Halfpenny Green - Fly In - 31st March 2013

G-BPUA is an EAA Biplane - this design originates from the Experimental Aircraft Association ( EAA ) of the USA. The project was to design and build a simple biplane that could then be offered as a homebuilt blueprint for pilots to build themselves at home.

The EAA Biplane first flew in 1960 and it is said that over 7,000 sets of plans have been sold since. The type was not common here in the UK and at the momnet there are four examples registered on the UK CAA aircraft register. This example was completed in Ireland in 1986 and was originally registered as EI-BBF. It was registered in the UK in March 1989 as G-BPUA and had flown just 285 hours by the end of 2011.  



Link to the EAA Biplane website



Another interesting aircraft at Halfpenny Green was Cassutt Racer IIIM G-CGSU. This very smart homebuilt sport aircraft was completed in 2010 and has flown 41 flight hours by 31.12.12. The aircraft is shown here being taxied out of the static exhibition area off on a local flight.

The pilots name is shown on the canopy. There are currently a dozen of these aircraft registered in the UK with about 6 believed to be airworthy at the moment - this example is the most recent to have been completed at is based at Halfpenny Green airfield. There was also a second Cassutt Racer present this being G-BFMF

G-BFMF was originally registered in 1978 and built by owner in Dorset, being completed circa 1982. In 2006 it was bought by an owner in West Sussex before moving onto to the West Midlands in early 2013 - the link below shows the same Cassutt Racer back in 1988 in a white/gold/orange colour scheme

Link to ABPIC photo of G-BFMF in 1988


Also resident at Halfpenny Green is TEAM Minimax 91 G-MYKZ with the name "Kilo Zulu" on the cowling - this aircraft was originally registered as G-BVAV for just one week in July 1993 before becoming G-MYKZ.

"Kilo Zulu" is powered by a Rotax 503 engine and has had several owners around the UK before coming to HalfPenny Green in 2010. By Dec 2011 this aircraft had flown just 69 flight hours.

 
Among the visiting aircraft was Savannah G-SAVY  - this aircraft was built in 2009 and is powered by a Jabiru engine

EV-97A Eurostar G-UZUP was built from a factory supplied kit - the Eurostar is a very popular aircraft in the UK with approx 165 examples registered as at April 2013. The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912 engine and is based in the Sheffield area.

Steve

Perranporth - 1st September 2012

A holiday in Cornwall gave me a chance to re-visit the north Cornish coast and the airfield at Perranporth.

Outside by the fuel farm area was Pa-23 Aztec N485ED c/n 27-3864

This aircraft was built in 1968 and originally flew as N6567Y. The aircraft was imported into the UK and in September 1972 registered with the CAA as G-BAED. Over the years this aircraft operated with numerous air taxi operators including spells based in Essex, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In 2001 the aircraft was cancelled from the UK CAA aircraft register and registered as N485ED - although American registered the aircraft remained based in the UK. The current white/green colour scheme dates from its time painted in Manx Airlines colours, see link below

LINK to photo of G-BAED in Manx Airlines colours


Beside the hanger area was Reims Cessna FR 172F G-AWWU c/n 0111 - this Reims Rocket was built in 1969.

For the last 26 years this aircraft had been based at nearby St Just - Lands End airport operating pleasure and scenic flights around Cornwall. In Summer 2012 it was sold on to a new owner and is now resident at Perranporth.

Inside the hanger was flexwing microlight Pegasus Quantum G-CDIL c/n 8093.

G-CDIL was built in 2004 and over the past eight years this aircraft has had four different registered owners, all based in the South West in either Devon or Cornwall - the UK CAA aircraft register currently shows  over 330 examples of the Quantum as registered.

Reims Cessna F172H G-BGIU c/n 0620 was built in 1969 and originally operated in the Netherlands as PH-VIT - it arrived in the UK in 1979 being registered as G-BGIU in February 1979 and has been based in Cornwall since 2003.

 


 Steve

Bournemouth Hurn - 21.4.10

Bournemouth Hurn airport is a large airfield with many hangers and based operators scattered around the airport. There is a very good mixed range of aircraft to be seen here ranging from airliners, biz jets, general aviation and some older warbirds too.

Eurocopter EC 120B Colibri c/n 1463 wearing Bournemouth Helicopters titles by the engine. This smart helicopter was built in 2006 and delivered as F-HAAL. It was first registered in the UK in June 2007 as G-MKII operated by Bournemouth Helicopters - however they changed the registration to be G-SKPP in January 2010.

Piper Pa-28-161 Cadet c/n 2841015 was built in the USA in 1988 and was first registered in the UK as G-BPJP in December 1988. For many years this aircraft was based at Oxford Kidlington airport before arriving at Hurn in 2001. This aircraft had flown over 11,000 flight hours by Dec 2008.

G-CBLE Robin 2120U c/n 364 was built in France in 2002. G-CBLE was first registered in the UK in April 2002. Between 2004 - 2009 this aircraft was based at Cardiff airport.  By Dec 2007 this aircracft had flown over 2,000 flight hours.

Hurn is home to several multi engine flight training schools, among them is CTC Aviation who operate a fleet of four examples of the Diamond DA 42 Twin Star including G-CTCF c/n 42-045 shown here. This modern twin was built in Austria in 2005. I often here these CTC aircraft on my radio doing flight training and operating on the airways over the South West of England.


Steve

Bristol International Airport - Lulsgate 17.2.10

This afternoon I spent a couple of hours up at Bristol Lulsgate - the weather was cold and grey with mist and low cloud. This airport is the highest in England.

Despite the poor weather I enjoyed the photo opportunities.



Easyjet Airbus A319 G-EZIA c/n 2420 landing onto Runway 09 was delivered new in March 2005 - note the missing letters on the engine cowling.





Easyjet Airbus A319 G-EZBI c/n 3003 is one of the few Easyjet aircraft to carry a name "Madrid" touches down as "EASY 26X" at approx 15.44


Easyjet Airbus A319 G-EZBI c/n 3003 "Madrid" lines up to depart as EASY 8HZ at approx 16.21


Aer Arann ATR 72 EI-REM c/n 760 arriving from Cork, Eire as "Arran 31B" at approx 16.05 - this aircraft was delivered new in October 2007


Ryanair 737-800 EI-EKC c/n 38495 was delivered new in January 2010 part of the huge fleet of approx 200 similar aircraft Ryanair operate across Europe. Here EI-EKC is seen departing Runway 09 as RYANAIR 8FL to Bergamo, Italy.



Ryanair 737-800 EI-DWY c/n 33635 about to touchdown on 09 as RYANAIR 504 inbound from Dublin, Eire.


Air Southwest are based at Plymouth, Devon and destinations include Bristol, Manchester and Leeds - here DHC Dash 8 311 G-WOWB c/n 334 arrives as SWALLOW 306K. This aircraft was previously based at Bristol as G-BRYT when operating by Brymon Airways for British Airways.




Steve

Warsaw - Bemowo 18.8.09

I always visit the general aviation airfield at Warsaw - Benowo ( Babice ) when I travel to Warsaw. Even though many of the residents are very familiar there are always some new aircraft to see.



SP-YMK Evektor EV97 Eurostar c/n 980104 visiting Bemowo on 18.8.09. This Czech aircraft was built at the Kunovice factory and was originally registered as OK-DUR07 before being sold to Poland and registered as SP-YMK in 2002 . This aircraft is fitted with a Rotax 912 80 HP, FITI propeller and a Junkers rescue system and is believed based at Pruszcz - Gdanski.


External LINK to Evektor website



Yak 12A SP-AWA was built under license at the PZL Okecie factory back in 1960 with c/n 30128. This aircraft was initially delivered to the Polish Air Force ( PWL ) in 1960 and was withdrawn in 1971 and became SP-AWA the same year.

This Yak 12A is now operated by the Aeroklub Warsawa ( AK Warszawski ) as a glider tug. I have seen it here at Bemowo every year since 1995. The aircraft is powered by the 5-cylinder radial engine M-11FR (nominal power 104 kW/140 hp ) - it certainly makes a healthy roar.

The Yak 12A first flew in 1957 as a streamlined development from the Yak 12M. The "A" model features just one underwing brace spar whereas the Yak 12M and the Polish deriative PZL 101 Gawron feature two such wing braces. The Poles built 137 Yak 12A but also built approx 1050 Yak 12M and approx 320 PZL 101 Gawrons




SP-SPAW Aeropro Eurofox 3K 912S c/n 19606 registered on the four letter Ultralight register in 2006. I understand that the c/n shows this is Eurofox aircraft #196 built in 2006.

This aircraft was built at the Aeropro factory at Nitra in Slovakia - the "3K" model has a fixed tricycle undercarriage - the "2K" model has a tail wheel design. In the USA the type is known as the Aerotrek A220 and A240 - I guess the "Euro" part of the name might have detered some US cusotmers !

Approx 295 Eurofox aircraft have been built by summer 2009.

External LINK to Aeropro website




There are now dozens and dozens of imported second hand old Cessna basic training aircraft in Poland - This example is Cessna 150L c/n 73121 built in 1971 and registered in Poland as SP-GPB in November 2008, it was imported from the USA as N5221Q


External LINK to photo of N5221Q at Tracy, California, USA



SP-3062 SZD 42-2 Jantar 2B c/n B864 coded "AW" was built at the SZD factory at Bielsko-Biala in 1978 - I have seen this glider at Bemowo since 1996.



SP-1979 Fauvel AV-36C - this interesting bat like glider is a flying wing with no real fuselage. It was built in 1958 and delivered to Austria as OE-0414 before being imported into Poland in 1959 as SP-1979.

This glider was designed by the French designer Charles Fauvel - I understand that approx 50 AV-36 gliders were built from parts produced by Wassmer plus maybe a further 100 homebuilt from supplied design drawings.

This glider looks in good condition, I understand it was restored between 2000 - 2002 at Modlin. Hopefully one day I will see this unusual glider fly.


External LINK to excellent website all about designer Charles Fauvel and his gliders




D-MBBJ Flight Design CT SW - this aircraft is c/n 07-10-16 built in September 2007. I first saw it in the Aeroklub hanger at Bemowo in August 2008, still present one year later. This design features a very wide cockpit cabin.

The CT first flew in 1997 and over 1,200 aircraft have been delivered to date.


External LINK to the Flight Design website

Berlin Tegel airport - 1st June 2008

Berlin Tegel Airport

At the end of May 2008 I went to Berlin to visit the ILA aviation tradeshow at Schonefeld. My hotel was near Zoo station and gave a direct S Bahn link to Schonefeld. Zoo station also has a direct "express" bus service to Tegel airport so I went there on Sunday 1st June.

Tegel is located in the NW suburbs of Berlin -the airport is due to close in a few years, once the major re-development of Schonefeld is complete. Tegel is a good airport for aviatino enthusiasts and photographers as it has a good roof top viewing area that allows you a good view with no obstructing fence or glass. Note that there are no facilities or weather protection up on this roof so bring a drink with you. You are allowed to bring small bags up here but not suitcases. The rooftop viewing area closes at 6pm even in summer.

Tegel is home to Air Berlin with its fleet of FK100 and 737 airliners. All the photos were taken mid to late afternoon.

D-AGPB Fokker 100 of Air Berlin in the old c/s


D-ABAS Boeing 737-800 of Air Berlin in the old c/s

D-AGEL Boeing 737-700 shows the interim Air Berlin c/s without the new tail logo

Air Berlin also operate helicopters - these were busy running shuttle flights to and from the ILA trade show at Schonefeld

D-HCOR AS 355 Twin Squrrel of Air Berlin


A big surprise for me was the arrival of the two JASDF Boeing 747 aircraft bringing the Prime Minister of Japan to Berlin on a state visit


20-1101 Boeing 747-400 of the Japanese Self Defence Force - JASDF

I only saw one Germania aircraft D-AGET - I'd seen this aircraft in 2005 wearing Hapag Lloyd Express c/s


D-AGET Boeing 737-700 of Germania


A good visitor for me was Carpatair FK100 YR-FKB from Romania


Italian airline Air One stretched CRJ-900 EI-DVT

With SAS withdrawing their Dash 8 fleet they now operate this old Bae 146 D-AMGL c/n 2055 - back in 2005 this was operating in Iberia c/s as D-AMGL

SAS BAe 146-200 D-AMGL

This Hapag Fly 737-800 arrived wearing a yellow engine intake cowling that looks like it has been borrowed from a TUIFly aircraft

D-AHFV Boeing 737-800 of Hapag

D-AHXC Boeing 737-700 of TUIFly with winglets

Other aircraft seen included one LTU Airbus A330 D-ALPA operating a flight to Bangkok plus airliners from Meridiana, BA, Air France, Thy, Transavia, Air Europa, Transaero, Air Ukraine and many Lufthansa.

Seen but to far away to photograph were a pair of LGW Dornier Do 228.

Warsaw - Okecie "Fredric Chopin Airport"

Warsaw - Okecie "Fredric Chopin Airport"

I've been visiting Warsaw - Okecie airport almost every year since 1995 - my wife is Polish and the trips to visit my "in laws" always help my aircraft log book too !

The airport has undergone a lot of new construction and expansion in recent years.

For the aviation enthusiast there is a public viewing terrace ( terrace widkowy ) on top of the small domestic terminal. This is next door to Terminal 1.

The entrance for the viewing area is to the left of the domestic terminal. As you enter you will have to pass through an airport style metal detector and your bags through an x-ray machine. I've never had any problems with security taking through bins and cameras. You then have to walk up about 8 flights of steps so pace yourself !

At the top you pay your admission - last week this cost me 4 zloty ( approx 80p ). The viewing terrace is open with no glass - good. There are toilets and a small roofed area to take shelter but no views from the shelter.

The view from the spotting terrace - pretty good with EADS PZL Okecie site in background

The open air viewing area gives good opportunities for photography from sunrise to midday, but as it faces West you will have problems on a sunny afternoon. Note that there are no refreshments at all up here, so make sure you buy snacks/drinks in the Domestic terminal before climbing all those steps.

I've not encountered any hassle problems with logging or photography up here - you eill get some strange looks from the locals though ! I've never used or seen an airband up here so this may NOT be a good idea.

Directly below you are three pier gates - last week I saw the following at these gates during a Tuesday morning,

Lufthansa 737-500
CSA 737-500
Malev 737-800
Air France A319

CSA 737-500 OK-CGJ at pushback

Nothing too exciting but good for photos.

Okecie has two runways that intersect - both can be in use. One runs parallel with the viewing terrace, good views but you'll need a 400mm for photogrpahy.

With the other runway you can see 3/4 of it but not the Eastern threshold.

There is still a lot of development going on at this airport with some large areas of apron being re-worked - as such some aircraft will taxying and meander to and from gates. Much of these will go right past the viewing terrace and a 200mm will suffice.

Adria S5-AAF CRJ taxies past


Lotus A320 SU-LBJ taxies towards Terminal 2

Way down to the South ( on your left from the viewing terrace ) is the cargo area - typical daytime inmates may include DHL 757, TNT 146, UPS MD11.

N279UP MD-11F of UPS back tracks down the runway towards cargo

Also to your left is the old small Etiuda terminal - low cost carriers park here inclusing Easyjet and Wizzair. Currently low cost arriving passengers are bused airside into the spanking new Terminal 2 for arrivals - but check-in and departure are via the Etiuda terminal itself. A few LOT ERJ145 and 737 may also park to your left.

Most airliners will park to your right alongside Terminal 2 - aircraft can park both infront and behind Terminal 2, so expect stuff to taxy out that you may not have been aware of.

Warsaw-Okecie also has a military ramp, home to 36 splt and its VIP fleet of Tu-154, Yak 40, Sokol, Bell 412, Mil 8 and M28 transports. As a capital city Warsaw gets plenty of visiting VIP / Govt aircraft.

Seen last week were an Israeli AF KC-707, USAF C-32 and a Fench AF Falcon 900 - a couple of days earlier the Ukraine Govt IL-62 and support Tu-134 were in.

The new Terminal 2 - at the far end is a good view across the military ramp


Israeli AF KC-707 with boom serial 260 on the military ramp

It is possible to get a good view across the military apron by walking towards the northern end of Terminal 2 - I tend not to loiter here, although since Terminal 2 opened for departure earlier this year I note a lot more ( normal ) people admiring the vantage from this point. The LOT maintenance hangers are in this area too.

The Biz / GA area is way off to the North and difficult to see from viewing terrace and from the terminal area.

When on the viewing terrace right in front of you but way off is the old PZL Okecie factory - here was the production line for the Wilga, Kruk, and Koliber - they make components for Airbus here and EADS. I believe one Kruk was completed last year, but the glory days are over.

There is a brand new hanger over on that far side which I believe is owned by White Eagle - last week so one visiting Global Exp and a WEA ATR parked up.

Also in front of you is the large new ATC facility - over here are two old IL-14 - one red SP-LNB fuselage only , one blue SP-LNE appears complete. Out of sight but over there is a preserved An-2 SP-TWF as well - you can see all three if you sit on the correct side as you depart airborne !

What follows is a log from approx 9am to 12 Noon on Tuesday 15.4.08 - I arrived the previous Tuesday and many of the flights were same ( ie scheduled ).



MILITARY RAMP
260 KC707 Israeli DF
90004 C-32 USAF
F-GTVC B1900 French Interior Ministry
???? Falon 900 FRench AF

102 Tu-154 Pol AF
504 W-3 Sokol Pol AF white/red
02 Bell 412 Pol AF
0619 W-3 Sokol Pol AF camo

038 Yak 40 wfu
041 Yak 40 wfu



AIRLINERS - NON LOT

4X-EKA 737 El Al
5B-DBV 737 Eurocypria
D-ABIT 737 Luft
D-ACRQ CRJ Luft
D-AGPH FK100 Star / Connect
D-AVRK 146 Luft
EI-IGC 757 Air Italy Polska
EI-SLH ATR Air Contractors parked cargo
F-GRXM A319 AF
G-EZBF 737 Easy from Bristol
G-EZJW 737 Easy from Newcastle
HA-LOM 737 Malev
HB-IYW 146 Swiss
LN-KKW 737 Norwegian Air Shuttle
N279UP MD11 UPS
OE-LGC Dash8 Austrian Arrow
OH-LKH ERJ190 Finnair
OH-SAP 146 Blue1
OK-CGJ 737 CSA
OO-DJE 146 Brussels
PH-BDN 737 KLM
RA-85662 Tu154 Aeroflot
SU-BPG 737 AMC
SU-LBJ A320 Lotus
S5-AAF CRJ Adria
YL-BBF 737 Air Baltic

RA-85662 Tu-154M much more interesting than a Flot Airbus !

Taxying to Terminal 2 from Riga, Latvia

AIRLINERS - LOT / EUROLOT / Centralwings - all SP-


EDD ATR Euro

KCN ATR White Eagle

KWD Jetstream LOT titles


LDB 170 LOT
LDD 170 LOT
LDF 170 LOT
LDG 170 LOT
LDI 170 LOT

LFA ATR Euro
LFE ATR Euro
LFF ATR Euro
LFG ATR Euro




LGE 145 LOT
LGO 145 LOT

LIB 175 LOT
LIC 175 LOT
LID 175 LOT
LIE 175 LOT
LIF 175 LOT




LKA 737 LOT
LKB 737 LOT
LKC 737 LOT
LKD 737 LOT
LKF 737 LOT

LPC 767 LOT
LPF 767 LOT

LLF 737 CW
LMC 737 CW
LMD 737 CW




BIZ
N187PN Falcon 50
OY-JMC Citation
YU-BSG Citation


OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER !

Preserved inside Terminal 1 hanging from the ceiling is SP-2243 SZD 24B Foka 4 glider - there used to be a second glider ( SP-2142 ) during the 1990's but this had gone by 2000.

Bus outside Terminal 1 - glider SP-2243 lives in this terminal

Dumped way down by the Cargo area is An-24 SP-LTA - keep eyes peeled when you taxy.


Finally if you leave the airport on the main route into the city, there is a gate guard to the Pol AF 36 splt VIP area, easily visible on your left just as you leave the airport - this is Mig 21UM serial 9308 - mounted almost vertically on a pole ( maye 1/2 mile from Terminal 2 ).


If you do hire a car there is a preserved Wilga outside the PZL Okecie factory visible from the road past the factory entrance - this is marked "SP-PZL" in reality Wilga 40 SP-PHC.

Check out the two links below for some very good photos of Warsaw - Okecie


Happy Spotting !



External Link to superb photos of Warsaw - Okecie airport in the 1960s and 1970s

External Link to photos of Warsaw - Okecie airport in recent years