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29 March 2024 Air Shows » Armed Forces of Malta  
 
SAR Changeover

A flyby by an AB.212 of the Italian Air Force, and an Augusta 139 of the Air Wing near the Italian Ambassador’s Maltese residence at Ta’ Xbiex marked the “passing of the baton”, so to speak, of SAR duties from the Italian Military Mission (IMM) to the Armed Forces of Malta. (See Air Wing page for additional details about the IMM.)

DATE AIRCRAFT AIR ARM SERIAL NOTES
02.06.16 A.139 Armed Forces of Malta AS1429  
02.06.16 AB.212 Italian AF MM81212  
        
 

Armed Forces of Malta Open Day

An open day which includes a limited aviation element and flying display is that held by the Armed Forces of Malta, usually in the first Sunday of October. Coincidentally, this is on the Sunday following the Malta International Airshow weekend.

On display is a range of equipment used by the various units, as well as demonstrations of AFM techniques such as (but not limited to) unarmed combat.

The flying display is held over what in the past used to be the British Services school courtyard.
        
 
1st edition, October 2003

No additional details available.
        
 

2nd edition, 10 October 2004


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
AB.47G-2 A.F.M. AS7201 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static line up
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9212 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static.
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9215 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Display.


        
 

3rd edition, 02 October 2005


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
AB.47G-2 A.F.M. AS7201 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static line up.
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9212 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static line up.
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9215 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Air display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81207 Italian Military Mission Static Display.


        
 

4th edition, 01 October 2006


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
AB.47G-2 A.F.M. AS7201 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static line up.
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9211 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Static line up.
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9212 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Air display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81156/9-14 Italian Military Mission Static Display.


        
 

5th edition, October 2007

No details available.
        
 

6th edition, 5 October 2008


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA.316B A.F.M. AS9212 Air Sqdn 2 Regt Display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81144 Italian Military Mission Static Display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81147 Italian Military Mission Display.


        
 

7th edition, 4 October 2009

For the first time, the AFM Open Day was held at the Valletta water front in Grand Harbour, rather than No. 2 Site at the airport. This was done to allow the Maltese public to view a newly-commissioned patrol boat, as well as other vessels.


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA.316 A.F.M. AS____ Air Sqdn 2 Regt Display.
BN Islander A.F.M. AS9819 Air Sqdn Flyby with two Bulldogs.
SA Bulldog A.F.M. AS0022 Air Sqdn Flyby with Islander.
SA Bulldog A.F.M. AS0023 Air Sqdn Flyby with Islander.
Casa 212-300 A.F.M. AS0925 Air Sqdn Flyby. Aircraft on lease to AFM.
        
 

8th edition, 3 October 2010


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA. 316 A.F.M. AS9315 Air Wing Static display, in new grey colours.
SA. 316 A.F.M. AS9211 Air Wing Flying display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81214   Carried “ISAF” titles. Helicopter had arrived in Malta a few days previously.
        
 

9th edition, 2 October 2011

For this year’s open day, I was unable to witness the flying display, and can only list the helicopters on static display. Beech 200 flyby from newspaper report.


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA. 316 A.F.M. AS9211 Air Wing Static display, in new grey colours.
Beech 200 A.F.M. AS1125 Air Wing Flyby over parade ground.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81154   Static display.
        
 

10th edition, 6 October 2012

Apart from two helicopters on display, no flying display was listed in the programme.


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA. 316 A.F.M. AS9315 Air Wing Static display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81159   Static display. Carried a large yellow 50 on the nose.
        
 

11th edition, 6 October 2013

Was this years’ Open Day the closest to being cancelled?

Sunday morning dawned grey with rain until mid-morning. Fortunately, not only did the rain stop, but the weather cleared, at least for a couple of hours around midday.


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
SA. 316 A.F.M. AS9211 Air Wing Static display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81216   Static display. Carried “40th Anniversario 1973-2013. Italia – Malta” stickers. Also carried ISAF titles on cockpit door.
        
 

12th edition, 2014

No details available.
        
 

13th edition, 17 October, 2015

Celebrating their 45th anniversary, the AFM'S annual Open Day was held at Pinto Wharf, Grand harbour. This allowed the public to also view some of the patrol boats used by the Maritime Squadron.

Aviation-wise, three helicopters were available for viewing, an Alouette, AW.139 and the Italian Military Missions' AB.212. All three had landed at Pinto Wharf the previous evening.

To my knowledge, there were no flying displays, although a second AB.212 did make an orbit over the harbour, before proceeding on its way.

Also "flying", but not part of the programme, was a remote-controlled helicopter drone, but whoever was controlling it kept it well away from the area occupied by the AFM.

The only display was by two AFM SAR boats, giving a demonstration of their manoeuvrability.


AIRCRAFT OPERATOR IDENTITY SQDN NOTES
AW.139 A.F.M. AS1428 Air Wing Static display.
SA. 316B A.F.M. AS9211 Air Wing Static display.
AB.212 Italian AF MM81163/9-63   Static display.
        
 
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