Friday 31 December 2010

My Top 10 Of 2010

With the year coming to a close I thought it was appropriate to pick out my 10 favourite events in 2010! Each picture will link to the full blog post, now then here goes:

In at 10 was a visit to Over Farm back in April, a little private microlight strip near Gloucester. It came to life with a microlight regional competition was hosted, with what must be a normal month's movements happening in one weekend!
G-ELSI

Number 9 is a visit across t'hills into Yorkshire, the Hull Aero Club at Beverly to be exact! It was there summer fly-in and while well attended it was a little down on there total from 2009. However it was the fantastic atmosphere that earned this its place in the top 10. Now burger anyone?
G-AWLA

Placing at 8 is a little different from the others in the list, in that its the only post from a trip not related to an event. We had put the frequency's from all the local microlight airfields into the scanner in the hope of getting something a little different & we hit the jackpot because as one of the touring pilots put it "The French have arrived"
13-LZ / F-JJCW

7th is a visit to Fenland for a Vintage Aircraft Club rally, it certainly lived up to expectations with a lovely mix of classics dropping in throughout the day. All capped off with access to the parking area, given the definitely non-vintage hi-vis jackets were worn!
G-AMTM

Another period event comes in a 6 with the De Havilland club rally hosted at RAF Halton in June. The collection of De Havilland classics that had arrived by the afternoon was most definitely a seen more fitted the 1930's, although if you walked over towards a burger bar the price was definitely from a much more modern era!
G-ACMN

Half way now and number 5 is something that you knew was going to place in this list when it appeared on the calendar. It is of course the LAA Rally at Sywell, in particular the Saturday of the event was very impressive with a constant stream of arrivals for much of the day!
G-YARV

Another event that stood out on the calendar is in at 4, it is of course the Microlight Trade Fare at Popham in May. While not at the bursting numbers of previous years there was still a very respectable turn out considering the weather must have put off a good number of long distance visitors. Once again the Saturday was the best day, with Sunday being washed out & Monday a always destined to be the lessor of the 3 days.
G-FOKR

Just getting onto the Podium is a bit of a hidden gem within the calendar, a late season fly-in at a strip near Hereford called Broadmeadow Farm. I honestly don't believe that its possible to have a more welcoming approach to visitors! All funds from landing fee's went to the Air Ambulance, a very worthy cause indeed. And no thank you, I've honestly had enough to eat!
G-CFRM

Collecting the Silver award is an event that has earned its reputation as Europe's answer to Oshkosh, it is of course Tannkosh. The event has grown from a gathering of a few local microlight clubs into the biggest GA fly-in in Europe! Its a very good job that the owners of this Bavarian airfield own all the land around it, as it is needed for parking space! There was so little to pick between the 3 days of the event links to all are below. Oh and I've still got some of the free Red-Bull in the fridge!
D-HEGI
D-HKAL
HB-UOD

Finally the number one spot goes to my trip to Hungary, I could have easily filled this whole list with different places from this trip so what I've done is pick out my favourite 3 places we visited. One word that I'm not going to forget in a hurry is "gumiszervíz" the Hungarian for a tyre fitters, this became very necessary after we developed a flat in rather dramatic style just before the arrival of a severe storm! Right on with the top 3 from this trip!
A small gliding field in central Hungary called Dunaújváros, helped by a regional championship taking place.
973 "1977 / 1952"
I doubt that I will ever see more Antonov 2's in one place than this airfield, Nyíregyháza.
AN-2's
Finally my highlight of the year, Papa AFB. Where the ex-Hungarian AF Mig 21's (and a few other bits) are stored. An utterly fantastic place.
Mig Line-Up


And there we have it, my pick of 2010. May I wish you a Happy New Year & hopefully 2011 will be another good year for spotting!

Saturday 25 December 2010

Liverpool (LPL, EGGP) 24-12-2010

A visit to Liverpool for the Nouvelair that had diverted in from Dublin the day before.

D-IAAE    PA-42    
EI-DCF
EI-DCF    B737    Ryanair

EI-DHT
EI-DHT    B737    Ryanair

EI-EKL
EI-EKL    B737    Ryanair

EI-EMK
EI-EMK    B737    Ryanair

G-AVSA
G-AVSA    PA-28  

G-BHDE 
G-BHDE    TB10    

G-CCTW
G-CCTW    Ce 152    

G-ECOZ
G-ECOZ    DHC-8    Flybe

G-EZDY
G-EZDY    A319    EasyJet

G-EZFA
G-EZFA    A319    EasyJet

G-EZFS
G-EZFS    A319    EasyJet

G-EZFT
G-EZFT    A319    EasyJet

G-EZGD
G-EZGD    A319    EasyJet

G-EZIN
G-EZIN    A319    EasyJet

G-JECE
G-JECE    DHC-8    Flybe

G-JPEG
G-JPEG    BN-2    

G-OGJC
G-OGJC    R44    

G-RIPA
G-RIPA    P.68 Observer    

G-SUKI
G-SUKI    PA-38    

N529QS
N529QS    Gulf 550    

TS-ING
TS-ING    A320    Nouvelair Tunisie

Thursday 23 December 2010

Manchester (MAN, EGCC) 23-12-2010

Another morning visit to Manchester to get some pictures of the various movements in the snow. We got luck with the special scheme Turkish diverting from Dublin & the PrivatAir B757 departing during our stay.

9V-SWJ
9V-SWJ    B777    Singapore    
A6-EDH
A6-EDH    A380    Emirates    

B-HUQ
B-HUQ    B747    Cathay Pacific Cargo    

B-HUR
B-HUR    B747    Cathay Pacific Cargo    

B-LIB
B-LIB    B747    Cathay Pacific Cargo    

D-ABXT
D-ABXT    B737    Lufthansa    

D-AILM
D-AILM    A319    Lufthansa    

EI-EHH
EI-EHH    ATR42    Aer Arann    

EI-REO
EI-REO    ATR72    Aer Lingus Regional    

EI-SLL
EI-SLL    ATR72    Aer Arann    

F-GTAH
F-GTAH    A321    Air France    

G-DBCF
G-DBCF    A319    BMI   
G-DCAM    As355        (Lifted from a PLS near the airport)

G-ECOP
G-ECOP    DHC-8    Flybe   
G-ECOV    DHC-8    Flybe   
G-EMBN    Emb 145    BMI    

G-EUXL
G-EUXL    A321    British Airways    

G-EZTM
G-EZTM    A320    EasyJet    

G-FBEM
G-FBEM    Emb 195    Flybe    

G-GBTB
G-GBTB    B737    British Airways   
G-GTDL    A320    Thomas Cook    

G-JECI
G-JECI    DHC-8    Flybe    

G-JECM
G-JECM    DHC-8    Flybe 

G-JECP  
G-JECP    DHC-8    Flybe    

G-JEDP
G-JEDP    DHC-8    Flybe    

G-KKAZ
G-KKAZ    A320    Thomas Cook    

G-LSAI
G-LSAI    B757    Jet2    

G-MONS
G-MONS    A300    Monarch   
G-OJMC    A330    Thomas Cook    

G-OJMR
G-OJMR    A300    Monarch    

G-OMYT
G-OMYT    A330    Thomas Cook    

G-OOAN
G-OOAN    B767    First Choice    

G-OOAX
G-OOOX    B757    First Choice   
G-OOPE    A321    First Choice    

G-TCAC
G-TCAC    A320    Thomas Cook   
G-TCCA    B767    Thomas Cook    

G-TOYK
G-TOYK    B737    BMI Baby    

G-VZON
G-VZON    ATR72    Aurigny    

HB-IEE
HB-IEE    B757    PrivatAir    

HB-IJM
HB-IJM    A320    Swiss    (Dublin Diversion)

N16065
N16065    B767    Delta    

N271AY
N271AY    A330    US Air    

N386AA
N386AA    B767    American    

N58101
N58101    B757    United    

OH-LKH
OH-LKH    Emb 190    Finnair    

OO-DJL
OO-DJL    146    Brussels Airlines    

OO-TUC
OO-TUC    B767    Jetairfly    

OO-VLQ
OO-VLQ    Fokker 50    CityJet    

OY-NCN
OY-NCN    Do 328    British Airways    

PH-BGD
PH-BGD    B737    KLM    

PH-BXD
PH-BXD    B737    KLM    

SE-DIL
SE-DIL    MD80    SAS    

TC-JGT
TC-JGT    B737    Turkish    

TC-JRK
TC-JRK    A321    Turkish    (Dublin Diversion)