US President George W Bush is made his first Presidential visit to the UK in mid July 2001.  Northolt was been chosen as the main operating base for the visit for the first time in many years, and hopefully without upsetting any men in black, here follows a 'diary' of aircraft movements at Northolt for the period.
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>Thursday 12th July

98-0051   Boeing C-17A    USAF          'McChord'   AMC 62AW
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Arrived at 08.00 using callsign 'Reach 852T' and parked on the end of line 2.  Unloaded VH-3D  159350 and departed to Mildenhall at 10.00.

Arrived at 11.00 using callsign 'Reach 853T' and parked on the disused runway 30.  Unloaded VH-3D  159353 and departed to Mildenhall at 13.22.
 
 
 
 
 

< 98-0050 pictured on finals to runway 25

..Two UH-60L, 96-26674 and 96-26677 departed at 10.45 using callsign 'Army 26674'.  They routed
      to Koksidje to escort CH-47D 89-0143 to Northolt.  This CH-47D was part of the original flight on
      Friday but diverted in to Koksidje, presumably with a technical problem. All three aircraft then
     returned  to Northolt, arriving at 13.45.

89-0143      Boeing CH-47D    US Army  Co.A 5-159th AVN
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Arrived at 13.45 as  part of a formation headed by UH-60L 96-26674 .  Parked on disused runway 30, northside

..The following helicopters performed dummy runs during the evening, routing to Brize Norton,
      Chequers and Regents Park  from 19.22 to 21.58.  Callsign used were 'Nighthawk 1 & 2' (VH-3D's),
      plus 'Nighthawk 3, 4, 8, 9'.

      VH-3D     159350    159353
      CH-47D   87-0073   88-0101   88-0104
      UH-60L   96-26681

..No helicopter movements were noted, although Nighthawk 1 & 2 were heard to perform ground 
     runs from around 07.45.  Gulfstream C-37A  99-0402 visited Northolt 10.13 to 14.35 using callsign
    'Spar 76'.

..E-4B  73-1676 of 1 accs arrived at Mildenhall at 13.15 using callsign similar to 'Tinman 42'. 
      Gulfstream C-20C 85-0049 arrived at Mildenhall in the evening, callsign 'Sam 50049'.

..C-5B 87-0030 was noted at Brize Norton, bringing the Presidential cars to the country.

..C-137C 62-7000 arrived at Brize Norton at 20.11 callsign 'Sam 370'.  VC-25A  92-9000 , flight
      number 'A1', callsign 'Airforce 1'   arrived at Brize Norton at 20.45 with the President.  
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..VH-3Ds 159350 & 159353, the four CH-47Ds plus UH-60L 96-26677 departed Northolt at 19.30
      en route to Brize to rendezvous with Airforce 1 but were forced to return to Northolt due to low
      cloud,  arriving back at around 20.00.  The President continued his journey to London by road.

..The two VH-3D's departed at 14.38 and returned at 16.51 using callsign Nighthawk 1 & 2. 
      They had delivered the President from Regents Park to Chequers.  


..CH-47D's  88-0104, 87-0073 and 89-0143 departed at 15.25 using callsigns 'Nighthawk 3, 4 and 9' 
      respectively.   Two returned at 16.36 but the third, 89-0143 arrived later at 17.17 after making an 
      unscheduled landing in a field near Watford due to technical problems.  A 32sqn Squirrel landed
      at the scene to check on the aircraft which was OK and subsequently departed.

..VC-9C 73-1683 was present at Brize Norton.

..UH-60L 96-26674 departed at 15.26 and returned at 16.53 using callsign 'Nighthawk 8'.

..The final day of the visit saw three CH-47's, (70073, 80104, 90143) depart Northolt at 06.06, callsign
      'Nighthawk 3,4 and 9' respectively.  70073 and 80104 returned at 08.40 and 90143 returned at
       09.06.

.. The VH-3D's departed at 07.08 as 'Nighthawk 1 and 2' to take the President from Chequers to 
       to RAF Brize Norton to connect with Airforce 1.  They returned to Northolt at 10.05 and departed
       for the final time to Mildenhall at 12.57 for freighting home.  


..UH-60L 26677 departed Northolt with the VH-3D's at 07.08, but returned at 09.06 as 'Nighthawk 8'

..CH-47's 70073 and 80104 departed with cargo to Mildenhall at 13.53, callsign 'R70073A'.  They
      returned at 15.30 as 'R70073B', possibly with a new engine for a sick CH-47D.

..C-20C 85-0049 departed Mildenhall at 08.00.

..VC-25 92-8000 departed Brize Norton as did VC-137 62-7000 and VC-9A  73-1683.

This aircraft, callsign 'Reach 876T' operated three runs between Northolt and Mildenhall, transporting freight that the C-17A's had originally brought  for transit to the USA.   Visits were timed at 12.20 to 14.35, 16.37 to 17.37 and 18.50 to 19.42.  Originally only two runs had been planned but this was found to be insufficient.
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>Saturday 21st July

 This was Northolt families day and the seven Army helicopters remained parked on the cross
  runway north side all day.

The four CH-47D Chinooks pictured on the cross runway at Northolt

..The three UH-60L's departed Northolt eastbound at 09.55 via the London heliroutes, this time 
      using callsign 'Army 26674 flight'.

..The four CH-47D's departed Northolt eastbound at 11.12 also using the London heliroutes using
      callsign 'Army 80104 flight'

..A VH-3D was noted mid-morning being loaded into a C-5B Galaxy at RAF Mldenhall.  
      E-4B 73-1676 was still present.

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