Glasgow Airport Movements 2019
March
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March 2019
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September 2019
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October 2019
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November 2019
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December 2019
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Continuing the recent trend, the number of passengers transiting the airport continued to fall. This January`s total was down 9.3% at 526k with the Dubai route alone recording a 10% reduction from 40,000 to 36,000. February`s throughput was 533k passengers, down 5.9% compared with last year. To make matters worse, another route reduction for the airport was announced this month with Thomas Cook stopping their long haul flights from Glasgow to Orlando and Cancun as of 2020. The carrier`s big Airbus A330s had become a familiar sight here in recent years but now travellers wishing to fly to the USA or Mexico with Thomas Cook after the cut-off will have to travel from either Manchester or Gatwick.
With the long-running Eurowings Dusseldorf - Glasgow service ending this month, another familiar favourite has been `bounced` before the start of the summer season - the smiling Tunnock`s Snowballs on the billboard in St Andrew`s Drive have been replaced with this effort, which for anyone unfamiliar with the Glasgow patter translates as `Have you been away for a while?`...
An alternative version of the ad, similar to the one shown below, may be in the offing following a bizarre incident on 25 March when a British Airways flight destined for Düsseldorf in Germany landed at Edinburgh by mistake, after the crew referred to the wrong flight plan. The passengers only realised the error when they landed at the Scottish capital and the "Welcome to Edinburgh" announcement was made. The aircraft, a BAe 146 leased to BA with a mostly German-speaking crew, had started its journey at London City Airport.
BA declined to say how many passengers were affected by the mistake, and when the pilot first made the announcement that the plane was about to land in Edinburgh everyone assumed it was a joke. The cabin crew alerted the pilot to the fuss and when he asked passengers to raise their hands if they wanted to go to Düsseldorf the response was unanimous! The plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours before flying on to the correct destination, by which time all drinks and snacks had sold-out, the overhead air vents were having little effect and the toilets had backed-up - an unforgettable flight for all the wrong reasons!
Despite the departure of Eurowings, the Glasgow - Dusseldorf connection continues thanks to Loganair who will be taking on the route as of 1 April. Following the demise of flybmi, Loganair has registered Embraer E145s G-EMBI, G-EMB,J and G-EMBN, plus G-RJXC, D, E, H, I & M which will presumably transfer to the G-SAJX range in due course. The latter aircraft, first seen at Glasgow on Tuesday 26 March, is the first of these new acquisitions. Still in its old colours but with Loganair titles, G-RJXM (above) was the first of the ex-Flybmi Embraer jets taken over by the Scottish carrier I managed to Photograph.
An improved radar system has been installed at the airport and is designed to ensure wind farms in the vicinity do not cause problems for aircraft and air traffic controllers. The highly reflective windmill-style turbines can be detected on traditional radar screens, mimicking real aircraft so readily that they have to be avoided by other planes, and can distract air traffic controllers. As a result, wind farms can detrimentally impact on the safety, efficiency and capacity of a local airspace.
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Glasgow Airport’s new system, called Terma Scanter 4002, mitigates this effect from turbines, and as a result will allow the development of the 26-unit Kype Muir Wind Farm to go ahead near Strathaven, Lanarkshire.
Glasgow was one of the first airports in the world to deploy large scale wind turbine mitigation in the form of infill radar but its equipment, installed almost two decades ago, has its limitations. 
By law the airport must be consulted on any wind farm development plans within a 50 kilometre radius. Whitelee Wind Farm south of Glasgow, currently the UK`s largest onshore facility, is much closer to the airport than the Straven site.
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The Solheim Cup
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Promoted as The Biggest Event In Women`s Golf, the Solheim Cup takes place at Gleneagles between 9 - 15 September 2019. The biennial golf tournament pits teams comprising the top US and European professional female golfers against one another. It`s named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation with the inaugural tournament held in 1990.
Glasgow Airport has signed up to become one of the 2019 Cup`s main sponsors which should mean many of the 100,000 expected spectators will arrive at the airport. Previous Ryder Cups (the equivalent men's event) saw numerous Gulfstream and other high-end biz-jets parking up here with the golfers, their families and support teams being helicoptered to the event. Solheim Cup 2019 advertising is set to feature heavily in and around the airport from 10 March. The Solheim Cup was originally held in even-numbered years, with the Ryder Cup held every odd-numbered year. Following the September 11 Twin Towers terrorist attacks in 2001, however, the latter competition was postponed for a year. As part of the general reshuffling of team golf events the Solheim Cup switched to odd-numbered years beginning in 2003. The current holders are the USA who won at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2017. The official website has much more information and is worth a look: www.solheimcup2019.com. |
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This was the scene at Glasgow during the 2014 Ryder Cup showing just some of the high-end taxis that parked up on the old runway.
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The weather here this month, as in February was very mild and although some snow fell on the high ground it melted quickly. The above views of the distant Luss Hills and Campsie Fells were taken from the airport on Monday 11 March and this was about as wintry as it got.
A Glasgow City Helicopter Tour
Last Christmas my wife surprised me with a voucher for a Glasgow City Tour helicopter flight with Adventure001.com. The first trips of the season began over the last weekend in March, so I opted for Saturday 30th well in advance knowing that there was potential to capture some of the warships participating in the first of 2019`s Joint Warrior exercises while they were berthed at the King George V Dock before setting sail on the Sunday.
The weather is obviously an uncontrollable factor, but I was very fortunate as conditions were ideal. I also managed an upgrade to the front seat position next to the pilot so the views were excellent. Surprisingly, the tinted glass screen was totally clear of scratch marks and as the sky was partly overcast reflections only spoiled a small percentage of shots. The curvature of the windscreen did result in some images blurring towards the edges but overall the Bell LongRanger makes a superb photographic platform and a trip with this company is thoroughly recommended. A dedicated page has some additional photos taken during the trip. Click here to view.
Development & Construction
The eastern bank of the Black Cart Water immediately south of the stone bridge on the A8 Greenock Road has now been totally cleared of trees with only stumps remaining and a large area on the opposite side of the river has had similar treatment.
This will no doubt be to accommodate the construction of the new pedestrian and cycle-way footbridge included in the major multi-million pound Clyde Waterfront & Renfrew Riverside regeneration project. Renfrewshire Council have detailed plans including photos, artists impressions and large-scale maps on their website which can be viewed online or downloaded as a pdf for perusal: Click here for the link.
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Above: The cleared area off Abbotsinch Road.
The western side of the Black Cart from the stone bridge.
A compound has been cleared between the 23 runway lights and the previously overgrown path to the old Inchinnan Church and archaeologists are carrying out a dig, presumably looking for historical artefacts before the site is turned over to the bulldozers. As the church was one of the main religious points of focus in medieval times and two replacements, dedicated as `All Hallows, were well-attended between 1828 and 1904, the search may yield some interesting finds.
Come Friday 8 March, when I took these shots, the trees had been totally chopped on the patch of ground on the east side of the Black Cart adjacent to the airport perimeter and construction compound in Abbotsinch Road. This is peak nesting season and a male Chaffinch was hopping about the stack of cut branches, no doubt wondering what happened to its home. With another chunk of territory gone, this fox could only wander tentatively over the muddy ground but saw no reason to linger.
Hopefully once construction is complete the area will be landscaped and replanted.
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Once work begins on the new business park it`s likely that Netherton Farm lane on the east side of Abbotsinch Road will no longer be a suitable vantage point for watching and photographing the planes. The farm access will remain but will be upgraded as part of the deal to keep the farmer happy and the main road will be re-aligned to run further back from the perimeter fence. Buildings may obstruct views along most of this stretch and I`d imagine parking restrictions will be in force.
I presume the playing fields on the east side of Abbotsinch Road opposite the Gama and Scottish Ambulance hangars will also disappear when the new business park is built. The pitches are well-used at weekends.
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In addition to tree clearing on the banks of the Black Cart Water beside the A8 Greenock Road, similar work was carried out along both sides of the southern end of Abbotsinch Road.
The pavement along this stretch will be widened to accommodate a proper cycle lane, the construction of which will partly encroach onto the front gardens of the row of dilapidated terraced houses. Despite appearances, one at the end is still in use, having been home to the GAAEC (Glasgow Airport Aviation Enthusiasts Club) since 1966. The club was established when the airport opened that year. |
Next, an update on the new housing development adjacent to the Inchinnan Woods, between Inchinnan village and Erskine. This is yet another wildlife-rich area, much of which is destined to disappear in the not too distant future with Cala Homes set to cram 195 terraced, semi-detached and detached houses into the funnel-shaped field that runs along the wood`s northern edge.
The area is currently being flattened and the first of the foundations will go in this summer. 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. This panorama looks onto the site from the fields to the north.
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The eastern edge of the Inchinnan woods is an ideal vantage point from which to photograph 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, as these examples illustrate, or late in the day, otherwise you`ll be shooting directly into the sun.
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With the first scheduled A380 due in just a few weeks, work on the pier extension and new air bridges is nearing completion.
The fire simulator`s nose cone, the final piece of the jigsaw, finally arrived on Wednesday 20 March and it was lifted into position the following morning.
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Jet Airliners
Below: Boeing 747-443 G-VLIP `Hot Lips` kicked-off Virgin Atlantic`s 2019 summer season at Glasgow, touching down at 09:10 hrs on Saturday 23 March to pick-up additional passengers while en route from Manchester to Orlando. I took this poor quality shot of the aircraft on finals from the house.
As reported last month, this year will be the longest season ever for Virgin at Glasgow International. More than 1,200 extra seats will be made available as a result of the carrier`s decision to continue into November and December with an additional five flights. The last returning service will leave Orlando on Saturday 4 January 2020.
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The additional flights in November and December will be operated using one of the airline’s 266-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft, rather than their older Boeing 747s. The A330 fleet has recently been refurbished to include new Economy, Premium and Upper Class interiors and seating. Virgin`s A330s, including the one shown here, made several appearances at Glasgow International last year on crew training and familiarisation flights.
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I`ve only managed to capture an Emirates Triple-Seven and Virgin Jumbo in the same frame with one of them airborne on a handful of occasions, so with the arrival and departure times on the 23rd suggesting a favourable crossover, I had another go. Sure enough, G-VLIP was a few minutes late pushing back and was holding at `Alpha One` when the big Emirates jet landed. Another Virgin heavy overflew the airport just as G-VLIP was taxiing to the holding point.
The next challenge will be to capture an A380 and Jumbo together!
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Departing Jet2 737 G-JZHV kicks up a spray trail rolling down Runway 23 on the 15th.
Below: Airbus A319-131 G-EUPJ, seen here moments from landing at Glasgow on Friday 22 March in torrential rain on a midday Shuttle flight, is one of four BA aircraft each painted in a different retro livery as part of the carrier’s centenary celebrations. This A319 features the BEA `Red Square`livery which flew predominantly on domestic and European routes between 1959 and 1968, although due to current wing paint reflectivity requirements the aircraft has a grey upper wing, rather than the red used previously. The repainted A319 will operate on UK and European services until it`s retired next year, so there should be a chance to capture it here again in better weather over the summer.
The other British Airways jets sporting heritage liveries are all Boeing 747-400s: G-BYGC is now in BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) colours and on February 19 made its first flight in the new scheme from London Heathrow to New York, JFK. G-CIVB is now in the airline’s original `Negus` livery which features full `British Airways` titles. This text was used from 1973 when BA was created following the merger of BOAC and BEA, until 1980. A later version featured simple `British` titles. The retro scheme takes its name from the creative agency responsible, Negus & Negus - a husband and wife business run by Dick and Pam Negus. Jumbo G-BNLY is in Landor colours, a livery named after the creative agency Landor Associates that designed it. Featured are the British Airways coat of arms with the motto ‘To Fly. To Serve.’ on the fin, and a stylised section of the Union Flag. The airliner will be re-named `City of Swansea`, its name from when it was originally delivered in the Landor livery in 1993.
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Line drawings © British Airways.
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On August 25, 1919, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T) launched the world's first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris. Five years later, Britain's four main fledgling airlines, which had by then evolved into Instone, Handley Page, Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T), and British Air Marine Navigation Company Limited, merged to form Imperial Airways Limited. By 1925, Imperial Airways was providing services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich.
In 1935, a number of smaller UK air transport companies merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways' main UK competitor on European routes. Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). As of 1946, domestic flights and those to Continental Europe were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA). BOAC introduced long-haul services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services and when the world entered the era of the passenger jet in the 1950s, BOAC led the way with the de Havilland DH 106 Comet. In 1952, Great Britain`s revolutionary passenger plane flew to Johannesburg knocking 50% off the flight time and transforming air travel in the process.
Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967 the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in the creation of British Caledonian in 1970. Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974. In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised. In January 2011 the International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) was formed when British Airways and Iberia merged. IAG has since also become the parent company of Aer Lingus, and Vueling and in 2017, IAG launched LEVEL a new low-cost airline brand that operates from Barcelona, Paris and Vienna.
In 1935, a number of smaller UK air transport companies merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways' main UK competitor on European routes. Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). As of 1946, domestic flights and those to Continental Europe were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA). BOAC introduced long-haul services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services and when the world entered the era of the passenger jet in the 1950s, BOAC led the way with the de Havilland DH 106 Comet. In 1952, Great Britain`s revolutionary passenger plane flew to Johannesburg knocking 50% off the flight time and transforming air travel in the process.
Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967 the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in the creation of British Caledonian in 1970. Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974. In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised. In January 2011 the International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) was formed when British Airways and Iberia merged. IAG has since also become the parent company of Aer Lingus, and Vueling and in 2017, IAG launched LEVEL a new low-cost airline brand that operates from Barcelona, Paris and Vienna.
The first three of Icelandair`s batch of six new Boeing 737 MAX 8s have already made numerous appearances at Glasgow, including TF-ICU (below) which was snapped on 11 March. As of Tuesday 12 March, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) banned the type from UK airspace including flyovers and the decision was taken to ground all MAX 8 worldwide soon after, although production continues. The grounding was in response to two air crashes, one of which involved a Lion Air plane and another operated by Ethiopian Airlines.
On October 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610, 737 MAX 8 registration PK-LQP, on a scheduled domestic flight, crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. All 189 on board died. The aircraft had been delivered to Lion Air two months earlier and this was the first fatal aviation accident and first hull loss of a MAX 8.
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On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, 737 MAX 8 registration ET-AVJ, crashed approximately six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on a scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya, killing all 149 passengers and 8 crew members on board. The aircraft was four months old at the time.
Investigators examining black box recordings from the doomed planes have found clear similarities and much of the focus is now directed toward a new anti-stalling system. |
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The Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), designed to prevent the jet from pointing upwards at too high an angle where it could lose its lift, may be at fault. Another suggestion is that pilot training on the MCAS has been insufficient, leading to failures in its correct application.
Earlier this month, Garuda Indonesia formally notified Boeing that it was seeking to scrap its multi-billion dollar order for 49 Boeing 737 MAX 8s following the crashes, citing that passengers in the country had lost confidence in the plane. The move is thought to be the first formal cancellation of an order for the type. Garuda had placed an order for 50 back in 2014 in a deal said to be worth $4.9bn (£3.7bn) at the time, and one of the aircraft has already been delivered.
Earlier this month, Garuda Indonesia formally notified Boeing that it was seeking to scrap its multi-billion dollar order for 49 Boeing 737 MAX 8s following the crashes, citing that passengers in the country had lost confidence in the plane. The move is thought to be the first formal cancellation of an order for the type. Garuda had placed an order for 50 back in 2014 in a deal said to be worth $4.9bn (£3.7bn) at the time, and one of the aircraft has already been delivered.
With the 737-MAX grounded worldwide, Icelandair reverted to 757s on their Keflavik - Glasgow route, a situation likely to remain for the foreseeable future.
Monday 18 March saw the return of Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU in the carrier`s striking Aurora Borealis livery.
Here, Icelandair 757 TF-ISJ lifts-off for Keflavik on 20 March.
Struggling budget airline WOW Air, Iceland`s other main carrier, cancelled all future flights on March 28 after efforts to raise more funds had failed. The collapse will dent the island nation`s economic growth this year and cause some losses in the banking system, the country’s central bank said in a Financial Stability report. Passengers had already endured a week of travel chaos as the heavily-indebted airline, which had 1,000 employees, began cancelling and delaying flights prior to the collapse announcement. Wizz Air stepped in and announced special fares for WOW Air customers whose flights between Reykjavík and London Stanstead, or London Gatwick, were affected. Edinburgh was WOW Air`s only Scottish destination.
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Icelandair had been in discussions with troubled Wow Air with a view to a takeover bid but the enterprise was not seen as a viable option. Rising oil prices in the competitive sector has resulted in several budget carriers being forced to cease operations in recent years, including Monarch Airlines, Primera Air, Flybmi and Air Berlin. The above shots were taken at Keflavik.
On Saturday 16 March, AIR X Charter`s aptly-registered Airbus A340-312 9H-BIG (f/v) landed at 17:15 hrs, to uplift the Scotland football team and take them to Astana, Kazakhstan for a Euro 2020 qualifier. I didn`t bother to capture the airliner`s arrival having settled down to watch the Six Nations England v Scotland Rugby match for the Calcutta Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between these historic rivals.
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Of Indian workmanship and decorated with cobras and an elephant, it was first competed for in 1879 and is the oldest of several individual competitions that take place under the umbrella of the Six Nations Championship.
Earlier in the day, France condemned Italy to a fourth straight Wooden Spoon and Wales were crowned 2019 Grand Slam champions following an emphatic victory over Ireland. England had been in the running up until then. |
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Scotland`s performance throughout the tournament had been poor with only one win and three losses, plus they hadn`t beaten England on their home turf in 36 years. The teams went on to fight out an astonishing draw in the most remarkable match in their 148-year rivalry. England had rocketed into a 31-point lead in as many minutes and although the Scots succeeded in getting what appeared to be a consolation try and conversion just before the half-time break, most suspected a similar onslaught when play resumed. But Stuart McInally broke clear before Darcy Graham (twice), Magnus Bradbury and Finn Russell crossed in a second-half blitz that made it 31-31. It was superb to watch! Sam Johnson scored a seemingly decisive try late on, only for England's George Ford to make it 38-38 at the death. Despite the extraordinary drama, both sides looked deflated when the final whistle blew. Scotland, as holders of the Calcutta Cup, retained the trophy but had to come to terms with being denied the greatest comeback in top-level International Rugby history - and failure to end their 36-year Twickenham jinx.
The Kazakhstan v Scotland football match was played on Thursday 21 March and in complete contrast to the team`s rugby counterparts, Scotland`s performance was woeful throughout, with no second-half comeback. The home team, ranked 117 in the world, went two-up inside 10 minutes after dreadful defending allowed Yuriy Pertsukh and Yan Vorogovskiy to score. The Kazakhs had only won one of their past 20 qualifiers, but the spiritless Scots were unable to trouble them. Baktiyor Zainutdinov's header just after the break completed the rout. Alex McLeish's side had previously secured a place in the play-offs for a tournament which they will part host by winning their Nations League section but this result was a serious setback to Scotland's hopes of automatic qualification for next year's finals.
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McLeish's woes continued after Scotland laboured to beat San Marino, ranked as the world`s worst international football team, on March 24th. Although Kenny McLean scored the Scots` first goal just 4 minutes into the game, an expected avalanche of strikes didn`t materialise. It wasn`t until the 74th minute that number two by Johnny Russell made the chance of a San Marino equaliser less of a threat. Despite the Scots` victory, their first win in the group,and the desperately needed 3 points, the travelling fans booed McLeish and his players off the park at the end of the game. Unsurprisingly, there were also chants of "sack the board", a reference to Scottish FA officials. So, not a lot has changed over the years, but win, lose or draw, the Tartan Army are always up for a party and keep the local bars, clubs and restaurants in business!
Airline movements began with Transavia Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HZW which worked a number of KLM flights during the month, plus Embraer ERJ-190STD PH-EZX KLM Cityhopper (SkyTeam Livery) (1st); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPB Emirates (Expo 2020 blue livery) and Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LXV Wizz Air (2nd); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPD Emirates (Expo 2020 blue), Boeing 737-8K2 PH-HZL Transavia (worked an afternoon KLM flight), Airbus A321-131 D-AIRY Lufthansa (Airy Mouse livery) and A320-214(WL) D-AEWM Eurowings (Boomerang Club Livery) (4th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis Livery), Boeing 737-8K5(WL) G-TAWV TUI (f/v) and Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LXN Wizz Air (5th)...
Hertz-liveried A320-214 D-ABDU on Wednesday 13 March made a welcome change from the standard Eurowings Airbuses which usually operate the Glasgow - Dusseldorf service, a route which will unfortunately cease at the end of this month. It was a fine but blustery day and quite a few local enthusiasts were on hand to capture this one on camera. This was the first of several visits this aircraft made to Glasgow during March.
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This month`s noteworthy jet airliner visitors continued with Boeing 737-8AS(WL) SP-RSR Ryanair Sun, Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HZL Transavia (plus other dates), Airbus A319-111 OE-LKC (f/v) easyJet Europe, also HOP! ERJ-170STD F-HBXA was an Aberdeen diversion (6th); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPD Emirates (Expo 2020 blue), Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HZW Transavia (plus other dates) and Bombardier CRJ-200ER EC-GYI Air Nostrum (7th); A321-231(WL) HA-LXV Wizz Air (9th); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPO A6-EPO Emirates (Expo 2020 orange livery) and Airbus A321-251NX G-NEOT (f/v) British Airways (10th); Boeing 737-9K2(WL) PH-BXO KLM( SkyTeam livery) (11th); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPD Emirates (Expo 2020 blue) and A321-231(WL) HA-LXG Wizz Air (12th); Boeing 737-8AS(WL) SP-RSG Ryanair Sun and A320-214 D-ABDU Eurowings (Hertz Livery) (13th)...
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Icelandair and Eurowings crossover, Friday 8 March 2019.
Airbus A320-214 CS-TRO White Airways (14th); Airbus A319-132 D-AGWE Eurowings (Germanwings colours) and Boeing 737-7K2(WL) PH-XRC Transavia worked a KLM flight (15th); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-ENM Emirates (Expo 2020 orange livery) and Airbus A340-312 9H-BIG (f/v) of AIR X Charter (16th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis livery), Airbus A320-251N G-UZHT (f/v) easyJet and Transavia Boeing 737 PH-XRC returned (plus other dates) (18th); Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LXW Wizz Air (19th); Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-BCG (f/v) en route from Seattle on delivery to KLM at Schiphol landed here at 08:05 hrs. It had previously stopped to refuel in Iceland, plus A320-214 D-ABDU Eurowings (Hertz livery) made its second visit this month (20th)...
On Sunday 24 March, while on approach. the captain of Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPK reported to the tower that a warning light was showing a drop in tyre pressure. All other readings were fine but he requested Airside Ops do a runway check as soon as he`d landed, presumably to check for debris in the event of a blow-out. The aircraft landed without incident.
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Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HZE Transavia (plus other dates (21st); Boeing 747-443 G-VLIP Virgin Atlantic (first Orlando flight of the year), plus Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LTE Wizz Air and Airbus A320-251N G-UZHU (f/v) easyJet (23rd); Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPK Emirates (Expo 2020 blue), Boeing 757-308(WL) TF-FIX Icelandair and Boeing 737-883(WL) YR-BMP Blue Air (Carol I Livery) (24th); Airbus A340-312 9H-BIG of Air X Charter and A320-214 D-ABDU Eurowings (Hertz livery) both returned (25th); Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LTH Wizz Air and Airbus A319-132 D-AGWJ Eurowings (Germanwings livery) (26th); Boeing 737-4Y0 EC-MFS Alba Star (27th); Airbus A320-251N G-TTND (f/v) British Airways and Embraer ERJ-145EP G-SAJI (f/v) Loganair (all white) (29th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis livery), Airbus A321-231(WL) HA-LXV and A321-251NX G-NEOP (f/v) British Airways (30th); Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-FIU Icelandair (Aurora Borealis livery), Boeing 737-8AS(WL) SP-RSF Ryanair Sun and Airbus A320-251N G-TTNC (f/v) British Airways (31st).
Alba Star Boeing 737-4Y0 EC-MFS flew in from Paris Charles de Gaulle on Wednesday 27 March and stayed until the 29th.
Following on from February, Transavia 737s worked some of the lunchtime KLM flights from Schiphol. Pictured above is Boeing 737-7K2(WL) PH-HZW coming in to land on the 14th. Boeing 737-9K2(WL) PH-BXO in KLM`s SkyTeam livery (below) was on the lunchtime Amsterdam to Glasgow flight on 11 March. This is a distant record shot taken from the house. The adjacent shot shows KLM Cityhopper Embraer ERJ-190STD PH-EXE lifting-off on Wednesday 27 March.
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Triple-Seven A6-EPC arrives from Dubai on 8 March.
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Airbus A320-214 CS-TRO of White Airways arrived on the 14th and parked on Stand 81. This airliner has had several changes of ownership / registration since rolling-off the production line in 1995, operating with carriers including Swissair and China Northwest Airlines.
White Airways is a Portuguese charter airline headquartered in Porto Salvo, Oeiras. It mainly operates charter flights from Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport on behalf of tour operators, as well as on lease on behalf of other airlines. |
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The airline was founded in 2005, originally being named Yes - Linhas Aereas Charter and owned by TAP Air Portugal (75%) and the Abreu Group (25%). In late 2006, the airline was acquired by the Omni Aviation Group and renamed White Airways. In May 2016, White Airways phased out their last Airbus A310-300 as one of the last European operators of the type.
Another view of Emirates Triple-Seven A6-ENU landing on 23 March.
Turboprop Airliners
Just run-of-the-mill prop activity this month although BN-2B Islander G-HEBO of Hebridean called-in on the 1st and Swiftair Embraer EMB-120FC Brasilia EC-IMX was noted on the 8th. Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) reported a slight dip in passenger numbers for 2018. A fall of 0.7% to 1.76 million was recorded across the company’s 11 airports. Inverness airport, the largest in the group, saw numbers rise by 1.8% to 903,157 from 887,123 in 2017. Benbecula in the Western Isles reported the largest percentage increase in passenger journeys, up 6.2% at 37,224. Sumburgh, which serves the Shetlands and the North Sea sector, saw passenger movements dip 8.5% to 372,064. Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Tiree all reported increases year-on-year while Barra, Campbeltown, Dundee and Wick John O’Groats all saw slight drops compared with 2018.
Please bear in mind that all my images are subject to copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark.
Biz-Jets
The prize for the most striking corporate colour scheme this month goes to Bombardier Global Express XRS N117TF, which is sporting a seascape complete with a rolling wave crying out for a surfer. The aircraft stopped off for a few hours on Saturday 9 March on a journey between Dublin and Luton.
Below: Registered in San Marino, Pilatus PC-24 T7-LCE (f/v) appeared on Friday 8 March and night-stopped, making it the first of the type to call in at Glasgow Airport. The Swiss made PC-24 is a light twin-engined business jet which was developed from the successful PC-12 single-engine turboprop to compete with the Embraer Phenom 300 or Cessna CitationJet CJ4. The new aircraft was rolled out on 1 August 2014, with the maiden flight in May of the following year. The first customer took delivery on 7 February 2018. Powered by two Williams FJ44 turbofans, the cabin has room for eight passengers and two pilots, although it is certified to fly with only one pilot. According to the manufacturer, the PC-24 is the first business jet to be fitted with a standard pallet-sized cargo door.
The aircraft is designed to operate from short and / or rough airstrips and incorporates an advanced wing design, with a large double-slotted flap system to achieve the necessary performance, having a stall speed of only 81 knots at the maximum landing weight. The landing gear smooths out uneven surfaces while the main underwing wheels have a low psi of pressure to prevent sinking on soft ground. The wing flaps are designed to protect the high mounted engines from loose debris.
Learjet 45 I-FORU on a round trip from Milan, seen here on 1 March, was one of the first biz-jets to call in this month.
Stopping over from February were Gulfstream IV N127RR and Hawker Beechcraft 900XP N144UV, both of which left later on 1 March. This month`s corporate visitors were Citation Excel G-SIRS, Learjet 45 I-FORU and Embraer Phenom 300 G-JMBO (plus other dates) (1st); Phenom 100 F-HBOD and Phenom 300 G-CKAZ (4th); Beech 400A Beechjet OK-PPP (5th); Citation Excel G-SIRS returned (6th); Bombardier Challenger 850 9H-ILB, Raytheon Hawker 400XP G-SKBD, Pilatus PC-24 T7-LCE (f/v) and Learjet 45 G-XJET (8th); Bombardier Global Express XRS N117TF, Cessna 750 Citation X N510CX (f/v) and Citation XLS G-XSTV (9th); Hawker Beechcraft Beechjet 400 OK-JFA (10th)...
Citation Bravo OE-GPS Tyrol Air Ambulance arrived from Innsbruck on 26.3.2019.
Embraer Legacy 500 G-TULI and Citation Excel CS-DXT (11th); Phenom 300 CS-PHF (13th); Dassault Falcon 7X PH-TLP (f/v), Hawker Beechcraft 750 CS-DUC and Raytheon Beechjet 400A G-FXER (f/v) (14th); Falcon 2000EX CS-DLE and Learjet 35A D-CFTG (16th); Bombardier Global Express N724MV (f/v) and Embraer Phenom 300 OE-GDF (17th); Bombardier Challenger 350 9H-VCA VistaJet and Gulfstream G280 SP-NVM (18th); Citation Excel CS-DXF (19th); Citation Bravo G-CMBC (20th)...
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I don`t know whether anyone on board this CitationJet CJ3 flying in from Jersey is named Luke, or if it`s just the case that the owner is a Star Wars fan, but when I heard the pilot calling up on approach using the call-sign `Skywalker Triple-three` on Tuesday 26 March, I thought it heralded an unusual visitor, if perhaps not the actual Millennium Falcon, a seldom-seen military aircraft. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed when a Guernsey-registered biz jet appeared on finals!
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Above: Global Express N724MV arrived on Sunday 17 March and is pictured here parked on Area R after an overnight stop.
Bombardier Global 6000 N45GX arrived from McKinney National Airport, Texas, on the morning of 25 March.
Continuing with March`s corporate visitors: Challenger 350 9H-VCE, plus Learjet 35A D-CONE from Geneva (21st); Raytheon Hawker 400A Beechjet OK-BEE and Learjet 45 G-OICU (22nd); Cessna Citation II N232KS (f/v) and Phenom 300 D-CHLR (24th); Bombardier Global 6000 N45GX and Cessna CitationJet CJ2 9H-ALL (25th); Bombardier CRJ-200LR C-FXHC (f/v) Voyageur Airways / United Nations, Citation Bravo OE-GPS Tyrol Air Ambulance, Citation Excel G-LEAX, CitationJet CJ3 2-RBTS (f/v), Hawker Beechcraft 750 9H-BSA and Embraer Phenom 100 SP-IAF (26th); Cessna Citation II F-GLTK (28th); Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 650 G-WIRG, Dassault Falcon 900EX G-EGVO TAG Aviation, Raytheon Hawker 800XP N125XP, Phenom 300 D-CDAS (f/v), plus Citation CJ2 9H-ALL returned (29th); Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 650 D-AHOX Air Hamburg (30th); Cessna 680A Citation Latitude G-SHUI, CitationJet CJ1 D-ITAN and Raytheon 400A BeechJet 400XT G-FXRS (f/v) (31st).
EMB-135BJ Legacy 650 G-WIRG, a frequent visitor to Glasgow, is seen here parked on the Royal Pan after night-stopping. 30.03.19.
General Aviation
University Air Squadron Grob Tutor T.1 G-CGKU about to set off a training mission. 23.3.2019.
Very quiet this month with mainly locally based Air Ambulance King Airs and helicopters, Flying Club lights and UAS Grob Tutors making up most of the movements in this category. Piaggio P-180 Avanti D-IRBS remained from last month. Arrivals in during March included Pilatus PC-12 M-YBLS and King Air 200 G-FLYK (1st); King Air 200 G-FLYW (2nd); PC-12 M-YBLS again, also King Airs G-FLYK and G-FLYW (3rd); Tayside Aviation`s PA-34-200T Seneca II G-CAHA did an overshoot on a training flight from Dundee (4th); King Air 200 G-IASA (5th); Agustawestland AW-109SP G-MAOL (7th); Piper PA-34 Seneca III G-JANN (8th)...
Area W, the airport`s General Aviation area, is home to Glasgow Flying Club and Leading Edge Flight Training.
King Air 90 G-MOSI (12th); King Air 200s G-FLYK and G-IASB (13th); King Air 90GTi M-TSRI (18th); Eurocopter EC155B1 G-LCPX, plus Piper PA-31 Navajo G-FCSL was doing calibration runs between Prestwick and Glasgow on the 19th & 20th (19th); King Air 200 G-FLYK (21st); King Air 200 G-FLYW (22nd); King Air 350 G-SRBM (28th); King Air 200s G-REXA, G-FLYW and G-IASA (29th); Partenavia P-68B Victor G-RVNK of Ravenair was doing calibration approaches throughout the day on the 31st.
Grob Tutor G-CGKE of the University Air Squadron (UAS) sets off for some training on March 2nd.
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It looks as though Manx-registered King Air M-TSRI is going to taxi to the holding point `Fred Flintstone-style!`
Military
A good month for military visitors: Following on from Dassault Falcon 900 F-RAFQ / 4`s visit last month, the French Air Force returned for more pilot training, this time with Falcon 7X F-RAFB / 86, which arrived and departed on February 5th. I was down at Gourock so missed out on capturing this one on camera but managed a few shots of RFA Fort Victoria (A387) (below) which was en route to Faslane. She went on to take part in Exercise Joint Warrior 19:1, the first of two large-scale military exercise to be held in the UK this year, the first of which took place between the 30th March to 11th April 2019.
Fort Victoria is a Fort-class combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and her role is to provide ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. Fort Victoria was ordered from Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in 1986, and was launched in 1990. She is named after Fort Victoria on the Isle of Wight, a military fortress built in the 1850s to guard the approaches to the Solent.
On Thursday 7 March, German Air Force heavy in the shape of Airbus A340-313X 16+02 (above & top photo) did an overshoot of Runway 05 at approx 11:05 hrs. Unfortunately, the big plane checked its descent and started to climb fairly early so there was no chance of catching it against the relatively low-lying Kilpatrick Hills which would have made a more dramatic shot. RAF Bae 146 CC.2 transport ZE701 also showed up, parking on the Royal Pan for a time.
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It was another German Air Force / RAF double on Friday 15 March, when Airbus A319-133(CJ) 15+02 (above left) did an overshoot and British Aerospace 146-100-CC.2 ZE700 made a brief visit. The latter aircraft is pictured here departing via Runway 23 about 10:15 hrs. Royal Air Force Airbus A400M-180 Atlas C.1 ZM411 did a couple of overshoots via Runway at 13:38 and 13:55 hrs on Sunday 17 March.
Below: Airbus A330-243 Voyager G-VYGJ (f/v) arrived at 12:25 hrs on Wednesday 20 March from Sal, Cape Verde, and taxied to Stand 6. The surprise visitor didn`t stay long and left for Brize Norton at 13:20 hrs. Unfortunately, it was an overcast day and quite hazy so the photos aren`t the best.
AirTanker Services, referring to itself simply as AirTanker, is actually a British charter airline rather than a military outfit, and operates charter flights using reserve aerial refuelling aircraft. In 2008 the Ministry of Defence signed the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract with AirTanker to provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) with an air transport and air-to-air refuelling capability. As well as supporting the RAF, AirTanker holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on their aircraft. AirTanker`s first operational refuelling flight using one of their Airbus Voyagers took place on 20 May 2013.
From May 2015, AirTanker leased one aircraft to Thomas Cook Airlines which was utilised on holiday routes, including long haul flights from Glasgow. The complete AirTanker fleet of 14 aircraft was operational by 30 September 2016, all having been delivered on time and on budget. Currently, AirTanker also provides twice-weekly flights from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands mainly for military personnel, though fare-paying passengers are also allowed to travel. More information can be found on the AirTanker website.
(CAA) Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on their aircraft. AirTanker`s first operational refuelling flight using one of their Airbus Voyagers took place on 20 May 2013.
From May 2015, AirTanker leased one aircraft to Thomas Cook Airlines which was utilised on holiday routes, including long haul flights from Glasgow. The complete AirTanker fleet of 14 aircraft was operational by 30 September 2016, all having been delivered on time and on budget. Currently, AirTanker also provides twice-weekly flights from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands mainly for military personnel, though fare-paying passengers are also allowed to travel. More information can be found on the AirTanker website.
On Friday 22 March 2019, HMS Defender (D36), one of six Type 45 Destroyers, arrived on the Clyde for a four-day visit to Glasgow, her affiliated city, prior to her participation in the first of this year`s Joint Warrior exercises. Private visits had been arranged for local school kids, college and university students, Sea Cadets and shipbuilders from BAE Systems’ two Clyde yards, but on Sunday 24th members of the public were able to step on board, tour the high-tech vessel and chat to members of the 190-strong crew. Entry was by pre-booked ticket only and places soon filled, however, there is a 2 minute-long virtual tour of the vessel on Defender`s Twitter account.
AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat HMA2 serial number ZZ396 (cn 481) was out on Defender`s deck but it was impossible to get a clear shot of it from ground-level as the warship sailed past my vantage point at Erskine. Wildcat is the latest generation of multi-role helicopter specifically procured to operate from the Royal Navy`s frigates and destroyers. Replacing the Lynx Mk.8, the Wildcat has a more powerful engine allowing it to be flown in extreme conditions all-year round. It is also equipped with a more robust fuselage, a high tech interactive display and a new radar system that provides 360 degree surveillance.
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The new £26m Maritime Attack Helicopter can carry Sting Ray torpedoes, a door-mounted 0.5 inch heavy machine gun and new light and heavy variants of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon Missiles.
Designed to perform a range of tasks, the Wildcat HMA Mk.2 will protect the fleet in anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine roles, plus undertake anti-drugs and counter-piracy operations. This pair, from the Black Cats Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team, were snapped while performing at Scotland`s National Airshow at East Fortune in 2016. |
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This unidentified high-flying `heavy`, which I presume is a military aircraft, overflew the airport on Saturday 23 March at 11:00 hrs, heading west.
Defender slipped her berth at Shieldhall mid-afternoon on Tuesday 26 March, shortly after RRS James Cook had left the adjacent KGV Dock. The British Royal Research Ship had lain-up at Glasgow since 16 March and was now heading south for Falmouth in Cornwall. She was built in 2006, at a cost of £36 million, her hull having been completed in Poland with the remainder of the vessel constructed in Norway. James Cook has been designed to operate in all types of environments from tropical oceans to the edge of the ice shelf, enabling scientists to carry out a diverse range of undertakings. She belongs to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and has been involved in numerous large-scale projects including the discovery, in the Caribbean, of what is believed to be the world's deepest undersea volcanic vents.
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If this A321 had appeared on finals just 10 minutes sooner, I`d have snapped Thomas Cook and James Cook together!
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Defender`s Wildcat was still on deck when she passed under the Erskine Bridge on her way out to sea.
German Air Force Bombardier Global 5000 14+02 (not photographed) did a go-around of Glasgow`s Runway 23 about 11:40 hrs on Wednesday 27 March. The pilot then requested an overshoot of Runway 05 but Air Traffic Control said they couldn`t oblige due to an inbound in the opposite direction. Embraer ERJ-135LR CE-02 and Lockheed C-130H Hercules CH-03 (f/v), both operated by the Belgian Air Force, arrived and departed on the 29th.
On Thursday 28 March, Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk (N-976) aboard HDMS Absalon (L16) (above), the Danish Navy`s Flagship, was out on deck when the vessel passed Greenock but was inconveniently tucked-up inside the hangar by time she reached Erskine. All vessels involved in proceedings had left Faslane or Glasgow by mid-afternoon on Sunday 31st, apart from a trio at the KGV, namely Polish frigate ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski, Absalon and HMS Westminster, which left after darkness fell.
On Saturday 30 March, HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801) (below) had two Eurocopter AS 532U2 Cougar choppers out on deck for final checks while the vessel was berthed at Shieldhall. I believe the camouflaged machine is S-447 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, but as yet don`t have the serial number of the other, which I believe is a Navy example. This ship is named after Johan de Witt aka Jan de Witt, (24 September 1625 – 20 August 1672), who was a major figure in Dutch politics in the mid-17th century, when a flourishing sea trade in a period of globalisation made the United Provinces a leading European power during the Dutch Golden Age.
As previously mentioned, Sunday 31 March was departure day when participating Joint Warrior vessels left Faslane and Glasgow to take up their respective stations prior to the commencement of the exercise. Fortunately the weather was superb with calm waters and clear blue skies. The clocks had went forward an hour into British Summer Time and with the gorse in full bloom, bees and even swarms of midges buzzing about it felt more like a day in mid-May rather than late March. The only thing that could have improved the scenery would have been a decent dump of snow on the hills but there has been very little of the white stuff down here this winter.
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Above left: Icelandair`s striking Aurora Borealis special-liveried Boeing 757 TF-FIU was snapped from Lyle Hill, Greenock, on its approach to Glasgow Airport on Sunday 31 March. The flyover, shot from the same spot soon after, was at an altitude of around 30,000ft but even clearer in the sky as the sun quickly burned off the morning haze. The helicopters on Johan de Witt were basking in the sunshine as she sailed down the Firth and at least one got airborne as she was sailing past Bute.
Many more shots of ships and aircraft involved in the exercise can be found on a separate page: JW 19:1.
A bonus on this occasion was that various Maritime Patrol Aircraft involved in the exercise used Prestwick Airport rather than RAF Lossiemouth as their temporary base, with P-3 Orions, P-8 Poseidons, Breguet Atlantics and a Lockheed CP-140 Aurora joining the Dassault Falcons of Cobham Aviation. Several RN Hawks also put in an appearance during the fortnight but were far less visible than on previous occasions. Lossiemouth is currently being upgraded and its runway improved prior to the delivery of the first Poseidons to the RAF next year.
Around the Glasgow Airport Perimeter...
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One Monday morning I spotted four Roe Deer at the Paisley Moss Nature Reserve, close to the airport perimeter, and although they were foraging fairly close to the cycle track, I`d managed much better shots of this family last month on a day when there was a covering of frost and the sun was shining.
Like last time, they didn`t run off immediately, even when another cyclist pedalled past, but started moving soon after, heading in the direction of the M8. The motorway is raised along this stretch so there was no danger of the animals bounding onto the carriageway and running between the slow moving lines of rush hour traffic. The Roe is the smallest of the UK`s native deer species, the other of course being the Red Deer which is usually found in remoter, less populated areas. |
Around at the opposite side of the airport about 20 minutes later I checked out the White Cart Water from the Renfrew side, looking onto the area soon to be developed for the new business park. Although difficult to make out in the right-hand photo below, another family of Roe Deer were grazing on the fields adjacent to Abbotsinch Road. It`s not a great shot, but I can`t think of many places where you can capture a pair of Cormorants, Roe Deer and an American-registered biz-jet in the same frame!
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Loganair Embraer ERJ-145EP G-RJXF on short finals for Runway 23, seen from the east side of the Black Cart, near to the Inchinnan Bascule Bridge.
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Livingston-based Phoenix Drilling Ltd are carrying out ground suitability assessments and testing on the site and have been here for some time. Operatives are pictured here at Netherton Farm which stands close to the west bank of the White Cart, at the end of the track which runs from Abbotsinch Road. The track entrance has long been a popular unofficial spot with plane spotters but that will likely end when construction and road realignment begins. It seems that the track to the farm, and the buildings themselves, despite appearing somewhat derelict, will remain but the access route will be upgraded.
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Exploratory trenches have been dug across the whole area.
In the above shot, which looks towards Inchinnan from the east side of the White Cart Water, the Loganair prop is directly above the `23` runway lights. Up until recently the view of the village would have been mostly obscured from this spot due to tall trees. Only the east side of the river has a path but from a photography point of view the location is far from ideal. Trees growing along the bank drastically restrict views of landing traffic, leaving only a few seconds to snatch shots as the planes pass through gaps clear of encroaching branches.
Below: To the northwest of the airport, construction of the new M8 Motorway junction which will become Junction 29A, near Bishopton, has resumed in earnest. Following the initial preparatory work the ground was left for around 18 months to settle. This additional access is being put in place due to the vast amount of traffic which will result from the creation of Georgetown on the old Royal Ordnance Factory site which will have around 2,500 new homes. The new housing is not visible in this view but Bishopton village is. The dark shark-fin outline of the Cobbler above Arrochar is prominent in the centre of the skyline.
Concorde`s 50th Birthday...
Following hot on the heels of the Boeing 747 which celebrated its 50th Anniversary last month, Concorde celebrated its half-century on 2 March 1969. The project was a joint venture between Great Britain and France and British Airways and Air France were the only full-time operators of the aircraft, although Braniff (USA) and Singapore Airlines flew Concorde on short-term leases. The fastest transatlantic passenger crossing was made by British Airways' G-BOAD which flew from London (Heathrow) to New York (JFK) on 7 February 1996 in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds from takeoff to touchdown! Glasgow to Edinburgh via the M8 Motorway at peak times has been known to take longer!
The first ever Concorde flight lifts- off from Toulouse Airport on March 2, 1969. The test flight lasted 28 minutes. (Popperfoto/Getty Images).
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Concorde was also famous for its droop-nose configuration, a distinctive feature of some supersonic aircraft, It enabled the pilot to lower the nose cone to improve visibility of the runway and taxiways. When in flight, the nose would be raised into its normal position. Concorde also had a moving visor that would slide into and out of the nose.
Concorde`s droop-nose was designed and manufactured under sub contract by Marshall Aerospace of Cambridge, UK. The nose had two basic positions - 5 degrees for taxiing and for take-off, and the fully-drooped 12.5 degree position for use during landings to enable pilots to see the approaching runway. The nose and visor are hydraulically operated by a small lever on the co-pilot's side of the cockpit. There are also two separate back-up systems should the main system fail. |
The Fairey Delta 2 or FD.2 WG777 (above), on display in the Test Flight Hangar at RAF Museum, Cosford, is the second of the only two aircraft built. It was designed as an advanced supersonic all-weather interceptor and, uniquely at the time, had a nose which could droop to improve visibility during landing. It first flew in 1954 and eventually broke the world speed record on March 10, 1956 with a speed of 1,132 mph (1,811 km/h) which was some 300 mph faster than the existing holder from the previous year, a US-manufactured F-100 Super Sabre. Flight testing with the FD.2 continued until 1966 when it was retired to RAE Bedford for storage, eventually arriving at Cosford in 1973. The first prototype, WG774, was later modified by the British Aircraft Corporation, who took over Fairey in 1960, to become the BAC-221 which was flight tested as part of the Concorde development program.
British Airways retired their Concorde fleet in October 2003 and, following a successful campaign to have one of the magnificent aircraft preserved and displayed in Scotland, G-BOAA was dismantled and transported by road from Heathrow to the Thames port of Isleworth. The 110-ton plane was then loaded onto the Terra Mariquea, a specialist barge, which sailed up the east coast to arrive at Torness, East Lothian, a week later. Concorde, once back on terra firma, made the final leg of her journey to East Fortune airfield where she was greeted by a huge crowd and two pipers! Now the star attraction at Scotland`s National Museum of Flight, visitors can marvel at this superb feat of engineering and inspect the aircraft at close quarters, inside and out. There are numerous Concorde related exhibits as well as a film presentation about her epic final journey to her new home.
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Taking off looks no problem - just remember to release the handbrake!
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The crew of the first ever Concorde flight (above right). They were Michel Retif, Flight Engineer, Andre Turcat, Captain, Mechanical Engineer Henri Perrier, and Jacques Guignard, Co-pilot. (© Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images). The adjacent shot shows RAF and a French Army bands play at Concorde’s official unveiling at Toulouse, France, in 1967 (Photograph © Peter Kemp/AP). The Daily Mail website has many other historic Concorde shots for sharing on social media.
Concorde prototype 001 lands after completing its maiden flight.
(Photo © AP).
Six British Airways Concordes at Heathrow positioned to form the shape of the iconic aircraft when viewed from above.
Another preserved Concorde, in this case G-AXDN, can be found at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. It`s a UK built pre-production prototype which first flew from Filton Airfield in Bristol on the 17th December 1971. Although its actual number is 101, it is known by most as '01'. A technological tour-de-force, this plane broke the record for the fastest commercial transatlantic crossing in November 1974. In 1977, once the test and development programme was completed, G-AXDN was flown to Duxford where it has remained ever since.
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March 2019
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September 2019
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October 2019
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November 2019
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December 2019
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