ABERDEEN
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I see Aer Lingus are going to bid for the slots at LHR to operate UK domestics...but appears ABZ is not in the mix.
Aer Lingus to bid for UK slots at Heathrow - Telegraph
Aer Lingus to bid for UK slots at Heathrow - Telegraph
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Donald Trump & his golf course
The Trumpmeister has arrived in his pimpmobile (757 to the rest of us!) to hit the first balls off his championship golf course tomorrow - you know, the one that has caused so much discourse & rancour on all sides (which projects around Aberdeen DON'T cause discourse & rancour?).
We'll soon see whether the expected boost in passenger numbers that ABZ are hoping for on the back of this manifests itself.
Weather permitting...
We'll soon see whether the expected boost in passenger numbers that ABZ are hoping for on the back of this manifests itself.
Weather permitting...
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Virgin
Should they be successful in bidding for all LHR slots, looks like VS would plan a route to ABZ, as well as EDI & Moscow.
Virgin Atlantic planning Heathrow to Moscow flights | Business | The Guardian
'Ridgway was adamant that Virgin would also begin services to Scotland, despite doubts cast by analysts and IAG boss Willie Walsh on how serious Virgin was in its intention to fly loss-making bmi routes. Ridgway insisted that planned Virgin flights, to Aberdeen and Edinburgh, would be profitable as a "bolt-on to an existing business which is lean and well-run, without bmi's overheads".'
Virgin Atlantic planning Heathrow to Moscow flights | Business | The Guardian
'Ridgway was adamant that Virgin would also begin services to Scotland, despite doubts cast by analysts and IAG boss Willie Walsh on how serious Virgin was in its intention to fly loss-making bmi routes. Ridgway insisted that planned Virgin flights, to Aberdeen and Edinburgh, would be profitable as a "bolt-on to an existing business which is lean and well-run, without bmi's overheads".'
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Virgin
Can't see Virgin ever being at ABZ, or in short haul at all actually.
Everything they've said so far has been hot air. It wouldn't make financial sense to go buying/leasing aircraft for a couple of domestics.
On the topic of domestics where have all the BA A321's gone?
Everything they've said so far has been hot air. It wouldn't make financial sense to go buying/leasing aircraft for a couple of domestics.
On the topic of domestics where have all the BA A321's gone?
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Originally Posted by CaptainDoony
On the topic of domestics where have all the BA A321's gone?
BA currently have over 95% of there Domestic and European services showing as being operated by a A319. This is the default aircraft BA use. The actual aircraft that is too operate each flight will be added in the months to come.
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Ferrovial
I assume once BA increase their own flights to eight a day M-F there may be less chance of an A321, as the number of rotations on the A319/320 should provide sufficient capacity, including those passengers that use bmi presently. Maybe late afternoon/teatime weekday flights would provide the best chance of seeing an A321 going forward. We'll see.
ABZ tweeted yesterday that some of the directors of Ferrovial were up for a nosey around the area. Nice to see they know they own an airport up here, & hopefully they will see that it needs another baggage carousel, more parking for aircraft, & if not proper stands, then at least remote parking. Pity they couldn't have come in summertime.
ABZ tweeted yesterday that some of the directors of Ferrovial were up for a nosey around the area. Nice to see they know they own an airport up here, & hopefully they will see that it needs another baggage carousel, more parking for aircraft, & if not proper stands, then at least remote parking. Pity they couldn't have come in summertime.
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They've used the 767 before mainly during the Offshore Europe event held here bi-annually in September. They haven't used a 767 into ABZ for what must be 7-8 years.
There is a photo of one landing here:
57108254 photo - Gary Stewart photos at pbase.com
On another note I wonder what the "exciting announcement" that was tweeted could be...
There is a photo of one landing here:
57108254 photo - Gary Stewart photos at pbase.com
On another note I wonder what the "exciting announcement" that was tweeted could be...
Last edited by CaptainDoony; 10th Jul 2012 at 15:52.
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BA, LHR & increased capacity
For those of us with longer memories (ie. ME!) BA did indeed fly the 767 in during Offshore Europe, usually the first rotation in. I have a photo of G-BNWZ arriving one year. But as Doony says, been some years since they've done it. Going further back, I recall BA for at least part of the OE week temporarily duplicating one or two rotations from/to LHR - similar to the old 'shuttles' if you like (of course, ABZ didn't get a shuttle route unlike EDI & GLA). I recall in 1985 (OE is held in 'odd' years - ie. last one 2011, next one 2013 etc) BA laid on two Tridents to operate evening flights. The regular evening teatime flight (BA5615 in those days) was joined by a duplicate, using flight no. & callsign BA6615.
By way of interest, for those younger followers, BA actually flew the TriStar to ABZ in the 80s to operate the Fri teatime rotation - yes on the runway pre extension! I'm pretty sure the chap guiding the aircraft to its parking stand had to stand on the terminal roof so the pilots could see the bat signals! Was a majestic sight seeing the TriStar either landing at or climbing out of ABZ. This was 1983, so runway 17/35 back then.
Showing my age!
By way of interest, for those younger followers, BA actually flew the TriStar to ABZ in the 80s to operate the Fri teatime rotation - yes on the runway pre extension! I'm pretty sure the chap guiding the aircraft to its parking stand had to stand on the terminal roof so the pilots could see the bat signals! Was a majestic sight seeing the TriStar either landing at or climbing out of ABZ. This was 1983, so runway 17/35 back then.
Showing my age!
Last edited by Richard Taylor; 10th Jul 2012 at 20:23.
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Aircraft size does not equate to runway length. As they're only going to London, there's room to spare. The 21st century A380 is much sprightlier than some smaller 20th century brethren.
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Aircraft size often does relate to runway length more often than not.
Landing distance is often equally relevant in larger aircraft regardless of weight. In the case of the Tristar (regardless of model and weight) the minimum landing distance is around 1700m which is pretty tight with ABZs pre extension 1880m runway. The Leeds BAirtours Tristar debacle was testament to that.
Landing distance is often equally relevant in larger aircraft regardless of weight. In the case of the Tristar (regardless of model and weight) the minimum landing distance is around 1700m which is pretty tight with ABZs pre extension 1880m runway. The Leeds BAirtours Tristar debacle was testament to that.
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ABERDEEN
A Tristar at Aberdeen , I take it the old runway wasn't what is in use now ? . I did read that apparently Stornoway airport handled a 747 divert once . Though I guess at 7000 odd feet it's a decent length field there . On a side question to you longer term guys , was there ever a plot to bring Ryanair into Stornoway ? . Just seems odd that the likes of Stornoway and Sumburgh don't get longer distance flights . Stornoway is long enough for most holiday jets isn't it ? . Sumburgh isn't far off Vagar although the latter was extended . Just links to the islands from London n yorks / northwest to Stornoway and say London and Amsterdam would be good for business for oil users at Sumburgh
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Stornoway got a Pan Am A310 diversion a while back, then had to wait til steps were modified to allow the passengers off. Ryanair said they'd fly to SYY if HIAL would allow them to use it for virtually nought. No deal was concluded!
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onyxcrowle, if you want more info on Ryanair at Stornoway then there is a passage about it in Loganair: A Scottish Survivor which has been published this year and written by Scott Grier. Quite a good book (have just finished reading it); well worth the money.
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June '12 recorded a rise of 1.3% in pax numbers to 291,700.
Not spectacular at first glance but there was what, 5-6 fog days in June with little to nothing coming in or going out so the figures are actually pretty good if you ask me.
Not spectacular at first glance but there was what, 5-6 fog days in June with little to nothing coming in or going out so the figures are actually pretty good if you ask me.
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Heavies & ABZ
Skipness & CC are both right of course...it depends how heavy the aircraft in question is, be it combination of pax/freight/fuel. ABZ has seen down the years - that I remember anyway:
B707 (various)
B762 (Britannia)
B763 (BA, Air Scotland)
B747 (Alitalia)
B777 (BA, bringing then PM Tony Blair from USA - lucky us!)
A300 (Monarch)
A310 (Martinair)
A330 (football fan charter)
A340 (Sultan of Brunei)
DC-8 (SAS)
L1011 TriStar (BA, Saudia)
A lot of these of course were lightly loaded - I recall the Saudia TriStar took off & only used about half the runway 34! Others were short hops so lightly fuelled - the SAS DC-8 was only going across the North Sea to Gothenburg, for example. Locals might want to guess the year of that one!
The Britannia 767 was at a time when ABZ actually had tx ops to Florida & (I think) Puerta Plata. Inbound was direct, outbound had a fuel/pax pick-up stop outbound. That would have been mid 90s.
Oh, & Concorde came in 1984 for an air display in vile weather - it didn't stop! But it did do a touch & go...there's a YT clip of it somewhere.
B707 (various)
B762 (Britannia)
B763 (BA, Air Scotland)
B747 (Alitalia)
B777 (BA, bringing then PM Tony Blair from USA - lucky us!)
A300 (Monarch)
A310 (Martinair)
A330 (football fan charter)
A340 (Sultan of Brunei)
DC-8 (SAS)
L1011 TriStar (BA, Saudia)
A lot of these of course were lightly loaded - I recall the Saudia TriStar took off & only used about half the runway 34! Others were short hops so lightly fuelled - the SAS DC-8 was only going across the North Sea to Gothenburg, for example. Locals might want to guess the year of that one!
The Britannia 767 was at a time when ABZ actually had tx ops to Florida & (I think) Puerta Plata. Inbound was direct, outbound had a fuel/pax pick-up stop outbound. That would have been mid 90s.
Oh, & Concorde came in 1984 for an air display in vile weather - it didn't stop! But it did do a touch & go...there's a YT clip of it somewhere.