EUROPEAN AIRLINE SCENE - WEEK ENDING 07-01-12
The information in this blog comes from a variety of sources, though particular credit must be given to the following sites, which are very highly recommended.
Chris Witt/Skyliner
http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/
Jethro/UK & Ireland Airline Fleet Listings
http://www.jethros.org.uk/
Puget Sound - Boeing test Flights
http://boeing-test-flights.blogspot.com/
A BELATED HAPPY NEW YEAR & WELCOME TO THE FIRST BLOG OF 2012
Aer Lingus. See under Iberia.
Aeroflot RJ95 RA-89004 (95012) was delivered from Komsomolsk-na-Amur to Moscow/Sheremetyevo on 28/12.
Aerolineas Argentinas is to dispose of B744 LV-ALJ (25422) to AeroSur.
AeroSur. See under Aerolineas Argentinas.
Aerosvit. See under British A/W.
Air Baltic B752 YL-BDB (26251) is now on lease to TonleSap A/L as XU-TSC & had entered service with them by 22/12.
Air Berlin B738 D-ABBA (30570), which was temporarily registered N570MQ, became LV-CTC for Aerolineas Argentinas & left Shannon on delivery to Buenos Aires on 22/12. D-ABMD (37761) arrived at Berlin/Tegel on delivery on 31/12. A320 D-ABDC (2654) left storage at Paderborn on 28/12 on delivery to Chengdu A/L. D-ALTH (1797) was ferried from Munich to Prague on 1/1 prior to return to the lessor.
Airbus single-aisle deliveries to other customers
B-6826 A320 (4836) to China Southern 23/12 (Chinese built)
B-6827 A320 (4982) to China Southern 30/12
B-6832 A320 (4831) to China Eastern 21/12 (Chinese built)
B-6852 A320 (4809) to Spring A/L 23/12 (Chinese built)
HS-ABV A320 (4979) to Thai Air Asia 24/12
N554UW A321 (4966) to US A/W 31/12
VN-A332 A321 (4971) to Vietnam A/L 30/12
Air Europa. See under Cyprus A/W & Jet2.
Air Explore B733 OM-BEX (24365) is due to leave Bratislava on 7/1 on wet-lease to TonleSap A/L.
Air India B744s VT-ESN (27164) & VT-ESO (27165) have been returned to service following a period of storage. Both had been offered for sale by the leasing company last October.
Air Malta A320 9H-AEF (2142) left Malta on 2/1 bound for Santiago on winter lease to Sky A/L.
Air New Zealand B773 ZK-OKQ (40689) made its first flight on 30/12.
Air Zimbabwe B762 Z-WPF (24867) has been released & left Gatwick on 24/12, having been impounded there since 12/12.
Alitalia Express E170 EI-DFK (17000032) was ferried from Rome/Fiumicino to Exeter on 30/12 for hand back checks prior to delivery to Regional A/L.
All Nippon B788 JA805A (34514) was delivered from Boeing Field to Tokyo/Haneda on 4/1.
Amapola Flyg. See under Denim Air.
Armavia. See under CSA.
Astraeus B737 G-STRN (28007), which was registered to Lufthansa Technik as D-ALAD, has become VQ-BJO for UT Air & flew an acceptance flight from/to Sofia on 4/1.
Atlas Air. See under British A/W World Cargo.
Austrian A/L A321 OE-LBF (1458) suffered a tail strike during a go-around at Manchester on 23/12 while operating a service from Innsbruck. The aircraft reportedly suffered substantial damage & a specialist repair team is due to ferry it to Toulouse for further assessment & repairs.
Boeing single-aisle deliveries to other customers
VH-VZW B738 (39359) to Qantas 28/12
VT-SGW B739 (37363) to SpiceJet 24/12
British A/W B735 G-GFFD (26419), which was cancelled from the register on 22/12, was noted at Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen on 25/12 in full Aerosvit scheme awaiting delivery as UR-AAM (see Skyliner for photo). B773 G-STBE (38696) was ferried from Cardiff to LHR on 30/12 for service entry.
British A/W World Cargo/Global Supply Systems B748F G-GSSF (37569) left Paine Field on 27/12 on delivery to Hong Kong. B744F G-GSSA (29256) flew its last service on 27/12 from Frankfurt to Hong Kong & was registered to Atlas Air as N476MC on 28/12. It was unable to revert to its old registration of N495MC as that is now worn by a Cessna 182T in Arkansas. G-GSSC (29255) was ferried from Dubai to Manston on 29/12 prior to return to Atlas Air as N494MC. It is due to ferry to Luxembourg on 7/1 to operate a flight to Atlanta, GA on behalf of Lufthansa after which it will ferry to Miami, FL on return to Atlas Air.
Calima Aviacion B738 EC-LKO (28821) was ferried from Gander to Palma on 6/1 following lease to Aero Caribbean.
CargoItalia ceased operations in late December.
Centurion Air Cargo MD11F N988AR (48434) has been returned to the lessor & is currently in store at Miami, FL
China Southern A306 B-2328 (756) was registered to WFBN as N756ZG on 27/12. This was the last A306 in service with the carrier.
CSA B735 OK-DGL (28472) was delivered from Prague to Yerevan for Armavia as EK73772 on 27/12.
Cubana. See under Euro Atlantic A/W.
Cyprus A/W A332 5B-DBT (526) was ferried from Durham Tees Valley to Chateauroux on 27/12 on return to ILFC. 5B-DBS (505) was ferried from Frankfurt to Dublin on 5/1 for painting into Air Europa scheme.
Denim Air F50 PH-KXM (20252) was registered SE-MGB for Largus Aviation on 27/12 & is to be operated by Amapola Flyg.
El Al B752 4X-EBM (23918) left Tel Aviv on 14/12 for scrapping at Gary, IN.
Embraer deliveries to other customers
PR-AXA E195 (19000491) to Azul Linhas Aereas 22/12
PR-AXB E195 (19000498) to Azul Linhas Aereas 22/12
Emirates B773 A6-EGL (41072) left Paine Field on 29/12 on delivery to Dubai. A6-EGM (41073) made its first flight on 5/1.
Euro Atlantic A/W B763 CS-TFT (26208) positioned from Lisbon to Buenos Aires on 1/1 to operate charters for Cubana.
European Air Transport A306F D-AEAG (621 ex JA8377, N2621) was ferried from Leipzig to Shannon on 27/12 for painting from JAL scheme.
Eurowings CRJ2 D-ACRL (7902) was incorrectly painted as LY-ARK at Exeter & now wears the correct LY-AYK. D-ACRE (7607) was ferried from Exeter to Norwich on 6/1 for painting for Yamal.
FreeBird A/L A320s TC-FBH (4027) & TC-FBV (4658) are to be leased to PIA.
Heavylift DC86F A6-HLA (46034), stored at Ras-Al-Kaimah, is to be broken up.
Iberia A319 EC-KME (3377) entered the paint shop at Madrid on 2/1 & should emerge as EI-EPS for Aer Lingus. A320 EC-FGV (0207) is due to be taken out of storage at Madrid & should enter the paint shop on 14/1 for painting into Iberia Express scheme.
Iran Aseman A/L. See under Virgin Atlantic.
Jade Cargo has been forced to ground its fleet of six B744Fs as it cannot afford the cost of fuelling them. Three are thought to have been returned to the lessor.
Jet Time B733 OY-JTH (24255 ex OO-TNG) was registered on 23/12 & delivered from Brussels to Copenhagen the same day.
Jet2 are understood to be acquiring a further two B738s from Air Europa in the near future. B738 G-GDFF (28385) was ferried from Norwich to Leeds Bradford on 6/1 following painting for further cabin modifications.
Khors Air A320 UR-CJO (0354) was ferried from Zhuliany to Mashad on 26/12 on lease to ATA A/L.
KLM B733 PH-BTD (27420) was ferried from Amsterdam to Budapest on 20/12 & registered HB-JJC for Privatair on 21/12. It is due to be operated on behalf of ECAir of the Congo.
Largus Aviation. See under Denim Air.
Lufthansa A319 D-AILH (0641) was ferried from short-term storage at Sofia to Munich on 22/12. A321 D-AIDN (4976) was delivered from Finkenwerder to Frankfurt on 29/12. B735 D-ABJI (25358) was ferried from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt on 23/12 where it will replace Viscount D-ANAF (447) as a ground trainer (see Skyliner for photo). B744 D-ABVA (23816) flew its last revenue service on 30/12 & is to be scrapped.
MAS A333 9M-MTF (1281) made its first flight on 5/1 as F-WWKO.
Medallion Air. See under Meridiana-Fly.
Meridiana-Fly MD83 EI-CIW (49785) has become YR-HBB & was ferried from Istanbul/Ataturk to Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen on 27/12 prior to delivery to Medallion Air.
NAC Aviation AT72 OY-CJU (978) was registered at Toulouse on 23/12.
Non-Airline
G-RBNB E190BJ (19000203) was cancelled from the register on 3/1 as exported to India
M-ISLA CRJ8 (8080) had become M-DWWW for TAG Aviation Asia by 20/12
M-NATH E135BJ (1451021) had become ZS-LRK for the Barbedos Group by 23/12
MM62228 B762 (33688) has been delivered to the AMI
VP-CGX A319CJ (4956) for Sany was delivered from Finkenwerder to Tulsa, OK on 5/12 for cabin configuration
XV102 VC-10 (832) RAF was ferried to Bruntingthorpe for scrapping on 12/12 & was followed by XV107 (837) on 13/12 & XV101 (831) on 20/12
Olympic A/L AT72 SX-BIG (290) was ferried from Athens to Birmingham for storage on 4/12, with SX-BII (353) following on 5/1.
Pegasus B738 TC-AZP (38176) made its first flight on 5/1.
Privatair. See under KLM.
Qantas B744 VH-OJN (25315) flew its last revenue service on 30/12 from Sydney to Los Angeles, CA & was then ferried to Victorville, CA for storage.
Rajshahi Air. See under Virgin Atlantic.
Regional A/L. See under Alitalia Express.
Ryanair. The next two B738s off the line are due to be EI-EVC (40286) & EI-EVD (40287).
SAS F50 LN-RNE (20179) has become HP-1606PST for Air Panama & left Billund on delivery on 27/12. DH8Ds LN-RDJ (4010) & LN-RDO (4036) were registered to WFBN as N404AV & N436AV respectively on 28/12 & both left Sandefjord on 30/12 on delivery to Great Falls, MT. MD87 SE-DIB (49605) flew its last revenue service on 30/10 & is stored at Stockholm/Arlanda.
Saudi Arabian A321 HZ-ASO (4962) left Finkenwerder on 24/12 on delivery to Jeddah.
Shiv Air is now known to be the operator of A313F 5X-JHI (413 ex VT-EJI).
Sky Express. B733s VP-BOT (25048) & VP-BOU (25049) plus B735s VP-BFK (24928) & VP-BHA (26538) of this failed airline have been leased to Kuban A/L.
Sky Work A/L D328 HB-AEV (3056 ex D-CDXX, N438JS, PH-EEV, I-IRTI) was registered on 28/12.
Southern Air. Four B742Fs stored at Mojave, CA are to be scrapped - N740SA (21111), N746SA (21380), N754SA (21576) & N795SA (22506). The carrier's first B744F, N469AC (27602 ex ZK-SUJ), was delivered from Tel Aviv to Bradley, CT on 28/12 following freighter conversion.
Swiftair AT72 EC-KUL (809) arrived back Las Palmas on 3/1 following lease to Caribbean A/L.
Thomas Cook A332 G-MDBD (266) arrived back at Manchester on 28/12 following Hajj lease to Garuda & a C check.
Thomson A/W B752 G-BYAO (27235) was ferried from Abu Dhabi to Norwich on 2/1 for painting for Allegiant Air with whom it will become N905NV.
Transaero is to order four B787s as B767 replacements. This follows recent orders for eight A320neo, four A380s & four B748s as the carrier looks to modernise its fleet. B773 EI-UNN (28517 ex 9V-SYC) was delivered from Singapore to Moscow/Domodedovo on 23/12. B735 EI-DTU (25175) was ferried from Moscow/Domodedovo to Kemble for scrapping on 4/1.
TUI A/L Belgium B734 OO-TUA (24127) has become RDPL-34183 for Lao Central A/L & left Brussels on delivery on 26/12.
Ural A/L A321 VQ-BOF (0775 ex G-BXNP, 6Y-JME, TC-TCF, N831LF, EI-EPM) was delivered from Shannon to Ekaterinburg on 24/12.
UT Air AT72 VQ-BMB (984) left Toulouse on 26/12 on delivery to Khanty-Mansiysk. Also see under Astraeus.
Viking Hellas A320s SX-SMT (0393) & SX-SMU (0414), which are parked at Montreal/Mirabel, were registered to AWAS as EI-EEX & EI-EEY respectively on 23/12.
Virgin Atlantic. You may recall that A343 G-VHOL (2) became M-YRGU & left Lourdes on 19/12 supposedly on delivery to Bangladeshi carrier Rajshahi Air. It appears, however, that it only got as far as Tehran & is to enter service with Iran Aseman A/L.
VLM F50 OO-VLX (20177), which was temporarily registered PH-ZFD, has become P2-TAG & left Maastricht on 5/1 on delivery to Travel Air.
Volga-Dnepr has taken delivery of Il76TD-90VD RA-76503 (2073422748). This is the fourth of ten ordered by the carrier.
Volotea A/L. The carrier's first B712 has been registered EC-LPM (55185 ex N923ME) while undergoing cabin configuration at Olbia.
Vueling A320 EC-LLJ (4661) left Barcelona on 28/12 bound for Buenos Aires on a three-month lease to Andes, with EC-JGM (2407) following the next day.
Watinaya A/W A320s 9K-EAB (3791) & 9K-EAD (4049) have become VN-A668 & VN-A669 respectively with VietJetAir.
Yamal. See under Eurowings.