Interesting aircraft - what have you seen on your computer today?

[DaveReidUK]

Methinks our Canadian spy is confusing Ontario with Puglia.

[WHBM]

I wonder if there's comparable confusion between Taranto (LIBG) and Toronto (CYYZ), just as there is between Sydney in Australia and the one in Canada. Has the Dreamlifter ever gone to the wrong one ?

A onetime Ms WHBM from there causes me to be able to say the name correctly, no second 'r' and with the uplift of tone at the end. Incidentally, YYZ is never referred to there as Toronto Airport, always just as "Pearson".

[treadigraph]

Me thinks Dave Reid is correct...

At least Sydney Nova Scotia does have a decent runway - anyone trying to squeeze a Dreamlifter or any other aircraft larger than an Aztec into Boston (Wyberton) rather than Boston (Logan) might be in for a shock...

A Dreamlifter did land at the wrong place a few years ago as I recall. Right city, wrong airfield. Kansas City?

Turkmenistan S-92 just clattered over me as I hurried home across the darkening common. Most unusual...

[SpringHeeledJack]

Turkmenistan S-92 just clattered over me as I hurried home across the darkening common. Most unusual...

Which direction was it going ? I have a vague recollection of one of those living somewhere in the Cambs/Essex region within the last 2 years.

[treadigraph]

Looks like it emanated from Stansted, bit of a round-robin encompassing Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, then SW via Biggin, disappearing near Woking. Presume it either lobbed into Fairoaks or Farnborough.

Hah, just flown past in the opposite direction!

[treadigraph]

Just looking at the mil stuff visible over the US at the mo - amongst the many C-130s, C-17s, T-38s, etc, etc are 3 B-52s and a U-2. Just imagine what it would have been like if we'd had ADSB 50 years ago or more...

[SpringHeeledJack]

It must be based at STN then ready to ferry whomever in the Turkmenistan govt/VIP families etc when in the UK, much like some of the other M.E countries seem to do.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

Me thinks Dave Reid is correct...

It's all your fault for saying the Dreamlifter was "crossing London", without making it clear it wasn't London, Ontario.

[MAC 40612]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

It must be based at STN then ready to ferry whomever in the Turkmenistan govt/VIP families etc when in the UK, much like some of the other M.E countries seem to do.

Actually, the Turkmenistan S-92s fly over the the UK for their larger checks. An outfit at Stansted carries out the maintenance, they've been over in the past. This particular example has been at STN since September and I suspect was seen on it's test flight [it probably went to Fairoaks, that's where they normally go as it's quieter than Farnborough]
Quite a trip for them to fly from Turkmenistan. The outfit at STN also carries out other S-92 maintenance. The Turkish government S-92s also go through there after flying up from Turkey.

[treadigraph]

I'd forgotten about the London in Canuckistan...

[treadigraph]

Looks like a pair of KC-135s setting up an AAR op over SW England, wonder what their customers are...

[SpringHeeledJack]

Anyone see the Mongolian Airlines 767 that went in and out of LHR this morning ?

[KelvinD]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

Anyone see the Mongolian Airlines 767 that went in and out of LHR this morning ?

Sadly, No. Too dark, too much cloud etc. It was originally scheduled for yesterday at a more sensible time but failed to make the grade. Next time, maybe.

[SpringHeeledJack]

The BOAC BA 747 flew from Cardiff to St Athan today, end of an era (unless there's another one hidden away somewhere ;-) )

[dixi188]

Good job they had a long haul aircraft for the trip.
Possibly the shortest flight if it was rwy. 30 to 25, about 3 miles.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by dixi188

Good job they had a long haul aircraft for the trip.
Possibly the shortest flight if it was rwy. 30 to 25, about 3 miles.

Airborne for 17 minutes, mostly spent over the Bristol Channel.

[SpringHeeledJack]

These last few weeks there seems to be up to several A380's of Emirates into LHR instead of the one a day and 777's of previous months since March. Have things picked up so much, or is this a last hurrah before they are withdrawn from service next year ? With the China Southern rotation and the odd BA A380 it's been rather nice to see and hear them again I must say.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by SpringHeeledJack

These last few weeks there seems to be up to several A380's of Emirates into LHR instead of the one a day and 777's of previous months since March. Have things picked up so much, or is this a last hurrah before they are withdrawn from service next year ? With the China Southern rotation and the odd BA A380 it's been rather nice to see and hear them again I must say.

Yes, the usual 2 per day since August (UAE1 and UAE3) went up to three when UAE7 changed from a B77W at the end of November, followed a few days later by UAE29 as well.

So now 4 per day, for the time being at least.

[TheFrenchConnection]

11.41 am. Antonov An-12BP UR-CGW ~ 21,000 feet out of BHX , N>S great sound . Reminded me when we had props at LHR many years ago.

[Gulf4uk]

Sounded Nice near FAB But cloud to great to see , one or two FAB Group members did get a siting