Favourite memories of 2009? [Archive]

Sultan Ismail

28th Dec 2009, 00:50

May I be permitted 3 highlights this year?

The first took place on 23rd April when I landed a Piper Warrior G-JASE at Duxford Aerodrome near Cambridge. This followed a short flight from Marshalls Airport over many World War II and Cold War airfields in East Anglia.

The second highlight on 23rd May starting off at sparrows from Kuala Lumpur in a Singapore Airlines A330, transferring to an A380 at Changi and landing many hours later at Heathrow. The real highlight was arriving at Kings Cross around 9pm that evening to see an A4 locomotive "Sir Nigel Gresley" hauling a rake of antique British Railways coaches into Platform 1.

The third highlight on 19th July when I flew my Cessna Skylane into the skies of Malaysia at Bernam River Airfield and celebrated the 40th Anniversay of my PPL, obtained all those years ago in Cradock, South Africa.

A memorable year.

11Fan

28th Dec 2009, 02:51

What has been your 2009 aviation highlight? Mine has to be finally seeing the 787 fly!!! Happy new year all!

I can think of about 160,000 others that feel the same way. Me included.

Malaysian28

28th Dec 2009, 09:52

Sitting up front onboard a Niagara Helicopters Flight over the "Water that Thunders."
:ok:

treadigraph

28th Dec 2009, 10:39

Seeing the Edwardians fly on a perfect autumnal evening at Old Warden...

ab33t

28th Dec 2009, 11:05

A380 flight , what a marvel

Ian Brooks

28th Dec 2009, 11:12

Seeing a VC-10 fly into MAN for a repaint knowing that they still have a future
My favourite airliner and what a sound when they taxy for takeoff

Ian B

ManofMan

29th Dec 2009, 10:22

I have a couple.....

First would have to be flying on the 380, what a machine.

Second would be when my 11 year old muttered the words...."dad, can i get one of those books that you keep you plane reg's in".....converted !!!

simonchowder

29th Dec 2009, 11:33

JEM60

29th Dec 2009, 14:16

Simonchowder.
Yes, you are correct, but small beginnings like this frequently lead to a lifetime interest [and career for some] in Aviation. Including me.;)

NudgingSteel

29th Dec 2009, 22:38

Controlling the Vulcan.....and that was the first time I'd seen one 'in the flesh' since childhood! A major moment for me.

jetset lady

29th Dec 2009, 23:15

This will probably seem a bit lame to most, but as one of the crew that "walks" the Atlantic on the little baby bus, for me, it has to be seeing the LCY-JFK route finally come to fruition.

ManofMan

30th Dec 2009, 03:48

Dont worry mate, im sure he/ she like most other normal kids will grow out of it, they soon realize there lots far more interesting and exciting things to do in life than lurking around windy airport perimeters with a flask of tea for company frantically scibbling down a/c reg numbers

Nice post to make in the "spotters forum" :D

Im 35 and havn't "grown out of it", glad in a way as it got me started at the airport and sees me in the position I am today with a nice big house, two lovely kids, wife, two nice cars and errrr....very comfortable money wise.

Oh and by the way...yes there are types who "lurk" at airports taking down numbers....and bloody good luck to them....but as most things in life, spotting does have other sides to it...like sat in Luxury Hotels or on beaches in some of the worlds nicest places "frantically scibbling down a/c reg numbers " with a nice cold beer for company.

You should be careful with whom you tar your brush....

Avman

30th Dec 2009, 15:09

Pray tell us what you do in your spare time simonchowder?

Edit: he is taking some time off!

cats_five

30th Dec 2009, 16:33

Second would be when my 11 year old muttered the words...."dad, can i get one of those books that you keep you plane reg's in".....converted !!!

Speaking as a non-spotter, I would have thought spotters were using digital cameras these days rather than notebooks, so getting a date & time stamp as well. But then I'm a non-spotter. It's beyond me. And I gather now most gliders have a G-reg those are being 'spotted' as well. Oh well...

ManofMan

30th Dec 2009, 16:58

Speaking as a non-spotter, I would have thought spotters were using digital cameras these days rather than notebooks

Nope...most still use the old fashioned notebook...I still do, but only as a back up....you see I have Kinetic SBS-1 rigged upto a laptop, that searches the skies giving me accurate real time radar coverage, which links into my Database (ADQ) and tells me if there are any aircraft in the area that i have not seen before...if there is it sends me an alert telling me where it is etc etc.

JEM60

30th Dec 2009, 18:36

Simonchowder.
Always unwise to try to fathom out what other people find interesting as a hobby . At the very least they are passionate about something, and therefore are much more interesting than other people who have no hobby at all.
Someone mentioned exotic beaches and cold beers at same whilst watching aircraft. Must get to St. Maarten again!! I'm not a spotter by the way.
There are [somewhat unbelieveably] people who go out in all weathers with a bag of sticks to hit a white ball repeatedly into a hole, then fish it out and hit it again. Didn't see much point to that at all, but each to his own, I guess. Happy New Year, and to the spotters, hope you make the ones you wish for.:ok:

JEM60

30th Dec 2009, 18:48

Coming back from Oshkosh Airshow this year, got on board, empty seat next to me, wife at home, and I'm thinking 'this is where the pretty 18 year old finally takes the seat next to me'. Well, I saw her come down the aisle, she was 17, first trip out of the States, beautiful, intelligent, and a lovely overnight companion to Heathrow. Thankyou Denise.

Malaysian28

30th Dec 2009, 19:10

:ugh:I almost forgot, other that a front seat helicopter ride over Niagara Falls, the highlight would have to be clearing snow and ice of AA 777's & 767's as well as watching a light change on an AA 777.:ok:

TrafficPilot

31st Dec 2009, 17:23

Early morning mid-October 2000 ft approaching Compton VOR admiring the mist covering the various rivers like a meandering smoky snake.. Reminded me why I love flying so much. Happy New Year to all:)

Adam
TrafficPilot

PS: I was once a "spotter" and proud of it. Never understood the bitchiness some pilots show towards other aviation enthusiasts.

Avman

1st Jan 2010, 00:54

Interesting hobbies simonchowder, although I personally couldn't get terribly excited about clay shooting and riding classic motor cycles. I think that you do spotters an injustice. Many have just as varied hobbies/passionns, of which plane spotting is just one of them. The point is, everyone to his/her own - whatever helps that person chill out. Even if you can't comprehend the pleasures of a particular hobby, don't mock it. For instance, I could argue just what is the point of clay shooting? What does it achieve? What does it prove? How does it benefit society? My main passion is aviation photography. I also enjoy reading, walking, swimming, playing football (yes, I still do at 59), model railways, and trying to understand computers (I gave up on women). :)
That may bore the pants off of many people, but it's what I enjoy. As I say, each to his/her own, but don't knock the other persons' hobbies. Believe me, they're no duller than yours might be perceived to be by others. ;)

V2-OMG!

1st Jan 2010, 04:17

Flying over a dam in 71 year-old biplane, then coming home and looking at a picture of myself as a baby in my dad's arms, and he is standing on the same dam.

Diesel_10

1st Jan 2010, 11:24

Playing a small bit part in a saga that saw D-ACGA into the air on revenue service on 29th July 2009.

Sweet and against all the so called aviation 'pundits' views.:)

Ian Brooks

1st Jan 2010, 12:26

Simonchowder
Could do one out of 3 (gliding sounds good but can`t afford it at present)
but trying to hit a bit of clay flying across the sky no! and don`t like motor bikes
so each to their own

Ian B

razorrawe

1st Jan 2010, 13:46

Just got my new binoculars out and spotted AFR006 going over the first A380 flying over my part of the world that i have seen in service:)

ManofMan

1st Jan 2010, 16:06

Ahh Mr Chowder, thanks for sharing your amazing exciting and thrilling hobbies with us, good luck for your 100th Munro ??

One thing I just dont understand though...why do you choose the "Spotters Corner" to launch such an attack on spotting ??? I can only think this is to get a response from the people that the the boards are designed for, so why not add goading to your list of hobbies.

Cant honestly think of any other reason in the world to launch such an attack on spotting in a spotting site !!!

crispey

1st Jan 2010, 17:38

Hey JEM60,you talking about golf perhaps?

Don't knock it bro.It can make you a lot of money and gain you a lot of friends.Know what I mean,John?Say no more eh.

I got into a 737 flight deck way back when you could and all the Britannia Captain wanted to talk about was golf.Huh?And me a PPL,only wanted to see how the jet was flown.He let me stay on for the landing in Corfu though.

Ever tried it?Golf?It's really good where I play.All those HON 1 and NANTIs outbounds from Manch and Liverpool and the BOV 1B arrivals into LHR just as they start the descent.Marvellous.

But don't take a scanner with you.The club bans phones and things like that.

Diesel_10

1st Jan 2010, 18:22

My first time in Spotters Corner - 5 out of 9 replies off topic - could be my highlight of 2010. OOOOPs me too :uhoh:

aviatordom

1st Jan 2010, 21:58

I'm easily pleased!

My aviation highlights were as follows:

Work Experience, Oakenhurst Aircraft Services Ltd.

That was amazing, so interesting, got to see Instrument, IFE, Radar & Electrical workshops, so cool seeing different parts being sent in for repair from airlines across the globe. Huge wooden boxes contained big 757 cockpit windows, one from Jet2 I think.

Got to tear down a CVR from a BAE 146, my face lit up as I was taking it apart:}

Also got a few gifts from them (aircraft parts)

Second great moment was being in a BA 757 flightdeck. Had a great chat with the captain, then we missed the bus to the terminal, so me, my family and the 2 pilots were all talking outside on the apron for about 10 minutes! Got given lots of paperwork from the crew as-well!

Ahh, memories!

JEM60

2nd Jan 2010, 14:19

Hi, Crispey.
Yep, tried it when I was a teenager. Girls were much more fun. Your 737 Captain wasn't the late Capt. Davidson of Brittania was it. I also spent time with him on the flight deck of the first 737 in Europe. G-AVRL. Cheers, John..

crispey

2nd Jan 2010, 23:58

JEM60.I don't remember the name ,sorry.Just that he was a keen golfer.As am I.I do remember being on G-AVRM with Capt.Eric Atkinson on a day trip to Paris from Manch in the late 60s/early 70s?I met quite a few BY pilots thanks to doing my PPL at MSF,Manchester in 1974/5.Golf's quite good fun I find.Not enough girls playing though.

I do have 2 good memories of 2009 as well.Ryanair to Bergamo.Thunderstorms all around and fleeting glimpses of the Alps and Lakes on the way in.A classic procedural ILS 29 approach.And superb views of Mt.Etna going into Catania.Sadly neither from the front end.

PPRuNe Pop

3rd Jan 2010, 08:21

I don't know of one person I have ever met in aviation over the past 70 years who was not, at one time or another, a spotter in some form.

I began in 1940 by watching some of the BoB air fighting over my home near to Croydon. Never looked back except to reflect and retired from aviation in 1993 - but I am still basically a spotter!

Happy New Year.

PPP

crispey

3rd Jan 2010, 15:27

Drifting off course-again-your fault PPP-I was told by my Dad that I had seen Lancs over here doing some practicing for the Mohne Dam raids.I was too young to know apparently

Also seeing the Vulcans early sorties over Stoke on the way to Woodford.I do remember them for myself.Not in 2009 though.

I got the bug from that.Sadly I still have although the goggles were discarded a while ago.I do still play golf though.

Malaysian28

3rd Jan 2010, 17:50

Video not by me but I thought I share it

YouTube - A Year of Aviation 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFk4VhSMoUQ)

Tupperware Pilot

3rd Jan 2010, 18:06

Mine....
Getting some more A2A photos done..
Air-to-Air - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tupperware_pilot/sets/72157607402186728/)

and my first night flight with a camera...
UK from the air at night... - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tupperware_pilot/sets/72157622811820189/)

oh and night shots of Oxford "London"...
Oxford Airport at Night - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tupperware_pilot/sets/72157622868988969/)