An old photo of F-WTNV probably taken during one of her many promo flights back in 1970s

**Savoia** · 1st June 2016, 08:27

Another 'blast from the past' ..

SA341 (cn 1001) F-WIEP c.1972

This craft was (to the best of my knowledge) the first production Gazelle and went on to become F-WTNA which has featured at various times throughout this thread. Sadly, and as can be seen, this photo has had the edges cropped - its enough to make you wiep!

Army Gaz

SA341B XZ318-R (cn WA1609) as seen at Oxford Kidlington on 13th July 1991

YU-HES

SA342J YU-HES (cn 1057) as seen at Bourne Park on 24th May 2016 (Photo: Andrew Morley)

**Savoia** · 2nd June 2016, 09:07

HA-LFK

**Zishelix** · 2nd June 2016, 09:10

Please if any of you guys know what do the letters "IAT" stand for?

Aerospatiale's test pilot Jean Boulet with N62406 at Alaska during cold weather trials in February 1975.

**Savoia** · 2nd June 2016, 20:55

*** ADVANCE NOTICE ***

Sav will be ranting about the EU and Brexit during the month June!

(Sorry, can't be helped!).

THIS VIDEO posted today nicely addresses many of the issues I have been highlighting over the years. If you can invest the time to watch this, then it comes with my recommendation (hence the post).

More truth at Storm Clouds!

**dunstan** · 3rd June 2016, 02:01

IAT was the name of the company in anchorage Alaska who owned the 341. it was leased for the test. IAT was a anchorage company and had a fleet of Gazelles. I have forgotten what the IAT meant, but I think it was International Air transport I believe, The company eventually moved some of their machines to Utah and from there went out of business. Dave Dunstan

**Savoia** · 3rd June 2016, 08:15

Zishelix wrote: She survived the Gulf War but 'killed' in Bosnia several years later when technicians tried to remove the ice (after a snow storm) with a nylon mallets. Suffered Cat.4 damage and w/o 1997. Scrapped cabin section at Tong Paintball Site, Shropshire since March 2008.

Just to understand .. the mechanics used mallets in an attempt to clear ice from the aircraft and ended-up writing it off?

Nigerian Gaz

Nigerian Gazelle (Photo: Tom Antonov)

F-GEHE

SA341G(S) F-GEHF (cn 1320) (Photo: Guy Brochot)

Now flying as YU-HEY.

**Savoia** · 3rd June 2016, 09:15

Fene Strong wrote: Interesting DASOR came out after this visit, whilst on the ground one of the rear seat passengers decided to open the rear door using the jettison handle (contrary to briefing), door was refitted and serviceable.

And was there a recommendation which involved something other than handcuffing the pupils?

Also .. do you have any knowledge about XZ318 (see post further up) which was apparently written-off by 'engineers' hammering ice off the craft. I mean how does one write off an aircraft by doing that? Unless of course the ground crew were on some sort of drug-fuelled bender and began to literally destroy the aircraft with their hammers!

**md600driver** · 3rd June 2016, 10:53

Nigerian Gazelles

Regarding the Nigerian Gazelles I was led to believe that they were all ex-French, but the one shown in Sav's post is ex-UK military.

**Savoia** · 4th June 2016, 10:54

A Round-up of Hitherto Unposted Shots from Tiger Meet 2016

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016 (Photo: Rami Khanna-Prade)

Note the Tiger atop the gun sight!

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016

L'armée de Terre SA342M 4146-GBY (cn 2146) Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016 (Photo: Ignacio Ferre)

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain on 20th May 2016 (Photo: Miguel Angel Zapata Lopez)

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain on 21st May 2016 (Photo: Carlos Enamorado )

Three additional Tiger Meet shots on the previous page.

**Savoia** · 5th June 2016, 06:57

G-CTFS

SA341C G-CTFS (cn WA1081) as seen at RAF Elvington in the summer of 2015 (Photo: Neil Watson)

**Zishelix** · 5th June 2016, 10:55

SA.342J (s/n 1470) was 'born' as standard 341G but „stretched“ into 342J model back in 1982. Seen here as F-GIBU at Sheffield Airport in August 12th, 2007 (Photo: Jason Nicholls)

Before F-GIBU, she was Air Zermatt's HB-XMU and previously N9000A. Spent few years in UK Register as G-IBME and today flying as N342WF.

**Zishelix** · 5th June 2016, 15:37

SA.341G N30PA (s/n 1224) and her sister ship N31PA (s/n 1225)

The same company logo visible on both machines, but not sure to whom they belonged at the time.

**Savoia** · 6th June 2016, 09:00

Serbian Air Force SA342L1 12918 (cn 131) from 714 POHE "Senke" Helicopter Squadron as seen over Pešter highlands during "Morava 2016" military exercise in Pešterska visoravan, Serbia on 2nd June 2016 (Photo: Dimitrije Ostojic)

One more from Tiger Meet 2016 ..

L'armée de Terre SA342M 3862-GAL (cn 1862) as seen at Zaragoza Air Force Base Spain in May 2016

G-CBGZ

SA341C G-CBGZ (cn 1915 or 1923) as seen at Gloucester Staverton on 29th May 2016 (Photo: James)

SA341C G-CBGZ (cn 1915 or 1923) as seen at Gloucester Staverton on 30th May 2016 (Photo: James)

G-RBIL

SA341D G-RBIL (cn 1199) as seen at Jersey Airport on 29th May 2016

It's been a while since we've seen the Gerbil, so it was very nice to come across this shot!

**Savoia** · 7th June 2016, 08:51

G-BCHM

SA341G G-BCHM (cn WA1168) at Weston Heli Days (Photo: Elipix)

I know we've seen a previous shot of G-BCHM when she wore this blue livery in the 90's, but I think this may be a different angle.

Note the Morris Minor estate with its now classic exterior woodwork, and behind that the tail of another Gaz,

Does anyone know the final fate of G-BCHM? Some suggest she was used for parts.

Jos, in seeking to answer Fene Strong's query about G-CBGZ (further above) do you have any idea why the CAA have this listed as cn. 1915?

Elsewhere on Avia: See Alouettes & Lamas for details on UR-KRL.

**Zishelix** · 7th June 2016, 09:37

Originally posted by Savoia View Post

Does anyone know the final fate of G-BCHM? Some suggest she was used for parts.

Probably, she was badly damaged at Springfield Farm, Melton Mowbray in July 1997 and seen stored at Long Stratton Airfield since 1999 to 2002. She was with MW Helicopters Ltd at the time.

**Savoia** · 7th June 2016, 15:46

SA341G(S) 'Crabtree Gazelle' N901B (cn 1410) aka '901' as seen at her home base at Crab Tree Farm in May 2016

Photos by Steve.

Nice to see some recent shots of 901 plus .. what appears to be one of Steve's labs in the top photo!

**Savoia** · 7th June 2016, 20:25

Escape from Santa Fe Prison

Helicopter pilot Charles Bella was hired to fly a real estate agent around the Santa Fe area. As he was flying his Aerospatiale Gazelle his charter client pulled a gun on him and forced him to land in the courtyard of Santa Fe prison in New Mexico.

Three inmates jumped in and he flew the aircraft to another site. Police helicopters claimed the Bella tried to force them down through aggressive maneuvers, however other helicopters were able to tail him and federal agents were able to greet the helicopter every time it touched down. Two of the prisoners, Francis Mitchell and Randy Lackey, were captured almost right away while Danny Mahoney was later captured with assistance from a canine unit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...prison_escapes

http://elpasotimes.typepad.com/morgu...jailbreak.html

Zis, do you happen to know which Gaz this was?

* * *

Unable to take-up full-size Gazelling just now? No problem, you can do this in the meantime!

**Zishelix** · 8th June 2016, 07:44

ZU-HBH at Zwartkops Airshow on May 6th, 2015 (Photo: Wesley Moolman)

**Savoia** · 8th June 2016, 18:43

Classic RAF Gaz

RAF Gazelles as seen at Greenham Common Air Base in 1976 (Photo: Ken Videan)

This is just a guess but, this shot looks as if it could be of 'The Gazelles' which were an RAF display team formed in the 70's from No.1 Central Flying School Squadron at RAF Ternhill.

The first craft in the line up (F) is XW870 (cn WA1146).

**Savoia** · 9th June 2016, 10:41

More RAF

SA341D XW855 (cn WA1050) possibly at RAF Northolt c. 1990's

This craft was apparently built in 1973 whereafter she was assigned to the Central Flying School at Ternhill before joining 32 Squadron in 1992. In 1996 having flown a total of 3,958 hours she was stored at RAF Shawbury and in 2003 sent to the museum at RAF Hendon.

**Rotorspot** · 9th June 2016, 15:27

Gazelle Squadron Display Team Cleared to Fly for 2016

On Tuesday 31 May 2016, the Gazelle Squadron Display Team flew to RAF Abingdon in Oxfordshire with a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Display Authorisation Evaluator. The CAA display authorisation is a mandatory process for any pilot that wishes to perform a flying display in the UK, and involves many months of planning, practicing and evaluating flying display routines, aircraft and aircrew performance. At the end of the briefing, the CAA evaluator provided the news that allows to display as either a single aircraft or a pair at events throughout 2016!

More details and pictures at: http://helihub.com/2016/06/06/gazell...-fly-for-2016/

**Savoia** · 10th June 2016, 08:22

BAG

SA341B ZB673 (cn WA1966) as seen at Bournemouth Hurn Airport on 29th June 1986 (Photo: Chris Hicks)

Ex-671 Squadron.

And a couple more shots of the 'Gerbil'

SA341D G-RBIL (cn 1199) as seen at Jersey Airport on 29th May 2016

SA341D G-RBIL (cn 1199) as seen at an unknown location on 28th May 2016 (Photo: Keith Harbor)

**Zishelix** · 10th June 2016, 13:54

N505HA over Breighton Airfield in November 2008 (Photo: Dave Marshall)

And a cub of the same Gazelle.

**Savoia** · 10th June 2016, 18:06

Gazelle Down Montenegro

An SA342 Gazelle helicopter of the Montenegrin Air Force has crashed on the outskirts of Podgorica injuring two crew members, one seriously.

A spokesman for the Air Force said the aircraft was on a routine training flight when it crashed in a field southwest of the nation's capital earlier today.

Before ambulances arrived at the crash site, locals pulled the two crew members from the helicopter, one of whom one was unconscious.

One crew member suffered severe head injuries while the other remains in intensive care, although hospital staff have said that his injuries are not life threatening.

The Montenegrin Air Force Gazelle which crashed outside of Podgorica earlier today injuring its two crew, one seriously

"I heard a sound and came out and saw a helicopter trying to land. Then it crashed," eyewitness Rasim Softic said.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the Gazelle helicopter to crash.

SA342L1 No. 12941 (cn. 161) which crashed today in Montenegro (Photo: Aldin Abazović)

The Balkan state, which is slated to become NATO's newest member, has a small air force that includes five Gazelle helicopters which were made by the Mostar-based Soko Corporation in former Yugoslavia under license from Aérospatiale (now Airbus Helicopters) in France.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/...ontenegro.html

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/arti...cer-06-10-2016

**Zishelix** · 10th June 2016, 19:45

Oh no, a great loss for Montenegro's small Gazelle fleet.

Glad to know the crew survived. I wish them a quick and full recovery!

**Rotorspot** · 11th June 2016, 15:14

F-HGUN Becomes N342ET

SA342J, c/n 1058 (formerly F-HGUN) became N342ET on 01-Jun-2016; registered owner given as Satanas and Co Inc Trustee, Wilmington, USA.

And yesterday I noticed 'Black Pete' (aka YU-HVZ) in Best, The Netherlands, when I drove past its base.

**Zishelix** · 11th June 2016, 20:10

Interesting. Thanks for the info, Jos!

I wonder if she has changed home base also, or whether its just her registration?

(Photo: Gilles Paccalet)

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Shrieking Gazelles

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