Glw Apt 2018 November

Glasgow Airport Movements 2018

November

January 2018

November 2018

Glasgow Airport Movements 2015

Glasgow Airport Movements 2016

Glasgow Airport Movements 2017

Glasgow Airport Movements 2019

Flightradar 24

Glasgow International Arrivals & Departures

ADS-B Exchange

Yet again, the Glasgow International management team have been slow to release monthly passenger numbers but, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stats, the airport`s overall passenger total for October 2018 is 884,000, which is down 4.7% compared with the same month last year. Included in this total is Emirates` Glasgow-Dubai route which dropped 14% last month to 35,000 from 41k in 2017. The airline`s new service from Edinburgh carried 13,300 passengers during the same period which no doubt contributed to the reduction.

There is some good news, however. Following Ryanair`s decision to axe most of its Glasgow flights, the budget carrier will reintroduce four popular routes next year, starting on 1st and 2nd April 2019: Alicante will be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, Brussels-Charleroi on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with Malaga on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Warsaw on Monday and Fridays.

Overall, the weather here has been fairly wet, windy and mild with only a light frost on a couple of mornings in the second half of the month.

As is usual at this time of year, geese, various species of waders, and to a lesser degree swans, have begun to gather in the fields adjacent to the Black Cart Water, potentially interfering with aircraft movements. Airside Ops are kept busy, firing-off flares in an attempt to dislodge any birds that stray onto the airfield or too close to the flight paths.

The fields between Walkinshaw Road on the airport`s northern perimeter and the Black Cart Water are a popular feeding ground.

Boeing Triple-Seven A6-EPJ arrives from Dubai on Sunday 25 November.

A pick-up fee has been in place at Glasgow International Airport (above) since 2010, with drop-offs free until April 2017 when the management introduced a £2 toll for anyone setting down or picking up. The £2 charge entitles drivers to a 10-minute stay after which a rising scale kicks in.

Now, through at the capital, as of Thursday 8 November, Edinburgh Airport is doubling most of its drop-off charges to "ease congestion problems" at the busy hub. Motorists will be charged £2 for five minutes (an increase of £1), £4 for up to 10 minutes (another £1 increase) and £10 for up to 20 minutes, which doubles up from £5. Airport officials maintain that Eastfield Road, currently the only route available to motorists, is already operating at capacity and that the extra revenue will contribute towards the building of a new £10m access road to the terminal. Edinburgh Airport`s international growth was up 9.5% while domestic growth also increased by 5.2%.

Early morning sunshine illuminates TUI Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner G-TUIK as it climbs after taking off from Runway 05 on Saturday 17 November.

The major upgrade to Renfrewshire`s sewer network continues with long stretches of new pipe being laid in the general area including a section inside the airport`s perimeter fence at the southwest corner, behind the 05 runway lights, continuing towards the Loganair hangar. These views were taken just east of Inchinnan village earlier this month, close to the contractor`s compound. McGill`s bus garage is visible left of centre in the above shot.

From the A8 Greenock Road, the pipeline cuts across the fields towards the Rolls Royce factory at the Inchinnan Business Park, paralleling the Black Cart.

I`m unaware as to whether the large-scale regeneration of the area proposed by the Clyde Waterfront & Renfrew Riverside Project will go ahead on schedule, especially in light of the uncertainties surrounding the UK`s pending departure from the European Union. The only obvious progress so far is that survey work has been completed pending the realignment of Abbotsinch Road (below), which runs along the airport`s eastern perimeter. This will enable the airport to expand, with the additional aim of creating an external business park alongside, currently referred to as the Glasgow Airport Investment Area. Renfrewshire Council have produced an interesting five minute-long video detailing the ambitious proposals estimated to cost somewhere in the region of £91 million. The project was initially due for completion sometime in 2020 but judging by the lack of activity to date, this now seems unlikely. The video showing how the various partners hope to transform the area can be viewed via this link on YouTube.

Planned improvements include off road cycle-ways with a new 2km section running parallel with the busy A8 between Renfrew and the Inchinnan Business Park (top right in the above shot). The route will incorporate a 100 metre-long cycle / pedestrian bridge spanning the Black Cart Water built beside the existing stone structure. A 1 kilometre-long section of dilapidated path at the west end of the airfield beside the Paisley Moss Nature Reserve has already been fully-tarred and signed.

There will also be a new 70-metre long, two lane bridge over the White Cart Water and a new bridge to replace the Renfrew / Yoker ferry which will be the only opening road bridge across the River Clyde. Ministers have recently given their approval for this major crossing which has been designed by engineering consultancy Sweco in collaboration with Kettle Collective, the architects behind the Falkirk Wheel. (Artist`s impressions © Renfrewshire Council).

It`s hoped that the cycleway at the western, Paisley Moss / St James Interchange end of the airport will eventually connect with a proposed cycle route to Bishopton and the wider cycle network. A large number of Glasgow International`s 5,000 employees live within an easy cycle commute and it`s hoped the enhanced track will encourage more of them to `Get on their bikes`. Renfrewshire Council and Sustrans Scotland are providing much of the funding.

The Rolls-Royce facility at Inchinnan, which opened in October 2004, replaced the company`s Hillington factory which was constructed during World War II as a manufacturing plant for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which powered Battle of Britain Spitfires and Hurricanes. It was the demand for this world-famous engine that transformed Rolls Royce from a relatively small company into a major contender in aero propulsion.

It`s intended that a new stretch of cycleway should run parallel with the A8 between the bridge over the Black Cart and the turn-off to the Inchinnan Business Park at the roundabout beside the India Tyres building, but the entrances to farms and a busy vehicle repair yard would have to be negotiated.

A better option may be to have the track follow the line of the new sewage pipe (above) across the fields to join Inchinnan Drive at the southeast corner of the business park beside the entrance to the Rolls Royce facility where there`s already a mini-roundabout. Such a cycle track would be well away from the main road (and provide open views towards the airport).

Any route that enables even some of the local cyclists and pedestrians to avoid this busy section of the A8 would be welcome and much safer for all concerned, including the motorists and bus drivers.

Meanwhile, members of the local `Black Cart Whoopers` Aerial Display Team practice their formation flying for next year`s airshow season!

The aircraft fuselage simulator, well used by the Airport Fire & Rescue Service for many years, was recently cut up and removed from the training area adjacent to Barnsford Road.

Here are a few shots of the local guys training during a major combined services exercise in September last year. In addition to the airport Fire crews, Scottish Fire & Rescue, Scottish Ambulance, Police Scotland and other agencies all took part. The scenario centred on a simulated air crash and got underway just after darkness fell.

Those designated as `Casualties` entered the purpose-built rig just before the exercise began and an aircraft fire was created by igniting several piles of wooden pallets which had been placed on the ground nearby. Units attending rendezvoused on the old runway while the Glasgow Airport appliances made their way to the site. It only took seconds for the foam cannon to extinguish any flames then, after the attending crews were briefed, fire personnel entered the plane and assisted any walking wounded, all of whom had cards detailing their injuries, to safety. I assume that the rear of the plane was designated as smoke-filled and other firefighters entered with breathing apparatus, rescuing more casualties and removing several dummies which served as fatalities.

It was reassuring to see the combined response and effort of all those involved. No doubt the debrief would have highlighted some aspects which could be improved upon but let`s hope that the emergency services never have to use their skills and training for a real incident of this sort.

Once the old fuselage rig had been removed, pipes were laid, possibly as part of the sewer network project or perhaps new fuel inlet pipes to link with the new simulator to create controlled fires of varying intensity. Most of the fire training ground has now been resurfaced. I had heard some time ago that a larger and more advanced fuselage trainer would be coming to Glasgow so this may well be the final stages of the preparatory work before the new unit arrives.

Speculation continues that this, and the ongoing expansion of the West Pier (below) is to accommodate the Airbus A380. It would be a coup for the airport if Emirates do decide to use the world`s biggest airliner on their Dubai - Glasgow route, especially with the airport`s expected downturn in passenger numbers, but hopefully the actual reason for the upgrade work will be revealed officially before the end of the year.

The metal framework already in place at the West Pier can be seen in these distant views taken towards the end of the month.

It`s obvious that the new structure is much larger and at a higher level than the other air bridges, plus the Airport Fire & Rescue Service were practising with what appeared to be a new appliance towards the end of the month. I think this is one of three Stinger-equipped 6x6 Panthers purchased from Rosenbauer UK for use at the airport.

The state-of-the-art Stinger extinguishing tool, housed in a high-reach extendable turret, has the ability to deliver 6,000 litres of water and foam per minute, over a distance of more than 90 metres. The Stinger also includes the capability to inject the fuselage of an aircraft before delivering 1,000 litres of water, and or foam, per minute, into the aircraft from the injected piercing tool.

The 6×6 Panthers also boast the latest Roll Stability Control software and the largest range of vision for the firefighters operating the machines, which can carry 11,000 litres of water and 1,500 litres of foam. The new vehicles can go from 0 to 80 km/h in under 28 seconds and their low centre of gravity gives them excellent off-road driving characteristics.

So, all these factors do seem to point to the Emirates` `super-heavy` coming here on a regular basis sometime in 2019, with June being most likely for the roll-out. It has also been suggested that the A380 may operate some services to Glasgow during April due to restrictions placed on aircraft movements at Dubai Airport while major runway work is ongoing. So, for now it`s just a case of `Watch this space!`

It was back in April 2014 that an A380 touched down in Scotland for the first time, the occasion being to mark the 10th anniversary of Emirates flights between Dubai and Glasgow. Even though clear skies meant that the Airbus A380-861 ‘super jumbo’ was visible from much of central Scotland as it made its way to Glasgow, the one-time visit by the massive airliner drew thousands of spectators to the airport and surrounding vantage points. At that time Emirates had carried more than 2.4 million passengers between Glasgow and Dubai over the ten year period.

Above: Barnsford Road looking towards fire training area. The sewer pipeline can be seen on the opposite, left-hand side of the road.

Currently the two Emirates flights per day between Dubai and Glasgow are operated by Boeing Triple-Sevens and if the A380 was introduced it would most likely be used on the later flight. Despite being a far larger aircraft, the A380`s cargo carrying capacity is much lower than the Boeing 777, one of which is pictured above on stand this month, waiting to be loaded.

Hopefully the appearance of the world`s biggest airliner at Glasgow International will be a daily occurrence in the not too distant future!

Pipes ready to be laid inside the fence, adjacent to the Paisley Moss Nature Reserve.

The recent shots immediately above and those of the A380 were all taken from the same spot.

Autumn colours at Paisley Moss. This Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is just a tiny remnant of a large marsh which was well known for many ornithological riches during the 1960s. In its heyday, sightings included Bittern, Merlin, Water Rail, Wood Sandpiper and Long-eared Owl. The majority of the ground, was of course drained to form part of the airport, then the St James intersection of the M8 Motorway, so the variety of bird species found in the preserved area today is fairly limited. Having said that, Buzzards and Kestrel are common and here all year-round, usually seen perched on the airport perimeter fence or hunting nearby. Snipe are present although difficult to spot, while Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting breed in summer. Now the main interest is the plant life, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects, but with no major draws few people, apart from the occasional dog walker, bother to visit.

One Hundred Years Ago...

This Remembrance Day, Sunday 11 November 2018, had extra significance as it marked the centenary of the end of the Great War (1914-1918). A series of special events throughout the UK took place to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice including a procession of 10,000 people to the Cenotaph in Central London. This was the first time that members of the public chosen by ballot had been given the opportunity to pay their respects at the national memorial in Whitehall and they filed past after the serving personnel and veterans.

In Scotland, before sunrise, pipers around the country played the traditional Scottish lament, The Battle`s O`er. People gathered at ceremonies of remembrance at war memorials in cities, towns and villages to pay their respects and observe a two-minute silence on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the eleventh month, one hundred years on from when the guns finally stopped. No matter how small or remote, there was hardly a community left unaffected by the four years of unprecedented, bloody carnage, most of which took place along the Western Front of Belgium and France.

The Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, is one of four British and Commonwealth memorials to the Missing in an area of Flanders that was known as the Ypres Salient during the Great War. Ypres is also known by its Flemish name of Ieper but was referred to by the Tommies who fought there as `Wipers`.

The memorial, commissioned by the British government and designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, was unveiled Field Marshall Plumer on 24 July 1927. The lion that surmounts the Menin side of the gate was designed by William Reid Dick who sculpted many famous figures including that of David Livingstone which stands overlooking Victoria Falls in present-day Zimbabwe.

The Menin Gate memorial records the names of almost 54,400 officers and men from the UK and other Commonwealth Forces (apart from New Zealand and Newfoundland) who fell, in what was one of the most heavily contested areas during the conflict and have no known grave. The Menin Gate was not large enough to hold the names of a further 35,000 troops of whom no trace remains. They are commemorated just 6 miles (10 km) away at Tyne Cot Cemetery. Menin and the Memorial to the Missing at Tyne Cot combine to record a staggering total of casualties (excluding burials) for a what is a relatively small section of the Western Front.

The belfry of Ypres` famous Cloth Hall is visible through the Menin Gate memorial`s archway and was an iconic sight during the Great War when, despite intense shelling, its skeletal remains stood defiantly above the rubble. The simple but highly moving Last Post Ceremony takes place under the memorial every night at 20:00 hours. After a police officer stops the traffic, the buglers, often six in number and usually members of the town`s fire department, sound the haunting call which reverberates under the arches.

The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, bears the names of over 73,000 British and South African men who fell on the Somme between July 1915 and 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. This total does not include identified burials, nor the tens of thousands of casualties from Australia, Canada, India, Newfoundland and New Zealand who are commemorated elsewhere. Unveiled on 31 July 1932 by HRH Prince of Wales, the Thiepval Memorial is the largest British war memorial in the world.

The Arras Memorial takes the form of a wall and encloses the Commonwealth section of the Faubourg d`Amiens Cemetery which was begun in March 1916, behind the existing French military cemetery. It continued to be used by field ambulance and fighting units until November 1918. The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the Somme battlefields and from two smaller cemeteries in the vicinity. Almost 36,000 names of the Missing from the various battles in and around Arras during the Great War are inscribed on the wall and the cemetery contains 2,650 burials.

Just inside the entrance, in a space occupied by the remains of French soldiers, stands the Flying Services Memorial. It takes the form of a globe on top of a column with a flight of doves following the path the sun took around the earth on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918. The memorial carries the names of almost 1,000 airmen of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), Royal Flying Corps (RFC), the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), and Royal Air Force (RAF) either by attachment from other arms of the forces of the Commonwealth or by original enlistment, who were killed on the whole Western Front and who have no known grave.

In 1940, during the Second World War, in the wake of the German advance, British forces evacuated the town on 23 May. Arras then remained in German hands until retaken by Commonwealth and Free French forces on 1 September 1944. The 1939-1945 War burials number eight and comprise three soldiers and four airmen from the United Kingdom and one entirely unidentified casualty. A special memorial is inscribed with the words "Believed to be buried in this cemetery" and commemorates an officer of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) who died during WW2. In addition, there are 30 war graves of other nationalities, most of them German. Both cemetery and the memorials within were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Please bear in mind that all images on this website are Copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark. Any historic photographs from the Imperial War Museum and other organisations` archives have been used courtesy of a `Share & Reuse` policy and are also subject to copyright restrictions, or are in the public domain.

Top of Page

Next, just an update on the new housing development adjacent to the Inchinnan Woods, between Inchinnan village and Erskine. The eastern edge of the woods (above) is an ideal vantage point for photographing planes on approach for Runway 23 if you have a decent telephoto lens. A 400mm will suffice for large airliners (crop required) but a 500-600mm is ideal. This location is best when the sky is overcast or late in the day, otherwise you`ll be shooting directly into the sun.

Considering that the woods can be accessed within a few minutes walk from the A8 Greenock Road, it`s surprising that this spot is largely ignored by local enthusiasts who tend to stick to the traditional locations closer to the airport perimeter. The field is usually muddy which understandably puts a lot of people off but if you don a pair of wellies, no matter how much rain there`s been, there shouldn`t be a problem.

There`s always a chance of encountering some wildlife here too, and I`ve managed to snap Roe Deer, Foxes, Grey Squirrels and various types of birds in between aircraft movements. There`s also a carpet of Bluebells in springtime, but once the new houses are built and occupied, no doubt the woods will see increased footfall, including many people with dogs, and this disturbance will likely displace many of the creatures.

The above shot, taken shortly before work on the housing project began, shows Inchinnan village and Erskine with the Inchinnan Woods bang in the centre. Cala Homes plan to cram 195 terraced, semi-detached and detached houses into the funnel-shaped green field that runs along the wood`s right-hand edge and although the estate will back onto existing houses in Inchinnan, it looks as though the only road access is likely to be from the Erskine side.

The area was still being surveyed at the end of the month, so no actual construction has begun yet.

Below: A view of the site from the field to the north. The access ramp pictured above can be seen on the far right of the panoramic shot.

Along at the Erskine Bridge, on both sides of the River Clyde, work continues on the large-scale pipe-laying operation which is due for completion sometime next year. The two High Pressure (HP) gas pipelines currently suspended under the bridge will be removed and replaced with an underground alternative.

The team will use trenchless techniques, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and Micro Tunnelling to install the new kilometre-plus stretch of pipe which will not only run beneath the river but under the busy A82, the Forth & Clyde Canal, and main Glasgow to Oban / Fort William railway line.

Unfortunately, a large tract of the Boden Boo Woodland on the Erskine side (below) has been bulldozed to enable the work to take place and many mature trees have been lost.

The following shots were taken over at the Old Kilpatrick side of the river...

Jet Airliners

Now, back to aviation. This month, budget airline easyJet revealed healthy profits despite a wave of disruption affecting the sector. Chief executive Johan Lundgren said the airline had been preparing for Brexit for the past two years by considering "every possible scenario". The company has established EasyJet Europe, headquartered in Vienna, which will enable the carrier to continue to operate flights both across the EU and domestically within EU countries regardless of the situation when the UK finally breaks away. The airliners operating under this umbrella all bear Austrian registrations, including Airbus A320-214(WL) OE-IVV (below) in Europcar livery which made its first visit to Glasgow on 21 November.

easyJet's profits rose despite it spending £40m on expansion at Berlin`s Tegel Airport after buying parts of Air Berlin, and laying out a further £65m on IT costs. The airline flew a record 88.5 million passengers in the past year, up 10.2%, and revenues rose 16.8% to £5.9bn. It plans to increase capacity by about 10% for the 2019 financial year.

Jet airliners visiting Glasgow International this November included Airbus A320-214 D-ABHC Eurowings (Air Berlin colours) (1st); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-ENR Emirates (Expo 2020 orange livery), Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIR Icelandair (80 years of Icelandic Aviation livery), Boeing 787-9 G-TUIM (f/v) TUI - also first visit of the Dreamliner-9 series to Glasgow, Airbus A320-214 D-AIZS Eurowings and Airbus A320-214(WL) G-EZRW (f/v) easyJet. Boeing 767-336(ER) G-BZHC worked BA1484 / BA1489 Shuttle flights, the last BA 767 to visit Glasgow pending the type`s imminent retirement (2nd)...

Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LTA Wizz Air (3rd); Airbus A320-232 SX-DGN (f/v) Aegean Airlines and A319-112 D-AKNO Eurowings (4th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis livery) (5th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis livery) returned (6th); Airbus A319-112 D-ASTR Germania (7th); Boeing 737-8Q8(WL) OK-TSS (f/v) Smart Wings and Airbus A319-111 D-ASTQ (f/v) Germania (8th)...

A distant view of Luxair Boeing 737-8C9(WL) LX-LGV on Stand 82, Monday 12 November 2018.

Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPU Emirates (Expo 2020 green livery), Boeing 737-8C9(WL) LX-LGV (f/v) Luxair, Airbus A320-232 SX-DGC (f/v) Aegean Airlines, A320-214(WL) OE-ICU (f/v) easyJet Europe and Fokker 100 D-AOLG Avanti Air (Ideal Tours livery) (11th); Airbus A320-214(WL) OE-INI easyJet Europe (12th); Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner G-TUIM TUI (14th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIR Icelandair (80 years of Icelandic Aviation livery), Boeing 737-8K5 PH-TFC TUI fly Netherlands and Boeing 737-86N(WL) OO-SRO (f/v) TUI fly Belgium (15th); Boeing 757-3E7(WL) TF-ISX Icelandair (100 Years of Icelandic Sovereignty livery) and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-GXI Ryanair (16th)...

Air Transat A310 C-GTSH lifts-off for Toronto on Thursday 1 November.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner G-TUIK (f/v) TUI, Boeing 767-319(ER)(WL) TF-ISN Icelandair (New York JFK> Keflavik diversion), Airbus A320-271N D-AINM Lufthansa (new livery) and Airbus A319-132 D-AGWL Eurowings (still in Germanwings colours). A319-132 OE-IHC (f/v) AerCap ferried from Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport today, stopping overnight at Glasgow, before continuing on to Bangor, Maine, via Keflavik (17th); Airbus A320-232(WL) 4X-ABI (f/v) Israir Airlines (arrived with the Israeli national football team for a match against Scotland), A320-232 SX-DGC Aegean Airlines and Embraer ERJ-195LR D-AEMB Lufthansa Cityline (18th)...

It wasn`t just fireworks that brightened up the skies above Glasgow on Guy Fawkes Day: Icelandair`s Boeing 757 TF-FIU paid a visit on 5 November.

Airbus A320-214(WL)s D-AIZR Eurowings (Borussia Dortmund livery) and G-EZGY easyJet (19th); Airbus A321-211 G-TCDV Thomas Cook (I ❤ Cook's Club Livery) and Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-GXJ Ryanair (20th); Airbus A320-271N D-AINE Lufthansa and A320-214(WL) OE-IVV (f/v) easyJet Europe (Europcar livery) (plus other dates) (21st); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPB Emirates (Expo 2020 blue livery) and Airbus A320-271N D-AINM Lufthansa (new colours) (22nd); Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner G-TUIJ (f/v) TUI Airways and Airbus A321-211 D-ATCA (f/v) Condor (23rd)...

Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPU (Expo 2020 green livery) sets-off on the return flight to Dubai. Sunday 11 November 2018.

Boeing 737-8AS(WL) SP-RSO of Ryanair Sun. This Warsaw-based Polish charter airline formed in 2007 to supplement its parent, Ryanair. Also calling in were Airbus A320-271N D-AINE Lufthansa, A320-232 SX-DGB Aegean Airlines and A320-214(WL) OE-INA (f/v) easyJet Europe (25th), Boeing 757-27B(WL) G-LSAE Jet2 (28th); Airbus A320-271N D-AINF Lufthansa and A320-214 D-ABHA Eurowings (still in Air Berlin colours) (29th); Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner G-TUIM TUI, Boeing 737-8Z9(WL) OK-TVX Smartwings and A320-214 D-ABHC Eurowings (Air Berlin colours) (30th).

All three of Icelandair`s special-liveried airliners called in this month but I missed out on a shot of Boeing 757-3E7(WL) TF-ISX in the colours of the country`s national flag, on the 16th. An added bonus for local enthusiast (but obviously not the passengers) was Boeing 767-319(ER)(WL) TF-ISN, pictured here, which was en route from New York JFK to Keflavik when it was forced to divert to Glasgow due to exceptionally high winds in Iceland.

Keflavik serves as the country's international airport and from there it's around 50km, or a 40 minute drive, to Reykjavik city centre which has its own airport, handling mainly domestic traffic. Both Icelandair and erstwhile rival WOW Air operate from Keflavik but an announcement was made at the beginning of this month that the Icelandair Group intended to buy the budget carrier in an effort to reduce financial woes. Both airlines are struggling, as is the wider Icelandic tourism industry, with Icelandic-owned airline Primera Air going bust just five weeks previously.

The two remaining airlines, which have competed ferociously for passengers between Europe and North America in the past, said they would continue to operate as separate brands. Icelandair currently flies from Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and of course Glasgow, while WOW Air flies from Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh. These WOW Air shots were all taken at Keflavik. More shots and information on spotting / photography at Iceland`s two main airports can be found on separate Keflavik and Reykjavik airport pages.

Just before November drew to a close, however, the Icelandair Group announced that the deal was off as pre-conditions were unlikely to be met. The statement came just a day after the low-cost carrier returned two Airbus A320 family aircraft and two Airbus A330-300s to their respective lessors. Hours later, however, Indigo Partners and WOW reportedly reached a preliminary funding agreement. Indigo is lead investor in other ultra-low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air, Frontier, Volaris, and JetSmart, but WOW`s long-term future is still uncertain.

Boeing 767 TF-ISN pushes back and taxis for a `05` take-off on the 17th.

Tuesday 20 November saw a couple of relatively rare events in Glasgow, the first being the presence of Israir Airlines` Airbus A320-232(WL) 4X-ABI which had arrived at the airport late on Sunday 18 with the Israeli national football team for a Nations League match against Scotland. Even rarer was an outstanding performance by the Scotland squad at Hampden which put Alex McLeish`s men just two play-off wins away from qualifying for the 2020 European Championships.

3 - 2

Celtic winger James Forrest scored a hat trick, taking his tally to five in two games, and this put Big Eck`s side 3-1 up just after the hour, cancelling out Beram Kayal's surprise opener. However, despite the Scots dominating in the second half, Eran Zahavi set up a tense conclusion and it took a stunning save from Allan McGregor to stop Tomer Hemed's late volley and give Scotland their well-earned victory.

This win eases the pressure on McLeish after an abject 2-1 defeat in Israel last month and those play-off matches will only be necessary should Scotland fail to emerge from the main Euro 2020 qualifiers. The draw for the next round will be made on 2 December.

On Wednesday 28 November, Privilege Style Boeing 757-256 EC-ISY, adorned with Villarreall Football Club titles, brought the Spanish Premier League side to Glasgow for a UEFA Europa League tie at Ibrox the following evening. Steven Gerrard's side were reduced to 10 men just before the break but they held on for a 0-0 draw. This means Rangers must win their final group game if they are to qualify for the next stage of the competition. Meanwhile Celtic were victorious in their match against Rosenborg in Trondheim. The 1-0 scoreline puts the Hoops within a point of reaching the Europa League knock-out stages. Apart from being great for Scottish football if both teams progress, Glasgow may see some interesting aircraft in the months leading up to the final on 29 May 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

easyJet Airbus A319-111 G-EZBV on short finals for Runway 23 on Friday 16 November.

Weekend Virgin 747 flights continued during the month, taking tourists to Orlando for some winter sunshine.

Blue Air Boeing 737-86N(WL) YR-BMG about to lift-off on the return flight to Bucharest on the 15th.

On Thursday 15 November Boeing 737-8K5 PH-TFC of TUI fly Netherlands (left) and Boeing 737-86N(WL) OO-SRO TUI fly Belgium (right) worked one-off flights to and from Eindhoven and Brussels respectively. I`m not sure whether their presence was football related. Both aircraft are pictured here about to depart via Runway 23.

Eurowings Airbus A320-214 D-ABHC, which worked the Dusseldorf - Glasgow route on Thursday 1 November, is still in Air Berlin colours.

Top of Page

Turboprop Airliners

As usual, almost all the turboprop movements at Glasgow during the month were from the Loganair, Flybe and Aer Lingus Regional fleets but there were a couple of highlights. The first was DHC8-400 2-CAUL (f/v) (no photo) of US-based AeroCentury Corporation which stopped-off briefly on Tuesday 6 November. Established in 1997, AeroCentury currently leases aircraft and engines to regional airlines in 15 countries. ATR 72-500 G-ISLM (f/v) of Blue Islands and BN-2A Islander G-CZNE (below) visited on 30 November.

Much rarer, one of the oldest Twin Otters still flying made an overnight stop with Loganair 22 / 23 November on a delivery flight from Canada to the Maldives. This workhorse, now past its 50th anniversary, was built in 1967 and was heading east to begin operations as a seaplane with Trans Maldivian Airways. Having left Calgary on 16 November, it routed via Iceland, to touch down at Glasgow about 15:00 hrs on what was a very gloomy afternoon. Despite the conditions, a handful of photographers were waiting to record the event.

Anyone monitoring its journey on FR24 would have seen that the aircraft was showing 9A-TOC which had been its registration when it flew with Croatian operator European Coastal Airlines, but the temporary US registration N94MG (f/v) had been applied to the rear fuselage pending the official adoption of its new identity when it arrives at its destination. Floats will then replace the wheels.

Trans Maldivian Airways (Pvt) Ltd. (TMA) is a private airline headquartered in the grounds of Velana International Airport in Malé, the capital of the Maldives. TMA is the country`s oldest air transfer operator, providing a seaplane taxi service to numerous tourist resorts scattered throughout the various atolls and islands. Having almost 50 Twin Otters on strength, TMA currently operates what it claims to be the world's largest seaplane fleet. More information can be found on the carrier`s official website: www.transmaldivian.com.

TMA`s latest addition has been painted in a special livery to advertise Soneva, formerly Soneva Resorts and Residences, a luxury chain founded by Sonu Shivdasani and his wife, Eva Malmström Shivdasani in 1995. The company currently owns and manages two private islands in the Maldives and another in Thailand, as well as operating a two bedroom luxury yacht. Following the change of Maldivian law in December 2010, Soneva Fushi became one of the first resorts in the Maldives to offer residences to foreigners for purchase under leasehold.

The Twin Otter, currently marketed as the Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter, is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. Development began in 1964, with its first flight on May 20, 1965. With excellent STOL capabilities, two turboprop engines and a high rate of climb, the aircraft is ideally suited for a variety of roles. In addition to becoming a successful commuter passenger airliner, it has served as a freight carrier, undertaken MEDEVAC and survey missions, including many in hostile environments such as the Polar regions, and has been widely used by the military. The Twin Otter has also proved popular with commercial skydiving operations, and it`s also used by the United States Army Parachute Team.

The big news on the UK aviation front this month is that regional airline Flybe is reported to have put itself up for sale less than a month after issuing a dramatic profit warning. A combination of falling consumer demand, a weaker pound due to the uncertainties around the UK`s imminent departure from the European Union (Brexit) and higher fuel costs, have had a drastic impact on the Exeter-based company`s finances.

The carrier`s shares have fallen by almost 75% since September and full-year losses will likely reach £22m. Flybe is now valued at around £25m, far below the £215m it was valued at when floated on the stock exchange in 2010. Flybe, whose roots date back to 1979, has a fleet of almost 80 planes most of which operate from smaller airports such as London City, Southampton and Norwich to destinations across the UK and Europe. It serves around eight million passengers a year, and its aircraft are a common sight at Glasgow with numerous flights coming and going throughout the day.

Stobart Group, the owner of Southend Airport, which pulled out of a bid to buy Flybe earlier this year after the airline rejected its offer, could be a possible purchaser. Alternatively, a merger with a rival airline may be considered and an announcement was subsequently made that Flybe and Richard Branson`s Virgin Atlantic were discussing a possible sale or closer alliance, but with no guarantee of a mutually acceptable outcome.

Virgin currently has a trading and codeshare relationship with Flybe and confirmed that it`s reviewing its options in respect of the beleaguered budget carrier. A bid by Virgin would enable them to indirectly access Flybe`s valuable take-off and landing slots at various UK airports including Heathrow. Any deal would likely be cheaper and quicker than waiting to purchase similar landing slots outright. Virgin Atlantic may also benefit from certain regional routes flown by Flybe which would deliver passengers into the capital for Virgin Atlantic's long-haul London-based operations at both Heathrow and Gatwick.

EI-GEV the only ATR 42-600 in the Stobart Air / Aer Lingus Regional fleet, lifts off under grey skies on Friday November 16th.

Biz-Jets

For me, this month`s undoubted highlight was a visit by Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet N50AG (f/v) which arrived late on Friday 30 November and parked on the Gama apron for an overnight stop. Luckily for the local enthusiasts it was left in a clutter-free position for photos. The Cirrus Vision is a single-engine, low-wing, carbon fibre jet designed and produced by Cirrus Aircraft. Based in Duluth, Minnesota, Cirrus Aircraft was founded as Cirrus Design in the mid-1980s and is better known for its single-engined light prop-driven planes.

At USD $2 million, this aircraft is the most affordable private jet in the world and costs roughly fifty-percent less than its closest similarly-powered rivals. It has a range of 1,150 miles (1,850 km) while cruising at 345mph and an altitude of 28,000 feet. Although the futuristic-looking plane is marketed as a seven-seater, it can seat five adults in comfort, plus two children, or two seats can be removed for additional luggage stowage.

The first prototype made its inaugural flight on 3 July 2008 and the first production aircraft was rolled out in May 2016. Seventy-three Vision Jets have been produced as of September 2018 with many more on order. A remarkable feature is the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) which deploys from the nose of the aircraft making the SF50 the first jet of any kind to come with a complete-aircraft ballistic parachute. Although it looks more like a spaceplane from a Gerry Anderson Thunderbirds or Fireball XL5 TV show than a traditional biz-jet, the Cirrus Vision Jet has attracted a great deal of attention from air taxi companies.

Chinese-registered Bombardier Global 6000 B-8197 made its first visit to Glasgow Airport just over a year ago on Friday 6 October 2017.

VistaJet Global 6000 9H-VJD about to land on Saturday 10 November 2018.

Gulfstream VI VP-CYL is registered in the Cayman Islands. It was travelling from Pori in Finland to Hong Kong.

An early arrival this month was Canadian-registered Gulfstream IV C-FDBJ (f/v) which appeared on the 2nd en route to Montreal.

Corporate stop-overs from October were Gulfstream IV N156WJ, Falcon 2000EX N639M and Citation Sovereign N7777B. No new arrivals on the 1st. Gulfstream IV C-FDBJ (f/v), Embraer Legacy 500 G-ESNA and Citation Bravo OE-GPS Tyrol Air Ambulance (2nd); Bombardier Global 6000 9H-VJQ (f/v) and Challenger 350 9H-VCF, both VistaJet (3rd); Citation XLS+ G-GAAL (4th); Bombardier Challenger 605 N600LS (f/v), Citation M2 G-CMTO, CitationJet CJ2+ G-TWOP, Learjet 45 LX-LAR and Embraer Phenom 300 G-PERG (5th); Challenger 604 N604AK (f/v) (6th); Boeing 737-548(WL) 9H-MAC Maleth Aero and Cessna CitationJet CJ2 9H-ALL (7th)...

Dassault Falcon 7X M-CELT and Embraer Legacy 500 G-SUEJ (8th); Boeing 737-548(WL) 9H-MAC Maleth Aero (9th); Gulfstream IV-X N919AM (f/v), Bombardier Global 6000 9H-VJD VistaJet, Falcon 2000EX CS-DLF and CitationJet CJ2 2-GOLF (10th); Challenger 604 N637TF, Cessna Citation XLS G-LEAX, Citation Excel CS-DXL and CitationJet CJ2 9H-ALL (11th); Gulfstream VIs C-GNDN (f/v) and VP-CYL, plus Gulfstream G550 OE-IPE (f/v) (12th); Gulfstream IVs N841WS and N156WJ, plus Citation XLS+ G-JALS (13th); Bombardier Global 5000 OE-INL, Hawker Beechcraft 850XP N188B (f/v), Raytheon Hawker 750XP 9H-BSA, plus Citation Excel G-SIRS (14th); Dassault Falcon 2000 G-TNIK (f/v), Falcon 2000EX HB-IAU (f/v) and Citation II G-FJET (15th)...

Another shot of Gulfstream VI VP-CYL on Taxiway Y. Saturday 17 November 2018.

Bombardier Global 5000 OE-INL, Bombardier Challenger 300 N184BK, Falcon 2000EX CS-DLD and Embraer Legacy 450 D-BFIL (16th); Challenger 350 9H-VCL VistaJet, Challenger 300 N200JB and Falcon 2000 OE-HVA (17th); Bombardier Global 6000 B-8197, Falcon 2000EX N70TF (f/v) and Hawker Beechcraft 750 G-TWIY Saxon Air (19th); Embraer Legacy 500 G-SUEJ and Embraer Phenom 300 D-CFHZ (20th); Embraer Phenom 300s CS-PHM (f/v) and D-CFHZ (21st)...

NetJets Falcon 2000EX CS-DLD about to line up at `Bravo One` for take-off on Friday 16 November.

Gulfstream G550s G-OGSE (f/v) TAG Aviation (UK) and CS-DKJ, Falcon 7X F-HEXR (f/v), plus Hawker Beechcraft 750 9H-BSA (22nd); Gulfstream 5s N365GC (f/v) and N818LF, Cessna 680A Citation Latitude CS-LTC NetJets, Citation II F-HBMR (f/v) and Learjet 45 G-OICU (f/v) (23rd); Cessna 650 Citation III OY-JPJ North Flying (26th); Gulfstream V-SP N550XY (f/v), Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 650E D-ATOP (f/v) Air Hamburg and Phenom 300 CS-PHI (27th); Boeing 757-256 EC-ISY Privilege Style (Villarreal Football Club titles), Falcon 2000EX CS-DLD NetJets, CitationJet CJ2 G-OCJZ and Embraer Phenom 300 D-CAGA (f/v) (28th); Gulfstream G550 C-GGPM (f/v) and Learjet 45XR SE-RMO (29th); Gulfstream V-SP N175NH (f/v) (30th).

Challenger 604 N637TF and CitationJet CJ2 9H-ALL on the executive ramp after night stopping. Monday 12 November 2018.

Above: After parking on Taxiway Y overnight, Netjets Europe Gulfstream G550 CS-DKJ left for Athens about 12:30 hrs on the 23rd.

Gulfstream IV-X N919AM on Area R, Saturday 10 November 2018.

Next, a sequence showing the arrival of US-registered Falcon 2000EX N70TF on Monday 19 November. It was routing from Bournemouth to Goose Bay.

Gulfstream 5 N365GC (f/v) on Taxiway Yankee after an overnight stop. Saturday 24.11.18. It was routing from Cardiff to Opa Locka, Florida.

CitationJet CJ2+ G-TWOP parks up after arriving on Monday 5 November.

CitationJet CJ2 G-OCJZ climbs rapidly after a `05` take-off on a stormy afternoon. Thursday 29.11.18.

French-registered Cessna Citation II F-HBMR was one of several biz-jets to call in at Glasgow on Friday 23 November.

Above: Air Hamburg EMB-135BJ Legacy 650E D-ATOP on Taxiway Y, Wednesday 28 November 2018. Also parked on the northside, Canadian-registered Gulfstream G550 C-GGPM arrived on the 29th after D-ATOP departed and is pictured here the following day.

General Aviation

Pilatus PC-12 D-FHRG (f/v) was on a trip from Egelsbach, Germany.

A quiet month on the `GA` front with just several non-UK registered PC-12s, King Airs and a couple of SOCATA TBMs to break the monotony. Manx-registered Piaggio P-180 M-ONTE was a stop-over from 31 October. November `s movements were King Air 200 G-WCCP and AW189 G-MCGT HM Coastguard (3rd); AW189 G-MCGT, also returned (5th) & (9th); Pilatus PC-12 D-FHRG (f/v) and Robinson R44 Astro / Raven G-CBZE (10th); AW189 G-MCGT again, plus other dates (11th); King Air 200 G-WVIP and AS355F2 Ecureuil II G-PDGP (f/v) (12th)...

SOCATA TBM-930 N98MA (f/v), King Air 200 G-KVIP and Piper PA-28 Arrow G-BAMY (14th); Pilatus PC-12 LX-JFV (f/v) and Cessna T210N Turbo Centurion G-WYLD (f/v) (16th); Piaggio P-180 Avanti D-IRBS and Diamond DA62 2-SALE (20th); King Air 350 M-LLMW, plus King Air 100s N327BA and N3539 (21st); Pilatus PC-12 2-DARE (23rd); Pilatus PC-12 G-PCIZ (f/v) (25th); Piaggio P-180 Avanti M-ONTE and King Air 200 G-FLYW (26th); SOCATA TBM-930 N910NC (f/v), P-180 M-ONTE returned, plus Bell 429 Global Ranger G-HPIN (29th).

Pilatus PC-12 LX-JFV (f/v) (below) visited on Friday 16 November followed by G-PCIZ (above) on Sunday 25th.

Distant, grainy views of air ambulance chopper G-SASS lifting-off from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital at Govan and returning to base after dropping off a patient on Friday 23 November 2018. HM Coastguard rescue helicopters also use the rooftop facility.

Bell 429 Global Ranger G-HPIN photographed during a downpour on Thursday 29 November.

Military

Royal Netherlands Air Force Gulfstream IV serial number V-11 arrived on 1 November and stayed until the following morning then returned on the 5th.

Above: One from the archives. McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 serial number T-235 is pictured here on the apron at Glasgow on 24 October 2005. This tanker/ transport aircraft was delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force in February 1995. The two Dutch KDC-10s currently performing this role are due to be replaced by Airbus A330-MRTTs (Multi Role Tanker Transport) sometime in 2020. The Netherlands is the lead nation in a NATO initiative intended to replace and pool existing Tanker/Transports, with the other countries in the programme being Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Norway, which between them will operate a total of eight A330 tanker aircraft. Five of these will be based at based at Eindhoven Airbase and three at Cologne.

CASA C-295M 021 (f/v) of the Polish Air Force arrived on Friday 2 November and parked on the north-side, remaining until the 4th. This aircraft is based at Krakow-Balice International Airport, also known as John Paul II International Airport, which is located 11 kilometres west of the city. The 13th Airlift Squadron, which was established in 1963, operates from the airport, with the on-site military complex known as the 8th Airlift Base. As well as CASA C-295s the unit operates PZL M-28B Bryza transports, plus PZL W-3 Sokół (Falcon) helicopters of the 3rd Search and Rescue (SAR) Group are based here.

Hawker Beechcraft T-6C Texan IIs N2859B (f/v) and N2860B (f/v), like most of their predecessors destined for the RAF, transited through Glasgow on their delivery flight from the USA, the latest pair parking up overnight 4/5 November before continuing to RAF Valley in Wales where they`ll be based for the time being. The new aircraft, which will become ZM330 and ZM331, touched down there about 10:45 hrs.

The Texan T MK.1 is currently in the process of replacing the Tucano T.Mk 1. in the basic fast jet training (BFJT) role for both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots. Training is currently provided by 72(R) Sqn with No.1 Flying Training School (FTS), at Royal Air Force Linton-on-Ouse. Students will progress onto the new aircraft from the Prefect and then move onto the Hawk T.2.

On Tuesday 6 November, one of the most unusual military aircraft to appear at Glasgow International over the past few years, Turkish Navy ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) ATR C-72 MPA (72-212A) CSX12296, call-sign `India 2296`, did two ILS approaches on Runway 05 between 11:15 and 11:30 hrs before heading up the west coast to Stornoway.

Right: About 13:30 hrs on Saturday 10 November, Royal Air Force Airbus A400M-180 Atlas C.1 ZM401 could be seen several thousand feet above the airport, flying in a southwesterly direction as it made its gradual descent into Prestwick.

Below: Bombardier CC-144 Challenger 144617 (f/v) of the Royal Canadian Air Force called in on November 17 for an overnight stop. The Canadians have four of these twin-engine, long-range executive jets on strength, primarily for VIP transport but three can be used in a Medevac role. The administrative crew consists of two pilots, one flight engineer and a flight steward to tend to government officials and foreign dignitaries. The aircraft have a maximum range of almost 3,700 miles (5,930 km).

On Wednesday 28th, RAF BAe146-100-CC.2 ZE701 brought Theresa May to Scotland for a brief trip but didn`t arrive until late afternoon during a bout of very stormy weather. Quite apt really as the Prime Minister, who spent time visiting workers in Renfrewshire in an attempt to generate support for her Brexit plan, has already battled through a few storms but still has a very rough ride ahead of her.

On Wednesday 28 November, SOCATA TBM-700A 93 / XL of the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) landed about 13:00 hrs after an aborted approach due to high winds. The aircraft, one of 15 currently in service, was barely visible through the clouds when it made its unscheduled go-around. Just by chance, I was passing the airport the following morning as it took off. It`s pictured on the right after departing via Runway 05. Conditions weren`t a great deal better.

And finally...

HMS Medway (P223), the second of three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) built by BAE Systems for the Royal Navy, returned from Sea Trials on the morning of Saturday 24 November. She`s pictured here arriving back at her Scotstoun base having been escorted upriver by local tugs Battler and Bruiser. A third tug, Biter, was on hand to offer additional assistance should it be required.

I had hoped to frame departing Virgin heavy G-VROS along with Medway but the warship had reached my position by the time the huge Orlando-bound airliner climbed into view. The shot on the left above shows a Jet2 Boeing 737 which took-off from Runway 05 just before the Jumbo.

Medway deliberately overshot the entrance to the shipyard and continued on to the entrance of the KGV Dock before about-turning and slowly sailing back to position herself for a reverse into the quayside via a new entrance gate. This was the first time that this gate had been used.

These latest 90 metre-long warships are based on a proven BAE Systems design which is already in service with the Brazilian Navy and Royal Thai Navy. The patrol ships will provide accommodation for 60 personnel, including a crew of 34. An additional 50 embarked troops or passengers can also be carried. The flight deck aft has been upgraded to operate the latest Merlin helicopters and the vessels will be equipped with two Pacific 24 rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). The lead ship, HMS Forth (P222) is now in service with the Royal Navy, having been commissioned on 13 April 2018, while HMS Trent (P224) is currently being fitted out at the Scotstoun yard.