SHAH ALAM: RMAF conducted a simulated crash-landing exercise at a school field here on November 21 using a No 2 Skuadron Black Hawk – M46-01 – helicopter. The RMAF two Black Hawks are colloquially known as the White Hawk as they are painted white.
Videos and pictures of the exercise was published by the school – SMK TTDI Jaya, Shah Alam – on its Facebook page. The school is located some 1km from Subang RMAF airbase which shared the same runway as the Subang airport.
From the videos uploaded, the exercise was the real thing with a fire engine hosing down simulated fires and Handau personnel arresting a member of the public for breaching the crime scene cordon (also simulated). Smoke grenades were also used to simulate an explosion and fire on the helicopter.
What is interesting about the exercise is the use of the White Hawk which I believe, was the first time that the helicopter was used for such purpose. I believed the helicopter and its sister ship – M46-02 – are still operated by the No 2 Skuadron but no longer tasked operationally by the Prime Minister’s Department. The department still controlled the other VIP jets in the squadron though.
With the Agong and PMX using private helicopters for local trips, I think, the end is near for the VIP Black Hawks. What about turning them back into utility helicopters then? I wrote about this, a few years back. I was told by industry sources then it was too expensive to convert back them into utility helicopters.
Meanwhile, an EC-725 -tail number M55-05 – from the No 5 Skuadron conducted the High-Altitude Operation Exercise on Mount Kinabalu on November 16 to 17. The squadron also used a portable oxygen tank from No 1 Squadron (based in Kuching) to ensure safe flight operations at altitude above 10,000 feet.
RMAF release quoted the No 5 Skuadron commander – Lt Kol Ahmad Tarmizi Sokri – the exercise will be conducted biannually to ensure the competencies of the air crew and support personnel are maintained. For the exercise, No 5 Skuadron utilise five aircraft commanders, four co-pilots, eight quarter masters, four technicians, four air combat rescue personnel and two medics. For the exercise, the helicopter used a landing site in Kundasang as a forward operating base with two landing pads on the mountain itself.
— Malaysian Defence
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The question is why a school field in an dense urban area when there are other open spaces to practice?
Current VIP helicopter for government use is the AW139 9M-PMO.
The current Agong prefers to go about using Royal Pahang VIP helicopter the AW139 9M-SAAS
The future Agong has 2 personal VIP helicopters, Sikorsky S-76 9M-JS1 and 9M-SJ1
I would prefer the VIP blackhawks to be also transferred to PUTD, but to be a part of TD 12 Briged Istiadat and used for Agong use.
I would also prefer all official government aircraft/helicopter to only be flown under and by full TUDM crew, and not by civil contractor like it is right now with the A319CJ(9M-NAA), A320CJ(9M-NAB) and AW139(9M-PMO)
Maybe because crashes dont choose where or when to happened..in remote open areas posed no challenge ..worst case senario in urban area ..
… – ”I would prefer the VIP blackhawks to be also transferred to PUTD”
”I would prefer” for them to be organic to Gerak Khas but we’ve gone past that.
… – ”would also prefer all official government aircraft/helicopter to only be flown under and by full TUDM”
No doubt you would but ultimately it makes no difference; whether from the security or other angles.
As marhalim explained, those vip blackhawks would need extensive engineering work to be converted to a normal utility version, so it is not the best idea for them to be reroled for GGK use.
If you look closely, those whitehawks does not have sliding doors on both side of its airframe. Instead, it has a small door with fold out lower half that has built-in stairs, similar to businesses jets.
I have not heard of any Blackhawk VIP to utility conversion, but quite a few the other way round (for Jordanian royal family for example). But there is a pair of VIP bird (ex Brunei) now used for external lifting/logging.
“current Agong prefers to go about using Royal Pahang VIP helicopter”
“future Agong has 2 personal VIP helicopters”
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.
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” VIP blackhawks to be also transferred to PUTD, for Agong use.”
Kind of redundant isnt it? If the Agongs prefer their own.
@mofaz
“Maybe because crashes dont choose where or when to happened.”
Granted your right but in that case a remote area would be an even more challenging training and a lot more to learn from, wouldnt it? Whatmore a school is for students, not really a place for the military to train. I can understand if it were in remote areas in Sabah/Sarawak, but here is near Subang.
“for them to be organic to Gerak Khas”
Since these Whitehawks are VIP configured how will it work out with GK? Wouldnt the utility specced version be more functional for them?
Marhalim,
Off topic but do you know if the RMAF FA50 Block 20 will have conformal fuel tanks….and where are they going to be based?
I am not aware of any need for CFT on the FA-50 Block 20. This is one of the options for the single seat variant of the aircraft. The first squadron should be based in Kuantan.
“Kind of redundant isnt it? If the Agongs prefer their own”
Not all potential agongs/deputy agongs is as rich as Sultan of Pahang or Johore with their own personal aircraft…
There is already a CFT system designed for the T-50/FA-50 to compete in the USAF jet trainer competition. It is with built-in boom refueling receptacle, a system which TUDM does not use.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_lxNgHbUAApg6J.jpg
joe,
From the few times I got to capture the Navy teams in such exercises, I learned that these are not rehearsed and the execution teams only get their info at the very last minute. The places chosen for such exercises are public areas, the PASKAL conducted theirs on open public roads and even at the ferry terminal. Aside from blanks and smoke grenades, pyro explosives are used as well. This usually lasts less than 5 to 6 minutes. For aircraft rescue exercises it might be longer and that’s why they conduct it in the school field.
… – “As marhalim explained, those vip blackhawks would need extensive engineering work to be converted to a normal utility version, so it is not the best idea for them to be reroled for GGK use”
I was talking about possibilities like; you do with your links and lists but like I said; we’ve gone way past that. Also, whatever work is undertaken by right should be certified by Sikorsky; even if it just entails work in the passenger compartment.
The pair were never very popular because of the lack standing headspace and because it took a while to get pilots with decent hours on them. In the late 1990’s the rumour mill had it that we were trying to sell them to Brunei