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Cover (main image): A Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900. AirTeamImages.com/Steve Flint.

Inset (bottom left): HeavyLift Cargo Airlines Shorts Belfast, G-BEPS, in  ight. Key

Collection. Inset (bottom right): A USAF U-2R about to land at Osan AB in South Korea.

Peter R Foster

p 54

p 24

p 62

Copies of Aviation News incorporating Jets can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of diffi culty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in the USA may place subscriptions by visiting http://www.aviation-news.co.uk or by calling

toll free 800-428-3003 or fax 757-428-6253 or by writing to Aviation News incorporating Jets, 3300 Pacifi c Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Aviation News incorporating Jets, Key Publishing Ltd C/O 3390 Rand Road,

South Plainfi eld, NJ 007080. Aviation News incorporating Jets (ISSN: 2047-7198), is published monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK and distributed in the USA by UKP Worldwide, 3390 RAND ROAD, SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ 07080.

Periodicals postage paid at RAHWAY, NJ AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.

Printed in England by Warners (Midland) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire. (ISSN 2047-7198). The entire contents of AVIATION NEWS INCORPORATING JETS is a copyright of Key Publishing Ltd, and can not be reproduced in any form without permission.

REGULARS

CONTENTS

3

p 30

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk

04 Headlines

06 Civil News

12 Military News

16 Preservation News

59 Flight Bag

69 Air Base Movements

70 Airport Movements

73 Register Review

FEATURES

p 78

18 Dragon Master – U-2 Squadron

Commander

Lt Col Rick Bishop (ret’d) recounts his odyssey within

the top-secret world of the U-2.

24 Jota Aviation – Growing a ‘Go-to’

Airline

Jota Aviation is busy building its reputation as a ‘go-to’

airline in the industry, as Bernie Baldwin discovers.

30 Up Close and Personal With FIFI

James Careless caught up with the Commemorative

Air Force’s B-29A FIFI during her annual fund-raising

tour of North America.

36 In It for the Long Haul

Nigel Price summarises the Airbus A350’s history, and

looks at what the future might hold for the airliner.

42 Shorts Belfast – Taking the Load

Stephen Skinner details the military career of the

Shorts Belfast and its use by civil cargo operators.

48 Hot Wings

Jay Selman reports on the high-octane thrills at the

Reno Air Races.

52 The Art of Travel

A selection of bygone posters from a new book

devoted to British Airways and its predecessors.

54 Luftwaffe’s Heli Heavy-lifters

Germany’s CH-53s have excelled in testing tasks. Dr

Kevin Wright visits the base at Laupheim to hear about

the type’s various missions.

62 Boeing 727 – ‘Bus Stop’ Jet

Charles Kennedy reviews the Boeing 727’s

development and operational service.

78 Southern Warriors

Doug Gordon pro les the A-7P Corsair II’s career with

the Portuguese Air Force.

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