Vertical Flight Society United Kingdom Chapter

26/10/2026

VFS UK Public Relations Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian V. Frain was at London Stansted Airport this morning to see the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force new Leonardo MCH101 arrive prior to its shipping in the coming weeks to Japan. This is part of a 2023 contact between Kawasaki and Leonardo for upgrade to the JMSDF MCH101 fleet including new additional airframes. (All photos by Ian V. Frain)

09/10/2026

VFS UK Public Relations Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian V. Frain here in Cambridge seeing the different Helicopter Emergency Services (HEMS) operators both local and out of area over the last week. The London Air Ambulance Airbus Helicopters H135 practise their crew Line Proficiency Checks (LPC) around here with circuits into Cambridge City Airport. TheMid Anglia General Practitioners Air Ambulance, based at Alconbury Weald in Huntingdonshire regular visitor into Addenbrookes Hospital (Cambridge University Heath Trust) with their Leonardo AW109SP GrandNew (All photos by Ian V. Frain)

09/10/2026

VFS UK Public Relations Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian V. Frain was at Sudbury Transmitting Station recently to see Swiss helicopter company Heliswiss International AG Airbus Helicopters AS332C1. The helicopter was performing long line operations with regard to changing / replacing the upper part of the two towers. (All photos by Ian V. Frain)

09/10/2026

11/09/2026

VFS UK Chapter Media & Public Affairs Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian Frain was at Imperial Museum Duxford on Sunday to see a four ship formation of United States Army Boeing CH-47F Chinook that had arrived from their base in Katterbach Army Airfield via Rotterdam. Eventually the formation would fly up to Liverpool John Lennon Airport and then across to Dublin where this week they are supporting the Presidential visit. (All photos by Ian Frain)

14/08/2026

VFS UK Public Relations Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian V. Frain attended Farnborough Air Show.

Innovation and high speed vertical flight was presence with the Eve Air Mobility update with Eve100 (which is the designation in the number sequence from the Brazilian ANAC Civil Aviation Authority).

UK based Vertical Aerospace chief test pilot Simon Davies flew their VA-1X demonstrator at the show while inside at the company booth was full mock up of their VX4 air taxi.

Bell brought their MV-75 Cheyenne II (formerly V-280 Valor) tilt rotor full scale mock up. As it is the program is on track for the first fielding next year with the 101st Airborne Division 'The Screaming Eagles' at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.. It was ten years ago when Bell brought the V-280 Valor for the firs time to Farnborough Air Show.

The Lockheed Martin chalet had their Sikorsky S-97 RaiderX on display. This second prototype demonstrating the X2 high speed technology for the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability study.

Airbus Helicopters brought their twin engine H160 while Leonardo exhibited their AW149 New Medium Helicopter (which will be delivered to the Royal Air Force in 2030 onwards) Leonardo also exhibited the Proteus Autonomous Uncrewed Helicopter.

United States Army brought their Boeing CH-47F while flying display was Army Air Corps Attack Helicopter Display Team flew their Leonardo AW159 Wildcat and Boeing AH-64E v6 Apache Guardian.

(All photos by Ian V. Frain)

11/08/2026

VFS UK Public Relations Officer and Vertiflite magazine contributor Ian V. Frain had attended Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton Air Day 2011. The theme was 40 years of the Westland Lynx and G-LYNX from the Internstional Helicopter Museum was on static. (All photos by Ian V. Frain)

11/08/2026

On this day 40 years ago then Westland Lynx G-LYNX broke a record. The crew consisted of then Westland’s Chief Test Pilot, John ‘Trevor’ Egginton and flight test engineer Derek Clews.

11/08/2026