Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Portuguese Navy Lynx 20000 Flight Hours in 20 Years

That's right on past 14th. the Portuguese Navy Lynx flew it's 20000th hour right in the same year of it's 20th anniversary. To some this may no appear a great achievement but looking behind and find a squadron composed by only 5 units usually 1 at full repair a year and all economical problems affecting our country, it really is an achievement to celebrate.
Photo: Carvalho - N.R.P. "D. Francisco de Almeida" 

Photo: Filipe Cardoso 

 Photo: Filipe Cardoso

Photo: Filipe Cardoso 

Photo: Filipe Cardoso

Most important is that until this day the Portuguese Navy Helicopter fleet haven't suffered a single accident resulting the loss of people and/or material, still maintaining a clean accident record and hoping for that to continue for a long time. Certainly this record is a good proof of the professionalism and dedication of all the operatives of that unit that continue to work daily to keep the spirit of the Portuguese Naval Aviation at it's top as it started by Admiral Gago Coutinho and Commander Sacadura Cabral who crossed the South Atlantic from Portugal to Brasil in 1922. For those who have historic interest on this subject one of the airplanes used during that Atlantic Crossing can now be seen in the Portuguese Navy Museum in Lisbon.

Fairey III-D N.º17 - 'Santa Cruz'

Admiral Gago Coutinho (first) and Commander Sacadura Cabral (behind)
Photo: Museu de Marinha, Portugal

2 comments:

Rui Sousa, Madeira Spotters said...

Belas imagens!

Filipe Cardoso said...

Muito Obrigado pelas que fui eu a tirar Rui, aproveito para dizer que a primeira foto referienciada como sendo do CAB T Carvalho foi tirada duranta a missão de apoio humanitário ao M/V Dover libertado horas antes do poder de piratas Somalis duranta a missão Ocean Shield 2011 a com a fragata N.R.P. D. Francisco de Almeida. Esta missão teve o empenhamento do Helicóptero do destacamento Fénix Flight (o meu) :) para a realização de passagem de mantimentos para a tripulação através de carga suspensa. Nessa foto é perceptível a proximidade com as lanças e cabos das gruas do M/V Dover que exigiram dos pilotos um esforço redobrado por levar a bom porto a sua missão, a mais nobre de todas; Ajudar o Próximo.

O M/V Dover seguiu escoltado até segurança do alto mar com a D. Francisco de Almeida e daí sempre monitorizado até ao porto seguro de Salalah, Omã.

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