When Concorde came to town
 

'AD I think it was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6LGfJ_2dTI

LOVE the Touch & Go! :D

120m extension?!! Bringing the TORA upto 1949m, I would love to see what sort of long haul they are proposing with that pathetic improvement!

BAA, please stick to doing what you do best, build more over priced shops in the terminal, charge even more for your ridiculous parking or even continue to rip off the flying club with landing charges if that really does give your MD a 'semi', but please refrain from pretending that you know the slightest thing about public transport aircraft performance...:ugh:

What you didn't see with Concorde was what was in front of it on the first run.In this order,A Fournier RF4 motorglider,a Spitfire,a HS748 and Concorde right up it's @....se. All inside 4 miles.Bet you don't see that at Heathrow too often.:ok:
Still couldn't beat the Lightning though:D

The increased TORA should bring in up to near the same length as BRS?? They support 757 transat no problems.

Well given the new MD has stated he wants transat flights "within 2yrs" we'll find out soon enough perhaps.

He also reported GSM bookings on their new proposed routes were doing well -does the airline think the same though?

T3 upgrading the WIC & SYY route to JS41 this month - which in reality actually means the last 2 operational JS32s are being stood down by T3.

Anyone think even with BAA investing in ABZ that the airport could do better away from the "monopoly". BAA have woken up to the fact that ABZ is growing, but one feels "too little too late". How long would the initial 120m take to construct. With the recent "warm" weather, shouldn't they have made a start now, or are they waiting for the real spring??

TAD that line-up wasn't too shabby for a Sunday!! :)

Runway ext.. to start next year.
Stand 0 to start soon.
And 3 other stands to start soon also. Inbetween charlie and delta taxiways from what i was told.


Stu...:ok:

Ta Stu but does that mean they are NOT extending the runway this year, not even 120m?

They are concentrating on more stands instead?

There are supposed to be Turkish flights this summer, but I though the runway needed extending for this to happen.

What about any potential helicopter increases?The offshore industry is the busiest in years,which means lots of helis.I know the BAA don't know what a heli is,but someone has to work them.Not surprised about the stand situation.They don't have enough now,never mind the summer.

Richard,

Good spot on Youtube!
I was there and remember it well....no one believes me when I tell them it did a touch and go!
Seem to remember an Abz ATC was related to someone on the flightdeck and persuaded them to go one step further than planned! It was on a sight seeing trip with paying pax on board going somewhere North to break the sound barrier.
That days flying was really cut back due to Wx.

Roach,
I'm not sure about the relation in ATC.I think that the HS748 captain used to be on Concorde,but that could be a rumour as well.
On the last day of Concorde operation in 2003,one was out over the North Sea doing the same trip.It descended over Fraserburgh very quickly and dropped through Aberdeen airspace still working Scottish,en route to Edinburgh.I was on radar trying all I could to get it to do a farewell beatup,as it was over Kintore.The captain wouldn't bite unfortunately.That would have got the Evening Depress screaming that night.Oh dear,what a pity,never mind.:{
Ps I don't have a relation in BA at all.

Turkish flight
 

Yes, Turkey flight still on for 6 weeks or so in the summer.
No runway ext. needed apparently.

If you think about the Bulgaria and Cyprus flights we have/had I think the turkey charter doesn't need the runway ext.

stu...:ok:

that might have been Sandy McFarlane he was also on the SK61 before the Hs748, Conc, and now 767 I believe.

Airport Surface Access Strategy
 

I see BAA will have detailed plans out in Apr addressing future requirements for parking, roads, bus/rail & taxis, to complement the main Masterplan.

BAA admit these issues will need to be addressed urgently, otherwise future growth could be compromised by congestion.

Of interest was the possibility of a "deck" above the existing main car park, presumably meaning a multi-storey, also a direct link to Argyll Rd from the A96 (depending on the construction of the Abdn city bypass, due to be completed in 2011 - :uhoh: )

Oh & more taxis would help. :mad:

City Star
 

More rumours of STN, but now also BRU as a new route.

Yes, Richard I heard it is going to be ABZ-STN-BRU-STN-ABZ.

Stu...:ok:

Are X9 trying to specialize in this "bus stop route" approach, given they do
ABZ-SVG-KSU as well?

Perhaps their unsuccessful BLK venture could have succeeded had they extended it on to SNN or ORK (reason I pick those two is that they have been served by oil charters in the past).

But is this type of approach successful in short-haul? Not that many routes about that stop off at more than one destination these days - although there may be more than I think, & of course EXT-LBA-ABZ & SOU-NCL-ABZ spring to mind with other operators!

Im not convinced they could make ABZ-STN-BRU. They would need to offer times for a business day return from both ABZ to STN and STN to BRU to be successful. And I doubt they could do that.

If say they left ABZ at 0630 the earliest they could depart STN for BRU would be about 0830 which would lead to a late arrival in BRU. For business passengers it would probably be quicker to take the Eurostar or even go from LHR

To be honest, not sure I think that will work either, perhaps they will need to separate the routes, if indeed it is to be BRU via STN.

Would be interesting to see if a direct BRU route would work.

Maybe they should think of doing something via Newcastle...not Brussels, which is already well served, but there could be other possibilities especially a thin route which would benefit from this approach.

If they had any sense then they'd look at Cardiff before somebody else spots the obvious opportunity.

MB