Geoff R.

A pretty good publicity move by SQ and the charities will gain S$2 million or more. Anybody like to guess what the cheapest economy, business and firstclass seats will eventually go for? Geoff

Gavin, thanks, I was looking in completly the wrong place. Got it now - Menara Telekom - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3115968&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 KK, you may be right but the tallest buildings (Twin Towers and KL Tower) don't have one. More buildings that seem to have helipads are: Menara Maybank - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3147137&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 Menara Dayabumi - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3145198&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 Bangunan DBKL - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3152289&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 Obviously most of these are not used except in an emergency. My original interest was really which ones are used regulalry. Geoff

I have searched a few more sites and maps and for sure there are helipads on top of: Dynasty Hotel, Jalan Ipoh - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3172033&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 Berjaya Times Sqaure - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3142059&x=1017...amp;m=a&v=2 Other possibilities look like: Menara Boustead, Jalan Raja Chulan - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3150037&x=1017...amp;m=a&v=2 Menara PNB, Jalan Tun Razak - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3157528&x=1017...amp;m=a&v=2 Bangunan Tabung Haji, Jalan Tun Razak - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3158278&x=1017...amp;m=a&v=2 Menara Citibank, Jalan Ampang - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3159786&x=1017...amp;m=a&v=2 Menara Dato' Onn/Putra World Trade Centre - http://wikimapia.org/#y=3169258&x=1016...amp;m=a&v=2 Are these and other private helipads marked on the aeronautical charts? Anyone got one to hand? Norman - Where abouts on/near Telekom Tower. I don't see any helipad, but maybe looking in the wrong place. Geoff

Are there any roof top helipads in KL other than the two ontop of the Empire Tower? Do the Empire Tower helipads get used much? Any one photographed helicopters up there? Any info appreciated. Geoff

If you are worried about the safety and accident rate of the Nuri you should be even more worried if the Mi-8/Mi-17 is selected as its replacement. While the Bomba have a good record with the Mi-17 the safety record of the Mi-8/Mi-17 elsewhere in the world is pretty poor. Remember the Mi-8 was developed at the same time as the S-61 - ie its very old Russian technology. There are only three modern medium size helicopters available. They are the NH Industries NH-90, Sikorsky S-92 and the AgustaWestland AW101. Of these only the NH-90 and AW101 are military helicopters designed for military utility roles and both have been successful. The military version of the S-92, called H-92, is just a civilian S-92 painted green. The Eurocopter EC725 is just a much updated 1960s technology Puma and the Sikorsky Black Hawk has a much smaller cabin than the Sea King, so in my view should be discounted. Malaysia has two sensible options - the 11ton NH90 or the 16ton AW101. Geoff

Lets face it Alitalia disappearring is no big loss. My experiences of flying Alitalia short haul have never been good. Poor customer service and regular delays combined with the frequent ATC and ground staff strikes in Italy make travelling regularly with Alitalia a miserable experience. When they go out of business and the staff that have helped in its downfall are unemployed there will be quite a few people celebrating. Unfortunately there are always some people who loose out who don't deserve to. Geoff

Until the investigation is completed nobody can lay the blame on the weather. Even if no fault is found with the helicopter questions like why did the crew fly into the mountain need to be considered. Was it due to shortcomings in the training system? Was the weather much worse than forecast? Why had they not climbed to clear the high ground? Blaming an accident purely on bad weather or pilot error often hides underlying problems. Geoff

MHS Aviation are due three new Sikorsky S-76C++ next month if Sikorsky deliver them on time. Maybe they will arrive in an Antonov. Geoff

These should be in Malaysia by now. Anybody seen any of them anywhere? Geoff

Yes, here goes with a few shots of mine and a couple issued by AgustaWestland. Anybody got any other shots of the LUHs? The TLDM operated two AS355F1 Twin Ecureuils (9M-SSV and 9M-SSW) on lease from MHS for a while before they got the AS355SN Fennecs. Being civil variants they did not have the large radome or other equipment that is fitted to the AS555SN Fennecs. A picture of one is shown below. Anyone got a good picture of one while on lease to the Navy? Geoff

The A119 Koala should be for Innovest Aviation. It was announced last year they had ordered one. Geoff

The TLDM has six of them serials M502-1 to M502-6 based at Lumut. They are used for training and comms flying and have been in service at least four years now. Geoff

Ooops I did mean to type TLDM! Geoff

Air Britain News lists the following aircraft recently registered or pending in Malaysia 9M-BIG Socata TB-9 1534 9V-BIG, F-OHDI Gregory Ang Teck Haut 05-07 9M-LLU MBB Bo.105C S-??? Layang-Layang Aerospace 07 9M-MQP B737-46J 28038 MAS ex N380BG, D-AYAB, D-ABAI 05-07 9M-MQQ B737-4YO 24915 MAS ex SX-BKL, 9M-MJT, OO-VDO, 9M-MJP 05-07 9M-NAJ Piper PA-34 34-???? Link Aero technologies 05-07 9M-NRA Diamond DA40D D4.279 OE-VPT 07R 9M-NRB Diamond DA40D D4.280 OE-VPU 07R 9M-NRC Diamond DA40D D4.282 07R 9M-NRD Diamond DA40D D4.283 OE-VPU 07R 9M-NRE Diamond DA40D D4.284 OE-VPU 07R 9M-NRG Diamond DA40D D4.286 OE-VPT, OE-VPU 07R 9M-NRH Diamond DA40D D4.287 07R 9M-NRI Diamond DA40D D4.293 OE-VPU 07R 9M-TSA Diamond DA42 42.237 OE-UDX, OE-VPY HM Aerospace 07R 9M-TSB Diamond DA42 42.240 HM Aerospace 07R 9M-TSC Diamond DA42 42.236 OE-UDO, OE-VPY HM Aerospace 07R 9M-TSD Diamond DA40D D4.261 HM Aerospace 07R 9M-TSE Diamond DA40D D4.275 OE-VPU HM Aerospace 07R 9M-___ AgustaWestland A119 Koala 14524 N39TG 05-07 Looks like Diamond Aircraft are doing good business. Geoff

Share you helicopter pictures here - old or new, civil or military, don't worry about the quality. To start the ball rolling here are a few of my TUDM helicopter shots. AS555SN Fennec Wasp HAS Mk.1 Super Lynx 300 Does anyone have photos of the an Air Force Agusta A109 or the Police Bell 206L LongRanger before it crashed in 1996? Geoff

Here goes with somemore shots AgustaWestland AW139 of the Irish Air Corps Antonov Mirage BA609 titltrotor Cessna bizjet Mig Airbus tanker A380 take-off for flying display A380 BA609 tiltrotor in airplane mode EADS Orka UAV AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 for the South African Navy Enjoy Geoff

Here goes with a few shots taken at Le Bourget last week AgustaWestland A119 Koala of Ecopetrol AgustaWestland AW139 100th aircraft for Senior Taxi Aereo in Brazil Eurocopter EC225 for China Rescue Eurocopter EC155 for operator in India Cessna business jet Bell/Agusta BA609 in the flying display Diamond DA42 Twinstar More to follow Geoff

Forget the airliners the real star of the show is the BA609 tiltrotor - the first time it has been to a major show and it will be in the flying display. I'll be there. Anyone else on this list going to be there? Geoff

Tamizi, Thanks for posting the helicopter shots - the more the better. Geoff

I have been through Heathrow three times in the last 5 weeks (Once each T1, T2 and T3) and the queue for security screening has taken about 5 to 15 minutes. Heathrow claim they have recruited extra staff and passengers should not normally have to wait for more than 10 minutes. In the first few weeks after the security scare queuing of 1 hour was quite common. I caught an SQ flight with only 15 minutes to spare having arrived at the door of the terminal 3 hours before departure one week after the security scare. The joys of air travel! Geoff

Some cockpit shots from http://pilot.strizhi.info Geoff

A bit off topic, but your memory of the Falklands Conflict is a bit different from mine. The Argentinian forces exploited the lack of Airborne Early Warning (Gannets retired and before the Sea King AEW Mk.2 came in) to strike British shipping and for sure some of the Argentinian pilots demonstrated extreme bravery and skill - call it tactics if you wish. However, if you compare attack/fighter losses, Argentinia lost 11 Dagger As, 2 Mirage IIIEAs and 22 Skyhawks not to mention 25 Pucaras during the conflict compared to the UK losing 10 Harriers (2 lost in mid air collision, 5 lost to ground fire, 1 slid off deck in extreme weather, 2 lost due to technical problems) ie not a single loss in air-to-air combat. The Brits were numerically at a massive aircraft dissadvantage as well. Hardly an ass kicking. Oh and by the way the Brits won. Geoff

Have a look at this link for some photos of the ceremony. http://pilot.strizhi.info/2007/05/26/3705 Shows aircraft M52-02 in several photos. Geoff

Steve It was from Penzance to St Marys and back on 24 March 2004 in G-BFFJ. Are you flying the S-61N now? Geoff

Here goes my list - nearly 400 flights with nearly 50 airlines- Most flown in type is a 747 with 33 flights. Air Asia - A320, B737 Air France - A300, A320, B737 Air Grand Canyon - C182 Air Inter - A320 Air Portugal - A310 Air Spain - DC-8 Alitalia - A321, MD-80 America West - B757 American Airlines - B727, B757, B767, B777, DC-10 ASA - EMB120, Dash 7 Bristow Helicopters - S-76 Brit Airways ATR42 British Airways - A319, A320, ATP, B737, B747, B757, B767, B777, DC-10, EMB145, HS748, L1011, Trident British Caledonian - BAC 1-11 British Interntaional Helicopters - S-61 British Midland - B737 Brymon Airways - Dash 7, Dash 8, BAC 1-11 Canada 3000 - B757 Chalks - Mallard Comair - EMB120 Dan Air - BAC 1-11 Delta - B727, B737, B757, B767, DC-9, L1011, MD-11 DLT - EMB120 Emirates - A330 Etihad - A340 GB Airways - B737 Gill Airways - F100 Gulf Air - A320, A330 Iberia - A320, B727 Inex Adria - DC-9 Jersey European - Shorts 360 Jet Airways - B737 Kenmore Air - Beaver KLM - B737 Lloyd International - Britannia LOT - B737, EMB175 Lufthansa - A300, A320, A321, B727, B737, DC-10 Malaysian Airlines - A330, B737, B747 Netherlines SF340 NLM - F-27 Orion Airways - B737 RFG - ATR42 Singapore Airlines - B747, B777 Skywest - Metro TAT - F-28, F100 Thai Airways - A300, 747 US Airways - A330, B737, B757, B767 Virgin - A340, B747 Also flown in a B-17 bomber owned by Evergreen Airlines - Does that count? Geoff