Glasgow Airport Movements 2021
April
*Page under construction*
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April 2021
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May 2021
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June 2021
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July 2021
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August 2021
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September 2021
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October 2021
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November 2021
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December 2021
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Intro* April 1st // Easter Weekend etc*
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While the UK`s large scale vaccine rollout continues, mainland Europe is struggling as infections continue to soar. Just over a year after Italy became the first western nation to be hit by a Coronavirus epidemic, the country is now facing a third wave and a second Easter holiday in lockdown. Italy entered a strict three-day lockdown over the holiday weekend to try to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases with all regions designated `red zones` for a time, the highest tier of restrictions. With about 20,000 new cases a day, non-essential movement was banned, but people were allowed to have an Easter meal in their homes with two others. For the second year, Pope Francis delivered his Easter message to an empty St Peter's Square. Following the holiday weekend, different regions remained in either `orange zone` or `red zone` restrictions until the end of the month.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) criticised Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout, and said the situation in the region was worse than it had been for several months. According to the WHO, at the the beginning of April, only 10% of the nearly 900 million people in the region have had a single dose of Coronavirus vaccine. WHO director for Europe Hans Kluge urged leaders to `ramp up manufacturing, reduce barriers to administering vaccines, and use every single vial currently in stock, now.` In the meantime, as long as vaccine coverage remained low, he said EU countries would have to impose lockdowns and other measures to compensate for the delays.
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As infections began to peak in France, putting about 5,000 people in intensive care, President Emmanuel Macron announced the country was entering a third national lockdown for at least three weeks. French schools moved back to remote learning, and all non-essential shops have now closed. People are banned from travelling more than 10 km (six miles) from home without good reason. And last month, German officials announced that the country would be placed in a strict Easter lockdown - only to reverse the decision just days later. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the plan for a lockdown from 1 to 5 April a mistake, and said she took `ultimate responsibility` for the U-turn. (Above images © Connexionfrance.com & BBC News).
Jet Airliners
OY-RCL A320N FLI7875, seen here at the terminal shortly after arriving on 30 March etc // Scotland v Faroes 's departed (1st); // CityJet Bombardier CRJ-900LR EI-GEA flew in from Dublin on 1 April to take Glasgow Warriors rugby team France for a Challenge Cup match against Montpellier the following day. The home side won 26-21 and the same plane returned with the team on the 3rd.
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Scotland's national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch is hopeful that a reduced number of fans will be inside Hampden in June for the European Championships. The National Stadium is due to host Scotland's games against the Czech Republic and Croatia, as well as the meeting of those group rivals and a last 16 tie. The championship, which will see Scotland's first appearance at a major football finals since 1998, was scheduled to be played last year before being delayed as a result of the pandemic.
Prof Leitch believes that UEFA will be more concerned by the escalating COVID-19 cases in France, Belgium and Germany than in Glasgow but stressed that the deteriorating situation in these countries should act as a warning to people in Scotland to adhere to the current restrictions. Otherwise, if the competition does go ahead as planned, the teams will be playing in an empty stadium.
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The Scottish government initially gave approval for 12,000 supporters (25% of Hampden`s capacity) to attend Euro 2020 matches there. It's understood Glasgow's plans will work on the basis that fans will be allowed inside with strict adherence to the two-metre social distancing rules. Although, under current plans, large scale events could resume in Scotland from 17 May, the Euro 2020 matches at Hampden are the first confirmation of fans returning to stadia in Scotland. A decision on whether there will be a Fan Zone in the city centre has yet to be made. Glasgow is one of 12 host cities and the football authorities could switch venues if guarantees on supporter attendance cannot be provided.
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Italian Football Federation say Rome's Stadio Olimpico will welcome spectators, and the Dutch authorities have announced plans to enable 12,000 fans to attend matches at Amsterdam's Johan Cruijff Arena. Dublin, however, which is set to host three group games, has told UEFA that it is currently unable to provide assurances on minimum spectator levels. There's also hope that by the time the games come around, the attendance number could be revised up the way. It can't be reduced though as far as UEFA are concerned. // should know by Friday 9th etc. * (to edit)*
BEA Retro-liveried G-EUPJ flew in on a Shuttle flight PM on Thursday 8 April and night-stopped to return to Heathrow the following morning. etc
Jet 2 to suspend all flights until at least 23rd June etc*
Turboprop Airliners
Intro* // ATR 72-600 2-EATA `Silver Warrior` (Fleet Number 705) in Silver Airways livery flew in from Toulouse–Blagnac Airport on 8 April. It`s destined to become N705SV with Silver Airways, an American regional airline headquartered in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport with a maintenance facility based at Gainesville Regional Airport.
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The airline, which is privately owned by Versa Capital Management, operates scheduled and charter services to 30 destinations in Florida, the Bahamas, and Southeast US, as well as the Mid-Atlantic from Washington-Dulles Airport. Silver Airways operates with a fleet of Saab 340B plus ATR 42 and 72 turboprops, all of which have distinctive flamingo tail art.
2-EATA remained here until approximately 12:40 hrs on Saturday 10 April when it flew over to Dublin to have essential work done on its de-icing boot before continuing across the pond. This ice protection system is aimed at preventing the formation of an ice ridge on the wing during flight. Such boots are generally installed on the leading edges of wings and control surfaces as these areas are most likely to accumulate ice and any contamination could severely affect the aircraft's performance. |
Deicing boots are most commonly seen on medium-sized airliners and utility aircraft, whereas larger airliners and military jets tend to use heating systems within the wing, keeping it constantly warm and preventing ice from forming. Deicing boots were invented by the B.F. Goodrich Corporation back in the late 1920s / early 1930s in Akron, Ohio. A deicing boot consists of a thick rubber membrane that`s installed over the surface to be deiced. As atmospheric icing occurs and ice builds up, a pneumatic system inflates the boot with compressed air. This expansion cracks any ice that has accumulated, and this ice is blown away into the airflow. The boots are then deflated to return the wing or surface to its optimal shape. For the system to function properly, the boots must be well-maintained and serviced. Any holes may create air leaks that will decrease the effectiveness of the boots. As such, boots must be carefully inspected before each flight and any holes or cuts must be patched.
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
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Cessna Citation Bravo G-SPRE and Eclipse Aviation Corp EA500 Eclipse 2-CLRK Channel Jets (1st); Cessna CitationJet CJ1 G-KION (3rd); CitationJet CJ4 M-KNOX (4th); Bombardier Challenger 604 D-AFAG (8th); CitationJet CJ2 G-SOVZ (9th); Nextant 400XTi OK-PFY Time Air and Eclipse EA500 2-JSEG (10th); CitationJet CJ2 G-SOVZ (plus other dates) and Eclipse EA500 2-JSEG both returned (12th); Citation Mustang G-FFFC (14th); CitationJet CJ2 G-ILBG (15th);
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General Aviation
About 16:30 hrs on 1 April, The Air Ambulance Charity G-SCAA etc landed at the Golden Jubilee Hospital etc
2nd: Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter D-FIPS overflew the airport before heading north to the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs area, taking advantage of the superb conditions to carry out survey work. // Ravenair Aircraft Ltd Partenavia P.68B Victor G-RVNE did likewise, concentrating on the skies to the southeast of Paisley etc.* Thereafter, it was King Air 200 G-FSEU (10th); Super King Air 250 N288DW (11th); King Air 200s G-VALK and G-FLYK (13th); King Air 200s G-WNCH and G-KVIP, plus G-VALK returned (14th);
Military
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Intro re Glasgow Airport military visitors // On Tuesday 6 April, a pair of Mildenhall-based CV-22B Osprey using the joint callsign `Knife 71` called in at Prestwick Airport mid-afternoon, spending around 40 minutes on the ground. These USAF rotary-winged craft were believed to be operating in the Firth of Clyde, and over the Cowal peninsula for a time. The serial numbers were 11-0059 and 10-0052.
The unidentified high-flying A400 Atlas transport was heading north above the airport at an altitude of about 30,00 ft on Sunday 11 April. |
Construction & Development
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According to posters on the perimeter of a nearby works compound, at least one of the large buildings taking shape will house the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre: "Bringing state-of-the-art transformative solutions in small molecule and fine chemical manufacturing to Renfrewshire." According to the ad, the complex is due for completion by Spring 2022.
Three Roe Deer were foraging along the treeline on the west side of the White Cart but mostly remained screened by vegetation making them difficult to photograph. These long range telephoto shots of one deer taking in the construction work emphasise the ongoing struggle faced by animals such as these, plus foxes and badgers, due to human encroachment and habitat loss. By the time the new development is completed, suitable terrain for wildlife will be increasingly patchy and further diminished.
A few days later I spotted three Roes on the south bank of the Black Cart Water, close to the Barnsford Bridge. They may well be the same animals...
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They were very nervous and immediately bounded off, resulting in some grainy, long distance shots.
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The raised bank of earth on the east side of Abbotsinch Road, opposite the Gama Aviation hangar, although not well-utilised by local aircraft photographers, was one of my favourite vantage points. It was great for snapping planes taxiing past Area Juliet and any on short finals for Runway 23, but it was only a matter of time before this mound was bulldozed to accommodate the new road layout.
With most of the construction work halted over the Easter weekend, I took the opportunity to get what would likely be my last photos taken from this location. The shots, including a couple of ultra-wide angle views above show that even by then etc* Several prime viewing spots favoured by enthusiasts are set to disappear in the not too distant future, especially along Abbotsinch Road etc* // There will likely be some possibilities from the vicinity of the new cycle / footbridge over the Black Cart when it opens, but these will be limited to incoming planes only. |
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The east end of the embankment was first to go.
Above: This exaggerated angle stretches both ends of the embankment inward, combining the views to the west, north and east.
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Another (The final) // section was in position and ready for assembly on 15 April.
Work beside the 23 Runway lights etc*
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To the east of the Clyde / Cart confluence // scrap yard etc // site of the new bridge across the River Clyde between the Renfrew and Clydebank sides etc* (Old shots inc aerial views)*
The Blythswood is the last remaining mature woodland in Renfrew etc
Garden
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Moon 6 a.m. on Thursday 1 April etc*
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April 2021
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May 2021
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June 2021
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July 2021
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August 2021
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September 2021
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October 2021
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November 2021
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December 2021
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