A340 at Durham Tees Valley 3-5-2009

[Carl_Gorse]

Hi ,

Today i caught a sight of a Airbus A340 Virgin Atlantic on the approach to Durham Tees Valley Airport G-VSEA

Is this a new service operating from the Airport or a one off special ?

Im sure someone can tell me on here and ive never seen one at the airport before .

Many Thanks for your help and the forums fantasic to read .

G-VSEA Airbus A340 going into Teesside Airport today , Very rare 3-5-2009 b :: G-VSEA_b.jpg (http://www.british-images.fotopic.net/p57947255.html)

Carl Gorse

[Otto Throttle]

Most likely a training flight. These tend to take place at the quieter airfields, and MME has plenty enough runway available to allow a 340 to conduct circuit training.

[MMEMatty]

The link you supplied has all the info you requested. ferrying troops to Calgary, Canada.

Matty

[Carl_Gorse]

Thanks , The Info was added onto my link this afternoon when someone told me why the A340 Landed at Durham Tees Valley .

Thanks for the information and the replys to my orignal message

Carl Gorse .

[MMEMatty]

I once saw a picture from (I think) the late 80's of three 747-2XX parked up at Teesside. Apparantly the whole country south of Manchester was fogged in, and Teesside was the only place that was clear that could handle aircraft that size.

Be a shame if it ends up the "new" Ingleby like...

Matty

[Nicholas49]

Carl,

Although the purpose of these videos isn't relevant, they offer a good explanation:

Virgin Atlantic helps with your Fear of Flying (http://www.flyingwithoutfear.info/pod.htm)

While we're "on point", can anyone say which other major airlines conduct training flights with empty aircraft like VA? Does VA conduct these in addition to simulator training?

[luvly jubbly]

Short answer.... All of them:ok:

These are done after a sim conversion. All other training is done with Pax on board.
(Virgin Atlantic are no different to other UK carriers with regards to their training!)

LJ

[Nicholas49]

Really? All carriers use empty aircraft for training flight crews? Even the lo-cos?

I realise they all use passenger flights for line training, but I was wondering more specifically about using empty aircraft for practising go-arounds, etc. (as per the video in the clip above). Is that cost-effective?

[Groundloop]

Really? All carriers use empty aircraft for training flight crews? Even the lo-cos?

I realise they all use passenger flights for line training, but I was wondering more specifically about using empty aircraft for practising go-arounds, etc. (as per the video in the clip above). Is that cost-effective?

No simulator can exactly replicate the handling of an aircraft. Therefore the last section of training (is it still called "base training"?) is done on a real EMPTY aircraft. Would you really want to be a passenger if a rookie pilot was trying to land a 737 for the very first time?

[Mike Tee]

With regard to Matty,s mention of the 747,s which diverted in to Teesside due to Fog can anyone put an exact date as to when this occured. I was at the Fence trying to get a picture of the last one to leave (into the morning Sun) when one of the Security Guards kindly escorted me through the Terminal and out onto the Apron so I could get my picture from the East. Can,t make out the Reg now from the photo but the Aircraft was Sir Francis Drake. Funny thing was that the Pilot asked ATC if the Runway (23, or was it 24 in those days) had any appreciable "slope", and then proceded to get airborne just past the intersection !!.

[mark25787]

The "Sir Francis Drake" was apparently G-AWNE. Photos: Boeing 747-136 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Boeing-747-136/1116927/&sid=9aead36e739ed247c9a75bcda4495416)

De-reg'd in 1999 - GINFO Search Results | Aircraft Register | Safety Regulation (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=AWNE)