PC-9 and Mushak at KFAA

The main training aircraft operated by RSAF are the basic Mushak Trainer from Pakistan and the PC-9 built by Pilatus in Switzerland..Both aircraft are being replaced within  2 years in total by the order of 55 PC-21 to replace the PC-9 and 25 Cirrus SR22T which have already been delivered and will eventually phase out all the Pakistan AF Mushak,s of which 20 are in operation.
To determin the new scheme for the PC-21,yours truly was tasked to re-paint 2 PC-9,s into first a overall deep Blue scheme with various stripes in 3 colours and a Light Green in the same scheme.After various flight sorties and inspections by senior RSAF Officers ,the blue was excepted as the future colour scheme for the new PC-21.The first 3 are arriving in early June followed by 3 every month over a 2 year period.

PC-9 918 was painted in a Light Green experimental scheme to decide which will be selected for the future PC-21 fleet

PC-9 911 painted in a deep blue scheme and was the eventual winner

The current colour scheme for the RSAF PC-9 fleet .Colbolt Blue,Signal red and White.

The Pakistani built Mushak painted the same as the PC-9 but are maintained by personnel of the Pakistan Air Force.

Rare Iranian jet visits Riyadh

On the 20th April a very rare sight to land at Riyadh was Qesham Air Fokker 100 EP-FQG which i pictured approaching 15R.Considering the frosty relationship between both capitals as late.I don't believe it was a scheduled flight but with the slight laps of sanctions on aircraft parts,there have been more Iranian traffic over flying Riyadh airways to Jeddah.Maybe we might see more Iranian Airlines fly into Riyadh.I Hope so.

EP-FQG  Fokker F.100  c/n 11444

New RSAF Beech 350,S

Recently,Riyadh Air Base has been receiving brand new Beech 350,s over the past few months and are been operated in a VIP role as 50 Sqn based in Riyadh and as of the 19th Arpril,7 have been delivered in a semi-matt colour scheme as identical to the RSAF Typhoons at Taif.50 sqn are expecting another 3 more deliveries making it 10 overall.Here is the fleet details so far.

5001  c/n FL-863
5002  c/n FL-865
5003  c/n FL-866
5004  c/n FL-868
5005  c/n FL-869
5006  c/n FL-872
5007  c/n FL-873

More Indian AF Antonovs nightstop in Riyadh

The early evening of 15th April I managed to witness 2 more AN-32 ,s nigh-stop at Riyadh (OERK) and parking up on the private ramp at the Private Aviation area at Riyadh.I am not sure whether they are outbound from Kiev or en-route for a major overall.Time will tell.For some reason both were using the same callsign of "AZA0909".The 2 aircraft mentioned were K2693 and K2762.

VP-BED ACJ.319 visiting Riyadh

On the 12th April , Airbus ACJ319-115X  VP-BED flew into Riyadh KKIA from Lanseria in South Africa and stayed overnight before departing north towards Geneva with a delegate of Saudi Businessmen on board.I just managed to arrive just as it was approaching  runway 15L .The Airbus is owned by the South African Charter firm Planair.

ACJ319-115X VP-BED  c/n 3073

VP-BED flying over the top of my apartment at 5500 ft and climbing.

RSAF.s new Elementary Trainer SR-22T

As a replacement for Cessna  elementary flight training for the RSAF ,the first of 25 Cirrus SR-22T arrived back last June flying via Greenland,Iceland,Wick in Scotland,Eglesbach in Germany Turkey ,Jordan and finally landing at Riyadh air base  (OERY).All 25 were delivered over a 3 month period and all registered under 8 SQN from 801 to 825 respectively.These are a lead in to the awaited delivery of 55 PC-21 aircraft from June this year with roughly 3 a month arriving which will replace the old PC-9 which will finally be re-tired after 2016.

806 SR-22 with Spats

803 SR-22 without spats

Indian Antonovs night stop in Riyadh

Arriving yesterday 1st April in the early evening from Ukraine via Jeddah were 3 Antonov AN-32 ,s of the Indian air Force night stopping in Riyadh after receiving an upgrade and refurbishment at the Kiev factory under an upgrade signed over 5 years ago.
They all departed on the 2nd en-route to Doha and then on to Muscat.Are they doing a Middle East tour I wonder ?

The 3 aircraft mentioned were
K2675 with cal sign of 'GABLESEN" c/n 0110
K2736 with callsign of "AZA0909"     c/n 0802
K2757 with callsign of "IFC0714"      c/n  1202

All pictures were noted at the Kiev Aircraft repair yard.

AN-32 Indian Air Force K2757

AN-32 Indian air Force K-2736

Air Force 1 Arrives into Riyadh

The expected arrival of Air Force 1 Boeing 747 VC-25A 92-9000 into Riyadh on 28th March materialized along with Boeing 757 VC-32A  98-0001 brought  President Obama for a quick state visit to the kingdom overnight before departing the following morning with a massive security presence from the local Saudi Arm Forces.The Fleet also brought with them 2 Seahawks and 3 mini Chinook helicopters for transportation and air surveillance

The press aircraft noted was Delta,s Boeing 767  N712DH which was parked up next to the VIP terminal .

Parked outside the VIP terminal is B.747 VC-25A 92-9000 Air Force 1 c/n 23825.Thanks to a Colleague for the .picture  

B.757 VC-32A 98-0001 c/n 29025

USAF Arrival at Riyadh Air Base

With the expected arrival of President Obama to Riyadh on the 28th March,the predicted transportation begun arriving a few days in advance and these C-17 Globemasters were noted approaching to land at KFAA (OERY) Air base in Riyadh and the following were noted approaching 19R Runway.

05-5142  C-17A Globemaster II 452AMW/729AS  AFRC
05-5144  C-17A Globemaster II 452AMW/729AS  AFRC
01-0188  C-17A Globemaster II 105AW/137AS     NY ANG

01-0188  C-17A Globemaster II  c/n P88

05-5144 C-17A Globemaster II c/n P144

05-5142  C-17A Globemaster II  c/n P142

RSAF Museum Rare and Vintage Aircaft

Here displayed in the museum are the very rare and vintage aircraft from the Pre-WW2 Era up to the late 50,s.

Douglas AN-26 Invader  602

Indoor, starting with the very first biplane King AbdulAziz owned, It's the British made reconnaissance / bomber Airco DH 9

Westland Wapiti 2A the British light bomber and reconnaissance biplane was the beginning of air force in the sovereign of King AbdulAziz;

Caproni CA.100, started to train the first Saudi cadets under the sovereign of King AbdulAziz inside Saudi Arabia from 1935 till 1939

RSAF Museum Transport Aircraft

Continuing  my tour of the museum,we now come across old and recent transport aircraft.

Douglas DC-4  450 

Douglas DC-3  HZ-SAR1

C.130H Hercules 460

Tristar HZ-AHP

RSAF Museum Fighters

The Royal Saudi air Force Museum was visited by myself on the 15th March and with my camera in full flow which is a rarity in Saudi Arabia here is the results .

First items are former and present Front line Fighters/Air Defense Aircraft

F-15 D Eagle 1315  

Tornado ADV-F3 2915 c/n 3453

T-33 Shooting Star  1510

Lightning F.2 52-610 c/n 95123 

Hunter F-60 60-602

RSAF Museum in Riyadh

The Royal Saudi Air Force Museum or Saqr Al-Jazira is located on the East Ring Road of Riyadh between exits 10 and 11. A Saudi Lockheed L-1011 Tristar serves as a gate-guard visible from the AL Kharj ring road. Admission is Sr.10 for adults & Sr.5 for children. The museum is open from 9:00am to 12:00 noon and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm daily, closed on Mondays.

I will  be posting pictures on my visit to the museum which is worth the value and centered in a modern style building with plans to expand in the next few years to possibly display a PC-9,Cessna 172 ,IDS Tornado and a future KC-135 tanker which are all earmarked to be replaced by the PC-21 ,Cirrus SR22 , and the Airbus A.330 MRTT.

The display halls contain exhibits on the history of the RSAF, aircraft engines and weaponry, uniforms, insignia and decorations and a special display on Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,  the first Saudi in space who rode as a payload specialist on the Space Shuttle discovery on mission STS-51-G.

Aircraft on display inside  include:

• BAC Lightning F53
• Bell UH-1
• Bell OH-58
• De Havilland Chipmunk Mk 10
• De Havilland Vampire FB Mk 52
• Douglas DC-3 ( outfitted to match the aircraft given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to King Ibn Saud in 1945
• Hawker Hunter F Mk60
• North American F-86 Sabre F
• Northrop F-5E Tiger II
• T-6 Texan
• Temco T-35 Buckaroo A model

Aircraft on display outside include:

• C.130 Hercules
• ADV Tornado
• F-15 D Eagle
• Tristar
• B.707
• DC-4  Skymaster
• BAC Strikemaster
• T-33 Shooting Star
• A.26 Invader

     

  

Leased Sudan 737 at Riyadh

Note approaching Riyadh to land on 15L on the 14th March , was SUD218 flight from Khartoum JY-JAQ B.737-46J  c/n 27826 which is on-lease from Jordan Aviation since may last year .With the problems in Sudan,Sudan Airways has a tendency to lease various B.737,s as they usually only operate 2 A.300 on a  regular basis into Riyadh (KKIA) .

Boeing 737-46J -JY-JAQ c/n 27826/2694

New Cessna 208EX at Thumamah

This recent arrival of Cessna Caravan 208EX, N81169 to Saudi Arabia is a nice surprise which joins another Cessna 208 at Thumamah HZ-SBS3 operating privately.

Cessna 208 EX  c/n 208B-5000

Cessna 208 HZ-SBS3  c/n 208-00515

Redundant LET L-410 OK-MDF at Thumamah

This LET L-410 UVP OK-MDF was witnessed looking worse for ware at Thumamah with little maintenance been carried out.This aircraft arrived back in 2005 and was used for parachute drops for mainly ex-pats when general aviation activities were encouraged by the Saudi aviation authority but as usual a good thing slowly dies here mainly due to lack of promotion and knowledge within the media here.Pity!!!!

L-410 UVP  OK-MDF  c/n 820801

HZ-SCT Twin Otter

Tucked away in the Wallan Aviation hangar at Thamamah on the 8th March , was this surprise DH-6  Twin Otter which has not flown for a couple of years according to a employee at the airport.It was  used for charter work,geographic survey work as well as a camera hack aircraft for any future film work in Saudi Arabia.It was resident at Saudia hangar at Jeddah and operated by Saudia Special Flight Services initially as HZ-ATO before being re-registered and flown up to Thamamah and operated by Saudi Arabian Supreme Commission for Tourism  only to hibernate in the hangar as HZ-SCT

HZ-SCT DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 c/n 836

Saudi GA at Thumamah Airfield (updated)

Thumamah Airfield is one of  a very few airfields that allow light civil aviation to operate and fly within Saudi airspace.in the last few years the Ministry of Aviation is beginning to encourage recreational flying and 2 flying clubs were established here at Thumamah. Saudi Private Aviation and Land & Space .Also set up here is the Saudi Flight Academy which operate a mixture of DA4O and DA42NG Diamond aircraft .Thumamah Airfield is situated 70 km north of Riyadh City sited inside a wild life sanctuary (    25° 12′ 47″ N, 46° 38′ 28″ E ) or SBS co-ordinates (   25.213056, 46.641111 ).                                                                                          

Cirrus Design SR-22 G4 N999KS c/n 3507

Avtek VL-3 F-JUJY 

Gyrocopter HZ-G003

MD 900 Explorer N911AC  c/n 900-00108  was a former  Medical Saudi Red Crescent Society helicopter which as you can see is left abandoned in 3 sections and were replaced by Bell 212,s.

HZ-SBS5 

Here is a view of the Saudi Flight Academy fleet parked up on the flightline with DA40,s in the foreground and DA42NG Twin Stars in the background.

HZ-LS3 Maule MXT-7C c/n 141080 operated by Land and Space Flying Club

HZ-KME Maule M-7C c/n 251010C operated by land and Space Flying Club

I-B367 Corvus Fusion c/n  CM-11-001

HZ-LAS1 Rider M3 operated by Land and Space Flying Club

HZ-LS5 Tecnam operated by Land and Space Flying Club

HZ-ASA1 Aeroprat A-22LS operated by Land and Space Flying Club

HZ-NJ1 Cessna 172 S c/n 172S10469 operated by Wallan Flying Club and operate 2 other C.172S HZ-NJ2 and N5030B