Royal Norwegian Air Force AW101 deliveries resumed again

On 4 March 2021, another Luftforsvaret (RNoAF, Royal Norwegian Air Force) AW101 Mk612 SAR Queen was delivered, nine months after the latest delivery flight.

SAR Queen with serial 0280, still marked as ZZ111 (construction number 50280/NOR12), was delivered with call sign WHE07 from Yeovil (UK), via Humberside airport to Stavangar/Sola where it will be taken on charge with Norway's Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) unit, before being handed over to 330 skv.

In February 2021, it was reported that until further notice no more AW101 SAR Queens could be delivered to Stavanger/Sola and that deliveries were expected to start up again in May 2021, when Ørland Main Air Station will receive three AW101s currently at Stavanger/Sola.

The 330 skv detachment at Ørland will become operational on the AW101 from 1 May 2021. The Ørland crews are at this moment at Stavanger/Sola where they carry out training with the new helicopters as well as in the simulator.

Photo: Rick Sleight