AirForces Monthly – July 2018

Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: Serials

which are already in an advanced

stage of assembly. Embraer said

it maintains its forecast for the

achievement of final operational

capability – the object of the final

military certification of the aircraft

• as well as the first delivery to the
  Brazilian Air Force in the fourth
  quarter of the year. This was the
  second incident involving this
  particular jet, which had been
  damaged last October 12 when
  test equipment shifted during a
  stall test, causing loss of control
  and some airframe damage before
  the crew landed safely. Following

repairs, it had returned to the flight

test programme by March 2.

D: May 7

N/U: Russian Air and Space

Force/55th Independent

Helicopter Regiment (OVP)

T: Ka-52

During a routine flight over

eastern Syria, this helicopter

was destroyed in a crash which

killed both pilots. Their remains

were recovered by a search and

rescue team. The Russian MoD

said the accident appeared to

have been caused by a technical

failure. Russia had four Ka-52s

from the 55th OVP based in

Syria, operating from Khmeimim

and T4/Tiyas air bases.

D: May 12

N: Afghan Air Force

T: Mi-17

Following a technical malfunction

during a night-time security

operation in the Nahr-e Saraj

district, this helicopter’s pilot made

a heavy emergency landing near

Yakhchal village, in the Nahr-e

Saraj district of southern Helmand

province. The crew were uninjured

and returned safely to nearby

Camp Shorab, but government

forces destroyed the aircraft to

prevent it falling into Taliban hands.

D: May 18

N/U: Russian Air and Space

Force/764th Fighter

Aviation Regiment

T: MiG-31

This jet’s right engine

malfunctioned during an attempted

take-off at its base at Perm/

Bolshoye Savino at around 1930hrs

local time. The crew aborted the

take-off and the aircraft came

Above: KC-390 prototype PT-ZNF is recovered at Gavião Peixoto Airport, Brazil, after it ran off the end of runway on May 5. J Castro collection via Juan Carlos Cicalesi

Above: The burnt-out remains of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force/F-7 CCTS FT-7N 3-7723 after it crashed on June 2 in Isfahan province.

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #364 JULY 2018 // 91