No, IOM allowing no one in, including residents, after tomorrow for 21 days

In the statement posted on social media it says “we have offered the use of London’s most central airport to the Government in case it can still be by emergency services or other agencies to support the national effort”

The Times:

....London City, the 12th-busiest airport in Britain, could be used by the military in the coming weeks because it is close to the Excel Centre, which is being converted into a makeshift field hospital to deal with virus patients. Images on social media appeared to show a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft landing at the airport yesterday......

The flight is still running, but has been moved to LGW. No one called that one.

Definitely wouldn't have called that. Not sure it'll be operating from tomorrow?

Is that correct? The airport website says: "Which explains the continuation of flights to LPL and LON (LCY -> LGW).

This is accurate:
https://covid19.gov.im/general-infor...travel-advice/The Isle of Man will close its borders to everyone with effect from 6 am Friday 27 March 2020. This stay in effect for a period of 21 days.

• No flights or light aircraft arrivals after Thursday 26 March 2020 close of business
• No boat arrivals (except for food supplies, special written approvals from Chief Secretary before travel allowed to arrive on island)

All passengers arriving in the Isle of Man to self-isolate immediately on return for a period of 14 days from their arrival.

That's interesting. What are residents supposed to do if they, for whatever reason, do not make the deadline? Buy a tent and camp for three weeks?

While a lot of countries have closed their borders, their own citizens are still allowed in and often even repatriated.

That was previously the case here in IOM - residents only allowed back in.

But most of the new cases here have been from people coming back to the Island from the UK or elsewhere. So this well needed action should hopefully let things settle down over the next 21 days and keep the Island safe.

not quite true.

11 cases have a travel history

they then infected the others. Total now 25.

I have heard a rumour that London City becomes RAF Nightingale late this evening.

https://ukaviation.news/london-city-...vid-19-battle/

London City Airport Could Become RAF Nightingale In COVID-19 Battle

Love the idea that they think a C17 and A400 can park up at LCY. It can maybe land on that runway length, bu they ought to check the width of both the runway and the taxiway before suggesting they can get in. C130 max size I would suggest.

Why should an A400M be unable to park? Certainly they would not use the regular stands....

A C17 was landed at Cosford some years ago, which has a 3,600ft runway, although is almost certainly wider than LCY's.
I if remember correctly, it was bringing an exhibit for the museum there.

It was offloaded on the runway and reserved under it's own steam back to the upwind threshold to depart, if I remember the video I saw of it at the time.

The minimum C-17 runway width requirement is 27.4m/90ft.

The runway width at LCY is 30m/98ft.

The minimum C-17 landing length is 1067m/3,500ft.

The runway length ay LCY is 1509m/4948ft.

would be possible to park one easily using the new stands 25/26 in conjunction with the taxiway stub that accessed them

Generally described as now being an RAF facility, but there are still four BA Embraer 190s on the ramp, not all were ferried out to Norwich.

Has LCY formally become an RAF facility (or is it likely to soon) or is it still just a civilian airport that has suspended private/commercial flights and while seeing the odd RAF flight ?
Have the RAF done anything substantive to turn it into a facility of their own ? (Beyond the odd test landing/takeoff and posting a couple of military guards at each entrance to tell anyone who is not medical/police/military to go away)

Yes, I know the RAF tends not to advertise absolutely everything they do to the press for good reason - but curious as to what can be discussed openly by anyone who is familiar with the topic

RAF flew 8 circuits into Luton yesterday with a C-17, but does not mean a squadron is moving in. I was told that the call up of reservists means there is a training need, but no idea how true that is?

I don’t believe LCY is formally an RAF facility. Last night there was a training exercise involving a Chinnock landing at LCY.


The wording “The airport remains ready to support the military and the emergency services.” Implies that it remains LCY and managed by them.

The four BA planes which remained at LCY have now been fenced off by a white fence, held in place by concrete blocks. The fence also covers the rest of the terminal building, I guess so if others come airside they can’t access the terminal or LCY equipment.

Apart from the couple of trials some days ago, documented above, doesn't seem to have had any aircraft movements at all since. LCY can be seen still doing their own security patrols of the airside, rather than any military involvement. Hopefully because serious issues envisaged have not actually occurred.

Is NHS Nightingale at the Excel in effective use at this point or is still just an overflow facility kept on alert? Unless it gets really crowded, I don't really see the need to use LCY as its "air terminal".

Now that the Excel Nightingale hospital has been officially stood down, does that mean London City will potentially reopen ?

BA Cityflyer have released a schedule showing flights resuming from Jun 01st with an incresing schedule from then on, so I guess they're looking at returning to normal-ish ops towards the end on May.

I believe there hasn't been a single air movement at LCY since the couple of trials documented above, by a Hercules and a Chinook.

Here are the four BA Cityflyer E190s which remain at the airport. They (plus all the rest of the ramp) were surrounded by low boards, presumably to guard them against the non-existent movements. The way they are somewhat peering over the top is reminiscent of when Henry the Green Engine was bricked up in the tunnel (you have to be of a certain age to understand).

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....32de3cc50e.jpg

So WHBM, it was you who played the part of the Fat Controller!

A frequent accusation nowadays, alas, by Mrs WHBM :)

Aer Lingus has dropped Cityjet and will cut the Dublin route so that won’t be returning when the rest do.

You have to wonder what next for Cityjet.. SAS cutting flying too.

That's the end of the BAe146/RJ at LCY then, the jet that started it all. Shame. Last British-built passenger jet in service, too. I chanced to notice the final EI departure before the shutdown heading out over Canary Wharf, and did wonder if they would be back. They stayed with LCY pretty much to the last day.

A pity for the Avro and LCY spotters
..Are we to assume that the route will be taken over by BACF?Or could Loganair form sort of cs with EI amd fly it with its Embraers?

BACF already operate the route. I’d imagine if the demand is there for extra rotations post Covid-19, they’ll be added. ER4s aren’t rated for LCY. ER3s are and have operated in the past, including G-SAJR of LM back in its JetMagic days. However I’d say for certain that’s a complete no starter due to the logistics of it. If anything, it’ll just be more BACF.

CF 1st June departures out of LCY:
RTM x3
AMS x3
DUB x3
EDI x3 w/x1 nightstop
GLA x2
NCE x1
FRA x1

I can see if there are route or frequency reductions with BACF that they might start BHD with the spare capacity as it was a profitable route for BE.

G-LCYS is en route NWI-LCY at the moment.

LCYE also appears to have taken off from LCY after 6 weeks' storage there, and is heading out over the North Sea - seems to be heading for the maintenance provider at Warsaw.

LCYJ revving up at NWI too.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1b7f0aaa9.jpeg
One E170 left LCY today and three E190s arrived. The three E190s which were already here remain where they were.