One of the Army’s Bell 206 helicopters now bears a registration in honour of former Chief of Staff Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips.

The new registration is 8R-MAP. The last three letters, MAP, represent the abbreviation of the retired Brigadiers’ full name – Mark Anthony Phillips.

The Guyana Defence Force said the registration process for the aircraft was first approved during his tenure as Chief-of-Staff.

The new registration was unveiled Thursday at the hangar at Air Station London (Headquarters GDF Air Corps) at Timerhi, East Bank Demerara.

Phillips, his wife and daughter unveiled the craft’s new registration, which was conducted in the presence of GDF Inspector General, Colonel Nazrul Hussain, Commandant of the Guyana People’s Militia, Colonel Gary Beaton, Commanding Officer Air Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Courteney Byrne, other Senior Officers and ranks of the Air Corps.

The Bell 206 Helicopter (serial number 3643), was received by the GDF in May 2008, and immediately went into service in Internal Security Operations.

Its original call sign prior to registration was “GDF 2”.

“The helicopter became an integral part of the flight operations of the GDF Air Corps, since, as a light utility helicopter, it was admirably suited to the tasks of reconnaissance, internal security operations, casualty evacuations, and air transport,” the GDF stated.