Quite a few oldies coming into LHR in the last days, 747's and A343's and yesterday 5 A388's. Everyday 'boring' before, but since March and the new realities/economies they're getting rare. Apparently a Lufthansa A343 on the way into LHR at the moment.

I've noticed in the last weeks that Virgin seem to be operating a BRU-LHR flight using an A359/B788 and I'm curious to know why that might be ? Mussel repatriation flights ? Anyone know more ?

Merry Xmas, happy spotting!

Polish Air Force CASA C-295M from Poznan about to land at Gatwick. Wondering why.

Noticed the Polish 295 earlier, see it's just on final for 26 now, also an ER- registered 747 out of Heathrow earlier on and an RAF Puma eastbound along the M25S and M26...

Merry Christmas!

Bringing covid test kits, I think.

Polish AF CASA flew over with a load of medical staff, to assist with the medical testing of all the stranded lorry drivers in Dover [no doubt a lot of Polish drivers stuck in the queue] closest suitable airport that could handle them today. Of course Manston would have been a lot closer, if it wasn't for the thousands of lorries parked on the runway....

Ah, thanks MAC. Sort of obvious now I think about it!
But wouldn't Lydd have been a suitable and closer destination than Gatwick surely?

And a Happy Christmas to all.

Is Lydd open on Christmas Day, probably not?

Saw an interesting steady light moving across the southern sky around 5pm - thought it was the ISS but that was busily heading SE across the southern Atlantic at the time and I can't see that far. The only airframe in that area of sky was an Egyptair A300F out of Heathrow and already over the Channel off Brighton - must have been reflecting the sun I guess, though it was a good hour after sunset here.

Not only did Lufthansa send an A340 yesterday, but KLM had an A330 operating between LHR & AMS on both the mid-day service and the early evening flight.
In addition to the ER reg 747-4F, there was a later 747-4F arrival from Nairobi, by Astral Aviation, plus 2 Egyptair A330F. American Airlines operated only 1 Passenger flight and 4 Cargo flights (using their regular aircraft but minus the Human Freight).

Yes, it's a bit premature to write off 747s at Heathrow - 35 visits this month (up to yesterday), albeit only 2 were passenger aircraft.

A KC-135 and a KC-10 have been taking turns on duty at 22000' over the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area for most of the day... wonder what they are up to! The 135 is out of Rickenbacker Airport in Ohio, the 10 was out of McGuire AFB, NJ, and is presently orbiting just east of there.

Noticed a TUI Dreamliner on a similar sector this afternoon Weds. 30/12 AMS-LHR
 

Also I noticed a TUI Dreamliner on a similar sector this afternoon Weds. 30/12 , Amsterdam into LHR just seems an unusual flight ,even if freight NHS ? - been on this particular , actual aircraft to Rhodes with TUI a couple ? of years ago ... TFC.

Most likely into Abbeyshrule.

Yes, 2 mile final for 28 at EIAB.

AN12 heading over the Atlantic from Stavanger. Now that's an antique.

Antonov An-12BP
UR-CGW
23,000 ft
271 kts

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c3bc81941e.png

Those Ukranian AN-12's sure do get around. Amazing when you consider most are around 50 years old! No doubt good mechanics and good safety procedures help them to ply their trade to many inhospitable areas of the globe with few chances to get spare parts easily.

That seems an unusual track.Could it make say Gander from Stavanger?
Last month one went Paris-Keflavik-Gander-Bermuda-Havana.

Max range when light is about 3500 miles, so Stavanger - New York theoretically possible, not sure if that uses up reserves though. At max payload range reduced to 2200 miles, wouldn't quite make Gander. I imagine it will have stopped somewhere on the Canadian/US Eastern seaboard.

Continuing on the same track as shown would take it straight to Gander.