PICTURES: Romania accepts first C-27J Spartans

By Craig Hoyle

SOURCE:Flightglobal.com

Romania’s first two of seven C-27J Spartan tactical transports have arrived in Bucharest, after completing a ferry flight from Alenia Aeronautica’s Turin Caselle site in Italy.
The aircraft landed at Bucharest Otopeni airport on 12 April and have now been formally accepted by the Romanian air force.
The service will use the type to replace its remaining four operational Antonov An-26s in performing tasks such as personnel and equipment transport, medical evacuation, search and rescue and humanitarian assistance.

All images © Alenia Aeronautica

“The aircraft will be brought into service immediately, and a complex process of advanced training of the Romanian crews and technical staff will start,” says Alenia Aeronautica. The company will also provide spare parts and other support under its December 2007 contract, worth €217 million ($295 million).
Around 28 C-27Js are now in service with Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and the USA, as listed in Flightglobal’s MiliCAS database. Alenia Aeronautica is also under contract to produce the type for Morocco, while Slovakia has selected the model.