In Action
3 Flying Training School
45(Reserve) Squadron - RAF Cranwell
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The Super King Air B200 first entered service in 2004 and is operated by 45(R) Squadron which is part of 3 Flying Training School based at RAF Cranwell. The King Air course utilises pilots streamed to fly multi-engine aircraft and have completed the MELIN course on the Firefly. The course is split into basic and advanced phases. In the basic phase, students learn essential multi-engine techniques such as general handling, asymmetric flying, emergency handling and radio-aids navigation and consolidate the multi-crew skills.
In the advanced phase, the emphasis shifts towards developing captaincy, crew resource management and managing the King Air's advanced avionics systems. Students learn advanced skills such as formation flying, low-level flying and airways navigation. Students will eventually plan and manage composite missions involving several aircraft. Five of the seven assigned aircraft have military serials applied enabling them to fly as low 250 feet (76m). Army Air Corp (AAC) student pilots also attend the course before progressing on to the Islander or the rotoary wing. |
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Beechcraft Super King Air B200 (G-RAFP) flying one minute behind another King Air in mid-Wales in June 2010. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200s (ZK458 'D' and ZK456 'P no longer G-RAFP') return to the ramp at Cranwell in January 2011.
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Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK455 'O') inscribed 'Vagabond' at RAF Northolt in March 2014. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK450 'J' and ZK452 'L') at Coningsby January 2013.
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Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK452 'L') during a series of approaches to Cottesmore in March 2010. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK451 'K') in November 2006 on approach to Coningsby.
Super King Air B200 (ZK460 'U') in November 2010 on approach to Cottesmore.
Super King Air B200 (ZK450 'J' and ZK455 'O') on approach to Coningsby in January 2012. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK452 'L' and ZK460 'U') on approach to Coningsby in January 2015. |
Embraer Phenom T.1 (ZM337) using callsign 'Cranwell 44' low through Cumbria in September 2019. |
Left to right: Embraer Phenom T.1 (ZM335) using callsign 'Cranwell 41' in the Lake District in September 2020. |
Left to right: Phenom T.1 (ZM337) using callsign 'Cranwell 34' in the Lake District in September 2020. |
Left to right: Embraer Phenom T.1 (ZM337) using callsign 'Cranwell 44' and Phenom T.1 (ZM334) using callsign 'Cranwell 31' both in September 2019. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK460 'U' and ZK459 'X') used for multi-engine pilot training on a NavEx sortie ten minutes apart in June 2017. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK456 'P') in the Loop in July 2015 and Super King Air B200 (ZK451 'K') in the Lakes in October 2016. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200s (ZK459 'X' and ZK458 'D') were just a few minutes apart and were bound for RAF Valley in May 2012. |
Left to right: Super King Air B.200s (G-RAFP and ZK451 'K') low-level in Wales in June 2009.
Super King Air B200s (ZK452 'L' and G-RAFP) flying a minute apart in mid-Wales in June 2010. |
Left to right: Super King Air B200s (ZK450 'J' with G-RAFJ) on a low-level training sortie in mid-Wales in March 2009. |