Glasgow Airport Movements 2017
May
Yet another welcome increase in passenger numbers at Glasgow International last month with a total of 786,000 travelling through its doors making it the airport`s busiest April on record. This represents an increase of 8.9% compared with the same period last year, helped by an impressive 18% hike in international traffic. April marked the start of the busy holiday season with a number of airlines including Jet2 and Thomas Cook adding extra flights. The airport was also boosted by the Easter getaway with almost 110,000 passengers using the airport during the first weekend of the school holidays.
American Airlines and WestJet resumed their summer flights this month, plus the first Delta Air Lines service to Glasgow began on Friday 26th when Boeing 757-231(WL) N721TW (above) from JFK touched down in the sunshine mid-afternoon a couple of hours late. The aircraft`s delay in departure was due to a major runway construction project at New York`s main airport, work which has been causing major disruption since mid-March. JFK currently has four runways, but one of them, Runway 4R/22L will likely be closed until June 1. From then through to early September, there will be a night closure only, but starting on September 5, the runway will be closed around the clock again until November 17.
Boeing 757-2Q8(WL) N703TW on short finals for `23` on the 28th.
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Although JFK airport`s three other runways remain in use, strong crosswinds could temporarily restrict traffic to two or even one runway, depending on the wind direction. Storms and low visibility routinely reduces arrivals and departures to a crawl with air traffic control putting more distance than normal between the planes as a safety measure.
Unfortunately, this means that, some further delays on Delta`s new daily New York / Glasgow route can be expected for the remainder of the year. 
Earlier this month I was down south when I managed to snap a few shots at Southampton Airport while waiting for a flight home: Click here to view.
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Delta Boeing 757 N721TW touches tarmac at Glasgow International for the first time, Friday 26th May.
The weather was superb for the first half of the month, showing the countryside at its best, as illustrated in this shot taken near Bishopton, Renfrewshire. Conditions were rain-free with maximum sunshine but a cold easterly prevailed which meant Runway `05` was often in use. The numerous flyover trails, contrasting against the deep blue skies, were quickly blown out of shape by the the high winds at altitude.
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At first glance it looks like an enterprising farmer in Walkinshaw Road is hoping to make a few `bob` during the hot and dusty weather by hosing down jets car wash-style with his sprinkler as they take-off!
It recently came to light that King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, who acceded to the throne in 2013, has flown incognito as a KLM co-pilot on numerous Fokker 70 Cityhopper airliners for over 20 years. He usually flies twice a month in order to maintain his pilot's licence and now hopes to retrain on Boeing 737s as the smaller jets are due to be withdrawn from service with Royal Dutch Airlines by late October 2017. The new rating will enable the King to act as co-pilot on longer flights to a variety of destinations further from home. |
Cityhopper flights are primarily aimed at business travellers in European countries, particularly in the UK, Germany and Norway, so King Willem-Alexander may have actually co-piloted on one or more Fokker 70 flights into Glasgow. Embraer 175 and 190s, including PH-EZB (above) have been chosen as replacement aircraft with most already in service.
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Chaos reigned at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports on Saturday 27 May after British Airways cancelled all flights following a massive global IT failure. Every scheduled departure was scrubbed and the airline asked passengers not to come to airports. The problems began just after 11am when the company's unreliable new IT system crashed worldwide for the sixth time in a year.
After thousands of furious complaints from customers left in the dark about their flights, bags and due compensation, the company eventually released a video online of CEO Alex Cruz apologising to passengers. He said the crash was down to a problem with the power supply and that technical teams were working "tirelessly" to get systems back up and running. It seems that the only people happy with the situation were taxi drivers and hoteliers, with some hotels surrounding the London airports reportedly charging stranded travellers between £1,000 to £2,5000 per room per night. |
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Work on the long-awaited new stands next to the Loganair hangar at Glasgow was finished by the start of the month which will help greatly with capacity during peak periods.
The stands have been designated 37L, 37, 37R, / 38, 39 and 40 with each area able to take a large airliner or two medium-sized ones. The additional space was put to good use right away with a Virgin Jumbo, Thomas Cook A330 and a TUI Boeing 767 all parking overnight on separate occasions. Airbus A330-243 G-VYGK is pictured here on Stand 39 on Wednesday 3 May. An advantage for photographers is that, following the associated construction work, the pavement running alongside this apron is now the official cycle-way, and the blast-screen has been re-positioned so decent shots can be taken through the fence. |
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A permanent barrier along Caledonia Way West has been erected to stop drivers letting out passengers along the old drop-off stretch west of the terminal and encourage traffic flow towards the new facility. So far, despite a few hiccups, the new system appears to be working well. The real test will be over the next few months, particularly July and August when passenger numbers reach their peak.
Low-cost operator easyJet is converting an existing order for Airbus A320neo airliners into the A321neo which have been configured for 235 seats rather than the A320's 186 seats, with the first delivery scheduled for Summer 2018. As of March 31 this year, easyJet's fleet stood at 266 aircraft, comprised of 156-seat Airbus A319s and 180-seat A320s. Initially, the 144 A319s are being progressively replaced by A320neos, with the first neo due in June this year, prior to the first A321's from the amended order arriving in twelve months time.
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Jet Airliners
A typical start to the Summer Season with Air Transat A310-308 G-GSAT from Toronto, WestJet Boeing 737-7CT(WL) C-GQWJ (above) kicking-off the Calgary-based airline`s Glasgow / Halifax and Toronto summer service, Thomas Cook A330-243 G-VYGK bound for Las Vegas and Thomson (TUI) Dreamliner G-TUIG to Orlando. TUI Boeing 767-304(ER) G-OBYF appeared in the afternoon (1st); Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-900LR S5-AAL (f/v) Adria Airways from / to Ljubljana, Airbus A319-112 D-ABGO (f/v) Eurowings, Boeing 737-73S F-GZTP (f/v) ASL Airlines France to Palma, Boeing 737-8GQ(WL) OK-TSO (f/v) Smartwings from Toronto, returning from lease to Air Transat, stopped for an hour to re-fuel in the early evening (2nd); Virgin Atlantic 747 G-VXLG arrived just after 21:00 hrs and night-stopped on Stand 37 which was one of three recently completed, plus Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZH Ryanair (f/v) (4th)...
Boeing 757-2B7(WL) N935UW began the American Airlines` Glasgow / Phildelphia 2017 summer service, plus Icelandair Boeing 757 `Hekla Aurora` TF-FIU and CRJ-900LR S5-AAL Adria Airways (6th); Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZM Ryanair (f/v) (7th); Boeing 737-8MG(WL) G-JZHP B737-8MGW Jet2 (f/v) and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZK Ryanair (f/v) (8th); Boeing 737-8K5(WL) YR-BMH Blue Air in `Liverpool: Cool City - Warm Welcome` livery (f/v), Boeing 737-71B F-GZTP ASL Airlines and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZI Ryanair (f/v) (9th); Bombardier CRJ-900LR S5-AAL Adria Airways (10th)...
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Boeing 747-443 G-VROS Virgin Atlantic (pictured left on short finals for Runway 05 on Saturday 13 May) night-stopped (11th);
No less than three special-liveried airliners appeared on Friday 12 May with United Airlines Boeing 757-224(WL) N14120 in Star Alliance colours, Icelandair`s Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIR (below) in a new scheme to commemorate 80 years of aviation in Iceland, then Emirates Triple-Seven A6-EPS in Hamburger SV livery. 
Although TF-FIR has visited Glasgow on numerous occasions over the years, this was the airliner`s first visit after its makeover.
Noteworthy airliners visiting during May continued with Boeing 737-71B F-GZTP ASL Airlines France "FPO818/118T", an Aberdeen diversion which landed at 01:30 and left just before 11:00 hrs. It returned in the evening, plus Boeing 737-4K5 EC-LTG Alba Star (13th); Airbus A320-232 LZ-BHI A320 BH Air, Airbus A320-214(WL) D-AEWM Eurowings (Boomerang Club Livery), Boeing 737-8K5(WL) YR-BMH Blue Air with Liverpool titles returned, Bombardier CRJ-900LR S5-AAN Adria Airways, plus a couple of easyJet A320 diversions from Edinburgh in the evening (14th)... |
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Boeing 737-8MG(WL) G-JZHO Jet2 (f/v), Embraer ERJ-170LR F-HBXK HOP! (f/v) and A319-112 D-AKNJ Germanwings (f/v). Vueling Airbus A320-214(WL) EC-LVX (f/v) landed at 22:15 hrs and night-stopped. The Spanish airliner had been en route to Keflavik, Iceland, from Barcelona but had been forced to divert due to adverse weather (15th); Boeing 737-71B F-GZTP ASL Airlines, plus other dates (16th); Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FTN (f/v) and EI-DCL (Dreamliner Livery) both Ryanair (17th); Boeing 747-4Q8 G-VBIG Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A320-214(WL) G-EZPI easyJet (f/v) and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZP Ryanair (f/v) (18th); A321-211(WL) OE-LCO Air Berlin (f/v) and Boeing 737-8MGW G-JZHX Jet2 (f/v) (19th); Boeing 737-408 EC-LAV Alba Star (20th)...
More of this month`s visiting Virgin Atlantic and TUI `heavies` are featured in the above slideshow.
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Airbus A320-232 LZ-BHI BH Air, A320-214(WL) D-AEWG Eurowings (Visit Sweden/Göteborg Livery) and Boeing 737-4K5 EC-LNC Alba Star (21st); Boeing 737-9K2(WL) PH-BXO KLM SkyTeam Livery, Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-BXA KLM Retro colours and Embraer ERJ-170STD F-HBXA HOP! (f/v) (22nd); A319-112 D-ABGR Eurowings (f/v) and KLM`s SkyTeam 737 PH-BXO again (23rd);
Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HSD KLM (f/v) and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZW Ryanair (f/v) (24th); Airbus A320-214(WL) D-AEWM Eurowings (Boomerang Club Livery) (25th); Boeing 757-231(WL) N721TW Delta Air Lines (f/v) and Airbus A320-214 OE-LBJ Austrian (26th); Trade Air Fokker F100 9A-BTE worked the AF1057 flight from Paris (CDG), plus Boeing 757-231(WL) N711ZX Delta Airlines (f/v) (27th)... |
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Boeing 757-2Q8(WL) N703TW Delta Airlines (f/v), Airbus A320-232 LZ-BHG A320 BH Air, Boeing 737-408 EC-LAV Alba Star, Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZS Ryanair (f/v) and Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-BXA KLM retro livery (28th), Boeing 757-231(WL) N727TW Delta Air Lines (f/v) (29th); Boeing 757-2Q8(WL) N702TW Delta (f/v) (30th); Boeing 757-231(WL) N717TW Delta Airlines Sky Team livery and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-FZV Ryanair (f/v) (31st).
Star Alliance Boeing 757-224(WL) N14120 takes to the air on the 12th.
A hat-trick by Emirates 777 A6-EPS in Hamburger SV livery which visited on the 12th (above), returned the following day (below) and was back on the 15th.
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Air Transat Airbus A330-243 C-GUFR `pushing back` on Wednesday 10 May.
You could almost be forgiven in thinking that the above shot was taken at a North American airport.
The American Airlines flight arrives from Philadelphia, USA, on Wednesday 17 May.
Newark-bound United Airlines 757 N14120 taxis past Virgin Atlantic`s English Rose, G-VROS.
American Airlines Boeing 757-2B7(WL) N941UW stopped overnight on the 24th.
On Monday 22 May, the Tower announced that the runway direction would be switched to `05` just after Boeing 757 N939UW took off on `23`. However, the captain of the American Airlines jet, which was holding at Alpha One, requested a slight delay due to a problem with his Oceanic clearance. He was instructed to taxi back along the main runway, and return to the terminal area until the issue was sorted then depart via `05` about 15 minutes later. It`s not very often that an aircraft heads along the main runway both ways before lifting-off!
Boeing 737-71B F-GZTP of ASL Airlines France taxis out for departure on the 31st.
Tuesday 30 May: Delta 757-2Q8(WL) N702TW (f/v) generated an impressive amount of spray on take-off.
Above: On Monday 29th, had Runway 23 been in operation, Philadelphia-bound Boeing 757-2B7 N935UW would have been holding at `Alpha One` while Delta 757-231(WL) N727TW landed slightly ahead of schedule, enabling me to capture them both in the same frame.
I managed to get my first decent shots of Icelandair`s special-liveried Boeing 757 TF-FIR on Tuesday 16th when it came in to land on Runway 23.
There are unavoidable reflections in this shot, taken from West Pier, of Emirates Triple-Seven A6-EGT pushing back in the sunshine on Wednesday 31 May.
Prop-liners
Pre-flight checks: Flybe Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 G-KKEV.
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Loganair launched the first ever direct service between Glasgow and Bergen, Norway, this month.
Noteworthy turboprop movements in May 2017 were BAe Jetstream 41 G-MAJL Eastern Airways operating a new flight from/to Isle Of Man (see below) (2nd); Jetstream 41 G-MAJW Eastern (3rd); Saab 2000 G-CERY SF2000 Eastern Airways (6th); BN-2B Islander G-HEBO Hebridean, plus other dates (8th); ATR 42-500 LY-DAT Danu Oro (f/v) (16th); Saab SF340B 5Y-FSI (f/v), Dornier 228-202 C-FPSH (f/v) with Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team titles and BN-2B Islander G-HEBS Hebridean (20th).
A surprise visitor which stopped off on Saturday 20 May was Saab 340B which bore the Kenyan civil registration 5Y-FSI. I believe this aircraft is one of two operated by Atlanta Georgia-based Ram Air Services, a company specialising in aerial testing, mapping and survey. Other roles include the delivery of passengers and cargo into remote and undeveloped locations, particularly in humanitarian aid situations. The aircraft remained at Glasgow overnight and took off just before midday on Sunday 21st.
More noteworthy arrivals in the turboprop department included ATR 42-500 OY-RUO of Danish Air Transport (f/v) which went on to work numerous Loganair flights for the remainder of the month (21st); BAe Jetstream 41 G-MAJT Eastern Airways (f/v) (22nd);
Danish Air Transport ATR 42-500 OY-RUO (f/v) was covering various Loganair Saab 2000 routes during the latter part of the month.
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Direct flights between the Isle of Man and Scotland resumed at the beginning of May. The Ronaldsway to Glasgow route was one of five cancelled in March after the `virtual airline` Citywing went into liquidation.
UK-based Eastern Airways, which also offers flights to Belfast and Newcastle from Ronaldsway, are currently operating a daily weekday service to Glasgow. Right: BAe Jetstream 41, G-MAJK, was one of several utilised on the route, with extra Saturday and Sunday flights put on to cover increased demand during the island`s TT motorcycle racing fortnight. |
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Ready for `the off` on Runway 05.
Size comparison - Flybe Dash 8 G-JECI taxis past Thomas Cook A330-243 G-VYGK on the 12th.
Loganair Saab 2000 G-LGNS taxis out for departure in the evening sunshine, Wednesday 24 May.
Biz-Jets
Seen here on Monday 1 May, Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy P4-MSG (f/v) arrived on 28 April while Bombardier Global 6000 M-YSSF (f/v) and Raytheon 400A Beechjet G-FXKR, were both stopovers from the 30th. The Manx-registered Global 6000 didn`t leave until 09:00 hrs on Wednesday 10 May.
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This shot of Citation Mustang G-FFFC was taken on Tuesday 23 May.
A distant view of Global 5000 VP-CWN and Raytheon Hawker 750XP 9H-BSA parked on the executive ramp, Tuesday 9 May.
Airbus A318-112(CJ) Elite A6-CAS of Constellation Aviation Services from Marrakesh stopped for a refuel on the 4th before continuing across the `Pond`. The VIP-specced airliner was on the ground between 14:04 and 15:05 hrs, but it returned the following evening and once again only stayed long enough to top-up.
Corporate jets calling in at Glasgow International during May included Dassault Falcon 50EX 9H-AVE (f/v) (1st): Falcon 2000EX CS-DLG and Learjet 75 G-ZNTH (2nd); Cessna Citation CS-DXU or CS-DQA of NetJets Europe, Beechjet G-FXKR returned, and the first of several visits this month by Citation Mustang G-FFFC (3rd); Airbus A318-112(CJ) Elite A6-CAS of Constellation Aviation Services and another corporate airliner, namely Air X Charter`s Boeing BBJ B737-800 VIP 9H-AHA B737-5 touched down at 16:00 hrs and parked up overnight (4th); Embraer ERJ-145EU F-HRAV Aero4m (f/v), plus A318-112(CJ) Elite A6-CAS returned (5th)...
Falcon 50EX 9H-AVE arrived at Glasgow for the first time on Monday 1 May 2017. It had flown in from Dublin and was en route to Rome Ciampino.
Bombardier Challenger 350 CS-CHF (6th); Bombardier Challenger 350 9H-VCA VistaJet, Dassault Falcon 2000EX N215RE, Falcon 2000LX N78KN (f/v) and Citation Bravo OE-GPS Tyrol Air Ambulance (7th); Global 5000 VP-CWN, Bombardier Challenger 650 N541BA (f/v), Cessna Citation XLS D-CGMR, Cessna Citation XLS+ YU-PMK (f/v) and Raytheon Hawker 750XP 9H-BSA (8th); Citation Bravo G-XJCJ (f/v) (9th); Cessna 525B CitationJet CJ3 CS-DGW and Embraer Phenom 300 G-JMBO (10th)...
Global 5000 VP-CWN arrived early on Monday 8 May. Its `VP-C` prefix indicates that it`s registered in the Cayman Islands.
Citation Bravo G-CGEI (11th); Embraer ERJ-145LR F-HRGD (f/v) Regourd Aviation, Challenger 350 9H-VCA VistaJet and Dassault Falcon 2000LX N78KN (12th); Dassault Falcon 900B C-FWKX, Learjet 45 9H-BCP, Citation XLS CS-DXO NetJets Europe and Citation CJ2+ G-PEER Air Charter Scotland (13th); Citation XLS+ G-CHUI (14th); Embraer ERJ-145EP F-HELA, Bombardier Challenger 601 2-SEXY (f/v), Cessna 560 Citation Encore+ D-CAWR and Citation CJ2 D-IMAX (15th)...
Ready for departure to Liverpool, VistaJet`s Challenger 350 9H-VCA vacates Area `J` on Sunday 7 May.
Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 600 G-LEGC, Citation XLS G-CXLS and Learjet 35A D-CTRI (16th); Learjet 45 D-CSOS (17th); Challenger 350 9H-VCB VistaJet, Raytheon Hawker 750XP 9H-BSA, Cessna CitationJet CJ3 OO-FYS (18th); Falcon 2000 N215RE and CitationJet CJ4 N217CJ (f/v) (19th); Citation Encore+ D-CAWR and Falcon 900B C-FWKX both returned (20th); Gulfstream 550 N537BT (f/v) and Gulfstream 280 N280LS (f/v) (21st); Embraer ERJ-145LR F-HFKC, Bombardier Challenger 350 9H-VCO VistaJet, Bombardier Global 6000 M-TSLT (f/v), Citation Mustang N510MD (f/v) and Raytheon Hawker 750XP 9H-BSA (22nd); Citation Bravo G-CGEI and Learjet 45 G-UJET (f/v) (23rd); Falcon 2000LXS N541Z (f/v) Gulfstream 200 G-GZOO, Gulfstream V-SP N83CW and Embraer Phenom 300 G-HNPN (24th); Embraer Lineage 1000 N966MS (f/v), Gulfstream IV-SP N77FK (f/v), Bombardier Challenger 300 SE-RMA, Falcon 2000EX CS-DLH, Cessna CitationJet CJ4 D-CHRA (f/v), Citation XLS CS-DXY and Citation Bravo G-IPLY (25th)...
Embraer Phenom 300 G-JMBO and Phenom 100 9H-FGV Luxwing (26th); Embraer Legacy 500 D-BEER Air Hamburg (f/v), Falcon 7X M-CELT, Citation XLS D-CHDJ, Bombardier Challenger 850 D-AJOY Air X, and Phenom 100 9H-FAM Luxwing (27th); CitationJet CJ4 D-CHRA returned, plus Citation Mustang G-JJET (28th); Gulfstream 200 G-GZOO and Cessna Citation Bravo G-CGEI call-sign `Jester One` (29th); Learjet 45 G-XJET (30th); Learjet 35A D-CCCA (31st).
Citation Mustang G-FFFC moments after landing on the 17th.
Falcon 2000LXS N541Z (f/v) on Taxiway Y, Friday 26 May 2017.
A closer view of Embraer Legacy 600 G-LEGC on Area J, Wednesday 17 May.
Embraer ERJ-145LR F-HFKC of Enhance Aero landed at 09:45 hrs on Monday 22 May, having flown in from Nantes. Like some of the other similar-sized commuter jets that have visited Glasgow recently, it parked at one of the stands near the British Airways maintenance hangar, in this case No.65, making a decent image impossible to achieve due to the double fence and equipment in the way. Enhance Aero offers aircraft maintenance, training and charter flights, utilising four 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 including F-HFKC and one 13-seat Embraer Legacy 600. The flights are operated by SI AVIA, partner of Enhance Aero. F-HFKC stayed until 17:10 hrs on Wednesday 24th.
Challenger 300 SE-RMA plus one, Area Juliet, 25 May. The Swedish-registered biz jet had flown in from Stanstead.
First-time visitor Gulfstream 550 N537BT on Area R, Monday 22 May 2017. This was an Edinburgh visitor that transferred to Glasgow to park.
Falcon 900B C-FWKX in the fading evening light, Taxiway `Y`, Saturday 20 May 2017. The Canadian jet was bound for Toronto.
Manx-registered Bombardier Global 6000 M-TSLT about to touch down on `05` on Monday 22nd. It was flying from Newcastle to Moscow.
Another parking refugee from Edinburgh, Embraer Lineage 1000 N966MS (f/v). This model is the corporate version of the ERJ-190-100 ECJ
airliner.
Taxiway `Yankee`, Friday 26 May: overnight parking.
Challenger 300 SE-RMA and P-180 Avanti D-IRBS on the executive ramp, Thursday 25 May.
General Aviation
A Philadelphia-bound American Airlines 757 passes a fairly busy Area Juliet on the 16th.
King Air M-WATJ and Bell 206 Jet Ranger G-XBOX (2nd); Piper PA-31 Navajo G-FCSL of Flight Calibration Services, King Air 200 G-IASA and Cessna 208 Caravan floatplane G-LAUD (plus other dates) (3rd); Robin APEX DR 400/140 B PH-NSC and Eurocopter EC-135 G-SCAA working Heli-Med flights on several dates during the month (4th); Cessna 172N G-BOIL (5th); King Air 200 HB-GLB (f/v), Bell 429 Global Ranger G-HPIN (f/v) and AgustaWestland A109E Power G-EMHN (f/v) (6th); SOCATA TBM-930 M-ATTI (f/v) and King Air 100 N3534 (7th); Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftan G-IFIT, Aerospatiale AS.365 N2 Dauphin II G-PDGO (f/v) and Sikorsky S-92A G-MCGG HM Coastguard (8th); King Air 200 G-WVIP (9th); SOCATA TBM-930 N930J (f/v) and Piper PA-32R Saratoga II G-JAFS (10th)...
King Air 200 G-WCCP and Cirrus SR22 G-OGGM (11th); Piaggio P-180 Avanti M-ONTE (plus other dates), King Air 200 G-OLIV and Sikorsky S-92A G-MCGL HM Coastguard (12th); King Air 200 G-IASA (13th); Cessna 421C Golden Eagle G-ISAR (f/v), SOCATA TBM-930 M-ATTI and Aerospatiale AS-355F2 Ecureuil 2 G-ULES (14th); King Air 200 G-WVIP and Piper PA-46 Malibu Mirage N464LB (15th); Piper PA-34 G-CAHA overshot Runway 23 twice in the afternoon, plus Eurocopter EC120B Colibri G-TOOZ overflew. (18th); PA-34 G-CAHA did another overshoot, plus Aerospatiale AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 G-PDGT (19th)...
Making an appearance on Sunday 21 May was US-registered Beech King Air G90XT N190XT. It stopped off on a flight between Vágar in the Faroe Islands and Geneva, Switzerland. The aircraft dates from 1984 and is owned by Nextant Aerospace LLC. The United States-based company specialises in the re-manufacturing of business jets, the first product being the Nextant 400XT, a modified and modernised Beechjet 400A/XP that sells for approximately one-half the price of competing models with comparable features and specifications.
The process takes all life-limited components to zero-time status, either through replacement or overhaul, resulting in a plane that is around 88 percent new. The airframe itself, which is not life-limited, is the only significant remaining part. The Nextant G90XT is the company`s first comparable offering in the turbo-prop department, More information can be found on the Nextant Aerospace website. N190XT had parked on Area J for an hour to refuel mid-morning.
Noteworthy GA movements in May continued with Eurocopter EC-155B G-NIVA which overflew east to west at 11:20 hrs (22nd); Bell 206B Jet Ranger III G-XBOX (23rd); Piaggio P-180 Avanti D-IRBS, King Air 200 G-FLYW, AT01 Aquila G-TSDE (f/v), Piper PA-28 Cherokees G-BOVK and G-BIIT, Agustawestland A-109S Grand G-HRDB (f/v), Eurocopter AS355N Ecureuil II G-OLCP and AS365 Dauphin N2 G-BTNC (24th); King Air G90XT N190XT returned, plus King Air 200 G-FLYW BE200 (25th); Pilatus PC-12 M-YBLS and Bell 206 Jet Ranger (26th); King Air 200 G-NIAA, Sikorsky S-92A G-MCGL HM Coastguard and Robinson R66 Turbine G-OHAS (27th); Eurocopter EC-135 G-SCAA and AgustaWestland AW189 G-MCGT HM Coastguard (28th); King Air 200 G-NIAA (29th); King Air 200GT M-WATJ, SOCATA TBM-910 N934CA (f/v), AS355F2 Ecureuil 2 G-PDGT, plus HM Coastguard Sikorsky S-92As G-MCGL and G-MCGF (30th);
AS365 Dauphin N2 G-BTNC was snapped on Wednesday the 24th.
Military
Military aircraft visiting during May were BAe 146 C.3 ZE707 RAF on the 3rd, US Navy Fairchild Swearingen C-26D 91-0511 (f/v) on the 5th, and another BAe 146 C.3 ZE701, pictured in this sequence, which landed about 10:45 hrs on Tuesday 16th...
Canadian Falcon 900B C-FWKX was still on Area `R`. The RAF transport parked on the Royal Pan beside Bombardier Challenger 601 2-SEXY.
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Below: Lockheed KC-130J serial number 167111 /QH of the 2002 US Marine Corps, call-sign `Ranger 70`(f/v) also arrived on Tuesday 16 May, touching down at 20:00 hrs, and is pictured here on Taxiway `Yankee` the following day. Glasgow has seen a few US military Hercs night-stopping recently, particularly those of the USMC.
Wednesday 17th saw a couple of other somewhat unusual military visitors: German Air Force Airbus A319-133(CJ) 15+1 did a `touch and go` on Runway 23 at 13:50 hrs, then an RAF Tornado overshot later that afternoon. Civil airports accommodate practice diversions to cover the rare possibility that combat aircraft would need to land there in an emergency. These overshoots and touch and goes familiarise the military crews with procedures and give the civilian Air Traffic Control staff some experience in controlling fast jets.
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C-130J 167111 belongs to Marine Aerial Refueller Transport Squadron 234 (VMGR-234) "Rangers", a reserve unit whose HQ is located at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base in Texas. The USMC aircraft finally left Glasgow at 14:00 hrs on the 19th.
Swearingen SA227DC C-26D Metroliner 91-0572, a US Army machine, landed at 15:35 hrs on Thursday 25 May and parked up overnight on Area R.
The aircraft left for Keflavik, Iceland, about 10:35 hrs on the 26th.
