VVIP Airbus A310-300 Handed Over To PAF

[Abbas Ali]

By Syed Irfan Raza

Friday, 25 Dec, 2009

ISLAMABAD: A special plane presently under the use of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has been handed over to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after which security of the two leaders has become the responsibility of the military.

The plane — Airbus A310-300 — was gifted to former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf by Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Earlier, the plane was being operated by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The handing over of the plane took place during a special flight of the prime minister last month to Germany and the United Kingdom.

In several countries, including the US and Britain, the security of the VVIP aircraft is the responsibility of the air force.

When contacted, PAF spokesman Air Commodore Tariq Qamar Yazdani said he did not know of the handing over of the plane to air force.

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that the VVIP fleet had five planes and the Airbus was the last one to be under civilian control.

According to them, the proposed privatisation of PIA is one of the reasons why the plane has been handed over to the air force.

The monthly maintenance cost of the plane runs into millions and it is difficult for the PIA, which is already under severe financial crisis, to meet the cost. The sources said three different groups of PAF personnel had been selected as crew for the VVIP fleet and stewards had been trained by PIA staff.

Source: DAWN

[Abbas Ali]

The plane — Airbus A310-300 — was gifted to former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf by Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The VIP Airbus A310-300 (AP-OOI) was gifted/donated by Qatar to Pakistan Air Force according to Pakistan government-controlled APP news agency's February 25, 2007 report quoted below.

Here, I would also like to add that gifts given by leaders/officials of foreign governments to Pakistan government leaders and officials including Prime Minister and President become part of Pakistan government treasury. The gifts cannot be kept by President or Prime Minister when they leave their office permanently. However these gifts can be kept/purchased by President, Prime Minister and other government officials if they deposit in the government treasury a certain amount of money calcuated/estimated by relevant authority.

Here's February 25, 2007, APP news report about Airbus A310-300 gifted/donated by Qatar to Pakistan Air Force.

ISLAMABAD (updated on: February 25, 2007, 19:41 PST): Qatar donated a special Airbus A-310 to Pakistan Air Force on Sunday.

The Airbus A-310, which was being used by the Qatar Airways for VIP flights, was handed over to PAF at a simple ceremony held at Chaklala Air Base.

Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Akhtar Abbas and Air Commodore Junaid signed the documents to receive the gift from Qatar to Pakistan Air Force on behalf of their respective countries.

The aircraft flown to Pakistan by crew of Qatar Airways along with the CEO of Qatar Airways, was received at Chaklala Air Base by ambassador of Qatar in Pakistan Hamad Al-Hinzab and officials of PAF including Air Commodore Junaid and Air Commodore Sarfraz and Base Commodore PAF Chaklala Air Base Air Commodore Rameezul Hasan.

The Airbus A-310 is fully equipped with all the modern facilities and it has been donated to PAF with all the required and essential facilities and ready for flight without additional changes.

The staff of the Qatar Airways will also be at the disposal of PAF for necessary training and explaining the gadgets and equipments installed in the aircraft.

The aircraft is equipped with all required facilities, including small conference room, capacity for 89 passengers and modern facilities.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2007

In photos taken from 2007 to 2008 the VIP Airbus A310-300 (AP-OOI) was seen without PAF markings. The aircraft simply sported 'Pakistan' titles in Urdu and English on both sides of fuselage as seen in following photo taken on April 24, 2007. The A310-300 sported stylised Pakistan flag on tail and diagonal green band across fuselage like seen on PIA aircraft. But the entire fuselage and tail of the VIP Airbus A310-300 had all-white background unlike PIA aircraft which have tail and rear half of fuselage painted in off-white colour.

AP-OOI without PAF markings photo taken on April 24, 2007.

Click here to see large photo.

And, just recently in 2009, the VIP Airbus A310-300 (AP-OOI) was seen with PAF markings applied on it which include 'PAKISTAN AIR FORCE' titles on fuselage, PAF emblem below flight deck windows and PAF roundel near the tail section of the aircraft as seen in following photo taken on December 2, 2009.

AP-OOI photo with PAF markings taken on December 2, 2009.

Click here to see large photo.

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that the VVIP fleet had five planes and the Airbus was the last one to be under civilian control.

In recent times, I've seen at least four Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft used for transporting VIPs including President and Prime Minister. These four aircraft are:

1 x Gulfstream IV-SP (serial# J-755)

1 x Gulfstream G-IV-X G450 (serial# J-756)

1 x Airbus A310-300 (registration AP-OOI)

1 x CN-235-220 (serial# 05-054)

Fifth fixed-wing aircraft could be ageing Dassault Falcon 20E (serial# J-753) but its current status is not known.

Abbas

[nd]

what about these

[Abbas Ali]

Following aircraft are or were mostly used for transporting high-ranking officials of Pakistan Army. I have not seen civilian government officials like President or Prime Minister using these aircraft

what about these

I believe the following Boeing 707 of PAF (aircraft serial# 68-19635) operated VIP flight for the last time in 1990s and now it has been broken-up/scrapped according to some reports

what about these

Following VIP Boeing 737-300 (AP-BEH) was returned to its owner i.e. PIA and it has been operating PIA commercial flights since past several years.

what about these

The following Dassault Falcon (serial# J-753) operated many VIP flights for Pakistani leaders from 1970s till recent years. I'm not sure but I think Zafarullah Khan Jamali was the last Prime Minister of Pakistan to travel on this aircraft probably Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as interim Prime Minister also travelled on this aircraft. The last time I saw J-753 as active aircraft was when Pakistan's then Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri flew to New Delhi on this aircaft in 2007. The current status of J-753 is unknown.

what about these

Following aircraft is ill-fated VIP Fokker F-27 (serial# 10254) of PAF. It crashed near Kohat in year 2003. Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir and 16 others died in this crash.

what about these

Following two Gulfstreams (J-755 & J-756) already are in PAF inventory and used for transporting high-ranking Pakistan government officials including President and Prime Minister.

what about these

The Y-12 in PAF is apparently mainly used for transporting personnell and equipment.

what about these

Is this particular PAF CN-235-220 (serial# 04-043) used as VIP transport aircraft or is it one of PAF CN-235-220 used as regular military transport aircraft?

what about these

Cessnas were or are still used mainly for inter-base communication duties.

what about these

Most of Fokker F-27s in Pakistan Navy are for maritime patrol missions. Probably this one is or was used for transporting Navy personnel.

what about these

Embraer Phenom 100 Very Light Jet (VLJ) most probably used for transporting high ranking air force officials.

what about these

Abbas

[TAILWIND]

what about these

JPC 11687 is one of the two acft on Army aviation inventory. One was used for VIP transport and the other for survay of pakistan mapping flights. Both have been decommissioned and I think are being put for sale. The acft shown in the picture was the one in which Gen Aslam Beg took off after Gen Zia'a C-130 from Bahawalpur in 17 Aug 88. It circled over the crash site and proceeded to Qasim. The rest is history now.
The Cessna Goden Eagle 421 regn no 0222 was purchased by Army from NC (national construction) and was used for fixed wing multi engine pilot training. It has now been sold to Askari Aviation and flies under civil regn.

I share nd's concern, Pakistan perhaps has highest VVIP acft to GDP ratio in the world =D>

[Abbas Ali]

JPC 11687 is one of the two acft on Army aviation inventory. One was used for VIP transport and the other for survay of pakistan mapping flights. Both have been decommissioned and I think are being put for sale. The acft shown in the picture was the one in which Gen Aslam Beg took off after Gen Zia'a C-130 from Bahawalpur in 17 Aug 88. It circled over the crash site and proceeded to Qasim. The rest is history now.

Thank you for very interesting info about that aircraft. I did not know it was the same aircraft in which General Mirza Aslam Beg took off from Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988.

I had seen photos of another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 in Pakistan Army markings with serial# 11667 on aviation photos slide selling sites but did not know that another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 with serial# 11687 was the aircraft that took-off with General Mirza Aslam Beg onboard from Bahawalpur after take-off by Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules with then Pakistan President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq onboard on August 17, 1988. Somewhere I had read that the aircraft carrying General Aslam Beg, after getting report of accident met by Gen. Zia's C-130, circled over C-130's wreckage and then continued flight to Islamabad Airport/Chaklala Air Base, Rawalpindi, to take important decisons for the nation.

The ill-fated C-130 of Pakistan Air Force in VIP configuration flying with call sign 'Pakistan One' or 'Pak One' carrying President Zia-ul-Haq from Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988 was 1962-built Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 23494) and it was in camouflage colour scheme when it met accident that day.

Here, I would also like to add that Pakistan Air Force VIP Dassault Falcon DA-20 (serial# J-753) survived shoulder-launched Surface to Air Missile (SAM) attack near Chaklala Air Base due to evasive action taken by pilot or missile missed the aircraft or malfunctioned. Then Pakistan President Zia-ul-Haq was aboard the aircraft at that time and the incident is mentioned in book titled 'The Terrorist Prince : the Life and Death of Murtaza Bhutto' authored by Raja Anwar.

Btw, there also was a Pakistan Air Force Fokker F-27 Friendship Mk 200 (serial# J-752) which was also used for transporting Pakistani leaders including President and Prime Minister in the past. Does anyone know current status of J-752 ?

Here's a photo from early 1990s of J-752.

Pakistan Air Force Fokker F-27 Friendship Mk 200 (J-752) in early 1990s.

And, does anyone know why J-752 had that prominent bulge under its belly near the centre of fuselage? Was it for housing some sort of equipment in aircraft cabin or was it for housing some other device ?

Abbas

[nd]

[TAILWIND]

.............
I had seen photos of another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 in Pakistan Army markings with serial# 11667 on aviation photos slide selling sites but did not know that another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 with serial# 11687 was the aircraft that took-off with General Mirza Aslam Beg onboard from Bahawalpur after take-off by Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules with then Pakistan President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq onboard on August 17, 1988. Somewhere I had read that the aircraft carrying General Aslam Beg, after getting report of accident met by Gen. Zia's C-130, circled over C-130's wreckage and then continued flight to Islamabad Airport/Chaklala Air Base, Rawalpindi, to take important decisons for the nation.

Yes as i wrote, the other JPC was funded by survey of Pakistan and operated by army aviatiion. It had provisions for camera intallation in the normal VIP cabin with a aperture in the floor for camera. The acft was extensivley used for mapping flights by survey of paksitan and was also used as standby for VIP (COAS) in case the other one was not available.

And, does anyone know why J-752 had that prominent bulge under its belly near the centre of fuselage? Was it for housing some sort of equipment in aircraft cabin or was it for housing some other device ?Abbas

I can only guess, it is either and ex navy acft with radome for 'search water' radar. OR it is the housing for some secret protective equipment (jammer etc) which was installed on the VVIP puma helicopter and fokker used by president Zia after the missile attack on his acft.

[nd]

Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 23494)
is it general zia accident aircraft?

[Abbas Ali]

^ Yes, Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 23494) is the aircraft which crashed after take-off from Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988. Everyone aboard the aircraft including then President of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq died in that air crash.

Abbas

[nd]

thank you for very interesting info about that aircraft. I did not know it was the same aircraft in which General Mirza Aslam Beg took off from Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988.

I had seen photos of another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 in Pakistan Army markings with serial# 11667 on aviation photos slide selling sites but did not know that another Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 with serial# 11687 was the aircraft that took-off with General Mirza Aslam Beg onboard from Bahawalpur after take-off by Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules with then Pakistan President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq onboard on August 17, 1988. Somewhere I had read that the aircraft carrying General Aslam Beg, after getting report of accident met by Gen. Zia's C-130, circled over C-130's wreckage and then continued flight to Islamabad Airport/Chaklala Air Base, Rawalpindi, to take important decisons for the nation.

here is both
Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 markings with serial# 11667

Rockwell Commander 690C Jetprop 840 markings with serial# 11687

[nd]

^ Yes, Pakistan Air Force Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 23494) is the aircraft which crashed after take-off from Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988. Everyone aboard the aircraft including then President of Pakistan General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq died in that air crash.

Abbas

thnx abbas

[nd]

what about this c-130

[Moin]

I'd love to see that A310 painted in the same livery as those Gulfstreams. Would look beautiful.

[Abbas Ali]

^ I also would like to see PAF VIP A310-300 in colour scheme sported by PAF Gulfstreams. It will also be nice if VIP A310-300 registration is changed from AP-OOI to more appropriate AP-ONE.

thnx abbas

You're welcome and I must add that you have very nice collection of Pakistani military aircraft photos.

what about this c-130

It was ground collision between two Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 23491 and serial# 24143) of Pakistan Air Force at Chaklala Air Base, Rawalpindi/Islamabad Airport on September 10, 1998. One of these C-130s (apparently serial# 24143) was coming to parking bay but due to its overheated brakes the aircraft was not able to stop or became uncontrollable and struck stationary/parked C-130B (apparently serial 23491). If I remember correctly, a number of crew members including senior officers aboard C-130B that experieced brakes problem/failure lost their lives in this accident due to eruption of fire in the aircraft.

Here's a colour picture scanned from an old newspaper showing wrecked Lockheed C-130B Hercules (serial# 24143), in the background tail of serial# 23491 can be seen. Both C-130s were damaged beyond repair.

I can only guess, it is either and ex navy acft with radome for 'search water' radar. OR it is the housing for some secret protective equipment (jammer etc) which was installed on the VVIP puma helicopter and fokker used by president Zia after the missile attack on his acft.

Thank you for the input.

According to Fokker F-27 Friendship production list, Fokker F-27 Mk 200 (construction number 10281) was built in 1965 and in same year it was delivered to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Department (now known as Civil Aviation Authority – CAA) under registration AP-ATW. And in same year i.e. 1965 it was transferred to Pakistan Air Force to be used as VIP transport aircraft under air force serial# J-752.

So, apparently it means J-752 from 1965 to present day (if the aircraft is still active) spent all its life as VIP transport aircraft with Pakistan Air Force. So, I think that bulge below J-752 belly is to accommodate some fixture installed in cabin or it could very well be to house some sort of anti-missile device. Pre-1980s photos of J-752 might help us in finding out whether it had that prominent buldge in 1960s and 1970s also or not.

Btw, here’s a little photo history of Pakistan Air Force VIP aircraft that sported or presenty sport ‘J-75*’ series serial number. As seen in following photos, the PAF VIP aircraft in ‘J-75*’ serial number series were or are smaller executive aircraft.

Aircraft Type: Vickers Viking Mark1B Type 649
Year Built: 1948
Inducted in PAF: 1948
PAF Serial Number: J-750
Phased out from PAF: 1960


Aircraft Type: Vickers Viscount 734
Year Built: 1955
Inducted in PAF: 1956
PAF Serial Number: J-751
Phased out from PAF: 1967


Aircraft Type: Fokker F-27 Friendship Mk 200
Year Built: 1965
Inducted in PAF: 1965
PAF Serial Number: J-752
Phased out from PAF: Current status unknown ?


Aircraft Type: Dassault Falcon 20E
Year Built: 1973 ?
Inducted in PAF: 1973
PAF Serial Number: J-753
Phased out from PAF: Current status unknown ?


Aircraft Type: Cessna 560XL Citation Excel
Year Built: 1998
Inducted in PAF: 2004
PAF Serial Number: J-754

Click here to see large photo.

Aircraft Type: Gulfstream G-IV(SP)
Year Built: 1997
Inducted in PAF: 2005
PAF Serial Number: J-755

Click here to see large photo.

Aircraft Type: Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV-X Gulfstream G450
Year Built: 2007
Inducted in PAF: 2007
PAF Serial Number: J-756

Click here to see large photo.

Following are the three other known aircraft in PAF inventory with ‘J’ series serial number but these have not been seen operating VIP flights and are apparently used mainly for PAF’s own operations.

2 x Dassault Falcon 20F (serial# J-468 and J-469) used for ELINT/ECM (Electronic Intelligence/Electronic Counter Measures) missions.

Here’s photo of Dassault Falcon 20F (serial# J-468)

Click here to see large photo.

1 x Saab 2000 (serial# J-019) used for Saab 2000 ERIEYE AEW&C crew training and other transport tasks.


On one occasion J-019 operated flight on October 3/4 2009 from Islamabad Airport/Chaklala, Rawalpindi to Karachi to transport innocent Pakistanis released by Saudi Arabia after clearing them of narcotics smuggling charges.


Abbas