VISITORS
Netjets Europe Hawker 750 CS-DUH (HB-21) made a first appearance late this afternoon, while another newcomer early evening was Viking B733 SE-RHT (24962 ex PP-VOX, G-COLE, G-BYZJ).
FLEET NEWS
Air Europa will, it seems, start EMB190 operations from Madrid slightly earlier than expected, as EC-KXD (19000244) is currently scheduled to operate tomorrow afternoon's AEA1015.
Astraeus B737 G-STRH (32737) was due to leave the fleet today & is destined for AnadoluJet. What should have been its last revenue flight was as AEU153 today from Keflavik to Stansted via Brussels, though as it is due to be replaced by G-STRN (28007), which has yet to be delivered, it may have a stay of execution. Having wondered at the significance of the registration G-TRAW reserved for the B733 due to be delivered, I discovered the answer in "Airliner World". It seems that it is to be wet-leased to Italian start-up Trawel Fly, who will use it on charters from Bergamo to Catania, Crete, Heraklion & Rhodes.
Aurigny ATR72 G-BXTN (483) was ferried from Guernsey to Montpellier on 23/4, presumably on return to the lessor.
Belavia will soon have another CRJ in service. N698BR (7799) routed to Keflavik today en route to Belarus & will join existing examples EW-100PJ (7309) & EW-277PJ (7852). Correcting one popular airliner reference book, EW-101PJ (7316) is no longer in service, having been W/O on 14/02/08 at Yerevan.
British A/W B733 G-LGTG (24470) is due to be ferried from Glasgow to Kemble tomorrow afternoon. Storage, or the end of the line?
EasyJet. Unnoticed by me, A320 G-EZTB (3843) moved base from Gatwick to Manchester on 22/4, where it joined G-EZTC (3871). The latter aircraft returned to Gatwick today in a swap with G-EZTA (3805), though this is only short-term & will be reversed on Friday. G-EZTD (3909) is due for delivery from Finkenwerder to Gatwick on 15/5. The next seven A320 deliveries should be:
June - G-EZTE (3913) & G-EZTF (3922)
July - G-EZTG (3946), G-EZTH (3975) & G-EZTI (3975)
August - G-EZTJ (3079) & G-EZTK (3991)
The only A319 delivery on my radar at present is G-EZFI (3888) due in May.
Emirates. It appears that A345 A6-ERG (608), which suffered a tail scrape on take-off at Melbourne on 20th March, is to be broken up. It had originally been expected that temporary repairs would be undertaken at Melbourne prior to the aircraft making an unpressurized flight back to Toulouse for the completion of repairs. This aircraft visited Gatwick only twice, on 4/11/05 & 18/01/06.
Thomas Cook will take delivery of A321 G-TCDA (2060) in the near future. The aircraft was noted at Istanbul today also still wearing TC-JMG (see photo on the Skyliner website).
ROUTE NEWS
Iceland Express. With all the mentions of Astraeus today, it is probably worth a reminder that this airline will be moving its services to Keflavik from Stansted to Gatwick on Friday (1/5). The flights will be operated by Astraeus B737s G-STRF & G-STRN in full Iceland express scheme.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
As there are so many fleet changes going on at Astraeus, here is a summary of the airline's fleet past, present & near future.
G-OAVB B752 (24289 ex EC-247, EC-EMV, N510SK, G-OOOI, N289AN) to N920FD
G-OJIB B752 (24292 ex G-OOOG, C-FOOG, several times each) current
G-OPJB B752 (24924 ex 5Y-BHG, C-FXOK, N924AW, TJ-CAH, N924AW) parked at Southend as N924AW & for FedEx as N921FD
G-PJPJ B735 (27355 ex 9M-MFH, VT-JAZ, G-GFFJ) due shortly & to be operated for Palmair
G-STRA B733 (24059 ex G-BNPB, C-FGHT, G-BNPB, EC-771, EC-FGG, RP-C4006, G-DEBZ, N220KG, G-OBWY) to PK-KKY, N240AG, I-AIGN, A6-FAY
G-STRB B733 (24255 ex G-MONL, XA-RJP, HB-IID, SE-DUS, G-OBWX) to N255CF, OO-TNG
G-STRC B737 (30736 ex N361ML) to B-5063
G-STRD B737 (30737 ex N362ML) to B-5064
G-STRE B733 (28572 ex G-XBHX) to ES-ABK
G-STRF B737 (29885 ex EI-CXD) current & operated for Iceland Express
G-STRH B737 (32737 ex EI-CXE) due to be withdrawn from service today & for AnadoluJet
G-STRI B733 (25011 ex PP-SOF, N227AW, VH-OAN, OO-LTO, F-GRSA, SX-BBT) leased to Seagle Air as OM-HLB
G-STRJ B733 (25119 ex PP-SOL, PT-TER, VH-JNE, ZK-JNE) leased to Seagle Air as OM-HLC
G-STRN B737 (28007 ex OY-MRD, D-AABH) delivery imminent & to operate for Iceland Express
G-STRX B752 (25621 ex C-FXOO, N551NA, N459AX) current
G-STRY B752 (28161 ex C-FOON, N543NA, N369AX) leased to BMI
G-STRZ B752 (27622 ex 4X-EBI) leased to Ghana International
G-TRAW B733 (24011 ex N304AW, N370WL, EI-DOM) due shortly & to be sub-leased to Trawel Air
Finally, a photo shoot involving a USAF VC-25A & a pair of F-16s flying near the Statue of Liberty caused panic on the ground in Lower Manhattan today where offices & homes were evacuated in fear of a September 11th type attack. The police confirmed that they had been notified about the event, but had been banned from telling the public. Only in America.........
CREDITS
John Creasey, Malcolm Baldry, Dave Broome, Fly1angant, Paul Giblin, Jethro, Skyliner, Inspector Wexford & anybody else that I have forgotten.
Happy spotting!
John (& "Mad" Max)
MOVEMENTS SUMMARY (most from SBS)
AAW912 - A320 5A-ONB
ADR450 - CRJ2 S5-AAF
AEA1013 - B738 EC-IDA (also AEA1015)
AMC116 - A320 9H-AEP
AMC1122 - A319 9H-AEJ
AUI501 - B735 UR-GAT
AWE725 - B752 N202UW
AWE732 - A333 N278AY
AZW9722 - B762 Z-WPF (dep as AZW493)
BEL2121 - B463 OO-DWJ
BEL2129 - B462 OO-DJX
BMM314 - A321 CN-RNY (also BMM316)
BTI651 - B752 YL-BDB
CIM261 - CRJ2 OY-RJA
CIM265 - CRJ2 OY-RJE (aircraft change from the predicted OY-MBI)
CIM5761 - B737 OY-MRE
CIM5765 - B737 OY-MRH
CLI8640 - A320 EC-HTD
CNO623 - B735 LN-BUG
CTN494 - A320 9A-CTK
CTN4494 - A320 9A-CTJ
DAL036 - B763 N169DZ
DAL812 - A333 N821NW
EIN23A - A320 EI-DES (also EIN246/248)
EIN24D - A320 EI-DEJ
EIN236 - A320 EI-DEP
EIN903 - A320 EI-DVI (also EIN917)
EIN907 - eta 23.45
EIN921 - A320 EI-DVJ (also EIN963)
EIN925 - eta 22.30
EIN931 - A320 EI-DVF (also EIN951)
EIN933 - eta 22.35
EIN983 - A320 EI-DEC (also EIN905)
EIN985 - eta 22.55
EZS8469 - A319 HB-JZP
EZS8473 - A319 HB-JZH (also EZS8477)
EZS8532 - A319 HB-JZO (also EZS8471)
ISS3531 - A319 EI-DEY
ISS3535 - A319 EI-DEZ
MAH612 - B737 HA-LOR
MAH614 - B736 HA-LOE
NAX1302 - B733 LN-KKY
NAX1304 - B733 LN-KKM
NAX1306 - B738 LN-NOE
NAX1318 - B733 LN-KKN
NAX1332 - B733 LN-KHA
NAX3510 - B733 OY-JTC (Jet Time - third visit - also NAX3514)
NAX3521 - B733 LN-KKE (aircraft change from the predicted LN-NON)
OHY1461 - A321 TC-OAF
QTR075 - A332 A7-ACJ
RYR1X - B738 EI-DHJ
RYR112G - B738 EI-DLW (also RYR114G)
RYR116G - B738 EI-DLV (also RYR118G)
RYR1124 - B738 EI-EBE
RYR1126 - B738 EI-DYS
RYR1182 - B738 EI-DLE
RYR5562 - B738 EI-DLT
RYR5568 - B738 EI-DYB
RYR6454 - B738 EI-DPB
RYR9228 - B738 EI-DWE
RYR9852 - B738 EI-EBR
TAP332 - F100 CS-TPC
TAP334 - F100 CS-TPE
TAP342 - A319 CS-TTJ
TAP348 - A319 CS-TTC
TSC722 - A313 C-FDAT
UAE009 - B773 A6-ECJ
UAE011 - B772 A6-EMK
UAE015 - B773 A6-EMW
VIK178 - B738 SE-RHR
VIK378 - B738 SE-RHS
VIK628P - B733 SE-RHT (first visit)
BIZJETS, ETC
CS-DFX HS125 (NJE327U)
CS-DUH HS125 (NJE069C - first visit)
CS-DXP Ce560XLS (arr 26/4 & dep today)
I-IMMI Ce525 (LVN153)