Spanish Navy Sea Kings log 100,000 flight hours Report: Salvador Mafé Huertas Photos: FLOAN, S. Mafé Although obviously Quinta Escuadrilla (Fifth Squadron) owns the oldest airframes of the Spanish Navy Fleet Air Arm, the fact remains that the unit has an undisputed reputation and experience. Going back to its origins, the Fifth Squadron was officially established on February 19, 1966 beginning his career with the arrival in Spain of the first Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King, which was transferred to our country aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA 62 ) and larriving to Naval Station Rota on June 29 of that year. The arrival of the Sea King to Spain was a real quantum leap in the use of helicopters for the Navy, its large size and especially its notorious complexity compared to other contemporary models, thinking mainly of the S-55s operated by the Second Squadron, the famous Pepos made to be baptized by their crews as the sacred cows, a name which joined its badge, which represents a winged cow. The Sea Kings arrived to Quinta Escuadrilla in various stages, three in 1966, three in 1967, two in 1972, four in 1974 and six in 1981, and its purchase made through the U.S. Navy, which facilitated the paperwork process and cheapened the costs. Of this total procurement, 18 in all, eight have been lost in accidents since the first units arrived, which represents a number from 10 units today, of which seven are used as assault transports and three as Airborne Early Warning aircraft. On April 12, 2013, the Fifth Squadron celebrated its 100,000 flight hours (all logged with the legendary SH-3 Sea King), and while the transport models will be replaced in the period 2014-2016 with six SH-60F Seahawks purchased second hand from the U.S. Navy, but brought to zero-hours and with new engines, SH-3 side number 01-501 by then will be fifty years years old! #sabertrons
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 10:00:01 +0000
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