Large Arrival at Farnborough

[Conor.P.M]

Anyone know if Farnborough sees many A340s? Friend is sure he saw one on approach today and while Farnborough can clearly cope with the big stuff I rarely see anything larger than a 146 or a 737.

Nothing on Flight aware but then as I found out a lot of private flights don't appear on sites like that.

[chevvron]

Under local planning restrictions, TAG aren't allowed to accept civil aircraft of A340 size. The airfield can take them, and there's a turning pan specifically for A340/A380/B747 size aircraft at the intersection with taxiway 'F', so if there was some special 'need', the local council might allow it.

[Conor.P.M]

That would certainly explain why I've only seen smaller aircraft outside of the Airshow (which fits the civil restriction you mentioned).

What are the actual restrictions? Curious what the largest civil aircraft would be.

[Conor.P.M]

Ahh... MTOW of 50 tonnes for civil aircraft, and a maximum of 1500 movements per year for "purpose designed business aircraft up to 80 tonnes".

[SpringHeeledJack]

Might said A340 have been doing a touch and go ? Line training etc ?



SHJ

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Conor.P.M Where did your friend see the aircraft and was he sure it was heading for Farnborough? Heathrow has been on easterlies today and I saw several A340s just north of Farnborough heading for Heathrow. Could he have seen one of those?

[chevvron]

SHJ
Unlikely as this would be a landing and a takeoff, which are prohibited for aircraft of this size outside the airshow; it could however have been a go-around.

[Talkdownman]

What colour was it? TAG don't mind all-white ones… :E

[Conor.P.M]

Further conversations revealed this particular A340 had just two under wing mounted engines, but rather then thinking A330 I'm thinking a BBJ is a much more likely candidate.

[Hotel Tango]

As is always the case with these type of requests, a time frame would be of help! I would certainly agree with HD, that your friend most likely saw an inbound LHR tracking eastwards just north of Farnborough, before making a left turn heading NW and then right again for LHR. In the relatively short period I looked at FR24 I also noted one A340 (Virgin) pass south of Farnborough in a NE direction before proceeding NW and E, as above.

[Conor.P.M]

Heathrow Director,
we work close to and SW of the airport (which makes lunch during the Airshow most entertaining). I wasn't there today but I'd be surprised if he mistook a Heathrow Approach for a Farnborough arivial, what sort of hight would they be at, and how far north?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Heathrow inbounds would be anything from 3-10 miles miles north when they are downwind for easterlies at around 5-6000ft descending. However,as you have just said, it wasn't an A340 and if it was heading for Farnborough a BBJ seems probable as they are fairly common there.

[DaveReidUK]

if it was heading for Farnborough a BBJ seems probable as they are fairly common thereQuite so. There were at least 3 737s noted inbound to Farnborough yesterday.

As has already been pointed out, if the OP had supplied a time (even an approximate one) for the sighting, that would have helped greatly in identifying a likely candidate.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Further conversations revealed this particular A340 had just two under wing mounted engines, but rather then thinking A330 I'm thinking a BBJ is a much more likely candidate.

Ah! The 2 engine variant of the A340 ;) Bearing in mind the size issue, might it have been one of the very new private B787's ? You never know, it meets most of the noise and environmental demands of the day.



SHJ

[chevvron]

787s are above the max MTWA of 80 m/tonnes.

[Conor.P.M]

Ah! The 2 engine variant of the A340 Bearing in mind the size issue, might it have been one of the very new private B787's ? You never know, it meets most of the noise and environmental demands of the day.


I sent him a link to a photo of a BBJ and his first comment was "No turny up wingy things on the one I saw". Many BBJ without winglets?

While that description does fit the 787 I though the restrictions at Farnborough were based on a maximum empty weight of 80 tonnes, and a quick look at Wikipedia suggests a 787 tips the scales at 118 tonnes.

787s are above the max MTWA of 80 m/tonnes.

MTWA? Maximum Takeoff Weight Authorized?

Waiting to hear back from him what time this was, but a BBJ or ACJ still seems like the most likely scenario.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

There has been no mention of anything like a 340/787/330 on the Farnborough Aviation Group web site, which covers just about everything that moves. Something as exciting as that would have spotters out in droves, including me!

[ifonly]

I think G-NOAH was in yesterday.

Photos: Airbus A319-115 CJ Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-(Acropolis-Aviation)/Airbus-A319-115-CJ/2235489/M/)

[chevvron]

Piccy of A6AIN has to be at least 6 years old 'cos that's when 'L' Shed (hangar on the left) was demolished!!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Yes T, that's a pic I took in March, 2006.

[Conor.P.M]

I now have an estimated time;

As for time - now you're asking - probably somewhere between 2 and 4pm - say 3:30pm.

[Conor.P.M]

I think G-NOAH was in yesterday.

Photos: Airbus A319-115 CJ Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Looks like it left Farnborough at 11am yesterday (for Barbados perhaps?), and looks like it's on it's way back right now (just passed north of Bournemouth).

[Talkdownman]

it's now been repainted completely white
Ah, a 'Michael Barrymore'...

[Hotel Tango]

At 1535 an A346 (VIR24) passed a couple of miles north of EGUF descending to FL80 heading east.

At 1605 B738 A6-MRM landed at EGUF.

[PPRuNe Pop]

You may post the pic again if you wish but.....not in a pixel size larger than 850x850.

It spreads the page and I have mentioned this often enough.

[DaveReidUK]

OK, sorry about those 150 extra pixels :O

No need to re-post now we've established that it wasn't the aircraft in question.

[chevvron]

EGUF was cancelled about 20 years ago when the CAA decided that two location indicators for an airfield were too many. It's been EGLF ever since.

[Hotel Tango]

EGUF was cancelled about 20 years ago when the CAA decided that two location indicators for an airfield were too many. It's been EGLF ever since.

:) Oops, of course, but old habits die hard. Just the way I never stopped refering to airways by their colour (Blue 1, Green 1 etc.).

[Talkdownman]

old habits die hard
Yup. And Blue 1 was Green 2 before it was Blue 1…

…and Farnborough was MAXF before it was EGUF… :)

[chevvron]

Yeah well you're old enough to remember that.
I'll get me coat.

[Gulf4uk]

The largest airbus Allowed Aircraft as far as am aware is the Airbus a320

Qatari often use EGLF.

The Based A319 CJ Is G-NOAH

Others Seen are A318 and various company A319 A319CJ

Boeings seen

BBJ BBJ2 Dubai Air Wing

B737 Royal Jet

and various other company 737

There has been a very rare visit by a B727

nothing Larger until SBAC Show July 2014 A340 A380 777 DC10 Dreamliner + anything else that Hopefully Might show up

Tony
farnborough

[chevvron]

DC10 Tony?

[Gulf4uk]

the omega Air Tanker that supported in some US Mil assets at the Last show
thats several Show they have been in although 2012 Show it was positioned
in the Static rather than Depart again untill after show

Tony

[chevvron]

Thought I read somewhere recently that the last DC 10 had been withdrawn from use; maybe it meant passenger carrying.

[Gulf4uk]

Think that applies to passenger Use but could be wrong . Omega Web site
still shows DC10 Tanker .


Tony

[DaveReidUK]

At least two of the three -30s operated by NAF have been active recently.

[Gulf4uk]

Thats good to Hear life in the beast for a few more years yet hopefully
A great Looking Aircraft

Tony