VISITORS
A few more first visits today, starting with Aerolineas Argentinas A343 LV-BMT (048), which landed at a very early hour. Late morning saw Air China B744 B-2472 (30158) arrive, while afternoon newcomers were Citation 550 EC-KKO (0992) & Brazilian A/F A319CJ 2101 (2263).
FLEET NEWS
Air Baltic has another B733, namely YL-BBR (29266), which was previously with Flyglobespan as G-OTDA. It was due to be delivered from Shannon to Riga earlier today.
British A/W B733s G-LGTF (24450) & G-LGTG (24470) are both now confirmed as withdrawn from revenue service. The former returned to Gatwick yesterday with blue underside, white tail & no titles & is understood to be here for final end-of-lease work. The latter went to Glasgow for storage prior to undergoing a couple of weeks of heavy maintenance later this month before returning to the lessor.
EasyJet A320 G-TTOC (1715) has become I-EEZN & was delivered from Shannon to Eurofly at Milan/Malpensa today.
Ryanair B738 EI-EBS (35001) was delivered to Dublin today. EI-EBR (37530) is said to be due to arrive tomorrow, having been held up due to a "paperwork issue". EI-CST (29933) has become C-FYQN for CanJet & left Lasham on delivery to Montreal today.
Thomas Cook A321 G-SMTJ (1872) is to be reregistered as OY-VKT for the airline's Scandinavian subsidiary.
Thomson A/W B738 G-FDZR (35145) has entered service sooner than expected. It routed from Manchester to Sharm El Sheik earlier today & is due to return from there to Gatwick at around 00.30 tomorrow morning as TOM8238 (I assume that this is a positioning flight only, as it doesn't show on the BAA arrivals screen). It will then be Gatwick based for the time being.
ROUTE NEWS
Delta. Tomorrow's Atlanta flight is showing on the arrivals screen as DAL812 (rather than DAL12) &, if I remember correctly, should see a switch to A333 equipment. If I am correct, this will be our first sight of an A333 in Delta scheme at Gatwick.
EasyJet will commence its Gatwick to Vienna service tomorrow.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
March was an interesting month for newcomers, dominated firstly by the Finance Ministers' Meeting & then the G20 Summit. New military visitors were plentiful & comprised RAAF BBJ A36-002, Belgian A/F EMB135 CE-02, Brazilian A/F B732 2116, JASDF B744 20-1102, Mexican Navy Gulfstream 450 AMT-205, RAF Dauphin ZJ780, SAAF BBJ ZS-RSA, Swedish A/F Gulfstream 4 102004, Swiss A/F Falcon 50 T-783 & USAF C-20B 86-0202. Of the regulars, EasyJet provided another four A319s, Ryanair five more B738s & Emirates five additional B773s, while the new Norwegian services have already given us a further three B738s. Also worthy of mention was the first visit of Ethiopian Cargo's MD-11F & the Garuda A333 which was another G20 arrival.
We played host to a total of 58 newcomers during the month, which was well up on last February's 47 & brings the grand total for the first quarter of 2009 to 159 (one short of the total for 1Q2008). Broken down by category, there were 37 new airliners, 18 biz jets, 2 helicopters & one twin.
DON'T FORGET THE GATWICK INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT ENTHUSIASTS FAIR (LGW2009) THIS SUNDAY (5/4) AT K2 CRAWLEY FROM 10.00 TO 17.00. SEE YOU THERE!
CREDITS
Shaun Irvine, Neil Barnes, Ken Ede, Ian Gawtrey, Paul Giblin, Paul Fowler, Paul Mutton, John Creasey, Fly1angant, Jethro, Skyliner, Julius Caesar & anybody else that I have forgotten.
Happy spotting!
John (& "Mad" Max)
MOVEMENTS SUMMARY (most from SBS)
AAW912 - A320 5A-ONB
ADR450 - CRJ2 S5-AAD (aircraft change from the predicted S5-AAH)
AEA1013 - B738 EC-HGQ (also AEA1015)
AHY107 - A319 4K-AZ04
AMC116 - A319 9H-AEH
AUI501 - B733 UR-GAN
AWE730 - B752 N203UW
AWE732 - A333 N278AY
BEL2121 - A319 OO-SSP
BEL2129 - B463 OO-DWL
BMM314 - B734 CN-RMG
BRU851 - B735 EW-250PA
BTI651 - B733 YL-BBK
CIM261 - CRJ2 OY-RJI
CIM265 - CRJ2 OY-MBJ
CIM5761 - B737 OY-MRH
CIM5765 - B737 OY-MRF
DAL012 - B763 N172DZ
DAL036 - B763 N175DZ
DAO100P - B752 G-LSAC
EIN230 - A320 EI-DEI
EIN236 - A320 EI-DEN
EIN240 - A320 EI-DEJ
EIN246 - A320 EI-DVG (also EIN248)
EZS8469 - A319 HB-JZP (also EZS8471)
EZS8473 - A319 HB-JZF
EZS8477 - A319 G-EZFB
EZS8532 - A319 HB-JZJ
ISS3531 - A319 EI-DEZ (also ISS3535)
MAH612 - B736 HA-LOF
MAH614 - B737 HA-LOB
MGX720 - F100 4O-AOP
MXA1594 - B762 XA-MXO
NAX1302 - B738 LN-KKY
NAX1304 - B738 LN-KKQ
NAX1306 - B738 LN-NOF (second visit)
NAX1318 - B733 LN-KKT
NAX1332 - B733 LN-KKF
NAX3510 - B733 LY-AQV (also NAX3514)
NAX3521 - B738 LN-NOO (second visit)
NMB385 - A343 V5-NME
QTR075 - A333 A7-AED
RYR1X - B738 EI-DWL
RYR112G - B738 EI-DCB (also RYR114G)
RYR116G - B738 EI-DLN (also RYR118G)
RYR1124 - B738 EI-DHF
RYR1126 - B738 EI-DHY
RYR1182 - B738 EI-DWL
RYR5562 - B738 EI-DPK (also RYR5568)
RYR6454 - B738 EI-DAD
RYR9228 - B738 EI-DWP
RYR9852 - B738 EI-DCW
SDM297 - B735 EI-CDG
TAP332 - F100 CS-TPE
TAP334 - F100 CS-TPF (aircraft change from the predicted CS-TPE)
TAP342 - A319 CS-TTK
TAP348 - A319 CS-TTA
UAE009 - B773 A6-ECG
UAE011 - B772 A6-EMG
UAE015 - B773 A6-EBR
BIZJETS, ETC (INCLUDING G20 VISITORS)
B-2472 B744 Air China (CCA006- first visit)
EC-KKO Ce550 (HSS435 - first visit)
HL7428 B744 Asiana (arr 31/3)
LV-BMT A343 Aerolineas Argentinas (ARG1001 - first visit)
PK-GPE A333 Garuda (arr 30/3)
VT-ESN B744 Air India (arr 31/3)
ZS-RSA B737BBJ (arr 31/3)
A36-002 B737BBJ RAAF (arr 28/3)
2101 A319CJ Brazilian A/F (BRS01 - first visit)
2116 B732 Brazilian A/F (arr 29/3)
15001 CC-150 CAF (arr 31/3)
20-1101 B744 JASDF (arr late 31/3)
20-1102 B744 JASDF (arr late 31/3 on first visit)