The Fiji Air Wing
The Air Wing of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces was founded in 1987, had a base at the airport in Nausori, but was abolished in 1997. Yehonatan Shimʻon Frenḳel writes that '..the ..Air Wing was formed after the 1987 coup, when the French provided two helicopters as part of its military aid package.' Frenkel goes on to say that the air wing was disbanded after both helicopters crashed and after subsequent revelations of huge debts incurred as a result of the aircraft.
The two helicopters were:
- 1 transport helicopter Eurocopter AS 365N2 Dauphin 2 - matriculation marker DQ-FGD - in service from 1989 to 1994.
- 1 transport helicopter Aerospatiale AS 355F-2 Twin Squirrel - matriculation marker DQ-FGH - in service from 1991 to 1997.
Helicopter AS-365 N2 Dauphin crashed off the coast of the main island in July 1994, a smaller helicopter AS-355F-2 continued in service until mid-1997 and in 1999 was sold to France.
A Harbin Y-11 transport aircraft has now been reported in service by Combataircraft.com.
Read more about this topic: Republic Of Fiji Military Forces
Famous quotes containing the words air and/or wing:
“O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,
Methought she purged the air of pestilence;
That instant was I turned into a hart,
And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E’er since pursue me.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“I come to one bush of berries so ripe it is a bush of flies,
Hanging their bluegreen bellies and their wing panes in a Chinese
screen.
The honey-feast of the berries has stunned them; they believe in
heaven.”
—Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)