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Newsletter 12
Spring 2006
Updated on 25Feb2006
Published by the Hawker Association
for the Members.
Contents © Hawker Association

Contents
Editorial
Arado crescent criticisms
Association ties
Beyond the Harrier
Christmas lunch
Col. John Driscoll
Comet to Hawk
Double testimonial
Hawk news
Hawker people news
Indian Harrier
Kingston heritage project
Members
News of members
Not boring at all
Programme 2006
RAF Harrier story
RN CVF carrier and F-35b
Sea Harrier finale
Sea Fury racers
Sopwith stories
Thomas Allan Collinson
Who's who?  
Thanks to BAE Systems' "Hawk News" and "Response" for the following items.

The first of six Royal Bahraini Air Force Hawk Mk129s made its first flight in August 2005, nine months ahead of schedule. The Mk129 is powered by the Adour Mk95, the first to incorporate FADEC (full authority digital engine
control). The RBAF aircraft will equip an air training wing which will give flying training to new recruits who will progress to F-16s.

At the end of July, erstwhile Dunsfold test pilot
 Paul Hopkins, then Chief Test Pilot at Warton, made the maiden flight of the first of two RAF Hawk Mk 128 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs), serial number ZK010. Paul, retired from a twenty year test flying career, is now Hawk Mk 128 Project Director.


HAWK NEWS

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The Indian Hawk Mk 132 AJT programme is
 gathering momentum. To remind readers, there will be 24 aircraft built in the UK and ferried to India, 6 part manufactured at Brough and shipped to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for completion, and 36 manufactured by HAL from raw materials supplied by BAES. In all 3,000 assembly tools and 39 sets of raw materials, each containing 130,000 line items, are to be provided. The first of four major shipments was despatched in late 2005.

The Royal Australian Air Force's fleet of 33 Hawk Mk 127 Lead-In Fighter (LIF) aircraft achieved 30,000 flying hours in September 2005. The aircraft were delivered to the RAAF in 2000-2001 and are operated by 76 Squadron at Williamtown, New South Wales, and 79 Squadron at Pearce, Western Australia.

BAES's Australian Military Air Support business is providing The Royal Saudi Air Force with an upgraded aircrew training system for their three Hawk and PC-9 systems; two are in Saudi Arabia and one is at Warton.

Our old friend G-HAWK, now known only as ZA101, has been flying from Warton with a pointed tip to its long nose and a bare metal, but unpolished, finish. Rumour has it that it is engaged in some kind of 'low observables' research.