Founded in 1952 and based in Curug just west of Jakarta, STPI (Sekolah Tinggi Penerbangan Iindonesia) is Indonesia's biggest civil aviation college. It is tasked (by the government) to train aviation specialists like pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers and airport managers, to name a few. Some 75 fixed-wing aircraft and 5 helicopters are part of the fleet of training aircraft. This PA-28 has been built in 1986 and delivered to STPI in September 1987, and is still current at the time of upload. Other aircraft operated by STPI are Cessna 172, TB-10 and a few twin engine PA-34 for multi-engine- and IFR training.

Built in 1981, this Bell 412 was first registered as N2070E, ZS-HKG and A2-HKG before Air Zermatt lay hands on it in April 1987. For the next ten years, it flew as HB-XRP before being sold to Air Green in Italy in February 1997, becoming I-AIVO. Unfortunately, this beautiful helicopter crashed in bad weather near Air Green's maintenance base in Cafasse (Torino), killing the two occupants.

First ever visit of a TAROM airplane to Bern, bringing romanian football team "CFR 1907 - Cluj" to play against YB "Young Boys". Great to see this 2001 built bird coming in for landing in stunning evening light. Carries the Skyteam-Livery since March 2011 and is one of four B737-700 Series operated by Romania's State carrier, besides four B737-300, four B737-800, four Airbus A318 and (you guessed right) four ATR-42's. Also currently operated are some 10 ATR-72's. Seems an odd fleet number....

In August 2019, the "Kommunalförbundet Svenskt Ambulansflyg" (KSA) ordered six PC-24 in the fully equipped air ambulance configuration. KSA is a new organisation formed, owned and financed by all 21 regions of Sweden with the goal to provide aeromedical care across Sweden as from October 2021. HB-VVE pictured here is the 4th aircraft currently undergoing tests and crew training, and will become SE-RVD after delivery. The other five are: c/n 186 (HB-VVB > SE-RVA), c/n 189 (HB-VVC > SE-RVB), c/n 193 (HB-VVD > SE-RVC), c/n 210 (HB-VVF > SE-RVE) and c/n 211 (HB-VVG > SE-RVF).

Built in 2015 with test registration N655GA. Delivered on December 22, 2015, this airframe is the 2nd of four G650's operated by the Kuwait Government (ICAO code KUG). Additional aircraft operated by the same entity are a Gulfstream V, one A319, an A320, two A340 plus a Boeing 737-900 and a B747-800. Rare visitor to Switzerland's capital Bern.

The Royal Malaysian Navy - locally know as the "Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia - TLDM" operates Westland Lynx and AS-355 TwinStars (Fennec) helicopters. This one had test registration ZJ904 applied and was the first of six delivered as from 2003.

Taken on the SAFAIR ramp, this 1974 built Hercules has just been bought from Sao Tome based Transafrik when pictured in April 2005. SAFAIR has been one of the biggest civilian L-100 operators and put it's Her'sk to work where ever this rugged plane was needed. Hence, SAFAIR Herks wore many different liveries, but probably most "all white with UN titles" to battle crisis in Africa. This one started as ZS-RSF (with Safair), then to NWT in Canada as C-FNWF and back to ZS-RSF. Next to Southern Air Transport as N904SJ, then to S9-CAI in 1997, before returning to ZS-RSF again sometimes in 2005.

Another -200 Series 737 ending up in Papua hauling cargo after a previous long life flying with different airlines around the world. Built in 1970, it started off with Lufthansa as D-ABDE, then as N303XV and N800WA in the US, before joining the Air Fast Indonesia fleet as PK-OCI in February of 1993. With Cardig Air as PK-CDA from 2006, bought by Jayawijaya in 2013. Withdrawn from use by now. Registration and aircraft name now assigned to B737-300 c/n 23499 / 1242.

Twelve EC725's (now rebranded H225M) were ordered by Malaysia in 2010, with deliveries starting in 2011. They are assigned to 5 Squadron based in Labuan and Squadron 10 out of Kuantan. Used in the CSAR / SAR role, plus for general transport duties of course. The C/N of this airframe is not known, but must be in the 28XX range, as the first TUDM EC725 (M55-01) has c/n 2817 and the last - M55-12 - carries c/n 2887.

Indonesia's Air Force TNI-AU was the 1st export customer of the Korean built KT-1 and received 17 units. A few have been lost unfortunately, including the one pictured here on December 7, 2020 during approach to Adisutjipto Air Base in Yogjakarta (where the fleet is based). Apparently, Indonesia ordered three more KT-1's in 2018. The first a/c, delivered as from 2006, wore a light grey paint, but soon afterwards the TNI-AU started to apply this red/white livery with big black registration letters. All TNI-AU KT-1's are now assigned to the Jupiter Aerobatic Team.

SATA currently uses six DHC-8 series aircraft to link the nine island's forming the Azores. Those aircraft are registered CS-TRB through CS-TRG. The Dash 8 fleet consists of two short -200 and four longer -400 aircraft, giving the company a perfect mix to adapt to the inter-island passenger demand. CS-TRC was built in 1997 and has previously been registered as C-FWBB (Bombardier), N347PH (Horizin Air) and C-FXBZ. Joint SATA in July of 2009.

This 1986 built Pilatus Porter was the last of seven delivered to the Polis Diraja Malaysia / Malaysian Police. They had c/n 849 through 855 and registrations 9M-PSE through 9M-PSK assigned. While two have been written off (cn 850/9M-PSF & 854/9M-PSJ), the other five are still going strong. Other PDM assets are Cessna C208 Caravan and Beech 200 King Air aircraft, plus AS-355 TwinStar helicopters. Photographed at the PDM's aviation branch HQ at the small airport Sungai Besi close to downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Since 1983, a total of 285 CN235's have been built by CASA in Spain and IPTN-Nurtanio in Indonesia. While CASA - now Airbus Military - completed 215 units, IPTN assembled 70 airframes, mainly for the Indonesian armed forces, but also for some other asian air arms like Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Brunei. Pakistan, the UAE and lately Senegal in West-Africa also became IPTN customers. Well visible on this 2014 built airframe are the winglets, introduced to the MPA version. P-862 is based in Surabaya and is one of five operated by the TNI-AL. It has since been re-serialled to P-8303.

KLM Cargo took delivery of three B747-400 freighters in early 2003, the other two being PH-CKB and PH-CKC. All are still operational at the time of upload, unlike the Pax and Combi versions, which have been retired in 2020 due to the Corona crisis. Taken from the observation deck at JNB.

Built in 1981 as one of the last Buffalos, this airframe carried test registration C-GDAU before being delivered to the Royal Oman Police Air Wing in June of 1981 (becoming A4O-CI). By June 1994 however, it was back in Canada as C-FSKM where it was "civilized" by Aero Support and afterwards went to Shuttle Air Cargo in Kenya as 5Y-GAA (December 1995 till February 2004). Flew for Arctic Sunwest between 2004 and 2012. Sold to Summit Air still keeping the C-FASY reg till around 2015 before being registered in Malawi as 7Q-STA, flying relief work missions for the ICRC in South Sudan. Stored by now?

Built in 2002, this airframe served with Canal Air as N397U till April 2011, when it became another EMS helicopter for BC Ambulance, operated and maintained by HeliJet. Waiting here for another EMS mission on a cold and rainy winter day.

It took me 3 years to get permission to photograph this sole Madagascar AF Super Rallye, about the history of which I was not able to find much despite a big research effort (so any information would be appreciated). Also, I have never seen it flying between 2002 and 2005 (when I stayed in Madagascar), even though the batch behind the cockpit says "Sécurisation", revealing the aircraft's main role would be restoring law and order, mainly by fighting "cow chiefs", a common and huge problem in remote places of Madagascar. Fate of this airframe is unknown.

For a few years starting around 2008, Wamena airport became the "Eldorado" for BAE-146 cargo airplanes. That was after the Trigana and Merpati F-27's were phased out and before the Boeing 737's were allowed to land in this remote airport. PK-VTA is a 1984 built airframe and flew in Indonesia as from September 4, 2009. It had previously been registered in the UK as G-5-01, G-DEBN and G-MABR, in the US as N461AP, N568BA and N146AP, in Mexico as XA-RST and in Spain as EC-971 and EC-GEP. Left the Manunggal fleet in early 2014 to become RP-C8538 with Sky Jet Airlines in the Philippines.

In high demand of transport capacity, Indonesia took over nine of the twelve ex-RAAF surplus C-130H's (of which the first four were donated). They carry TNI-AU serials A-1330 through A-1338, and while most TNI-AU Herk's have a camouflage livery, A-1330 through A-1335 actually got this overall grey paint scheme during refurbishment in Australia (prior delivery to Indonesia). All have now been repainted to the camo style so I was lucky to catch this one while it was still grey. It is assigned to the 3rd (new) C-130 Skadron Udara 33 at Makassar, along with A-1315, A-1323, A-1330 and A-1338.

A total of 3 AW139 were procured by the Malaysian Coast Guard, officially known as the "Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia" or "Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency" (MMEA). All are based at Kuala-Lumpur's Subang airport and supplement three AS-365 Dauphin helicopters and two Canadair CL-215 fixed-wing aircraft. With a total of just 8 aircraft, the agency is relatively small, considering how much coastline and watersurface they have to cover. Picture taken during a crew training flight shortly after the AW139's were delivered to Malaysia in early 2011.