Can anyone identify the engines on the aircraft in the second of Dave Reid's links above. Not the shape of the old P&W nor the newer CFMs.

As already noted, JT8D-219s.

The aircraft in question was retired to AMARC in 2015, which would suggest that the upgrade programme is dormant, if not dead.

Oops, thanks Dave. Didn't properly read the post before browsing the photos! Thanks.

A very loud Qatar AF C-130 overhead London early afternoon, a Ukranian AN-26 going along the South Coast and a US GLF3 doing spaghetti circuits over the west country, either Mil or Geo by the looks of it.

The Qatar C-130J popped up briefly yesterday with a Marshalls callsign, so looks like a post-maintenance airtest. Today's flight used the more usual DEMA callsign and disappeared heading SSE at FL270, so presumably homebound.

The A318 'Babybus' is in flight. FR24 shows BA9279 from MAD-ENS - Madrid, yes; Enschede, not sure about that as currently 1330 GMT out over the bay of Biscay!

A380 F-WWOW at play in the Brest area - also a pair of French Falcon 20s F-GPAA and AD, presumably being used in a similar role to the FR Falcons.

Bound for Enschede, which will be its final resting place.

Half the RAF are up over the North Sea as well

Scrapping or some sort of ground based use?

You're right Dave, but not exactly the most direct routing! Final fly-by (at FL390) of LHR?

KC-135 and 4 ‘chicks’ went over northbound at lunchtime, but couldn't make out what type

Parting out.

Bloody hell - only 12 years old...

Polish Air Force CASA C295M flew high overhead Oxford area (out of Dublin) a short while ago heading east.

When Malev went down in 2012, I think their 737-600s were parted out at only 5 years old.

just had a a comment from SWMBO living here in Bicester, used to dash outside in days past when the Air Atlantique DC6 & Electra's used to go overhead on their paper runs etc, still doing same some 20 years later when the AN12 & 26 go overhead, what will the next 20 years bring ? assuming am still alive & can still dash outside ?.

They were scrapped at Goodyear in early 2012, having been delivered to Malev in 2003-2004, so around 8 years old when they met their demise.

French AF Xingu out of Brum just passed over me during a nice sunny spell.

See Boeing only built 69 737-600s and most have been scrapped or are parked - seems to equate roughly to the 100 in size.

I saw the Xingu as well, or should I say heard it and spotted the whitish dot heading over. Can't be many of them flying outside of the FAF squadrons these days.