I too remember the first CatIII landing performed in anger, the RVRs were sub 200m so it was a CatIIIb.
wawrk – there is certainly a problem with that hump as evidenced by a DVD I have of G-BYAR performing a practice CatIII on 2nd January 1997 in snowy conditions. The approach looks perfect until the autoflare over the 1st tdz marking. The aircraft then floats along the runway before the main gear makes contact on the very last tdz marking (so halfway between D1 and L1 in new money). The rollout is fine, not excessive reverse thrust and the aircraft goes round the loop.
Undoubtedly the aircraft lands long, with this in mind airlines have developed their SOPs with a margin of safety in mind (such a tailwind component or weight restrictions) to mitigate against coming a cropper at the other end.
If only the touchdown point was some 100-200m closer to the start of the current strip then it wouldn’t be a problem – the runway is as flat as a pancake there.
baps – you are correct about foggy conditions coinciding with winds that favour runway 14. That’s why getting the 14 end equipped with Cat II ILS and lighting is vital in the next phase of investment.
lordee – that is probably the only example of an Airbus doing a CatIII in anger at LBA. A Monarch A300 returning from Europe (with Leeds Utd fans – remember those days?) had to get onto their ops to ratify a CatII approach when confronted with 300m RVR. From the conversations it appeared they had to wake someone up to give the nod. Alas it was to no avail, the RVR dropped to 200m and Monarch Ops wouldn’t sanction a CatIII. Meanwhile the Transavia 737-800 on a similar charter shot the CatIII without a problem.
It would be interesting to hear from bmi bus pilots – they’ve been heavy on practice CatIIIs at LBA for a while now – will we see this work lift them from their current CatI minima? Likewise what has changed at KLMCityhopper to prevent CatIIs – they’re back at CatI.

I see from the provisional data set issued by the CAA that Jet2 grew LBA-BFS by 23% in September 06 vs 05, whilst Flybe were 22% lower. Both from the same capacity. I also see Jet2 have just introduced on-line check-in for LBA-BFS and are rumoured to be increasing frequency next summer. I was speptical about this initially, but looking at the figures and the move to OLCI, I wonder if there is a bigger game at play here to force flybe off of the route?

Also with Wizz expanding their Polish flights ex-DSA, I wonder if Jet2 will be considering growing their own portfolio to that part of the world. LBA-WAW perhaps?

682

682, I was wondering the same after the Centralwings fiasco. Given they had reasonable loads despite the timings. The reason they pulled the route was supposedly lack of aircraft but I'm afraid that didn't wash with me given they have expanded their network elsewhere. JET2 surprised me with the Krackow but will twice weekly be enough? Warsaw would surely have been a better bet. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how they get on. Sadly all this expansion will have to end soon as the Airport is running out of real estate to park all these Jet2 ac on.

Hooded, there's a lot of tarmac being put down just now for PM's latest acquisitions ;) :D
I think Krakow is a better bet potentially than WAW as it's the massively-expanded 'Let's visit Europe and get wrecked' market a la Prague. Sorry we are not really exporting culture vultures or business executives, so much as the :mad: heads!!

Daz
G-CELP run regular charters for Holiday Options to Olbia (Sardinia) Calvi (Corsica) and was also involved with charters to Pristina and Lourdes. So it was a busy beast.

Hope this helps.:ok:

Spotter

Krakow
 

The 1st flight arrives to KRK from NCL tomorrow and still nothing on the Balice website or anywhere else that I have seen in Krakow.
I am booked on the 1st flight to LBA the following day Tuesday and I cannot imagine that the flight will be full.
WAWKRK

Both flights 80-90% full on KRK to the UK. Dont worry the route will be Ok.

The Gimp

Hi Gimp.

Good news but was kind of hoping not the usual scrum at the check in.
I have campaigned for this flight for a long time so I should be pleased.
I know for sure many Warsaw passengers were coming down to KRK with LOT or on the train. Not a lot to see in Warsaw.
Also I reckon Wizz will take a bashing with their Krakow (Katowice) from DSA.
Its like calling LBA NEMA.
And, I cannot imagine anybody wanting to stay in Katowice.

WAWKRK

EDI-PRG on sale as of today, 5 x weekly in the summer. Sits in front of the Milan sector on Mo, We, Fr mornings allowing the weekday schedules to be done with a single unit. Sa, Su conflict with Murcia and Milan respectively so require a second aircraft to operate.
682

Krakow - Leeds
 

Pax on 1st flight 134 + 4.

wawkrk

I don't understand why Jet2 don't fly from CWL, the airport is crying out loud for an airline like this, bmibaby or any other carriers for that matter don't seem to want to expand at all from CWL these days.

How long as Jet2 got the BAe 146 till? and what routes did it do or did it just do the LGW-MAN route,

James

Leeds - Krakow
 

Looks like an increase to four a week on the LBA - Krakow from next March. Hopefully might lead to further expansion from LBA to Poland.

Excellent news. I was expecting at least 4 flights per week in summer to KRK.
Although, this may not be enough.
I also think that Warsaw could work together with KRK.

For example, LBA - WAW - KRK - LBA or LBA - KRK - WAW - LBA.
This in addition to Simply LBA - WAW return of course.

There is a lot of travel between WAW and KRK by plane train and bus.

Apparently Jet" have requested slots at DUS for next summer for a LPL (!) service. Anyone in the know what this is all about ? Maybe just a disguised slot request for a MAN service now that BACON will come off the route ?

Looks as if this has been mixed up by someone with the BLK slots - have now checked it myself and the only new slots applied for are for a BLK service. No BLK.

Virginblue - if you let me know the UK arrival and departure times, I'll have a look and see where it fits into the schedules as they stand.
682

682ft AMSL

I do not have the exact times, apparently in the morning and "before noon", so should be the first departure out of the UK airport (because of the slot situation at DUS, I would expect an arrival not before 0930-1000 local time)

Just had another look at the application at DUS for next summer and I note that Jet2 apparently has also requested slots for a BLK service (LS437/438), 0700-0730

Blackpool to Germany
 

We should be looking at Blackpool-Munich as well.

BAe run a company shuttle Warton to Munich with a 146 (for the moment, going to be an ATR soon) and charge £750 return!

We could sweep up all that business and still reduce our risk exposure on a new route.

No slots requested at MUC by Jet2.