I HAVE DECIDED TO RE RUN THIS PARTICULAR 'BLOG' WHICH RAN ALMOST TWO WEEKS AGO. IN THAT TIME I HAVE FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH THE IMAGES APPEAR ON FLICKr, THEY ARE NOT RELATED TO THE TEXT. SO HERE'S HOPING............
I have been taken to task in some quarters for the content on my ‘blog’. As someone put it.
“A lot of Roads, some Rails and very little Runways”.
Which I must admit is true. That is probably a reflection on the fact that buses run past the end of the road I live on. The nearest Railways are some miles further away and the local airport even further than that. On top of which is the fact that security at airports is so much tighter these days.
However, summertime means the odd airshow can be attended and the occasional airport visit can be pulled in.
The ‘EMA’ is my local airport and it is now in its 50th. year of operation. Viewing from the airport premises is virtually impossible. The days of the ‘waving off gallery’ are long gone and there are few locations around the perimeter that are accessible.
The best of these is from the grounds of the East Midlands Aeropark (EMAe). (see my 'blog' for December 17th. 2013 for detailed coverage). This is located just outside Castle Donnington just off the main road.
They are only open for a limited number of hours a day and there is a £3 charge but for that you get toilets, a cafe, a view of most of the activities without a barbed wire fence blocking the view and the ‘EMAe’ collection of aircraft. They alone are worth the charge.
So a lovely warm summers day and little else to do. so off I went.
The Irish based operator ‘Ryanair’ is a major user of the airport flying scheduled services with a number of aircraft being based there.
EI-EFA
One of over 300 Boeing 737-800’s in the fleet. This one carries special branding to promote the Swedish city of Nykoping.
EI-ENJ
This Boeing 737-800 carries branding promoting the Polish region of Podkarpackie.
EI-EVI climbs away on yet another rotation.
EI-DAF, EI-ENJ, EI-ESP, EI-DYS and EI-EVS were others of the type that put in an appearance on the day.
Another major visitor to the ‘EMA’ is ‘Jet2’. This Leeds based operator specializes in holiday flights. I have in the past seen jet2 Boeing 757’s but the aircraft I saw on this visit were all Boeing 737’s.
G-CELB
There can be little doubt about where this 737-377 is from. Dating from 1986 this machine has had a long and varied career having worked in Australia for ‘Ansett’ for 16 years as VH-CZL.
G-CELF
Another 737-377 that started its career in Australia with ‘Ansett’ being new as VH-CZM in 1988. It had a spell with ‘America Air West’ as N113AW before going back to Australia as VH-CZM. A spell in Singapore with ‘Region Air’ as S7-ABB followed before joining ‘Channel Express’ and eventually 'Jet2' in 2004.
G-GDFF
A 737-85P. New to ‘Air Europa’ in 1999 as EC-HGP it was stored briefly in November 2011 before coming to ‘Jet2’ in December 2011.
G-CELV
Another 737-377 that started its career in Australia with ‘Ansett’ being new as VH-CZI in 1986. It became G-CELV with ‘Channel Express’ and then ‘Jet2’ in 2002.
G-GDFC
A 737-8K2, New in 1998 to ‘Transavia’ (Holland) as PH-HZC. It has been leased to various operators in the USA (as PH-HZC), Canada (C-GHZC) and India (VT-SPY) before joining ‘Jet2’ in 2011.
‘Monarch Airlines’ (MA) is a relatively new operator on a regular basis at the ‘EMA’. With a history dating back to 1967, ‘MA’ is based at Luton Airport. In May 2012 they announced that they were to open a base at the ‘EMA’ to replace in part some of the routes that were vacated by ‘bmi baby’ when that airline was closed down.
G-OZBU
An Airbus A321-231 new to ‘Easyjet’ as G-TTII in 2008 moving to ‘MA’ in 2009.
G-OJEG
An Airbus A321-231 it was new to ‘MA’ in 1999.
It is interesting to note that the the fin tail colour schemes are different on these 2 aircraft.
G-OOBM
A Boeing 767-324ER of ‘First Choice Airways’ (FCA) just after liftoff on its way to Florida.
Built as EI-CMH for GECAS (a leasing company), it served ‘Vietnam Airlines’ as S7-RGU and then as VN-A765.
It became G-OOBM when it came to ‘FCA’ and became a Thomson Airways machine when ‘Thomson’ took over ‘First Choice’ in 2008’.
G-BCEN
A Britten Norman BN-2A-26 Islander. Although carrying no titles that I could see, the basic livery is that of ‘HM Coastguard’ for whom the aircraft at one time was operated by ‘Air Atlantique’.
G-JEDW
A Bombardier DHC-8-402Q of ‘Flybe’. It was delivered new to the airline in 2004. Although the aircraft is marketed as a Bombardier machine the ‘DHC’ gives away the origins of the design which was by De Havilland Canada.
G-ECOH
Another Bombardier DHC-8-402Q of ‘Flybe’. Delivered new to ‘Flybe’ in 2008, it had a short spell sub-leased to Brussels Airlines in 2012. The purple orange and red colour scheme is an attractive addition to the colour scheme.
There are of course aircraft other than airliners that use the airport. Representing these is
G-MOSJ
A Beech King Air 90 owned by ‘Moss Aviation’ based at Southend.
1625
A Lockheed C-130H of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
It seemed ironic that in England of all places it was seen as necessary to cover the cockpit windows to keep the heat out. (Mind you, it was a bit warm).
M-JCBB
A Grumman Gulfstream G650 of locally based JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. (JCB).
This world famous and recognized company started just after the war when Joe Bamford set up his own business having bought a second hand welding set.
G-TASS
An Agusta AW109SP of the East Midlands Air Ambulance adds a nice local touch to end with.
Further photos can be seen on my Flickr
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