IC: That is a fantastic shot! :ok:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/1...d7676435_b.jpg
Macedonian Air Force Mi-8T 305 flying near the town of Štip in Macedonia on 18th October 2013 (Photo: Filip Vidinovski)

Not something you see every day. Indeed, the Macedonian Air Force only came into existence in 1992. The Mi-8 seen here trailing the flag of the Macedonian Republic.

Many thanks to Filip for permission to use his photo.

Those would both make brilliant calendar shots. Can you not send them onto Brilliant Stuff for inclusion?

Wing it across if you can.:ok:

Wilco guys. (At least Filip's photo).

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/1...aef8b9bf_b.jpg
Swedish Air Force AS332M1 (Hkp10) Super Puma 10410-90 as seen at Linköping's Malmen Airport in Sweden on 3rd June 2012 (Photo: Magnus Fridsell)

Our special thanks to Magnus Fridsell for this photo. :ok:

That is a fantastic picture!

Nice one John! :ok: Heli1 'at work'? :p

NMH: Magnus did indeed come up with a pleasing shot and, though the sunlight seems to be coming from off the larboard bow, the image exposure still allows us to see all the detail. Btw, it looks as though the skin at the very bottom of the tail has become slightly wrinkled .. or is it perhaps just a trick of the light?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g.../HeliSanta.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/1...0ba3763f_b.jpg

I do so hate it when they spoil a perfectly good helicopter image with so called 'models' - its just so frustrating!

For instance, in this photo I had wanted to highlight the existence of the two cables which seem to be attached to the skid cross-tubes? Does anyone know what they are for?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T...ley+smiley.png

If that's a real question; the fwd pair of cables for the sling load system:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/5...car+lift+4.JPG

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/5...car+lift+3.jpg

Okay got it!

Similar to the 105 then .. the whole arrangement is 'suspended' like the Ecureuil?

Wonder why a SARbird (with winch) would be fitted with hook.

The hook arrangement on the BK, it is easily installed/removed?

It's not necessarily a SAR BK, but why wouldn't a winch machine have a hook as well? The AS332 you posted has both, many machines in Oz have both. No, the hook removal/installation takes an engineer an hour or two to achieve.

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/5095-2/IMG_5920.JPG

The sling load explanation above....is that code for a bra?

Maybe the lovely young lassie is their crew person. Could make being winched aboard quite a pleasant experience.

Rare Photos
 

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R...ow+EC135+7.png

A rare shot of one of only two EC135's operated by Bristow (oh .. a very long time ago) and which were used, among other things, for surveying sites which would eventually be used as windfarms. Yes .. of course its a spoof!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...ina-copter.jpg

Chinaman 1: "I say sir, that's a charming helicopter you have there!"

Chinaman 2: "Yes, that's what I thought too."

Pakistan
 

The dream of a 12-year-old Grade-4 Pakistani student, Naima Gul, resident of Mingora in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan came true when she became the first female pilot (honorary) of the Pakistan Army Aviation Unit when the Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani granted her wish.

Naima Gul wrote a letter to the Chief of the Army Staff who then approved the induction of Naima (who suffers from thalassaemia) as the first female pilot of No.9 Squadron of the Pakistan Army, according to a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate of the Pakistan Army.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-L...%252C+2011.png
Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik awarding an enrollment certificate to Miss Naima Gul who was inducted into the Pakistan Army Aviation as an honorary pilot for one day on 22nd March 2011

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...their+Lama.png
12 year old Naima gets ready to fly in a Lama belonging to No.9 Squadron of the Pakistan Army

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H...sqn+as350b.jpg
Pakastan Army SA315B Lama No.704 as photographed near Rawalpindi on 5th November 2008 (Photo: Rogier Westerhuis) Photo taken from an AS350B Ecureuil of No.8 Squadron Pakistan Army

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...rmy+AS350B.JPG
Pakistan Army AS350B such as the one used to photograph Lama No.704 above

Fab stuff!:ok:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BapbYo1CQAAJ14T.jpg:large
Royal Navy Sea King from HMS Gannet conducting a winch training exercise

Fog Over London

Tweeted today by the Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbOAbDoIcAE3CxI.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbNpXCxIEAAYKlV.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbNiJrCIQAA0Z51.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BbNfI-qIcAE190v.jpg:large

https://twitter.com/MPSinthesky

http://www.eurocopter.com/publicatio...e%201%20MB.JPG

EC135P2+ & MI6
 

Together on the same picture :}:):ok:

http://s26.postimage.org/8py03zd3p/EC135_and_MI6.jpg

JR

Don't you hate it when you get called out on a fire attack mission, only to discover that some yobbo has 'tagged' your Hook:

http://i.imgur.com/RG4LyPU.jpg

(Or is this a particularly theological crew? Psalms 80:2, perhaps: "Awaken your might; come and save us.")

(Or have the Top Gear guys been on another Deep South dare...? :E)

I/C