Apparently both Belfast and Durham-Tees are switching to Embraers as of next week, just when I thought they'd need the Cityjet RJs most. No idea how KLM are managing their fleet.

I'd make suggestion that the reason they have been sub-chartering in during this transition period between Fokker/Embraer is because they've, back to back, had crews offline retraining on the Embraer, ground school, simulator, touch and go's, umpteen sectors line training waiting in the queue for the next Training Captain to become available etc.

Reading here there has been innuendo that KLM haven't been doing their planning, I'd suggest that their training department has been doing their planning very efficiently and, as yet, KLM don't have a spotter planning department!

If any airline was going to have a "spotter planning dept" it would have to be a Dutch one!

This is not, nor has ever been a secret. He flies to keep current and valid. I worked at KLC Ops for a number of years and although it was always a treat to have him flying but it was no different than working with any other pilot. That's the beauty of it. But it's common knowledge here in NL.

I think that was pretty obvious all along Harry.

Here is the post from N707ZS which started the whole discussion:

Therefore the answer to N707ZS was that in fact, albeit on a temporary basis, no they don't have the required number of aircraft for a straight transition and therefore that is why they are sub chartering CityJet equipment.

http://www.VC10.net/div/Lineup.jpg

http://www.VC10.net/div/Taxiout.jpg

http://www.VC10.net/div/KZU_Takeoff.jpg

http://www.VC10.net/div/KZU_flypast.jpg

I actually made a special trip to Amsterdam to photograph the Anthony Fokker paint job. It cleverly managed to evade me several times until this moment:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/sSNUTG.jpg

Speaking of short-field landing techniques.......Attachment 3470

I did notice at least four F70's landing at Norwich yesterday, possible storage?

I've read elsewhere that that's where some are going.

Sentimental, perhaps, but I'll always associate them with keeping Teesside Airport alive!

These were the last four that are shown in my photos above. They have all been sold to new owners and will be reconfigured for them at Norwich. I don't know which company is involved though.

70s at Norwich
 

Can confirm all the fleet are now at Norwich and will be worked on for new owners

PH-KZP which was withdrawn couple weeks back, has been painted all white and stored North side


Saturday night PH-KZI & PH-KZM flew into Norwich and stored, KZM went into KLM hangers as not seen Sunday , ZI parked North Side

Sunday brought in PH-KZB, PH-KZL, PH-KZS, PH-KZU, all moved to North side during the day

we shall see where they all depart to

mark

PH-KZK is in Maastricht and reported to be heading to Kenya.

I guess PH-KZW has been scrapped, seeing as its tail is now part of a monument at Schiphol.

http://www.vc10.net/div/Memorial.jpg

Austrian is officially retiring their last Fokker 100 next Wednesday, November 29th but with less fanfare than the Dutch. Austrian has been operating Fokkers for less than a third of the time the Dutch have had them, however.

In real life the airplane will continue to fly till January, so Spotters still have a chance.

No aircraft changes during the day for the few remaining pilots, however ;)

Re: the Antony Fokker colour scheme. Why are a Dutch airline saying 'Thank you' to a Dutchman in English? :confused:

jensdad, because it's an international airline with many non-Dutch speaking passengers. Don't worry, Anthony spoke English too!

Hi HT, Just a bit of a 'bugbear' of mine wrt the aviation industry. I do wonder how people feel when they go to airports in their home countries and see barely a single word of their native language. Chaos at Pisa a few years ago when the only word of Italian on the desk screens was 'volo EZYxxxx'and the majority of the punters didn't grasp the difference between 'check-in' and 'bag drop'. Not a criticism of the punters, why should they?


Anyway, I digress :) , Sad to see the Fokkers going. I'm glad that I got to fly on a couple of examples this year AMS-LUX and back.

Last 70s at NWI
 

Few shots recently took at Norwich

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4468/...8508f585_b.jpgNorth Side Parking area by Mark, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4497/...abc306a6_b.jpgNorth Side Parking area by Mark, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4495/...c8f5cf40_b.jpgNorth Side Parking area by Mark, on Flickr

into the sunset
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4478/...c34461c0_b.jpgFokker 70 PH-KZU by Mark, on Flickr


Thanks
Mark