Glw Apt 2020 May

By mid-May the number of global COVID-19 cases passed 4 million with over 277,000 having died worldwide, either solely from the virus, or having it recorded as a contributing factor. Actual numbers are believed to be far higher as it`s suspected that countries such as China, Russia and North Korea are suppressing the extent of the outbreak. More than 1.3 million people had recovered, however, prompting many countries to consider the easing of their lockdown rules.

Germany's plans to restart competitive football on May 16 suffered an early setback after the entire team of second tier Dynamo Dresden were placed in a two-week quarantine following two positive Coronavirus tests. But, with the rest of Europe's top leagues on hiatus, the Bundesliga became the centre of attention in the world of football. Initial fears that players and staff would get infected and that the Bundesliga could potentially contribute to a second wave of the pandemic have so far proved unfounded. Almost all COVID-19 tests from players and staff have so far come back negative. Supporters are not allowed to attend matches but clubs have attempted to boost the atmosphere of empty stadiums, including some positioning life-sized cardboard cutouts of fans.

Here in the UK, subject to meeting all safety requirements, the English Premiership will resume on Wednesday 17 June. There are 92 matches still to play in total and all games will be held behind closed doors.

Scottish Premiership stars will return to training next month with a view to starting the 2020/21 season behind closed doors in August. Top-flight clubs have been given the go-ahead to commence socially-distanced, individual sessions from June 11, although no decision has yet been made on the lower leagues. The 1 August weekend restart will only be possible if the the nation has progressed to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government's route map for ending lockdown. (See Easing of the Lockdown section below).

According to the USA`s Johns Hopkins University, the end of the month saw the worldwide COVID-19 death toll pass 376,000 with the number of confirmed cases in excess of 6.3 million. In the UK there have now been more than 275,000 confirmed cases and around 39,000 people have lost their lives, according to government figures. However, these numbers only include people who have been tested, and again the total number of deaths relating to Coronavirus is likely to be higher - a tragic situation all round at numerous levels.

With regard to aviation, many usually bustling international airports, particularly those that aren`t cargo hubs, are now almost deserted. The shots below show St Andrew`s Drive and Campsie Drive at Glasgow Airport. At this time of year these locations should be busy 24/7 with vehicles, flight crews, airport staff and holidaymakers heading to and from the terminal. Long spells with no activity are fairly common just now and all airport car parks here, whether on or off-site, are either totally empty or close to deserted.

Although the number of flights tracked on FR24 began to rise, passing 90,000 per day on 8 May for the first time since 26 March, the pandemic has forced the travel industry to shrink significantly, despite job retention schemes. Massive proposed job cuts by TUI came after British Airways revealed plans to axe 12,000 positions, and Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic said they would cut 3,000 jobs apiece. A significant challenge is now faced by the vast majority of the world`s airlines, travel agents, holiday and cruise operators.

For example, here in the UK, almost 2,500 jobs have been lost and 64,000 bookings cancelled with the collapse of the major travel company Specialist Leisure Group. This hotel and travel firm included well-known coach holiday brands Shearings, Caledonian Travel and Wallace Arnold. Travel body ABTA said the operator had struggled to provide refunds for trips cancelled because of COVID-19 and added that the vast majority of cancelled bookings were coach package holidays. Customers with these bookings will receive a full refund.

Wigan-based Specialist Leisure Group, established 117 years ago, also operated accommodation brands such as Bay Hotels, Coast and Country Hotels and Country Living Hotels. Over 1.1 million customers were served annually.

Numerous hotels have ceased trading as a consequence of the collapse, seven of which are in Scotland. They are the Bay Highland Hotel in Strathpeffer; Bay Great Western Hotel in Oban; Bay Caledonian Hotel in Fort William; Bay Waverley Castle Hotel in Melrose, Scottish Borders; Pitlochry Hydro Hotel in Perthshire; Portpatrick Hotel in Dumfries and Galloway and the Bay Tarbet Hotel (below) on the west side of Loch Lomond.

Coaches image © The Independent.

One extraordinary historical incident, not widely known, is that the hotel at Tarbet and the nearby village of Arrochar were locations that featured in the tale of the only German spy executed on British soil during the Great War. An Admiralty Torpedo Range had existed on Loch Long since 1912, and it was this facility that became the target of Augusto Alfredo Roggen, a Uruguayan and son of a German national born in 1881, who returned to Germany and later married a German woman. He had a good command of the English language and was not easily identifiable as a German citizen so the Kaiser was obviously keen to put his sympathies and attributes to good use.

In May 1915, Roggen sailed to Tilbury Docks from Rotterdam and made his way to Edinburgh, his cover being that he was a farmer on business with an interest in agricultural vehicles. He had registered with police as required on arrival in the UK but the security services didn`t believe his story and monitored his movements while making various discrete enquiries. Claiming to enjoy fishing, although he no rod or gear, Roggen travelled to Tarbet, arriving there on 9 June and took a room at the hotel of the same name. Within hours he had purchased a map of the local area, which included the then restricted military zone, immediately arousing suspicion in the tiny community.

A raid was organised from Helensburgh Police Office and officers swooped on the hotel. A search of Roggen`s room revealed a loaded Browning revolver with 50 rounds of ammunition, invisible ink, and a list of contacts. He was placed in handcuffs and transported London. Roggen declined to make a statement at his court martial, was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to death by firing squad. The sentence was carried out at 06:00 hrs on 17 September 1915, at the Tower of London, by men of the 3rd Battalion, Scots Guards.

The torpedo range remained operational until 1986 and now very little evidence of it remains. These shots were taken in October 2010. Sections of the pier may still be visible but most of the associated buildings have been burnt to the ground or dismantled. Unsurprisingly, peak testing activity took place during the Second World War when more than 12,000 torpedoes were logged as having been fired down the loch in 1944 alone. Torpedoes would be launched without warheads at floating targets and, rather than actually strike the targets which would prove costly long-term, the torpedoes were programmed to pass underneath then rise to the surface for recovery. Many sank to the bottom, however, and are still found by divers exploring the loch.

Holiday on Hold

The Halifax Citadel. (Image © Parks Canada).

Taxi firms, airport parking and car hire companies have all been badly affected by the Coronavirus crisis and many, even long-established outfits have went to the wall. My wife and I should have been touring Newfoundland this month and had a vehicle booked for collection at Gander Airport with Hertz. The rental-car giant has since filed for bankruptcy in North America. I lost a small deposit having cancelled the holiday weeks before when the extent of the outbreak became clear.

Flights were all booked with WestJet from Glasgow but like many airlines this carrier, rather than issue immediate refunds, has placed the money in a virtual bank, hoping most customers will opt to rebook or accept a voucher for when things improve.

Although I`d been to Nova Scotia before, after a 3-night stay in Halifax most of this trip would have been spent in Newfoundland. The intention was to check out Iceberg Alley, do some whale and wildlife watching, plus fit in a few aviation-related locations including the Gander Aviation Museum and St John`s International Airport. WestJet aren`t expecting to resume flights until July at the earliest but losing out on a holiday is a minor inconvenience compared with what else is going on at the moment.

Easing of the Lockdown: Phase One

Just over a week before the month`s end, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the welcome announcement that people in Scotland could meet friends outdoors, sunbathe in parks or on beaches, and start shopping at garden centres from 28 May,

Outdoor cafes, recycling centres and drive-through restaurants were also permitted to reopen as part of the four-step plan she outlined for easing the lockdown. This mirrors the relaxations already announced in other parts of the UK but some scientific experts have warned that abusing new liberties would fuel the spread of infection and generate a second peak.

Sturgeon said all Scotland’s schools would reopen from 11 August with a “blended model” of part-time teaching in school and at home, with teachers going back to school from June to start preparing their classrooms. Many teachers are uncomfortable with the decision. (Image © The Orcadian).

The initial part of the Scottish government`s phased approach to leaving the lockdown allows for some outdoor pursuits but it encourages people to stay local. Therefore, for now, the hills are only accessible to those with them pretty much at their back door - e.g. no driving from Glasgow to Glen Coe for a walk. Whether people will heed the latest directive remains to be seen. For many, the resumption of non-contact sports including tennis and golf, was very welcome news and people were able to appreciate what Scotland has to offer with regard to open spaces and beauty spots once again.

Everyone had been discouraged from visiting the Scottish tops since 21 March which has resulted in the longest period in almost 20 years without a mountain rescue incident. The lure of Scotland's upland areas has been strong during the lockdown but hillwalkers, climbers and snowsports enthusiasts have largely resisted the urge to head onto the country`s peaks, especially tempting at this time of year when long days, mostly fine weather and late snow combine to create ideal conditions for an outing. The already hard-pressed ski centres are missing out on what would have been one of their best seasons in years.

Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) leaders stressed that members` safety takes precedence over the plight of any stricken mountaineers. The policy adopted during the lockdown is that a bare minimum of rescuers would be sent to help seriously injured casualties, while walking wounded would be asked to get themselves to safety. Close contact between team members and casualties is often unavoidable but the chance of catching the virus and passing it on to others is an additional hazard. There`s also a chance that some rescuers may be asymptomatic and unwittingly pass on the bug to the casualty and / or their colleagues.

On the afternoon of Sunday 28 May, Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team responded to a request for assistance after three hillwalkers became lost in mist during an ascent of the Cobbler, one of the most popular mountains in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The trio, all from Motherwell, were traced and escorted off the hill, with rescuers observing social distancing.

The Cobbler, which is located at the head of Loch Long, is more than 50 miles away from the walkers` home town in North Lanarkshire. All were subsequently issued with an appropriate fixed penalty notice by Police.

This year saw the UK`s sunniest spring since records began in 1929, and the sunniest in Scotland since 1955. In England, with restrictions eased, queues soon formed as people flocked to the South Coast beaches. This is the M3 at Eastleigh. On Saturday 27 May, at Durdle Door on Dorset`s Jurassic Coast, sun seekers were forced to cram together to enable air ambulance helicopters to land and transport four people to hospital who had seriously injured themselves tombstoning. This practice entails jumping into the sea or other body of water from a high platform, such as a cliff, bridge or harbour edge, while holding your body in a straight, upright vertical posture.

The four unidentified jumpers vaulted from the top of the ancient limestone arch, which reaches 200 ft at its highest point, and were in critical condition, according to Dorset Police. One of the casualties had to be pulled from the sea bed, and along with another person was airlifted. The other two were conveyed by ambulance. The ages and gender of those involved have not been disclosed.

The next day, people returned to the beach in droves, forcing the police to close approach roads as the volume of traffic was such that no emergency vehicle would have been able to gain access. Despite warnings from the Coastguard and other emergency services to refrain from jumping from the landmark, police said that less than 24 hours after the incident, others were having a go. (Images © Policehour.co.uk; Evening Standard; Daily Mail; PA; Graham Hunt BNPS).

Back at Glasgow Airport...

Aircraft in long term storage at Glasgow due to the Coronavirus outbreak this month were, from the BA stable: Airbus A321s G-EUXC, G-EUXG, G-EUXH, G-EUXK, G-EUXL, G-EUXM, G-MEDF, G-MEDJ and G-MEDU; A320s G-EUUF, G-EUYH and G-EUYM, plus A319 G-DBCE. Virgin Atlantic had four of their big jets parked up together for a spell until the two 747s flew south to Manchester and eventual disposal. Their planes were Boeing 747-4s G-VXLG and G-VROY, plus Airbus A330s G-VMIK and G-VKSS, the latter pair still here at the end of May. Present from the TUI fleet were Boeing 757-204(WL) G-BYAY along with Boeing 737-8K5(WL)s G-TAWX and G-FDZD, plus several Jet2 737s. One of these, G-JZBA departed on the 29th, its place being taken by Boeing 737-8Q8 G-DRTT in the Jet2 Holidays livery which flew in later the same day and parked on Stand 24. The ex FlyBe trio comprising DHC8-4s G-JECP,G-JEDV and G-ECOB remain parked on Area R.

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.

Rolls-Royce announced that it intends to cut 9,000 jobs and warned it will take several years for the airline industry to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic. The Derby-based firm, which produces and services aircraft engines, said the reduction of nearly a fifth of its workforce would mainly affect its civil aerospace division. Rolls-Royce employs 52,000 people globally and although it has not been announced exactly where the job losses would be, the site in Derby is expected to bear the brunt.

The company said flying hours for its engines had decreased by 90 per cent in April as airlines around the world temporarily grounded large proportions of their fleets. Along with other aviation experts, management at Rolls-Royce predicts that the severity of the pandemic will result in a far smaller commercial aerospace market. Discussions are ongoing with trade union and employee representatives worldwide, which includes the workforce at Inchinnan. The company has already placed 4,000 UK staff on furlough.

Rolls-Royce now expects to deliver just 250 engines in 2020, well down from its previous guidance of 450.

The company`s power systems division has also experienced weaker trading. Shares in Rolls-Royce, which also has plants in Bristol, and Barnoldswick, Lancashire, dipped 2.2% to 287.4p.

A senior representative said “We have promised to give our people further details of the impact of the current situation on the size of our workforce before the end of this month and will consult with affected employees in due course.”

From the aviation enthusiast`s point of view, this year should have been a very interesting time, mainly due to the UN climate talks scheduled to take place in Glasgow this November. COP 26 would have been the largest summit ever held in the UK, with up to 200 world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, expected for the final weekend of proceedings. Attendees were set to peak at 15,000 on the busiest day. Even though the nature of the conference would have
seen many participants opt for green modes of transport, there should have been plenty of unusual movements at all three of Scotland`s main airports, certainly enough to keep the aircraft photographers snapping away.

It became apparent, however, that in the wake of the current pandemic, the event would have to be cancelled. Officials have now intimated that the most important climate negotiations since the Paris agreement in 2015 will be pushed back to November 2021. So far, it seems that organisers still wish to hold the talks in Glasgow but concerns had already been raised about security costs. A Scottish Police Authority report says that to provide cover would entail the largest ever mobilisation of police officers in the UK, therefore Scottish ministers say they expect the UK government to cover the core costs including emergency services funding. Whether the event goes ahead at all, and whether the venue is moved closer to London, remains to be seen. (Above image © Scottish Event Campus).

Some climate change campaigners believe the delay could potentially be advantageous, especially with regard to Donald Trump; the US presidential elections are set to take place this November, just before COP 26 was scheduled to begin. With the summit delayed to next year, other governments will have time to adjust either to a second term of Donald Trump – who opposes the Paris agreement and is withdrawing the US from it – or, as the climate change campaigners hope, a new president who is more likely to be sympathetic to their cause.

Jet Airliners

May was just a few days old when Virgin Atlantic announced plans to shed more than 3,000 jobs and end its operation at Gatwick. The airline said it will reduce its workforce by 3,150 which is more than a 30% cut. Rival airline BA intimated just a week previously that it was planning to cut 12,000 jobs, and it also emerged it is considering closing its Gatwick base.

Virgin Atlantic’s flights from Gatwick, suspended due to the collapse in demand caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, will not restart although some of these routes will be switched to Heathrow. Before the outbreak, Virgin Atlantic operated flights from Gatwick to destinations such as Orlando, USA; Havana, Cuba; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The airline said talks with the Government about additional funding during the lockdown were ongoing.

Founder Sir Richard Branson recently warned that the carrier would collapse unless it received Government support. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “We continue to work closely with the sector and are willing to consider the situation of individual firms once all other Government schemes and commercial options have been explored, including raising capital from existing investors.” Carriers around the world have grounded the majority of their planes due to the lack of demand for air travel during the current crisis.

Unite, which represents Virgin Atlantic cabin crew and check-in staff, described the announcement of job cuts as “premature”, due to the Government’s furlough scheme. Assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “We have grave concerns about the impact on Gatwick airport and the local economy following this latest blow.”

A Gatwick spokesman said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the aviation sector but we remain confident that the industry will recover as air travel demand returns. We remain very optimistic about the long-term prospects of Gatwick Airport and our resilience as a business, and having remained open throughout this pandemic we are in a strong position to extend our current operations quickly to meet demand.”

Virgin Atlantic also announced it will not return to using its seven four-engined Boeing 747-400 Jumbos which have operated the Glasgow - Florida connection for many years. By 2022 the carrier will operate a simplified, greener fleet of 36 twin-engine aircraft, which are more fuel efficient. Meanwhile 15% of the retail estate used by Virgin Holidays will close this year, and the travel firm will be renamed Virgin Atlantic Holidays.

Virgin Atlantic redistributed its fleet, no doubt to save on parking fees at the two main London Airports with some of its heavies flying to Manchester, but, as previously mentioned, two 747s and two A330s ended up together on the ground at Glasgow for a time. Boeing 747 G-VXLG and A330 G-VMIK had been here for a while and I caught Boeing 747 G-VROY when it arrived for storage on Thursday 7 May. The big jet was allocated Stand 33.

Airbus A330-343X G-VKSS `Mademoiselle Rouge` was next to appear, touching down on the 11th.

The first of Glasgow`s 747s to head south to Manchester was G-VROY `Pretty Woman` which is pictured above on Tuesday 19 May being checked over before departure the following day. Rather than catch its exit, I decided to wait for the last ever Virgin Jumbo to grace the skies above Glasgow when it left on the 21st.

Despite the lockdown, the historic occasion attracted a fair number of sightseers, most wishing to record the final lift-off on camera.

Here, the big jet pushes back and lines-up ready to taxi.

I`ve included all my shots as this was the last ever Virgin 747 we`ll ever see at Glasgow...

Although the day began fairly cloudy, the sun was shining by the time G-VXLG lined-up for departure and consequently heat haze proved problematical.

Next stop Manchester!

Nothing seemed to go right for Sir Richard Branson this month, compounded by the failure of his Virgin Orbit company`s unsuccessful attempt to launch a rocket over the Pacific Ocean. The booster was released from under the wing of one of the UK entrepreneur's old Jumbos, `Cosmic Girl`, which had been specially converted for the task. The rocket ignited its engine seconds later but an anomaly meant controllers had to terminate the flight. Virgin Orbit's goal is to try to capture a share of the emerging market for the launch of small satellites. It's not clear at this stage precisely what went wrong but the firm had warned beforehand that the chances of success might be in the region of 50:50. The history of rocketry shows that maiden outings very often encounter technical problems and no doubt another try will be made in the near future, once relevant data has been analysed. Sir Richard was not in attendance, but he was following events very closely.

Engineers already have a second rocket standing by at the company's Long Beach factory in California. Most publicity about Branson`s space activities has focused on the tourist plane he is developing to take fare-paying passengers on joy rides above the atmosphere. His satellite-launch venture, however, is entirely separate and relates to spacecraft that are being developed for telecommunications and Earth observation.

New manufacturing techniques, often involving "off-the-shelf" components from the consumer electronics industry, mean these satellites can now be turned out for a fraction of their historic cost. Virgin Orbit intendeds to provide a cost effective means of getting them into space. Although his space start-up is based in California currently, Branson is keen to bring it to the UK.

Orbit is working through the possibilities with the US and British governments, the UK Space Agency and the local authorities in the southwest of England. Newquay Airport in Cornwall has been identified as an ideal location from which to base operations. Prestwick Airport had put itself forward as the main contender for the role without success. Britain's interest is tied closely to that of its satellite manufacturing sector. The UK is one of the biggest producers in the world of compact spacecraft.

Still on the subject of `Star Trekkin``, on Saturday 30 May, two American astronauts embarked on the first manned mission to outer space from U.S. soil in nearly a decade, formally ushering in a new era of space flight in which private companies rather than the government will send humans into orbit. The launch was a celebratory moment for a country in the grip of a pandemic, an uncertain economic outlook and a potentially bruising presidential race. It also came amid the backdrop of protests throughout the country over the police-involved death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis.

Aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule were astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken, two veterans of the now-retired Space Shuttle program who are set for an extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Exactly how long they will stay has yet to be determined.

The mission left from Cape Canaveral on Florida’s Space Coast where the U.S. launched moon missions and space shuttles for decades, and was the culmination of more than 15 years of work by NASA, commercial partners and three presidential administrations.

The ISS Expedition 63 crew has expanded to five members with the arrival of the SpaceX Crew Dragon. (From left) Anatoly Ivanishin, Ivan Vagner, Chris Cassidy, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. The last time the U.S. sent astronauts into space from its own soil was in 2011, when the Space Shuttle Atlantis made its final trip to the ISS. Since then, Americans have hitched rides to the space station aboard Russian spacecraft. (Above images © NASA / NY Times).

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And Back on Earth...

Europe’s largest travel group TUI plans to axe up to 8,000 jobs globally in response to the Coronavirus chaos engulfing the tourism industry. The company said it needed to reduce costs permanently to tackle what is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry has ever faced. TUI lost £650m (€740m) in the first three months of the year, requiring a rapid German state bailout as the company bled cash and cancelled most of its holidays until June at the earliest. Nine out of every ten TUI employees have been furloughed or given pay cuts out of a workforce of over 70,000 in a desperate attempt to lower costs. Angela Merkel`s government had already backed a €1.8bn loan in March to help the company survive,

Above: The trio of stored TUI airliners at Glasgow: Boeing 757-204(WL) G-BYAY along with Boeing 737-8K5(WL)s G-TAWX and G-FDZD.

Airbus A319-131 G-EUPJ British Airways (BAE retro livery) (above right) worked a Sunday Shuttle from Heathrow on sunny May 10.

Other visiting airliners in May worth a mention are Airbus A320-251N G-TTNL (f/v) which worked a British Airways LHR Shuttle flight (8th); Boeing 737-7GL(WL) EZ-A007 (f/v) Turkmenistan Airlines (15th). On the 21st, Privelage Style Boeing 767-35D(ER) EC-LZO (below) flew in late evening from Madrid, reportedly to take oil workers to Georgetown in Guyana. I`d intended to catch it on finals for `23` from the house but the wind, although light, changed direction shortly before the big airliner appeared resulting in a landing on `05`. EC-LZO was down for a 22:30 hrs departure but went tech resulting in an overnight stop. Privelage Boeing 757-256 EC-HDS, possibly a replacement aircraft, flew in on the morning of the 22nd and both airliners left later that day.

Also on Friday 22nd, British Airways Boeing 777-36N(ER) G-STBD (f/v) operated Flight BA1472 (cargo-only) from Heathrow and is pictured below unloading on Stand 30. Conditions were atrocious, blustery with driving rain. All-white Airbus A321-211 9H-VDB (f/v) of TUI fly stopped at Glasgow on the night of the 23rd to refuel on a flight from Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, to Ciudad Real in Central Spain. The plane had previously topped-up at Gander, Newfoundland, then Keflavik, Iceland. The aircraft was on the ground here for approximately an hour, between 03:45 and 04:45 hrs. Jet2 Boeing 737 G-DRTT made its first visit when it touched down at 11:45 hrs on the 29th for storage.

It has just been revealed that hackers have stolen the personal details of nine million easyJet customers, as well as the credit card details of more than 2,000 in what the airline called a highly sophisticated attack. The Luton-based carrier said the culprits had accessed email addresses and travel details but that it had seen no evidence so far that any information had been misused. Fraudsters can use personal details to build up enough information to access accounts, take out loans in someone's name, make purchases, or sell on data to other criminals.

easyJet, which has cancelled most flights because of the pandemic, didn`t say how the highly sophisticated cyber-attack happened but staff first became aware in January. British Airways was targeted in a similar fashion in September 2018 when the personal details of more than half a million of its customers were harvested by hackers. The ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) later issued a record £183m fine over the breach. Compensation pay-outs to BA customers could see that reach £3bn.

The above shot, taken in Mid-March, shows grounded easyJet airliners at Glasgow before they flew south for storage.

Soon after information on the hack was released, easyJet became the latest carrier to slash its workforce in response to the pandemic with up to 4,500 jobs at risk. The move affects nearly a third of the airline's 15,000-strong staff. The fleet will also be drastically streamlined with planes either sold off or retired early. Although easyJet plans to restart flying on 15 June, it expects demand to build slowly, only returning to 2019 levels in about three years' time. Meanwhile, many airlines have been critical of the UK government's plan to force visitors to quarantine on arrival from 8 June, warning of the further damage it would cause the struggling sector.

Above: Loganair Embraer ERJ-145EPs G-SAJJ (ex G-RJXB) and G-SAJH (ex G-EMBJ).

Lufthansa has agreed a rescue deal worth €9bn (£8bn) with the German government which should save it from collapse and protect up to 10,000 jobs, at least for the time being. The airline, one of hundreds severely affected by a decline in travel due to the pandemic, closed its budget carrier Germanwings in April. The German government will take a 20% stake in the company, which it intends to sell by the end of 2023, however, the deal still has to be approved by the firm's shareholders and the European Commission.

European markets rose on the news, with Lufthansa shares closing 7.5% up, while Germany's Dax jumped 2%. This was the Frankfurt-based index`s highest closure level since 6 March.

Global airlines group IATA has said it expects airline passenger revenues to drop by more than 40% this year and warned that more than 25 million jobs in aviation and related industries are at risk. Lufthansa decommissioned more than 40 aircraft in April and said it would look to offload aircraft in its other businesses, which include Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Eurowings. Lufthansa is not the only national carrier benefiting from a state bailout; the French and Dutch governments pledged a lifeline of more than €11bn in loans and guarantees to support Air France-KLM. After retiring its 747 passenger fleet last month, KLM have pressed two of their 747-400 Combi aircraft back into service carrying only cargo between Amsterdam and China. The Combi planes normally carry passengers in the front half and cargo on the main deck in the rear half.

I took these shots of Lufthansa airliners at Dusseldorf Airport last summer. The new-liveried Airbus with the `Say Yes To Europe` slogan is a reminder that Brexit was the main focus of media attention at the start of the year, but now it hardly gets a mention, which isn`t surprising with the ongoing pandemic. Despite this, politicians had hoped to secure a trade deal with the EU before the transition period ends at the end of this year. Reaching an amicable solution is now looking even more unlikely than it was before.

About 19:00 hrs on Saturday 2 May, Airbus A330-243F D-ALMD was seen from my garden, flying east just north of the River Clyde on a flight from Cincinnati to Leipzig, at about 30,000 ft. Visibility was excellent and although no contrail could be seen, the noise produced by the big jet alerted me to its presence. The only other flyover I managed to snap was on the 5th: Boeing 777-FBT D-ALFB (right) of Lufthansa Cargo, a Chicago departure which was bound for Frankfurt.

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Turboprop Airliners

The trio of ex-Flybe Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8s G-JECP, G-JEDV and G-ECOB remained parked on Area R throughout the month.

Bombardier Aviation is a division of Bombardier Inc. which has its headquarters in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.

After acquiring Canadair in 1986 and restoring it to profitability, in 1989 Bombardier acquired the world famous, but near-bankrupt Short Brothers aircraft manufacturing company in Belfast.

The following year, Bombardier acquired the bankrupt American company Learjet, the manufacturer of the iconic business jets which was headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Finally, the money-losing Boeing subsidiary, de Havilland Aircraft of Canada based in Toronto, which was the initial manufacturer of the Dash 8, was acquired by Bombardier in 1992. These Series 400 turboprops became the current company`s most popular aircraft over the last decade, along with its CRJ100/200/440, and CRJ700/900/1000 regional airliner types. Sales of the Global Express and Challenger lines of business jets also sold well. In November 2012, Bombardier signed the largest deal in its history with Swiss business jet operator VistaJet for 56 Global series for a total value of $3.1 billion, including an option for an additional 86 aircraft. Planes from the VistaJet fleet are frequent visitors to the UK and have been seen at Glasgow on numerous occasions over the years.

Nowadays, Bombardier`s Belfast factory, located on Queen`s island at Belfast Harbour, next to Belfast City Airport, designs and manufactures complete centre fuselages for the CRJ700, CRJ900 and CRJ1000 regional jets, plus fuselage sections for the Learjet 70, Learjet 75, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, Global 5000, 5500, 6000, and 6500 business jets, as well as additional components such as wings and engine nacelles for some types including the Airbus A220.

On the evening of Sunday 24 May, a major fire broke out at the factory. Massive plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the site as fire tore through the roof of one building where fuselage sections are made. A total of 50 firefighters attended and eventually brought the blaze under control.

The fire damaged machinery and the roof of the building but no aircraft sections or parts. No employees were working at the time and there were no reports of injuries. The fire appeared to have started in machinery and the cause of the incident is under investigation. At this stage, however, the outbreak is believed to be accidental. Following thorough safety inspections, work soon resumed as normal in other areas of the complex. (Bombardier factory fire images © Belfast Telegraph /PA /UK Aviation News).

Loganair turboprops and the King Airs and Eurocopters of the Scottish Air Ambulance unit continue to make up the bulk of movements at Glasgow.

ATR 72-202(F) EI-FXK (Ex D-ANFD N817FX) of Federal Express / ASL Airlines Ireland has been here for a couple of months.

Twin Otter G-BVVK (above) was the sole occupant of the Loganair apron when I cycled past early on Sunday 20 May. The plane has been named `Spirit of Eilidh` as a tribute to Barra teenager Eilidh MacLeod who was killed in 2017`s Manchester Arena terrorist attack. The Twin Otter aircraft was named in a family ceremony in January 2018 on Traigh Mhòr, the beach which serves as Barra Airport's runway.

On May 12, one of Loganair`s Saab 340s was parked on the Gama apron. Two of these, G-LGNG as the primary aircraft and G-LGNA as back-up, can carry ambulance patients without the need for the Epishuttle isolation pod which, if required, would be used in a Twin Otter. Currently only G-HIAL has been configured to take it, but the process of preparing another aircraft isn`t too involved, so another could be brought in at short notice. The Twin Otter can fly into any of Scotland`s airports including the beach strip at Barra, which is inaccessible to the Saab 340s. (Following image © The Orcadian).

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Biz-Jets

Embraer ERJ-145LR PH-DWA (f/v) was routing from Maastricht-Frankfurt.

Cessna Citation Bravo G-CMBC (4th); Citation XLS G-SKAL (7th); Embraer ERJ-145LR PH-DWA (f/v), plus Challenger 350 G-OOEG (f/v) (left) arrived & departed (9th); Cessna Citation Bravo G-SPRE and Beechjet 400A SP-TTA both appeared on the (10th); Dassault Falcon 2000 OY-MGA (f/v) (14th); Bombardier Challenger 350 9H-VCF VistaJet (15th); Hawker Beechcraft 400XP OK-ESC of Time Air arrived and departed (23rd); ERJ-145LR PH-DWA returned and made an overnight stop on Stand 28 (24th); Gulfstream IV N619A (f/v) (below) arrived on the 26 and stayed into June.

A distant view of Gulfstream IV N619A shimmering in the heat. It had flown in from Marsh Harbour, a town in the Abaco Islands, Bahamas.

A couple of large biz-jets did some training here on Thursday 28 May, namely Bombardier Global Express VP-CYT (f/v) late morning and Manx-registered Global 5000 M-JSMN (f/v) late afternoon. Runway 23 was in use and each aircraft did three touch-and-gos before heading back to their Bournemouth base. VP-CYT is registered in the Cayman Islands.

The last `corporate` to visit Glasgow this month was Swiss-registered Pilatus PC-24 HB-VRF (f/v) which arrived on the 31st and stopped over into June. According to the Glasgow Arrivals list on Flightradar24, Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy 650 N941DK was scheduled to visit on 30 May from Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, but it failed to show. This aircraft was formerly operated by the executive charter division of China Eastern Airlines and bore the registration B-3097.

General Aviation

Once again, Scottish Ambulance Service Kings Airs and Eurocopters made up the bulk of the GA movements at Glasgow. On Monday 4 May, SOCATA TBM-940 N940MX (f/v) made a fuel stop, plus Diamond DA62 G-TACN of Flight Calibration Services spent much of the day doing local flying to check the airport`s navigation aids. EC 135 G-NIHM did a go-around via Runway 05 at 10:10 hrs on the 5th while en route to the City Heliport.

King Air 200 HB-GLA was working a pattern over much of Glasgow and Central Scotland, again checking navaids on the 6th. Its flight may have originated at Prestwick and although the aircraft was operating at Glasgow Airport for a time, I`m not sure if it actually landed here.

Left: Also on the 6th, this is Air Ambulance chopper G-ISAS flying over Newshot Island at Erskine. King Air 200 G-JASS called in on the 7th. Other GA visitors were Cessna 421C Golden Eagle G-ISAR (9th); and King Air 200 G-NIAA (11th)...

AgustaWestland AW109 Trekker G-RMBH did 2 x go-arounds of Runway 23 on Tuesday 12 May, and on the following day Cessna 421C Golden Eagle G-ISAR and King Air 200 G-IASA each made a further visit (13th); King Air 200 G-JASS returned on the 25th.

Danish-registered Pilatus PC-12 OY-EUR (above) arrived on Wednesday 27 May and stayed until the 29th. King Air 200s G-WCCP and G-WNCH appeared on the 28th. Although it didn`t land at Glasgow, Pilatus PC-12 D-FIPS from Prestwick, presumably doing calibration checks, flew an extensive pattern of tight loops between Bishopton and the south end of Loch Long on Saturday 30 May. The aircraft mostly remained at an altitude of between 1,500 - 2,200 ft.

Despite instructions to adhere to government guidelines, fine weather over the first of the May bank holiday weekends saw the number of UK call outs for HM Coastguard soar by 54%. A total of 97 incidents including 16 in Scotland were recorded on Friday 8 May, which coincidentally was also the 75th anniversary of VE Day (see below). Two people had to be rescued after they defied the lockdown and got into difficulty on a boat while under the influence of alcohol. The holiday weekend figure was the highest recorded since the lockdown started on 23 March and compares to a daily average of 63 for the previous month. Coastal Operations Area Commander Ross Greenhill said reckless behaviour by a minority is putting lives at risk. He stressed irresponsible actions put the NHS under strain when all resources should be focused on combating the pandemic. The above shot shows AgustaWestland AW189 G-MCGT lifting-off from its Prestwick base.

In the distant shot on the right, taken on 12 May, a Coastguard chopper is about to set down on the roof of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Below: On the afternoon of Thursday 21 May, having called the tower from the vicinity of Inverkip, G-MCGR, landed on the Gama apron with a Category One patient for an ambulance transfer. The aircraft then flew directly back to Prestwick.

Sikorsy S-92A G-MCGG of HM Coastguard provided an unscheduled early morning alarm call for many (including me) when it landed at the Golden Jubilee Hospital, Dalmuir, just before 06:00 hrs on Friday 29 May. Its track on ADS-B Exchange showed a route from the hills near Glenfinnan, to the east of Loch Shiel. It`s rotors were whirring all the while it was on the helipad so anyone staying in the vicinity who`d left their washing out overnight would have found it bone dry.

Left: Police Scotland helicopter, c/s `Police 51` returning to its City Heliport base took up position south of the airport on the 15th and hovered until an RAF C-17 doing training circuits passed clear of the `23` approach.

My next view of the Police chopper was on Tuesday 19 May. FPV Hirta of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency was en route to the King George V Dock at Glasgow and just before I nipped over to Newshot Island to catch her, I saw the helicopter (below) from the house, circling in the area of the Erskine Bridge, obviously in response to a call out.

As I made my way out to the very tip of the island, a call from Bowling Coastguard heard over the scanner confirmed that there had been a report of a body in the water. The crew of the Fisheries Protection vessel were asked to keep a lookout.

Given the location, it`s likely that the emergency services were in attendance following the report of a jumper from the bridge. In any case, it`s a reminder that many emotionally disturbed, and often desperate people suffering from mental illness throughout the UK are unable to access appropriate care during the current crisis, sometimes with tragic consequences.

The Erskine Bridge, the highest and largest bridge spanning the River Clyde by far, provides a birds-eye view of vessels sailing past on the water 45 metres (148 feet) below. In addition to the dual carriageway for motor traffic, each side has a cycle lane and pedestrian footpath. Following its opening on 2 July 1971, the bridge soon became notorious as one of Scotland's main suicide spots with estimates suggesting that as many as fifteen people may have taken their lives there each year by jumping into the water. Many more, having climbed over the barrier, were fortunately talked to safety, either by members of the emergency services or passersby.

Old an new barrier images © Wikipedia / geograph,org.uk

It was only after two young teenage girls, abscondees from a nearby secure unit, plunged to their deaths hand-in-hand in October 2009, that long-overdue plans were put in place to upgrade the barriers. The project, which was completed in 2011 at a cost of £3.5 million, saw the protection raised from 1.2m to 2.4m, each panel with a backward curve. The post are all vertical with no horizontal rails that might serve as footholds or handholds. Although these new barriers are not totally insurmountable, their implementation has drastically reduced the number of these sad incidents.

For decades, before the Coastguard took over Scotland`s air sea rescue service from the military, Royal Navy Sea King helicopters from HMS Gannet were often seen flying up the Clyde towards Glasgow, usually to drop off casualties at the Southern General Hospital following incidents such as maritime emergencies, mountain rescues and serious road accidents, or assisting with urgent patient transfers from remote areas when appropriate medical treatment was not available locally.

There are occasions when a thick cloud base lies just above the Erskine Bridge and, particularly during the hours of darkness, it may have been safer for the Navy pilot to pass under the bridge rather than fly over it. I saw this crew practising for just such an eventuality - or perhaps, on this occasion, they were just doing it for fun!

Hirta passing the Erskine Bridge Hotel which opened in 1971 as the Esso Motor Hotel Erskine, as it was originally planned and owned by the oil company.

"Ah knew ah should`ve insisted oan a Macaw, but the guy in the pet shoap said this wan wiz a stoatin` talker!"

RNLI personnel in a RIB followed on slowly and checked the stretch of river east of the Erskine Bridge as far as the Golden Jubilee Hospital before making an about turn and heading back to the location of the first sighting. This unidentified helicopter, using a `Pipeline` call-sign, crossed the Clyde at the Erskine Bridge and continued over the airport on its way to Inverkip.

Above: A couple of residents parked on the north side of the airfield beside the flying club: Cessna F172N Skyhawk G-BGIY and PA-38 Tomahawk G-BSFE.

Manx-registered King Air C90GTi M-TSRI, a visitor on Thursday 21 May, was on a round trip from Hawarden Airport. It departed just minutes ahead of Glasgow`s last ever Virgin Atlantic Jumbo which left for Manchester at 16:00 hrs. Also known as Chester Airport, Hawarden is located in Wales, close to the border with England and just a few miles from the English city, best known for its zoo. A large Airbus factory, named Broughton after the nearest village, is located at the airport. It produces aircraft wings for the company`s big jets and the airfield is justly famous for its Beluga flights which transfer completed wings and other parts to European sites for assembly. The first of five new giant-sized Beluga XLs flew into Hawarden for the first time last February. Five of these huge whales will eventually replace the current fleet of smaller Beluga STs. The new type is seven metres longer and one metre wider than its predecessor. (Beluga image © Airbus).

Aerial image © Hawarden Airport.

Despite Hawarden Airport actually being owned by Airbus, it`s open to the public 7 days a week and although generally quiet, a wide range of movements can be seen over time. Alongside Airbus other companies based at Hawarden include Aerocare, Raytheon UK and NWMAS all of whom provide aircraft maintenance facilities on site. Visitors include light aircraft, private business jets, Police and Air Ambulance flights, plus military helicopters, military fixed-wing and occasionally fast jets on training sorties.

The aircraft factory at Broughton was established early in the Second World War as a shadow factory for Vickers-Armstrongs Limited. The facility produced 5,540 Vickers Wellingtons and 235 Avro Lancasters. World famous PA474, one of only two Lancaster bombers still in airworthy condition, rolled off the production line here on 31 May 1945. A total of 7,377 were built, either in the UK or on licence in Canada. PA474 came online just after the war in Europe came to an end (See VE Day 75th Anniversary entry below), so she was prepared for use against the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre. Now part of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the iconic aircraft is always a highlight at any airshow and regularly provides commemorative flypasts at events to honour those who died in service.

Above image © IWM.

The above image from the Imperial War Museum archives shows the Lancaster production line at Woodford Aerodrome, near Manchester. The interior of the Hawarden factory would have looked very similar. Post-War the latter facility was used by Vickers to build 28,000 aluminium prefab bungalows. Up until 1 July 1957, the RAF's No. 48 Maintenance Unit located on the northwest portion of the airfield stored, maintained and scrapped military aircraft, including the Handley Page Halifax, Wellingtons, Horsa gliders and de Havilland Mosquitoes.

Urgent Medical Equipment for Mull? - No ferry required!

Currently, the majority of medical supplies, PPE and specimens between the Isle of Mull and the mainland are transported by sea and road, a long and complicated journey. This month, UK drone delivery provider Skyports began a trial using delivery drones to illustrate the benefits of utilising the relatively new technology in this role. The drones, supplied by unmanned aircraft-maker Wingcopter, were chosen due to the type`s proven capability through numerous delivery operations around the world.

Based at Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban, the trial will consist of two-way flights between this facility and the Mull & Iona Community Hospital in Craignure 10 miles (16 km) away on the island. As COVID-19 testing rapidly gathers pace in the UK, the proposed delivery service will help to ensure that isolated communities have access to tests, delivered in a fast and efficient way.

These trial flights will be planned through Thales’s leading drone operations management platform, SOARIZON, which offers digital tools to maintain compliant and safe drone flying operations. This service will see delivery times cut from up to 6 hours one-way by ground transport and ferry to around 15 minutes, on-demand, by drone, bringing considerable cost savings in terms of time and resources, as well as safeguarding front-line medical and delivery personnel.

The two-week trial represents a crucial milestone for unmanned aviation in the UK. Under current rules, drones must always be flown within visual line of sight of the remote pilot. To undertake these more extended flights, the project team has been in close consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), local Government, NHS Scotland and the Department for Transport (DfT). It`s hoped that the trial will clearly show the viability of such a service and that it will be adopted full time by the public sector emergency services in Scotland.

I took the above shot from the slopes of Dun da Ghaoithe (766m), a superb hill, which in my opinion, makes a far better vantage point than the island`s only Munro, Ben More. An ascent of the Dun is also far more enjoyable as Ben More via the standard approach is a relentless slog following a sea level start. Duart Castle is prominent in this view and Craignure, including the landing zone, is out of sight to the left. Oban can be seen top right along with most of the flight path taken by the drone between the two hospitals. (Drone / Hospital images © courtesy of Skysports/Wingcopter/ BBC News).

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Military

A400M Atlas C.1 ZM415 (above), of the RAF call-sign `Ascot 462` did several go-arounds of Runway 05 between 18:30 - 1910 hrs on May 5th. Grob G 115E Tutor T1 G-BYUZ (f/v) of the RAF`s UAS (University Air Squadron made its first visit on the 6th.

RAF Puma HC.2 ZA935 `Rider Two`called in for a time on the May 9th. Pictured above on Sunday 10 May is Atlas ZM417 call-sign `Ascot 490.` It travelled north from Brize Norton, parallel with the east coast of England, past Newcastle for circuits at Aberdeen. It then flew south, taking in two go-arounds at Glasgow before heading back to Brize Norton. Runway 05 was again in use and with the airspace so quiet, the big transport flew right over my house as it headed for Lochwinnoch where it turned to line-up for its first run in. RAF Hercules have been training over Scotland too; for example, C-130J ZH865 could be seen on adsbexchange.com, northbound, operating low level in Firth of Clyde area, initially over Cowal, late afternoon on Monday 11 May. It was followed by ZH870 and both C-130s were probably on a low-level sortie, as they both disappeared from the track view, then reappeared above the hills of northwest Scotland,

RAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III ZZ178, call-sign `Ascot 820` did three go-arounds and a touch-and-go on Friday 15 May around midday. After taking-off from Brize Norton early morning, the big transport spent time circuit-bashing at Jersey Airport in the Channel islands before heading up to Scotland. Arrival at Glasgow coincided with a light shower blowing through which combined with heat haze to adversely affect these long distance shots. Obviously word of this relatively unusual visitor had got round as people had gathered to watch proceedings at various spots, including beside the airfield perimeter fence in Abbotsinch Road. Cars have been unable to access the farm track at this location for several months due to the ongoing construction project, but as workers remain furloughed, there was ample space to park. The C-17 is pictured above on its first, high pass.

I caught the Globemaster`s final climb out from the Barnsford Bridge...

Atlas ZM419 (below) did a Brize - Aberdeen - Glasgow training sortie on Saturday 16 May...

On Wednesday 27 May, A400M Atlas ZM415, callsign `Ascot 483`, did go-arounds of Runway 23 at 00: 26; 00:47 and 01:07 hours. It was followed by `Comet 455`, Atlas ZM410 (above), which did a couple of similar manoeuvres at 10:30 and 10:45 hrs. Grob G.115E Tutor of the UAS (University Air Squadron) also paid a visit that day. Finally, Moray-based RAF P-8A Poseidon ZP802 (f/v) did three Runway 23 touch-and-gos at 17:35,17:49 and 18:03 hrs on Thursday 28 May.

With some spectacular full moons earlier in the month, and an Atlas night training near the end, I couldn`t resist combining the two in Photoshop.

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75th Anniversarry of VE Day

Victory in Europe Day marks the day in 1945 when Britain and its allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, bringing the war in Europe to an end. Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, had committed suicide on 30 April during the Battle of Berlin and Germany's surrender was authorised by his successor, Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz. The act of military surrender was first signed at 02:41 on 7 May in SHAEF HQ at Reims, and a slightly modified document, considered the definitive German Instrument of Surrender, was signed on 8 May 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin at 21:20 local time: `The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 23.01 hours Central European time on 8 May 1945.`

Upon the announcement, celebrations erupted throughout the western world, especially in the UK and North America. More than one million people celebrated in the streets throughout the UK to mark the end of the European part of the war. The ongoing struggle against Japan was momentarily forgotten. In London, crowds massed in Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by their daughters and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, appeared on the balcony of the palace before the cheering crowds. Churchill then went from the palace to Whitehall where he addressed another mass gathering.

This year's celebrations were severely curtailed as the lockdown prompted by the Coronavirus pandemic meant that large-scale street parties and parades were ruled out. But at 15:00 BST, the same time that Winston Churchill addressed the nation on 8 May 1945, BBC One broadcast his words: "We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing, but let us not forget for a moment the toils and efforts that lie ahead."

The commemorations began with a flypast over London by the Royal Air Force display team the Red Arrows, while RAF Typhoons flew over Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. The Battle of Britain flight were unable to perform but at least two Spitfires took to the air.

Above: The Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane all proved vital in defeating the Nazi regime. I took these shots of the iconic trio at last year`s RIAT at Fairford.

The Red Arrows` route took in Buckingham Palace.

Contrasting scenes: VE Day 1945 and, 75 years later during lockdown.

PM Boris Johnson expressed eternal gratitude to the wartime generation.

Mr Johnson also referred to the virus outbreak, saying it "demands the same spirit of national endeavour" as shown during wartime. He added "We can't hold the parades and street celebrations we enjoyed in the past, but all of us who were born since 1945 are acutely conscious that we owe everything we most value to the generation who won the Second World War."

A Piper played at the Battle of Britain Memorial above the White Cliffs of Dover as a pair of Spitfires did a flypast.

Rememberence and Reflection in Edinburgh.

Prince Charles laid a wreath at the Balmoral War Memorial...

Glasgow Airport Summer Flights (of the Feathered Variety)

Every year Swallows set up home just inside the airfield perimeter, nesting on the outbuildings below the radar mast at Gate 13 in Walkinshaw Road. Like the House Martins, once common throughout the UK, these summer visitors have taken a massive hit in recent times but currently individual parent birds can be seen skimming low above the strawberry fields of East Yonderton Farm, collecting flies and bugs.

There are several factors contributing to the decline: Firstly, our migrating birds are being harvested in huge numbers as they fly north in the spring. then south in the autumn with their new brood of chicks. Trapped in vast, cheap Chinese mist nets slung between tall poles, millions of our summer visitors are being caught, sold and eaten. Accurate figures are hard to find, but as an example up to 140 million birds per year are being slaughtered as they pass through just one country: Egypt. An investigation by German TV estimated that mist nests are erected along 700 kilometres of the Egyptian coast and in the Nile Valley, capturing a range of birds from the stunning Golden Oriole to the tiny but beautiful Willow Warbler. Rather than providing poorer people with a welcome food source, the trapping is carried out on an almost industrial scale. There is similar carnage in Lebanon, Morocco and in most of the North African countries. The practice also continues in many European countries with Greece and Malta immediately springing to mind.

Another major problem for the birds is that many British farms and homes are now too clean and tidy for nature. Hedgerows, fields and other open areas previously available are disappearing rapidly due to housing and industrial developments. Wooden eaves, favoured by House Martins and Swallows as nesting locations, are being replaced with easily maintained plastic cladding. Although it`s hard to believe when the midges are out, flying insect populations have been impacted by the overuse of insecticides. There are far fewer cattle, and everywhere is sprayed. Acres and acres of pest free cereal crops have replaced once lush pastures. And even the pastures, once flower-rich and bio-diverse, are almost all 'improved'.

If lockdown restrictions are eased in time for the fruit picking season, it won`t be too late for this local farmer at least to save his crop. These were typical scenes last summer, and not just with regard to the berry pickers - TUI Dreamliners could be seen at Glasgow most days. The carrier actually has a new Boeing 787-9 on order, G-TUIP which is due to enter service in Spring 2021.

It`s been years since I managed to get decent shots of these hardy avian acrobats at the airport, so long ago in fact that Bmi were still flying Airbuses!

Twite, a farmland-favouring species, were also once common in the area, but I haven`t seen any here for a long time. For breeding, they favour the moorlands of the Scottish Highlands, northern England and north Wales. In winter some remain in north and west Scotland, near the coast, while others, including continental birds, move to the coast of eastern England.

The Goldfinch population, however, appears to be stable and these striking wee birds can often be seen around the airport perimeter. The guys below were munching dandelion seeds on the verge in Walkinshaw Road this month.

There are a few new four-legged arrivals in the fields around the airport, including this young calf.

When I stopped in Barnsford Road for a snap of the parked airliners during an early morning cycle, this herd thought it was feeding time.

Mist around dawn, particularly along the course of the Black Cart Water, had been slow to clear and Low-Vis Procedures had just been lifted by the Tower shortly before I reached the north side of the airfield. There was hardly a breath of wind but shooting right into the sun, I couldn`t do this reflection justice.

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Construction & Development

These scenes show the current state of the new development off Abbotsinch Road. All but urgent construction work in Scotland remains halted due to the pandemic but following Nicola Sturgeon`s statement regarding easing of the lockdown, firms can have a limited number of staff and supervisors return to lay out social distancing procedures on-site. It now looks as though Phase Two, the so-called soft start, to allow a small part of the construction industry workforce to resume operations, is unlikely to be backed by the Scottish Government before mid June.

Below: Usually workers take their turn manning the improvised checkpoint at the start of the farm track off the east side of Abbotsinch Road to ensure only construction vehicles enter the site. Although the tyre chair doesn`t look too comfy, it`s well used during stints when there`s no activity and text messages need to be checked...

Workers had also downed tools at the nearby Teucheen Woods housing development between Erskine and Inchinnan but building operations could potentially restart next month. However, the Show Houses, which were advertised as ready for business just before the lockdown began, will likely remain closed for the time being.

The fields, woods and marshland adjacent to the new estate are a peaceful haven for wildlife but footfall will increase drastically once people start to move in.

Views from the treeline. The first of the bluebells are coming through in the woods themselves so there should be an impressive display in a couple of weeks.

Lockdown in the Garden

Like myself, my plane-spotting Meerkat`s 10x40 bins, although suffering from years of wear and tear, are still functioning - but only just!

The moon has been especially clear in the night sky in recent weeks, but its appearance on 6 / 7 May was the final supermoon of 2020. Known as the Super Flower Moon, it was the fourth supermoon of the year, with the next one not set to appear until April next year. Timing means that the moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun, resulting in its face being fully illuminated.

The moon is also at its closest point to Earth, and the combination on this occasion of clear, cloud-free skies meant that the moon looked staggeringly large and bright. The phenomenon even inspired our resident fox to fine-tune its werewolf impersonation the following morning - impressive but the voice still needs a bit of work!

May is undoubtedly the best month to enjoy the dawn chorus. Not only is the breeding season for resident species such as Blackbird, Robin and Song Thrush well underway, but our summer visitors, such as warblers and flycatchers, have returned from their winter quarters in southern Europe and Africa.

The birds sing for two reasons: to defend a territory and to win and keep a mate. This means that the vast majority of bird sounds experienced, including all the complex and beautiful songs, are being uttered by male birds. The females are usually kept busy with the crucial task of egg laying and raising their young.

One of the best places to hear a good variety of birdsong is in a suburban, or even urban garden. With lockdown restrictions easing now more people should be able to venture out to parks, forests and marshes to enjoy the spectacle.

The above Slideshow features more shots taken from my house or in the garden. It`s surprising what you see when you have a bit of time on your hands.

The resident Sparrowhawk was particularly active in recent weeks as it`s very likely that it has a brood of chicks to feed. This is the male but I was sitting out one afternoon enjoying the sunshine when the female swooped down, apparently with the intention of taking a drink from the birdbath, but saw me and didn`t stop. This was at the end of the month so it`s likely that both parent birds are now involved in fattening up their demanding offspring.

The weather was superb here at the end of the month with the UK experiencing its sunniest spring since records began in 1929. The Met Office said that this Only nine springs on record have topped 500 hours of sunshine but, by Wednesday 27 May the UK had clocked up 573 hours. This month is set to be the driest May on record for some parts of UK, including the driest in England for 124 years. Some areas are already warning of drought conditions despite exceptionally wet weather and flooding earlier in the year.

The UK spent much of spring in lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but thousands flocked to beaches to enjoy late May sunshine following a slight easing of restrictions in both England then Scotland. From news footage it looked as if many were oblivious to the social distancing guidelines which remain in place.

On the day the female Sparrowhawk flew down into the garden, I spotted what is possibly the same bird flying high above shortly afterwards. Its presence didn`t seem to deter the House Martins and a couple of individual Swifts which were zooming around catching insects. Next to appear, even higher than the Sparrowhawk was a pair of Buzzards; all-in-all not too bad for an afternoon largely spent sipping beer with my backside anchored firmly in a deckchair - who needs Springwatch?

The Goldfinches coming to my garden feeders must be among the chubbiest in Scotland. They usually stay for about 15 minutes of non-stop munching at a time and will return soon after. This species, Siskin and many of the tits favour nyjer seeds as opposed to peanuts or standard mixes. Nyjer is slightly more expensive but less so if you buy in bulk.

Although the Super Moons showed well at the beginning of the month, the half moon on 31 May was even clearer, possibly following several additional weeks of pollution free skies. The shot below was taken at 22:30 hrs when the craters and other surface details were particularly well defined.