Portland Heliops Movements Log

[EMA Planespotting]

Movements log for any helicopter movements seen at HeliOperations in Portland for the past couple of weeks whilst in the area.

[EMA Planespotting]

Wednesday 9th August 2023

10:50 TALON07 Royal Navy RNAS Yeovilton - Portland AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA.2 ZZ517
12:25 TALON07 Royal Navy Portland - RNAS Yeovilton AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA.2 ZZ517
14:07 HELIOPS HeliOperations Portland - Portland Westland Sea King HU.5 XV666
16:14 HELIOPS HeliOperations Portland - Portland Westland Sea King HU.5 XV666

* ZZ517 visited for the new runway opening ceremony, with a ribbon cut across the main gate between the runway and parking area. Resident HeliOperations Westland Sea King HU.5 XV666 was also parked outside during the runway opening ceremony alongside the Wildcat.
* Also seen within the hangar was former Royal Navy Search and Rescue Sea King HU.5 ZA137 which was delivered by low loader in June this year for major maintenance in order to make it airworthy once again.

[EMA Planespotting]

Tuesday 15th August 2023

* Resident HeliOperations Sea King XV666 is currently out on another sortie having flown over the Bovington training area and over the coast just West of Lulworth Cove as HELIOPS. (10:20)

It departed on a second sortie to the West of Portland at 14:30 and is currently over the Woodbury Common area near the MoD range. (15:40)

[EMA Planespotting]

Royal Air Force Chinook ZH892 visited late last night as ULTIT2. The helicopter arrived from the West and ended up back at RAF Odiham after its departure.

[EMA Planespotting]

Royal Navy Merlin HC.4 ZJ135 visited this evening on a short visit as COMMANDO21. It had arrived from RNAS Yeovilton via an ILS Overshoot at Exeter Airport and departed back to RNAS Yeovilton. (22/08/23)

US Air Force CV-22B Osprey 11-0058 also visited last Saturday arriving from RAF Mildenhall at around 13:00 via a trip into the low flying areas in Wales. It departed back to RAF Mildenhall at around 13:30 via a flypast with a US MC-130J Hercules at the National Memorial Arboretum for an event that was taking place there. (19/08/23)

[EMA Planespotting]

Royal Air Force Chinook ZA684 made a short visit early this evening, arriving from RAF Odiham at approximately 17:23 as SHF455. It departed at approximately 17:44 back to RAF Odiham via an ILS Overshoot at Bournemouth Airport as SHF455.

[EMA Planespotting]

US Air Force CV-22B Osprey 10-0053 is inbound from the North, currently heading towards Dorchester after a trip to Wales from Mildenhall.

[EMA Planespotting]

US Air Force CV-22B Osprey 10-0053 is inbound from the North, currently heading towards Dorchester after a trip to Wales from Mildenhall.

10-0053 had just departed heading North East over Weymouth Bay. (15:35 local departure)

[EMA Planespotting]

Royal Navy Merlin HM.2 Crowsnest ZH833 visited today from MoD Boscombe Down at around 14:10 as BDN32. The helicopter departed back to Boscombe Down at around 14:32 as BDN32.

[TommyC]

Monday 11th September

AW109 G-OFFC noted on the ground at 10.00
and departed Heliops at 12.05 along with XV666.

ZA137 noted in the hangar, looks virtually externally complete minus the main rotor blades.

Merlin ZJ135 visited short runway for 3-4 min departing 13.05.

XV666 returned 13.10.

Wildcat ZZ375 visited for about 10 min departing about 14.25.

Thank you for the updates EMA Planespotting

[seven]

ZA137 has been running outside recently. Flying soon!?

[seven]

ZA137 has been flying this week.

[MarcelB.]

I am wondering if there is any activity of HeliOps Kings during the weekend?!

[binbrook32]

Seen yesterday 12/8/24 late afternoon, parked on main apron, were two Gazelles, one in green colours the other white over blue. I was told they are from the Gazelle Squadron.
Nothing else seen outside.

[Freeman Lowell]

Seen yesterday 12/8/24 late afternoon, parked on main apron, were two Gazelles, one in green colours the other white over blue. I was told they are from the Gazelle Squadron.
Nothing else seen outside.

Hi Binbrook,
The green one was marked ZB627 and the blue/white one XZ939.
Freeman

[Freeman Lowell]

Tuesday 13th August 24 1200-1530hrs.

ZZ522 Wildcat HMA2. non-mover
ZA137 Sea King HU5. flew
XV666 Sea King HU5. relocated within hangar
(G-GSAR AW.139. hangar)
89+61 Sea King Mk.41. hangar

One further ex German Sea King was in the far right of the hangar and reported as (89+64).

Freeman

[Gladio]

SK 41 89+68 Portland - Somerton 20-08-2024

[Freeman Lowell]

Scramble's message board suggests the sixth, and final, Sea King will be 89+58, leaving Nordholz after 31.8.
Freeman

[Supra]

Indeed, rumours of a movement to UK involving 89+58 on 26th Aug (Bank Holiday) were never likely really!

Both 89+58 the Blue & Orange sunset Farewell Scheme & 89+63 the light Grey & Orange retro schemed specials are both at Nordholz this Friday 30th Aug for a pre-booked Spotters-Day photo-shoot allegedly without any flying?

Saturday 31st Aug sees a Family Day & Invited Guests event at Nordholz to mark the formal conclusion of the Sea King in German Navy Service. Flights after that will be 'Delivery Only'... although I was firmly under the impression
that the two specials will go to aviation museums for preservation in their current schemes.

Locations aren't known to me, so if anybody wants to add to this, go for it!

[Gladio]

GNY4850 on its way inbound 23/09/2024