Photo safari: Chasing the bird (Air Force One, NATO summit 2025)

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Yes, it is Air Force One! 

The following days saw extra flights to Schiphol for the NATO summit. First a US Marine Corps KC-130J dropping off some more vehicles followed by the US president and his entourage the following day. 

The US president flies aboard a modified Boeing 747-200 designated VC-25A by the US Air Force. When the US president is on board, it uses the call sign Air Force One. 

The US Air Force has a fleet of two VC-25As and they usually operate together with the second VC-25A hosting past of the presidents entourage. This time however, it was a US Air Force Boeing 757, known as a C-32A by the service, that was used for this task. 

Somehow it just feels wrong without a tail number

Click on any photo to enlarge

Mission in Malaysia - Part 3: LIMA day 2

When we arrived at the fence this morning everything was wet, we apparently just missed a huge downpour. With the runway still wet the take-off of the F/A-18D was spectacular, as was the high-speed pass. 

The day would largely go the same as yesterday. The Hornet opening the show, the opening gambit formations, the Flanker and Hornet solo demonstrations and the Jupiter team perfecting their demo. We had better luck with the weather today, I am quite happy with the shots taken today.

After the displays it was bank to the runway to catch air show arrivals. Not everything turned up today but that was okay as we had a few more days to go. And the Russians? Word on the street was that they were still in Novosibirsk.

After a good day's work we decided to visit the hotel pool for a quick swim, followed by a walk to the beach where we were entertained by the local fire breathers.

Mission in Malaysia - Part 2: LIMA day 1

After a short but good night's sleep we steered the scooter towards the airport for the first day at the fence.  We chose a small road opposite the runway and static area. First to depart was a single F/A-18D Hornet, this Hornet would blast over the airport at low level and high speed, dropping flares. A spectacular sight!

After the Hornet display it was time for the 'opening gambit', a display with a helicopter formation, a fighter formation, a trainer formation and a transport formation. This also included a fine Eurocopter Cougar duo display and a surprise visit from the solo Hornet. Now the weather wasn't playing ball so I'm just going to share a few shots from today.

After the opening gambit is was time for solo displays from Su-30MKM Flankers and F/A-18D Hornets but these declined to fly today. The Jupiter team from Indonesia flying South Korean built KT-1B trainer aircraft saved the day so to speak, performing their routine. After this display we relocated to the other side of the airport for better light as we were about to get backlit aircraft on our current spot. 

Our new position was a perfect spot for shooting landing aircraft, we stayed here for the rest of the day. Today saw no extra arrivals for the static show, we were hoping tomorrow would bring some exciting aircraft for the static display. We didn't know what to expect, but word on the street was that the Russians were on their way and now at Novosibirsk. The weather had been so-so for most of the day so we called it quits after a few hours on this spot. Next stop was the swimming pool in our hotel, followed by a walk to the beach for food and drinks. Not a bad way to end my first full day here!

Mission in Malaysia - Part 1: Departure

LIMA 2025

The Lankawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition, LIMA for short, has been on my 'to do' list for a while now. This air show offers some spectacular flying, participants you won't see in the west often and Lankawi Island offers more than just this air show.

This year the stars aligned. With enough days in my schedule available and my buddy Hans joining me, our mission to Malaysia was a 'go'!

Managing expectations

In the weeks leading up to LIMA there was little to no news about participating nations and aircraft. The Malaysian Air Force, Navy and Army would be there and I was hoping for the Chinese Air Force display team which usually participates. Anything else I was happy with.

When the organisation finally released a list of participants the Chinese weren't on it. A big bummer. However the Indians would send their display team, just like the Russians and the Indonesians. I'd seen the Indians and Russians before, but they are amongst the more unusual teams so hey, not bad! Countries like Brunei, Canada, Italy, Singapore and the United States would send participants for the static display too which again was not bad at all. So I was looking forward to a good and varied air show.

My goal was to see the air show rehearsals on the final days before the show and to attend the show itself on Monday, media day. Afterwards Hans and I would travel to Alor Setar where a lot of the aircraft doing the flying display would operate from. I booked a Wednesday evening KLM flight to Kuala Lumpur and from there a flight to Lankawi, arriving Thursday in the early evening. Hans would fly a few days ahead of me as he wanted to explore the tourist attractions Lakawi had to offer. 

Travelling light

So what gear would I bring to Malaysia? I wanted to travel light so I opted for my trusty Canon EOS 5DsR with my Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lenses. I brought a Canon EOS 90D as a back up camera. These would fit my Crumpler camera bag with room to spare.

Onwards and upwards

By now it was time to board the train to Schiphol.

After an uneventful flight to Kuala Lumpur (it was Thursday by now) it was time for the final hop to Lankawi. Taxiing out the weather looked ominous...

I made it to Lankawi without difficulty. In the last light I got my first glimpse of the air show participants on the main ramp. Hans was waiting for me outside the terminal. Now onwards for a full plate of nasi and a good beer.

At the fence: Leeuwarden Air Base

Vliegbasis Leeuwarden, or Leeuwarden Air Base, is currently one of the three Main Operating Bases of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht or Royal Netherlands Air Force. As of now Leeuwarden houses 306 squadron flying MQ-9B Reaper unmanned aircraft and 322 squadron operating F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft. 

Visiting 313 Squadron F-35A F-037 taxies towards the runway.

Leeuwarden was host to exercise Ramstein Flag recently. During Ramstein Flag, units from Sweden, Finland, Germany, France and the United States also operated from Leeuwarden. Reason enough for me to pay the base a visit.

Luftwaffe EF-2000 31+45 coming in to land.

EF-2000 30+88 inbound for landing.

A Swedish Air Force JAS-39D Gripen inbound.

The French sent their Rafales, like Rafale B 359. 

USAFE sent some of their F-35's from Lakenheath.

The Fins flew four F/A-18C's from Leeuwarden today.

Last but not least, F-35A F-013 from based 322 Squadron.

Aerial firefighting: 48 hours at the Los Angeles fires

It is Sunday, January 12th, 02:22 hours local time in Los Angeles. The Palisades and Eaton fires are still raging. All weekend all kinds of aircraft have been flying missions dropping water and fire retardants on the raging fires. 

S-70i N482DF at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

So this is a different blog post than most. I've been monitoring the aerial firefighting response this weekend via the ADS-B website whilst listening to SOCAL airspace traffic via LiveATC.net. Combining data from both I've managed to list some of the deployed aircraft, their callsigns and the airfields they operate from. As you can imagine, this is quite a big operation and I'm sure there are many more aircraft deployed than the ones I noted this weekend. If a callsign is between brackets than it is shown on ADS-B but I haven't been able to confirm it via LiveATC.

The photographs I've used to illustrate this blog post are all mine, taken in California between 2018 and 2022. The maps are courtesy of Cal Fire.

The Palisades fire

The Palisades fire, image courtesy of Cal Fire

Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport is the airfield most helicopters and light aircraft operate from. I've noted the following aircraft:

A.139 N302FD (FIRE2) to Van Nuys night operations

A.139 N303FD (FIRE3) to Van Nuys night operations

AT-602 N609TA tanking water at Encino Reservoir

B.407 N407GH Helicopter 407GH operating from Santa Monica by the 14th

B.407 N447GH

B.407 N484AS

B.407 N707AH Helicopter 7AH relocating to Santa Ynez 13th

B.412 N412VC

B.429 N491NC Helicopter 1NC night operations

EH-1H N491DF at Hemet Ryan Airport on July 21st, 2018

EH-1H N491DF/620 Cal Fire 914 flight 13th

EH-1H N497DF being worked on at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

EH-1H N497DF/914 Cal Fire 914 flight 13th arrival from Porterville Municipal Airport 11 January 

CH-47F 10-08079 (Guard 801) 11th Schoener 16 13th

CH-47 N238PJ tanking water at Encino Reservoir and Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N116 Helicopter 116

UH-60M 17-20931 (Guard 831) single mission, departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

UH-60M 17-20933 Guard 833 single mission, departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

UH-60M 20-21168 Guard 830 departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

S-70A N190LA/19 at Whiteman Airport on May 9th, 2022

S-70A N190LA possibly based elsewhere

S-70i N451DF/613 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica

S-70i N478DF/605 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N479DF/602 Cal Fire 602 relocating to Santa Ynez 13th tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N482DF at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-70i N482DF/601 (Cal Fire 601) day and night operations

UH-60 N534VG Helicopter 534VG

UH-60 N60VC

UH-60 N603PG tanking water at Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N604PG tanking water at Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N605CK Helicopter 605CK

UH-60 N70VC

UH-60 N80BH Helicopter 80BH tanking water at Encino Reservoir

UH-60 N82BH Helicopter 82BH

UH-60 N83BH Helicopter 83BH tanking water at Encino Reservoir

S-70i N822LA/22 at Whiteman Airport on May 9th, 2022

S-70i N822LA possibly based elsewhere

UH-72A 11-72200 Guard 72200 to Santa Monica 13th 

K-Max N674TH Helicopter 674TH

S-61 N161CG tanking water at Encino Reservoir, from Van Nuys

S-64 N7095B/95B

OV-10A N414DF/140 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

OV-10A N414DF/140 Cal Fire 140 12th  from Palisades, from Hemet for fuel

Channel Islands ANGS

Channel Islands ANGS is the home base of the 146th Air Wing of the California Air National Guard. One of the missions of the 146th AW is fire fighting, for this they are equipped with the second  generation Modular Aerial Fire Fighting System (MAFFS II). If a Hercules is fitted with a MAFFS II unit it carries the number of that unit as a code in dayglow orange on the fuselage and tail of the aircraft. 

January 11th saw the arrival of several C-130H Hercules aircraft from other ANG units fitted with the MAFFS II fire fighting system plus support aircraft, augmenting the fleet at Channel Islands. 

C-130H 92-0548 coded 8 at Reno-Tahoe on May 5th, 2022

C-130H 92-0548 (MAFFS8) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-0553 (MAFFS9) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1531 (MAFFS2) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1537 (TETON37) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1538 (MAFFS3)

C-130H 92-3021 (SUMIT21) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport and departed on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 93-7311 (ROLER11) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 94-7315 (MAFFS5)

C-130J-30 01-1461 MAFFS4

C-130J-30 06-1467 coded 4 at Channel Islands ANGB on May 8th, 2022

C-130J-30 06-1467 MAFFS6

Edwards AFB

Be.200 N801NA (NASA801) 13th pattern work over the Palisades fire area at 20,000 feet, afterwards to Eaton fire and RTB Edwards

General William J. Fox Field Airport

AC.690 N108SA

BAe-146 N471NA/41 Tanker 41

C-130 N462DF/122 Cal Fire 122 to Ramona Airport

DHC-8 N988AC/182 Tanker 182 to Santa Maria Public Airport

DHC-8 N989AC/181 Tanker 181

S-2T N424DF/83 Tanker 83

S-2T N426DF/88 taking off from McClellan at February 6th, 2018

S-2T N426DF/88 to San Bernardino and back to Fox 

S-2T N439DF/74 hangared at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N439DF/74 Tanker 83 flight

S-2T N442DF/94 at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N442DF/94

S-2T N444DF/75 hangared at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N444DF/75 Tanker 95 flight

S-2T N448DF/95 departing McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N448DF/95 Tanker 95

S-64 N600HX/0HK

Hemet Ryan Airport

OV-10A N414DF/140 being washed at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

OV-10A N414DF/140 Cal Fire 140 on 11th RTB Palisades to Hemet. On 12th from Hemet to Palisades to Camarillo for fuel

OV-10A N418DF/340 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

OV-10A N418DF/340 (Cal Fire 340) in holding pattern at San Bernardino and RTB

S-2T N431DF/78 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N431DF/78 RTB just after take off

Ramona Airport

S-2T N428DF/91 testing an engine at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N428DF/91

San Bernardino

Operating from San Bernardino were the large tankers. These only flew missions on the 11th.

Beech 200 N600ML (Lead 78)

BAe-146 N476NA/12 Tanker 12

CH-47 N950CH no missions

DC-9-87 N293EA/103 Tanker 103

DC-9-87 N294EA/104 Tanker 104

DC-9-87 N297EA/107 Tanker 107

DC-10 N522AX/912 Tanker 912

DC-10 N603AX/914 Tanker 914

S-2T N426DF/88 (Cal Fire 88) from and to Fox Field on January 11th

Santa Monica Municipal Airport

In use from January 13th

B.407 N407GH Helicopter 407GH operating from Santa Monica by the 14th

S-70i N451DF/613 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica from Camarillo

S-70i N478DF/605 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica from Camarillo

Santa Ynez Airport

In use from January 13th

S-70i N479DF/602 Cal Fire 602 relocating from Camarillo 13th tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N487DF/603 (Cal Fire 603)

Van Nuys Airport

Van Nuys also houses helicopters to cover the Palisades fire. Some just visit to top up their tanks, others are TDY. A sizable fleet of TV helicopters also operates from Van Nuys, however these were not logged at this time.

A.139 N302FD (FIRE2) from Camarillo

A.139 N303FD (FIRE3) from Camarillo

A.139 N304FD (FIRE4)

B.505 N307FD night operations

CH-47 N42CU/47 tanking water at Encino Reservoir and night operations

CH-47 N43CU/55 tanking water at Encino Reservoir

UH-60 N412FA tanking water at Encino Reservoir

S-61 N161CG tanking water at Encino Reservoir, to Camarillo

S-76 N76CG night operations, to Fullerton Municipal Airport

The Eaton fire near Sierra Madre

The Eaton fire, image courtesy of Cal Fire

Aircraft seen in action at the Eaton fire. Again, just helicopters on Sunday.

Brackett Field

Brackett Field is the main base for helicopters covering the Eaton fire.

B.407 N41HX from Brackett Field

CH-47 N227AJ 

CH-47 N404AJ

UH-1 N534HQ from Brackett Field

UH-1 N703NP from Brackett Field

S-70i N476DF/608 tanking water at Santa Fe Lake from Brackett Field

S-70i N478DF tanking water at Santa Fe Lake possibly based elsewhere, based at Camarillo 11th and 13th

S-70i N484DF/609 (Cal Fire 609) 11th Palisades, 13th Eaton

S-70i N485DF/606 (Cal Fire 606) 13th Eaton

SH-3H N612CK/702 at Fox Field on February 3rd, 2018

SH-3H N612CK/702 from Brackett Field

S-64 N722HT/2HT tanking water at Santa Fe Lake 

Edwards AFB

Be.200 N801NA (NASA801) 13th pattern work over the Palisades fire area at 20,000 feet, afterwards to Eaton fire

General William J. Fox Field Airport

AC.690 N3NT 

S-2T N426DF/88 from Fox Field on the 11th

S-64 N600HX tanking water at Santa Fe Lake 11th

S-64 N9125M at the Siller base near Yuba, California on May 5th, 2022

S-64 N9125M from Fox Field on the 12th

Hemet Ryan Airport

The Cal Fire firebase at Hemet supplied a Bronco and Tracker to fight the Eaton Fire on the 11th.

S-2T N431DF/78 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N431DF/78 from Hemet Ryan Airport

OV-10A N418DF/340 at Paso Robles on May 8th, 2022

OV-10 N418DF/340 from Hemet Ryan Airport

San Bernardino

BAe-146 N476NA/12 Tanker 12 on the 11th

DC-9-87 N293EA/103 Tanker 103 on the 11th

As I said, this is probably just part of what is deployed in the Los Angeles area to cover these wildfires.