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The second Hawker 900XP to go on the Saudi register arrived in Shannon early today on its ferry flight. Registered HZ-A8 (msn HA-0153) the aircraft carries hex code 710228 and was pictured during its layover in Shannon. Initially registered as N153XP, US marks were cancelled on June 30.
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Ryanair issued its passenger figures for June 2010 this week. A total of 6.71m passengers booked seats to fly on Ryanair services compared to 5.84m in June 2009. Loadfactor for the month was 84%, down 1% on the June 2009 figure. In the rolling 12 months to the end of June 2010 the carrier sold 69.2m seats, including 1.45m who had their flights cancelled as a result of the volcanic eruptions in Iceland. The rolling 12 month Loadfactor stood at 82% as of the end of June 2010.
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In recent years Italian operator Eurofly operated student charters during the summer months between Shannon and Italy. With the merger of Meridiana and Eurofly the new carrier’s focus would appear to have moved elsewhere. As a result his year’s series has been operated by Alitalia but using other carrier’s in addition to its own fleet. On Thursday last, July 1 the carrier operated one such service with its own Airbus A320-216, registered EI-DTH. The aircraft (msn 3956) is a recent addition to the fleet having been acquired in September 2009. Pictured above, EI-DTH is seen on finals to R24 in Shannon.
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Russian operator UTair took delivery of its third and fourth ex Lufthansa Bombardier CRJ’s last week. On July 1 VQ-BGJ (msn 7171) and VQ-BGL (msn 7128) routed Gander – Shannon – Moscow. VQ-BGJ, above is the former D-ACLZ while VQ-BGL, below is the former D-ACJB. Both are pictured on finals for Shannon's R24.
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Friday last July 2 saw the inaugural departure of Manx2’s Cork – Galway service. The route is being operated by Van Air Europe’s wet leased Let 410 turboprop registered OK-TCA (msn 902431). The service operates twice daily on Friday and Sunday between the two cities.
Tomorrow, Friday July 9 the carrier will commence serving Belfast City Airport twice daily except Tuesday (one flight) and Saturday (no service).
Pictured at the launch of the first Cork – Galway service were Kevin Cullinane, Marketing Manager Cork Airport, Aoife Hogan, Marketing Dept. Cork Airport, the Captain of the inaugural flight and Noel Hayes, Chairman of Manx2.
Brno based Van Air Europe operates on behalf of Manx 2. Let 410 OK-TCA operated the inaugural Cork – Galway flight.
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Aer Arann and Aer Lingus announced on Monday last, July 5, the addition of new services between Cork and both Manchester and Birmingham in the latest development of the franchise agreement between the two airlines.
From October 31st 2010, Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Aer Arann, will provide additional flights to Manchester and Birmingham that will effectively double the number of services on each route. The increased frequency means that the Manchester service will operate twice a day seven days per week, while the Birmingham service will operate twice a day six days a week with a single return flight on Saturdays.
The new schedule will offer business customers the frequency required to spend a full business day in Cork, Manchester or Birmingham and it will offer additional choice for leisure passengers.
Commenting on the announcement, Aer Arann Corporate Affairs Director Andrew Kelly said “We are delighted to launch these flights as part of the franchise agreement in the same week that we launched new franchise services to four UK cities from Shannon.”
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Italian carrier Mistral Air are currently engaged in a summer charter series between Cork and Verona. Last Saturday’s flight was delayed until Sunday when the sector was operated by flyLAL Charters Polska who used Boeing 737-322 (msn 24664). The aircraft was originally built for United Airlines in 1990 as N389UA. After a brief period with the late ATA Airlines until that carrier’s demise in 2007 the aircraft crossed the pond where it has been operated by a number of FlyLAL subsidiaries in the Baltic region.
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The Royal Netherland’s Air Force made a visit to Dublin last week on June 30 with Fokker 50 serial U-06. The aircraft was on a crew training flight with a compliment of 12. Built in 1993 with msn 20287, U-06 is fitted out in a 25 seat VIP configuration and was pictured by Derek Gannon as it prepared to leave Dublin on Thursday morning.
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New month – new aircraft as Ryanair took delivery of two more aircraft. EI-EMP (hex 4CA858) is msn 40285 pictured at top by Michael Kelly, whilst EI-EMR (hex 4CA859) is msn 40284 and pictured below. Both arrived in Dublin on delivery from Seattle on July 1.
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A new milestone in Shannon Airport's history was passed yesterday with the early morning departure of the first Aer Lingus Regional service linking Shannon with Birmingham.
Under the terms of phase two of the Aer Lingus Regional agreement , Aer Arann will operate four routes from Shannon to the UK – Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow. Bristol and Birmingham will operate daily except Saturday whilst the other routes will operate daily. Aer Arann will base one ATR72 aircraft in Shannon to operate the services which are a welcome addition to the airport’s route network following the near complete pullout from Shannon by Ryanair earlier this year.
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The fourth and last Bombardier CRJ-900 (msn 15111) registered EI-DUX has been returned to Exeter following painting in Air Mekong colours at the Eirtech Aviation hangar in Dublin Airport. The aircraft had arrived on June 25 last in full MyAir colours and following a brief acceptance flight it returned to Exeter for final preparations on June 30. Paul Morris pictured the aircraft prior to its departure from Dublin.
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This weekend, 20 volunteers from the Dublin Airport Police and Fire Service will undertake a charity campaign with a difference as they attempt to scale 18 mountains in a 62 hour period. This year’s DAA Charity of the Year fund raiser is in aid of Beaumont Hospital Foundation.
The Mountain Challenge was officially launched on Thursday July 1 in the Dublin Airport Fire Station. The DAA’s chief operations officer Robert Hilliard and Beaumont Hospital’s chief executive Liam Duffy were on hand to launch the record breaking attempt.
The challenge which commenced today will see the team travel through 17 counties between Friday July 2 and Sunday July 4. The combined height of the peaks is 55,400 meters and covers an on the ground distance of 90 km.
Team lead and Airport Fireman, Brian Dempsey, explained the preparations involved for such as task. “Training for the event started in Autumn 09, which involved not only gym work at least three times a week but also many days in the mountains all around Ireland during the winter months with snow up to waist high at times. It has continued through the spring and summer so that we are now well prepared for what lies ahead. Our five member support team is very experienced and is comprised of individuals with a military and logistical background. The Coast Guard are very kindly providing aerial support and photography and Dundrum Coach Hire are giving their vehicles and drivers free of charge, for which we are very grateful.”
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The merger of Italian operators Eurofly and Meridiana produced the inevitable debate over what colour scheme the new venture, Meridiana Fly would adopt. The answer for new acquisitions at any rate would appear to be a neutral all white scheme as seen on former Blue Wings Airbus A320-232 registered D-ANNH (msn 1823). The aircraft has been painted by Eiretech Aviation in Dublin and is to assume registration EI-EXS on delivery to the new operator. Paul Morris pictured the aircraft in Dublin, still wearing German marks, on June 30.
Former Blue Wings sister ship airbus A320-232 D-ANNE (msn 1557) has been reregistered N527JL with Wells Fargo Bank and is also in Dublin where it will no doubt assume a new identity in due course.
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Landmark Aviation reluctantly closed it's doors at Dublin on June 30th. Part of a 41 station FBO network across the USA, Canada, France & Ireland, the Dublin station fell victim to the GA downturn of the last 2 years despite having tripled it's market share over the last 3 years. Covidien Flight Department's Gulfstream 5 N607CV was the last aircraft dispatched by the Dublin team, all of whom turned out to see the G5 safely out. Pictured above are Landmark Aviation's Paddy Kilduff and Sean Cawley.
Ironically, on what was Landmark's last day of operations in Dublin, Gulfstream 550 msn 5035 made what is believed to be its first visit to Ireland wearing registration N607CV. The aircraft was previously registered N1TF with Gulf States Toyota and carried the personalised registration of company founder Tom Freidkin. As such it was a regular transit through Shannon en route from the US to Kenya where Freidkin has a big game business. On March 17 last it visited Dublin with new owner Covidien, parent company of Mallinkrodt Medical Imaging in Dublin and Puritan Bennet in Galway. With the link to Tom Freidkin broken it was inevitable that a registration change would occur and the aircraft has in fact assumed the marks of its predecessor at Covidien – a Dassault Falcon 900 which has been a regular to visitor to Dublin over the years. Registration N1TF hasn’t been relinquished however as it is currently reserved for Freidkin Aviation Inc of Houston Texas.
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After a brief hiatus, Ryanair deliveries of B737-800 aircraft to Ryanair have recommenced. On June 26 last EI-EMO (hex 4CA857) msn 40283 was delivered to the carrier, pictured above by Michael Kelly on finals at Dublin.