VISITORS
In terms of newcomers, only easyJet A320 G-EZTA (3805) to report today. It arrived as EZY8002 since the customary EZY8001 was being used for the delivery flight of A319 G-EZFD (3810) to Bristol.
Euro Atlantic B763 CS-TLO (24318) operated today's inbound Cubana flight (CUB400) from Havana, departing as MMZ652P, while the outbound CUB401 was flown by Il-96 CU-T1254 (74393202017), which had positioned in from Moscow/Domodedovo as CUB1461.
FLEET NEWS
Aer Lingus. It is now understood that A320s EI-EDP (3781) & EI-EDS (3755) are to be Gatwick based.
British A/W is having another A319 swap around. G-EUPR (1329) flew out to Amsterdam yesterday evening as BAW8119, night stopped there & then operated to LHR as BAW423 this morning. In its place, G-EUPL (1239) positioned down from LHR to Gatwick this evening as BAW9259.
Easyjet A320 G-EZTA (3805) arrived at Gatwick on delivery this evening. Tomorrow's flight schedule sees it departing at 06.25 for Alicante as EZY8569 and then returning to Gatwick to operate a Tenerife South rotation. In a change of destination, A319 G-EZFD (3810) was delivered to Bristol rather than the originally planned Paris/Orly.
Flybe EMB145 G-EMBP (145300) should be leaving the fleet soon as it was registered yesterday to Aircraft Solutions ERJ-145 LLC of Anguilla. In case, like me, you wonder where the devil Anguilla is, apparently it is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean.
Ryanair B738 EI-CSO (29928) was ferried from Prestwick to Lasham as RYR01P late this afternoon minus titles & logo & is destined for Garuda.
Thompson A/W will lease A320 C-GTDH (1605) from Skyservice for the summer season.
ROUTE NEWS
None today.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
A new biz jet that seems to have passed me by is Learjet 45XR G-OSRL (391), which was registered on the 13th to a Stephen Robert Lloyd with a Doncaster address.
Airbus is to cut production of its A320 family aircraft from 36 per month to 34 per month from October & will not implement the planned increase in A330/340 production but keep it at 8.5 per month. Boeing is expected to make similar reductions.
Ryanair is to allow passengers on selected Dublin flights to make mobile phone calls. The service will be extended to the entire fleet over the next 18 months. How positively dreadful - it's bad enough now when your aircraft arrives on stand & you hear all these people ringing friends & family saying "I've arrived" Now it will be non-stop "guess where I am". Remind me to avoid this airline like the plague from now on, though I have a horrible feeling that it won't be long before the remainder follow Ryanair's lead. How on earth did people manage before mobile phones were invented??
CREDITS
Lgwmike, Ian Chadwick, Ken Ede, Paul Mutton, Derek Malt, Steve Pigg, Bob Kent, Yogi Bear, Martin Stephen, Malcolm Baldry, John Creasey, Mike Hooker, Neil Pilcher, Jethro, Skyliner, Slartibartfast & anybody else that I have forgotten.
Happy spotting!
John (& "Mad" Max)
MOVEMENTS SUMMARY (most from SBS)
AAW912 - A320 5A-ONB
AMC116 - A320 9H-AEK
AMC1126 - A319 9H-AEH
AUI501 - B733 UR-GAN
AWE730 - B752 N200UU
AWE732 - A333 N271AY
AZW724 - B762 Z-WPE
BEL2121 - B462 OO-DJX
BEL2129 - B462 OO-DJP
BMM314 - A321 CN-RNX
BTI651 - B733 YL-BBL
CIM265 - CRJ2 OY-RJC
CIM5761 - B734 SE-RJA
CIM5765 - B737 OY-MRF
CNO623 - B735 LN-BRO
CTN4494 - A319 9A-CTI
CUB400 - B763 CS-TLO (Euro Atlantic)
CUB1461 - Il96 CU-T1254
DAL012 - B764 N827MH
DAL036 - B752 N721TW
EIN242 - A320 EI-DEP
EIN244 - A320 EI-DVH
EIN246 - A320 EI-DEH (also EIN248)
ELL101 - B733 ES-ABK
EZE1513 - S2000 G-CDEA
EZS8532 - A319 HB-JZO
EZS8569 - A319 HB-JZJ (also EZS8571)
EZS8573 - A319 HB-JZI
EZS8575 - A319 HB-JZG
EZY8002 - A320 G-EZTA (delivery/first visit)
ISS3531 - A319 EI-DFA
ISS3535 - A319 EI-DEY
MAH612 - B736 HA-LOI
MAH614 - B737 HA-LOP
MPD230 - MD87 EC-KSF (Aerofan - callsign displayed as MPD233 on SBS - also MPD232)
MXA1594 - B762 XA-MXO
NAX1318 - B733 LN-KKA
NAX1342 - B733 LN-KKY
OAL271 - B734 SX-BKM
OVA32F - METRO EC-GVE (Aeronova)
QTR075 - A333 A7-AEH
RYR1X - B738 EI-DHG
RYR112G - B738 EI-DCZ (also RYR114G)
RYR116G - B738 EI-DPS (also RYR118G)
RYR1124 - B738 EI-DHW (also RYR1126)
RYR1182 - B738 EI-DYL
RYR5562 - B738 EI-DAY (also RYR5568)
RYR7102 - B738 EI-DAO
RYR9228 - B738 EI-DHC
RYR9852 - B738 EI-CSV
TAP332 - F100 CS-TPD
TAP334 - F100 CS-TPC
TAP344 - A319 CS-TTB
TSC322 - A310 C-GTSY
UAE009 - A332 A6-EAP
UAE011 - B772 A6-EMH
UAE015 - B773 A6-EBO
VIK042P - B738 SE-RHR
BIZJETS, ETC
CS-DRT HS125 (arr 15/2 & dep today)
G-INTO PC-12 (Shoreham fog diversion)
G-JCBJ S-76C (JCB2)
N737RJ Ce501 (arr 18/2)
Arriving & departing late yesterday evening after I had posted the roundup was Gulf 5 VP-BSN.