[MilCom] C-130 logged inbound Andrews has paramilitary history

[IPTV]

The Hercules N8183J L100-30 which arrived at Andrews AFB early Sunday 
morning is indeed a most interesting aircraft.       (Ref Keith Stein, 
2/19/05)

This aircraft is or was on hire from Rapid Air Transport Inc to Tepper 
Aviation Inc, of Crestview, Florida.  On the last reported visual sighting 
in Scotland in November 2004, N8183J was still in Tepper Aviation livery.

On 27 November 1989 a sister Hercules L-100 operated by Tepper Aviation 
crashed on landing at Jamba airfield, Angola, while transporting weapons 
from Kamina, Papua/New Guinea to supply Angola's Unita rebel 
group.  Together with the crashed aircraft, Hercules N8183J was one of 
three Tepper Aviation C-130s  then flying near daily arms supply missions 
to Angola on behalf of CIA.   At this time, N8183J was reported leased to 
Tepper Aviation from Rapid Air Transport Inc.

The then COO of Tepper Aviation, Bud Peddy was killed in the crash, 
together with another American, two Germans, a Briton and Angolan guerrillas.

SHortly before this, Tepper Aviation had taken over CIA air support 
operations from a previous CIA contractor operation, St Lucia 
airways.    St Lucia Airways had provided ferry flights for "Irangate" 
operations as well as flying arms and drugs for CIA affiliates.

On 21 January 2003 N8183J was intercepted by the Austrian air force while 
attempting to overfly Austria en route flight from Rhein Main AFB, Germany, 
to Baku, Azerbajan.

In the last few years it has been observed on a number of occasions 
transiting in Scotland and at Rhein Main.

Further monitor reports or sightings would therefore be interesting.

Duncan in Edinburgh, UK