A multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, James Wynbrandt has been an AIN and Business Jet Traveler contributor since 2003. His in-depth reporting and insightful features have won more than a dozen editorial honors, including two National Business Aviation Association Gold Wing Awards (2019; 2021), and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Barron’s, Fortune, Forbes, and Smithsonian Air &amp; Space. He has flown his Mooney M20K 252 on assignments throughout North and Central America and the Caribbean. Wynbrandt is also the author of Flying High (Wiley &amp; Sons), a biography of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, as well as histories, references works, and books on a variety of other topics from major publishers. He lives in New York City.

Contributor - Business Aviation

James Wynbrandt

Germany’s Rhineland Air Service (RAS; Hall 2C C342, SD B4) is exhibiting at the Paris Air Show its MPA Sea Eagle, a maritime patrol-reconfigured ATR 72, the special mission conversion ordered by the Pakistan Navy — the nation’s second Sea Eagle.

 


The conversion, performed in cooperation with Aerodata over one year, equipped the former transport aircraft with Aerodata’s “AeroMission” mission management system, an AESA surveillance radar system, two weapon hardpoints, Sonobuoy launching system, broadband Satcom System, Electronic Support Measures System, and high-resolution electro-optical and infrared system.

 


&nbsp;“With its long endurance and low operating costs, along with excellent parts and maintenance availability, the ATR 72 series was the ideal platform to fulfill our client’s most demanding operational needs for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare missions,” said RAS director of Special Mission Aircraft Nikolaos Mavrikis,&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


RAS said its special mission aircraft division can “convert and customize aircraft for any type of business, humanitarian or governmental mission.”

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