British Army News Release

Army Bids Farewell to The Lynx Helicopter in Style

The Army is to pay special tribute as one of its most ubiquitous aviation assets bows out of service.

The Lynx helicopter has had a long and distinguished career with the British Army stretching back nearly 40 years. Described as a primary battlefield utility helicopter, the venerable Lynx entered service in 1978 and since then has been used to: destroy tanks, evacuate the wounded, gather intelligence, provide humanitarian support, rescue those in peril, wow the crowds at air shows and much more besides. It's proven itself across the globe in such exacting locations as: the freezing plains of Northern Canada, the steaming jungles of South East Asia and Central America, the sub-zero environment of the Arctic to the dust bowls of the Middle East and has supported British troops on active service in Bosnia, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

However, age has finally caught up with the Lynx and although it'll be a tough act to follow, Wildcat will replace the Lynx. With its superior avionics uprated engines and improved capability it too will prove a formidable force over any battlefield of the future.

To mark the Lynx's decommissioning from British Army service, the Army Air Corps are to fly five of the last remaining airframes from RAF Odiham in Hampshire, where they are based, on a commemorative tour (please see accompanying flight plan map) around England taking in some of the sites and locations to which the aircraft is most fondly associated: Middle Wallop, Upavon, Yeovil, Wattisham to name a few. The flight will culminate in an impressive V5 'air procession' along the length of the River Thames over Central London.

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AAC Lynx Farewell Flight

Aircraft will depart Odiham at 09:00hrs on Tuesday 16th January 2018.

In the event of poor weather, a fall-back date of the 23rd January 2018 will be used.

Click on image for Army Lynx Schedule.




Army in the South East Facebook

The five AAC Lynx helicopters will begin their flight around the country at 09:00 hours, on 16th January 2018, from RAF Odiham. There will also be an accompanying Chinook (ZH900) which will initially film their flight before returning to Odiham and later filming the flight as they fly along the length of the Thames.

This event will be covered live by 'Army in the South East' facebook page at 08:45 hours on 16th January 2018. They will be onboard the helicopters and an accompanying Chinook.

The tour will start from RAF Odiham (09:00) before arriving at Middle Wallop (09:15), then on to Salisbury Plain Training Area (09:26), Upavon (09:32), Wareham, RNAS Yeovilton (10:15), Bristol (10:44), St Athan (10.55), Leominster, RAF Shawbury (12:30), Tilton on the Hill (13:51), Oakington (14:13), Duxford (14:15), Wattisham (14:30) and will end with an impressive flight in V5 formation along the length of the River Thames, before returning to RAF Odiham.

One of the AAC Lynx helicopters (ZG917) has been painted in a special livery to commemorate 657 Squadron AAC. Photos can be seen Here and on Twitter.

The Army Air Corps’ #Lynxhelicopter makes its last flight in British military service today. Here’s a sneak preview of the paintwork on the Lynx that will lead the commemorative air procession around the country. pic.twitter.com/Kc1YTs7zBC

— British Army (@BritishArmy) January 16, 2018

On the Day:
Four AAC Lynx helicopters took part in the tour, instead of the planned five and there were six ACC Lynx on the ground at RAF Odiham. The four Lynx helicopters missed out their planned visit to St Athans due to the bad weather in that area.

Tracking Lynx helicopters on ADS-B Exchange.

The four Lynx helicopters included:- ZG917 (special colour scheme), ZF537, ZG918, ZF538 and their callsign was 'VALHALA01'.

The lead Lynx (ZG917) was flown by the Commanding Officer of 657 Squadron AAC, Major James Peycke who said that bidding farewell to the iconic machine is a huge moment for everyone who has flown the Lynx over the years and they would have liked to have include more locations on the tour but were restricted by winter daylight hours.

In March 2017, the Royal Navy also performed a similar farewell flypast of four Royal Navy Lynx Mk.8 helicopters, from 815 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), based at RNAS Yeovilton.