Star Air was founded on September 1st 1987 with an initial fleet of three Fokker 27's. Over the years, it grew into a remarkable cargo airline. As such, Star Air was operating eight B767-200 and three B767-300 freighters by March 2022, the month OY-SRU was pictured on approach to Athens International. Just a few weeks later, on June 5, 2022, Star Air was rebranded to Maersk Air Cargo (a small MAERSK sticker can already be seen on the engine nacelles). Built in 1999, this airframe served with Aeroflot and Transaero, before IAI in Tel Aviv converted it to a freigther in November of 2016.

Established 1984, the University of Tennessee (UT) Medical Center LifeStar HEMS program is currently operating two EC135 and three Bell 407 helicopters from 5 bases strategially located in a circle around Knoxville. The bases and callsigns are: Morristown (UT Lifestar 1), Rockwood (UT Lifestar 2), Sevierville-Gatlinburg (UT Lifestar 3), Jacksboro (UT Lifestar 4) and Sweetwater (UT Lifestar 5). Little information is available where this brand new and stunning looking H130 will be based and which aircraft it will replace, and/or if more units are on order.

This P-180 Avanti is one of 20 aircraft operated by the Italian AF at the time of upload. In addition, the Marina Militare operates two and the Guardia Costiera one Avanti aircraft. MM62201 pictured here during a short visit to Andravida during the Iniochos 2025 exercise, is operated by the Scuola Addestramento Trasporti Aere (SATA) Multi Crew Training unit of 204° Gruppo based at Pratica die Mare. Note the additional remark "C.A.E. Multi Crew" on the fuselage, which stands for "Centro Addestramento Equipaggi Multi Crew (CAEMC)", the unit now called / renamed SATA.

In September 1975, Greece became a Hercules operator, and 741 shown here was actually the first of 12 new C-130H's delivered till May 1977. While that first batch was serialled 741 through 752, a second batch of five 2nd hand ex USAF C-130B's taken on strength as from 1992 received serials consisting of the last three digits of their former US FY numbers. 741 paid a short visit to Andravida AB during exercise Iniochos 2025 and is seen here heading back to Elefsis AB near Athens, where all Hellenic AF C-130's are based and operated by 356 MTM.

What can not be seen in this picture is the latest purpose of this helicopter: firefighting! During the VAI Verticon 2025 show, N850AR was presented with a 5000 Liter / 1320 US-Gallon watertank developped by australian company Helitak. VIH Helicopters, together with Milestone Aviation, is pioneering the use of former Oil&Gas S-92's in the firefighting role and received FAA certification for the expandable, belly-mounted tank in 2024. Thanks to the civilian certification of the S-92, the cabin can be used to transport firefighters, a privilege e.g. a civilized ex US Army UH-60 doesn't have.

As of March 2025, Air Center Helicopters - founded in 1982 - operates among others some 20 EC225 / H225 helicopters for various US Government contracts. To name a few, the US Navy uses the helis to carry out Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) of its vessels, while in 2022, the USAF selected ACH to train its Pararescuemen in offshore rescues. N576AC is a 2012 built airframe initially flying for Bristow as G-ZZSK and joined ACH in November 2018. It has seen at least two overseas deployments: one to the Bahamas in 2019 after Hurricane Dorian and the 2nd to Niger, West Africa around April of 2022.

Seen here lifting off after the Verticon 2025 show is the 1st AW169 of Parkview Samaritan. It is based in Rochester, Indiana since September 2024 and operates as "Samaritan 2". It was announced during the mentioned Verticon exhibition that Parkview ordered a 2nd AW169 for a planned delivery in the 2nd quarter of 2026. The new heli is destined to replace the current "Samaritan 1", a 1991 built AS-365N2 with c/n 6425 and registration N89SM. "Samaritan 1" is based at the Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Until recent, the Kern County Fire Department was relying on two fomer US Army UH-1's. With the introduction of this 2024 built Bell 412EPX in December of 2024, one of the old UH-1's nicknamed "Helicopter 408" (registered N408KC) was officially retired the same month. The KCFD operates out of Keene Heliport southeast of Bakersfield, California. It is believed that the 2nd UH-1 (registered N407KC), is still active and will be operated alongside the new state-of-the-art Bell 412, which is equipped with a DART "Fire Attack" water tank and snorkel.

This 2015 built S-92 is the second of four currently operated by ERA Helicopters and based at Houma. In October 2015, ERA started to operate the S-92, putting c/n 92.0271 in service as N92EH. The next three delivered, N524PB, N806AP and N145JW, are of the modified version S-92A "GWE". GWE stands for Gross Weight Expansion, increasing the MTOW from 26'500 to 27'700 lbs. As of March 2025, Sikorsky received orders for some 370 S-92's, including 23 VH-92 Patriots for the USMC and 28 CH-148 Cyclones for the Canadian Armed Forces.

In July 2024, Airbus delivered the 1st of four H160 to PHI, marking the beginning of this helicopter type's operation in the US. N672P - shown here departing the VAI Verticon 2025 Exhibition - is the 2nd production H160. After a trial, training and introduction phase of some 300 flight hours, PHI started to operate the H160 commercially for oil giant Shell on March 6, 2025, becoming the first operator worldwide to use the type for offshore missions. PHI's other H160's are registered N673P, N674P and N675P, and all four are / will be based at Houma-Terrebonne Airport.

On behalf of the University of Texas Health service, Metro Aviation operates four EC135. Strategically located around the City of Tyler, three EC135'a are based at the Hospital Helipads in Athens, Henderson and Quitman, while a 4th aircraft is kept in stand-by mode or back-up during maintenance. N912UT pictured here at dusk operates 24/7, as do the other three EC135 registered N911ET, N913ET and N914ET. N912UT was originally built for the Iraqi AF as YI-293 but never taken up, and was the last to join UT Health in March 2020.

This 1999 built helicopter first flew in Italy as I-AOLA before becoming Air Zermatt's 1st AS-350B3 in February of 2001. It served the company well for the next 24 years till being sold to Canada in February of 2025.

Of the approx 450 helicopters / aircraft Air Methods operates accross the US for HEMS and air ambulance duties, some 15 helicopters are under contract with Mercy Air. Operating from 11 bases in California and 3 bases in Nevada, Mercy Air currently uses EC135, EC145, Bell 407, Bell 412 and Bell 429 helicopters. N908KB was built in 2021 and is one of three 429's currently used by Mercy Air, the other two being N81AM (c/n 57440) and N124AM (c/n 57450).

Test registration C-GADL. Registered new to Air Zermatt in September 2023, HB-XDA is the 3rd Bell 429 to join Air Zermatt, after HB-ZSU (c/n 57067) in 2012 and HB-ZOZ (c/n 57330) in 2018. The three HEMS Bell 429's give Air Zermatt the ability to always have two ready on 24/7 stand-by, one based in Zermatt and the other one in Gampel (LSEG). Between September 1969 and January 2000, registration HB-XDA has already been applied to helicopter SA-316B Alouette III (c/n 1609), also operated by Air Zermatt.

In 2012, the Queensland Police took delivery of a 2nd hand Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger (VH-ZHP), which was joined by two Bo-105's in 2014 (VH-NVI & VH-NVK). The latter were replaced by two EC135's in 2022, the same year the Police force ordered three Bell 429, which entered service during 2024 as VH-XP7 (Polair1), VH-XP8 (Polair2) and VH-XP9 (Polair3). The 429's are operated by Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ), which also operates two EC135's in the HEMS role (VH-NVG & VH-SLQ). Polair1 is seen here approaching the SLSQ Gold Coast LifeSaver Base in Carrara, South of Brisbane.

Built new in 1986 as a Short 360 and operated by Aer Lingus Commuter as EI-BSP and swedish Holmstrom Air (as SE-KXU) till 1998, the year it was converted to version C-23B+ for the US Army. The modification consists of replacing the single fin rear section of the Short 360 with the dual fin tail / cargo ramp of the Short 330. In total, 28 civilian Short 360 were converted to C-23B+ (N148Z being the last one), each receiving a new c/n. Thirteen C-23B+ ended up with the USFS, with 10 remaining operational at the time of upload. N148Z was modified to C-23C in 2013 (avionics upgrade).

Built in 1968 as PC-6/A1-H2, delivered new to the "Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen", converted to version B1-H2 in 1970 and to B2-H2 in 1989. In August 2000, this airframe underwent another conversion (to B2-H4) and was handed over to the BMI (Bundesministerium des Inneren). The BMI did use it as OE-BIA till September 2003, the month it was passed on to the "Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung", also as OE-BIA. Finally, in April 2004, this PC-6 was integrated into the Austrian AF fleet and re-serialled 3G-EN. Still current as such at the time of upload.

Cal Fire took delivery of 23 upgraded Grumman S-2 Tracker. Completely rebuilt by Marsh Aviation in Mesa, AZ, these aircraft kept the original Grumman airframes but were equppied with new wiring, internal parts and - most important - turbine engines. Due to the extend of the rebuild, they are now considered Marsh built, and not Grumman anymore. The last aircraft were delivered in 2005, with one (registered N449DF) suffering an accident on October 7, 2014, while combating a fire in the Yosemite National Park. N445DF used to be US Navy BuNo 152345.

This 1997 built B737-300 first flew as N653SW for Southwest Airlines, who fitted it with the winglets in October 2009. Phased out by Southwest by the end of April 2017, bought by Rostrum Aviation in 2018 and in due course converted to a freighter. Leased to indonesian operator Tri-MG Airlines as from February 2021. Tri-MG was bought by Asia Cargo Airlines in August of 2021, and PK-MGZ was subsequently operated in the latter's paint scheme till it was returned to Rostrum in November 2024. Registered N653RL but stored at the time of upload.

C-GBPD was one of two CL-215 based at Yellowknife during the 2007 fire season and operated by Buffalo Airways (on behalf of the Northwest Territories Government). This aircraft was built in 1985 and has first been operated by Conair Aviation before joining Buffalo Airways in 2005. It is owned and operated by Viking Air (since 2016 the owner of the CL-215 type certificate) at the time of upload.