Aviation & Ships Spotting in Malta

The Air Wing of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) traces its origins back to May 1972 when it was established as the Helicopter Flight, since it operated only rotary-wing aircraft - three AB.47G-2s and a Bell 47G-2 donated by the German Government - at St. Patrick's Barracks, Pembroke.  The Flight formed an integral part of the 1 Regiment of the Malta Land Force.  

In the first week of September 1978, in anticipation of the Royal Air Force vacating Luqa Airport, the Flight took-up temporary residence in a former Royal Navy hangar at Hal Far Airfield.  With the final withdrawal of the British Forces from Malta on March 31, 1979 the Flight moved to its present home at Luqa Airport (Apron-7).  

On April 1, 1980 the Helicopter Flight, together with other units of the Armed Forces of Malta (formerly Malta Land Force), was placed under a separate command designated as the Malta Task Force.  On May 11, 1988 the Task Force was amalgamated once again into the Armed Forces of Malta and the Helicopter Flight became to form part of 1 Regiment, AFM.

In February 1992, the Flight acquired from the U.S. Government her first fixed-wing aircraft - five surplus Bird-Dogs of the Italian Army Light Aviation.  

In July 1992 the AFM was re-organised once again into a HQ and three Regiments.  The Helicopter Flight was officially designated as the Air Squadron on July 27, 1992, to better reflect the unit's establishment now comprising both rotary and fixed wing aircraft, and came under the authority of the 2 Regiment AFM, a composite regiment, which included also two other sub-units: the Maritime Squadron and the Air Defence Battery.

With the introduction of the Military Aviation Regulations on May 1, 2000, the Air Squadron detached itself from the local Civil Aviation Directorate and the Squadron's fleet started to adopt new aircraft registration markings.  These new registration markings now consists of the letters AS (for Air Squadron) and four numbers.  The first two to indicate the year when the aircraft was purchased, the last two the order in which the aircraft joined the Air Squadron.

With the re-organisation of the Armed Forces of Malta and the disbandment of 2(Composite) Regiment on October 30, 2006, the Air Squadron was renamed as the Air Wing, AFM and elavated to regimental status, with its own headquaters, chain of command and logistic structure.

Aviation Assets: Past & Present

1. donated to the Malta Aviation Museum, for permanent display, on 30-May-2008.
2. sold in Dec-1997, re-registered as F-GNLY; AS7202 allocated on 1-May-2000.
3. sold in Dec-1997 in UAE, becoming a ground instructional airframe at the Dubai Aviation Academy with the fictitious registration A6-BEL; AS7202 allocated on 1-May-2000.
4. stored in a dismantled state.
5. sold in mid 1997, re-registered as G-DNCN; AS7305 allocated on 1-May-2000.
6. sold in 2001; re-registered as N841CP (Dec-2001) to 4th Aviation Co.
7. written-off on 5-May-1993 following a ground loop at M.I.A.; now, on permanent loan to Malta Aviation Museum.
8. sold in 2002; re-registered as N320DA (Jun-2002).
9. sold in 2001; re-registered as N119AJ (Mar-2001).
10. sold in 2002; re-registered as N119LH (Jul-2002).
11. written-off on 5-Aug-2007 after crash-landing in an uncultivated field at Santu Pietru, l/o Dwejra Gozo, crew of two escaped with slight injuries.
12. dry-leased from CAE Aviation (thro' Luxembourg's Government) from 28-Jul-2009 to 15-Oct-2009.