CP-140 Aurora

[armrdsoul77]

Think of it more as a prop upgrade with a few necessary engines ones to enable the first...

From thisTo this

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'm not 100% sure, but initially the talk was NP2000s.

 

[dimsum]

Another win for 407 Sqn on EX SEA DRAGON 2022

redirect

rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca

 

[Good2Golf]

BZ to the crew!

 

[SeaKingTacco]

BZ to the crew!

I noticed that the 19 Wing PAFFO thoughtfully left in all the “track changes“ in the news release….

 

[rnkelly]

I noticed that the 19 Wing PAFFO thoughtfully left in all the “track changes“ in the news release….

Noticed that too, at least they deleted comments I guess.

 

[Good2Golf]

I noticed that the 19 Wing PAFFO thoughtfully left in all the “track changes“ in the news release….

Apparently staff duties isn’t in the PA trg curriculum…

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Apparently staff duties isn’t in the PA trg curriculum…

Allegedly, the error was made at levels of reality well above 19 Wing.

All that said- well done Demons!

 

[armrdsoul77]

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=4815458148547736&id=872300329530224

 

[Eye In The Sky]

There are no "405 Sqn" Blk 4s, yet, for the record.

Cold Weather Testing

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[calculus]

More on the Block 4:

First operational flight for Royal Canadian Air Force Block IV CP-140 Aurora

The first operational flight of a Royal Canadian Air Force Block IV CP-140 Aurora was completed in February out of 14 Wing Greenwood to exercise upgraded capabilities and start full aircrew training

airrecognition.com

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Block 4 is not operational yet, and Conversion Training didn’t “start in February”. I’m not even sure what “full aircrew training” is?

 

[SupersonicMax]

Block 4 is not operational yet, and Conversion Training didn’t “start in February”. I’m not even sure what “full aircrew training” is?

Block IV is now allowed to conduct broader FG and FE through a flight permit.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

But it still hasn’t flown an operational mission…

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Article today from The Aurora News Facebook page; this highlights Blk 4 testing and development fairly well.

415 (Long Range Patrol Force Development) Squadron recently tested a Block 4 CP140 Aurora through a series of cold weather scenarios, spending a week in February in Yellowknife.

Skywatchers may have noticed some CP140 aircraft have a slightly different look to them. To those familiar with the Aurora, the usually unmistakable sleek profile and long MAD boom protruding from the rear of the aircraft now has an additional large, dome on top of its fuselage. This “dome” is a telltale sign you are seeing is the newly-upgraded Block 4 Aurora.

The CP140 has been going through an Aurora Incremental Modernization Project for many years. This project was divided into four stages, and is now entering the last and final stage.

Once testing was completed on the aerodynamics of the new addition to the airframe, crews began flying the aircraft for pilot training only. In order to be able to use the new mission systems in the back end, further testing was required. The testing for the new systems was broken down into stages and, in February, 14 Wing Greenwood hit a major milestone in the testing process by receiving the Special Purpose Flight Permit (SPFP) to operate the aircraft with mission systems turned on.

Operational Test and Evaluation (OTE) [sic] on the Aurora is normally carried out by both 415 (Long Range Patrol Force Development) Squadron and the 434 Squadron Long Range Patrol Test and Evaluation Flight which resides at 14 Wing. The first stage of testing to get the new mission systems operational involved ensuring all previous aircraft capability was maintained. In order to expedite the testing of legacy systems, the entire long range patrol fleet pitched in, including numerous external stakeholders. The goal was to complete initial testing as soon as possible so the fleet could obtain the SPFP to operate the aircraft within the full range of mission sets it is meant to carry out. 405 (Long Range Patrol) Squadron provided an entire test crew, while 14 Operations Support Squadron provided all the required pre- and post-test support.

Thanks to many long days and hard work by all, the fleet recently obtained the required permit. Though crews are now operating the Block 4 Aurora, further testing will continue over the coming months and years to ensure the full capabilities of the new systems are realized. The next phase of testing, expected to be done by the end of April, will clear the Block 4 Aurora for operational deployments.

Included in that testing is operating the systems in a cold weather environment. The 415 crew, with augmentation from 434, recently returned from Yellowknife. During their time there, the crew braved extreme cold temperatures, sometimes dipping well below -40°C with the wind chill. Though the days were long and sunlight was limited, the testing was successful and all members returned (with all their fingers and toes accounted for).

Though future upgrades are planned for some systems on the Aurora, the Block 4 is the final step in what has been a long upgrade process. With the new capabilities the Block 4 Aurora brings to the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Aurora will be a leading asset amongst maritime patrol aircraft well into the future.

 

[SupersonicMax]

SPFP stands for SPECIFIC Purpose Flight Permit, not Special…

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The staff at Aurora News are civies; I’m not sure who proofs their articles, but generally they are pretty good. This one has enough accurate details that it’s safe to say someone from 10 Hgr Annex had some input.

Special, specific. Ask 3 people at the Sqn what AIMS-ISR stands for. If you get an answers I bet none of them are the same. But everyone knows what it does, some still know how to use it.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Now, the RCAF can say Block 4 has flown operational missions...Front Page story. It's been interesting to see this aircraft transition. I started on Block 2, the differences are pretty amazing.

http://auroranewspaper.com/pdf/2022/4320news.pdf

 

[daftandbarmy]

Now, the RCAF can say Block 4 has flown operational missions...Front Page story. It's been interesting to see this aircraft transition. I started on Block 2, the differences are pretty amazing.

http://auroranewspaper.com/pdf/2022/4320news.pdf

And it looks like the Chinese are pushy customers:

Canada alarmed as Chinese fighter pilots ‘buzz’ Canadian planes over international waters​

Multiple sources in the Canadian Forces and the federal government tell Global News that Chinese jets are repeatedly “buzzing” a Canadian surveillance plane that is part of a United Nations mission over international waters.

Those jets are frequently flying as close as 20 to 100 feet from the Canadian plane, sources say — so close that Canadian pilots can make eye contact with the Chinese pilots, and sometimes see them raising their middle fingers. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

“(That distance is) scary close at those high speeds, and it could lead to disaster in a crash,” said Charles Burton, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa.

Canada alarmed as Chinese fighter pilots ‘buzz’ Canadian planes over international waters - National | Globalnews.ca

Multiple sources say Chinese fighter jets are repeatedly flying extremely close to Canadian intelligence planes over international waters, raising fears of a mid-air collision.

globalnews.ca

 

[Ping Monkey]

... so close that Canadian pilots can make eye contact with the Chinese pilots, and sometimes see them raising their middle fingers.

The only suitable response.



** EDIT: A 'Pressed Ham' in the Observer window would also be appropriate.