Potential BFS Summer aircraft movements

[Dave]

Whilst trying to waste time during during revision, I decided to look around some websites and see if BFS has any exciting summer charters lined up, which would often inevitably bring a decent aircraft/airline into the area.

Well I have discovered that Thomas Cook will be using an A330-200 operating GLA-BFS-SFB on several Fridays. That will surely be worth visiting the airport for.

So if anyone happens to stumble across any interesting flight movements scheduled for BFS for the 09 summer, post them here

EDIT; From as far as I can tell, the flights to Sanford, Florida, will take place between the start of May until the end of July, with the flights to Sanford departing BFS at 11.30am, with the return flights from Sanford arriving at 06.25am every friday, 1st May until 31st July.

[Angry Turnip]

Thomas Cook or MyTravel as it used to be have done the Sanford run for several years now-sometimes using A330`s but usually B767`s.
Thompson have recently been operating a B767 to Bridgetown for link up with cruises in the Carribean.

So many airlines have gone now it`s difficult to say for sure what will be in charter wise-firstly a list of airlines that used to come into BFS on the summer programme that have recently gone or stopped the BFS operation

Zoom,Futura,Astreaus,LTP,Excel Air,FlyJet and possibly Spanair and Tyrol Airlines are the main ones I can think of.

Other stuff that usually comes in during the summer and aircraft they have operated.Lourdes flights sometimes have interesting charters.

Air Europa B737 or A320
EuroCypria B737
Pegasus B737
Sun Express B737
Onur Air A320,A300
Air Transat A310
BMI A320 A321 B737
Thompson B737 A320 B767 A330
First Choice A320 B757
Dubrovnik Airlines MD80/90
Czech Airlines A320 A321
Croatian Airlines A320 A321
Avia/Flightline MD80/90 Still operating???
Hemus Air B737
VLM Fokker 50
Titan B737 B757 Bae 146
Travel Service B737

Then of course we have regulars:

Continental B757
FlyGlobespan B767 B757
Jet 2 B737 B757
EasyJet B737 A319
Aer Lingus A320
Thomas Cook A320 A330 B767
BMI Baby B737
Manx2 Let 410 Metroliner Dornier 228
CARGO B757 B767 A300 Bae146 B737 Fokker 50 and various other types.

Then my favourite of all WEATHER DIVERSIONS Ryanair,FlyBe and others.


If I can think of any other s I will post them up.

[Dave]

Yea, there has been many various airlines and aircraft using the airport in the past, but the numbers seem to be reducing every year. And now that I'm a photographer, I want to nab afew shots this summer of unusual aircraft at BFS

It's a shame that there are no charter and freighter timetales for BFS like there is for MAN, the famous ringwayreports site, which is closing at the end of January.

[Angry Turnip]

For cargo stuff you gotta get up early or if your very lucky mid summer sometimes you get daylight departures.
I have even seen C-130`s coming into Aldergrove very early in the morning during the Summer.

It`s really just a matter of spending alot of time waiting around-the internet can only tell you so much.

[Dave]

Then my favourite of all WEATHER DIVERSIONS Ryanair,FlyBe and others.

Funny you should say that. A flyBE flight was diverted to BFS last night, despite being diverted before it had taken off from Manchester. It was due for a departure of some time after 11pm so I imagine it was a late departure and as BHD closes around 10, a flight to BFS was required.

Some more links for BFS summer and winter charters.

http://www.flyglobespan.co.uk/timetables.asp?outdepair=BFS&outarrair=SFB&season=S09&seasonname=Summer%202009

http://www.flyglobespan.co.uk/timetables.asp?outdepair=BFS&outarrair=YHM&season=SA9&seasonname=Summer%202009

http://web.ana-aviation.com/BY_schedule.nsf/Departing%20Schedule!OpenPage&Start=1&Count=1000&Expand=2.20

At some point, I would like to compile some sort of timetable of all the charters.

[casper]

Pity all the Flyglobespan arrivals are early morning

[Angry Turnip]

The Globespan operation has to be one of the worst time keepers I have ever heard of.So the aircraft could arrive and depart at anytime.

They had leased out one of their B767`s to Air India which were using it for Gatwick/Mumbai  and Gatwick/Johanasburg flights when it wasn`t doing GLS-BFS-Sanford-I recall it being 27 hours late at one time!!!

[Dave]

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Obama-tipped-for-Ulster-visit.4892699.jp

Rumors have been spreading over the past week or so that President Obama could be visiting Ulster / Ireland as soon as April. Now that would be immense to capture Air Force one gliding into BFS. Unfortunately I wasn't into proper photography much when he was here during the start of last summer however does anybody know how the security was during his flight into BFS? Was spotting/photography allowed in the usual places of Killead or was the whole airport boarder surrounded with high security police barring any kind of photography?

[vortex003]

Well the only person who managed good pics (the only ones i saw posted on the 'net anyway) of Bush departing a few months ago was Mr Harvey,the guy who works on site.
Another guy photographed AF1 and one of the presidential Blackhawks on the ground but i don't know where he was positioned.

[Angry Turnip]

Unlikely he would visit N.Ireland so soon-I managed to get some shots of Air Force One departing but security was very tight.

I have some more but here are two for starters.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[casper]

Fantastic. The thought of the tight security put me of from going down. Would loved to have seen it closeup though. I have seen it fly over but it's not the same.

[vortex003]

That first one is a belter Angry.Excellent pics.

[Angry Turnip]

Thanks for the comments-couple more of Air Force One as it departed BFS.
Amazing what you can get away with by wearing a blue boiler suit and a pair of wellie boots

In the second picture you can see the "Escape Pod" at the tail section.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[String]

fab photo's.

[Dave]

Indeed, great photos! Good working capturing the aircraft on take off. Capturing any take off from BFS is hard enough let alone AF1 during tight security times. Where abouts were you when you managed to snap the pics? IIRC, the aircraft took of from runway 25 although I could be wrong.

[Mark]

Security was tight around the 'usual' spotting places. Killead road was a no-go zone, and in fact anywhere around the 25 threshold area for quite a distance. I myself travelled down towards templepatrick, and found a nice little country road under the approach path. There were a few other people there too.
I waited around until the cavalcade was due to head towards Belfast in the hope it would use the same road to the M2, and it did.
So at least I can say I got within a few feet of the President - security ? what security ! HEHE
See pics below.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[vortex003]

Top pics there abyzz 

[casper]

Definitely. I'd be happy just to see a 747 close up let alone Air Force One

[tcx91]

Thomson Airways Aircraft which are being based at BFS for summer season any a possibility for the winter is

B737-800
B757-200

The 738 will be heading down to : Palma, Alicante, Malaga, Faro, Ibiza, Naples and some other routes TBC

B752 - Turkey Dalaman, All Canary Airports, Reus, this is subject to change due to an overnight flight so could be a possibility of 767-200

Connecting flights with the UK will include Miami, Barbados and Sanford Orlando this will be operated by 767-300ER

Hope this helps you guys anyone need anymore aircraft details let me know ill get them in College

[Dave]

Thanks to a friend who works at BFS, here are Thomas Cook's A330 appearances at BFS during the summer months;

The times below are GMT, so +1 hour for local times. TNT/Maersk Air/DHL operating at the same times apparently as their wintr schedule however I'm not fully 100% what those tims are... All I know is they're early morning. Come June and July, it should be light enough for the morning flights

05 June TCX12P 0910  A330
06 June TCX12L 0545 A330
12 June TCX12P 0910 A330
13 June TCX12L 0545 A330
19 June TCX12P 0910 A330
20 June TCX12L 0545 A330
23 June TCX49P 0805 A330
26 June TCX12P 0955 A330
26 June TCX988P 1900 B757
27 June TCX12L 0525 A330
27 June TCX62P 0930 A330
28 June TCX87P 1040 A330
30 June TCX49P 0805 A330

01 July TCX72P 1110 A330
01 July TCX481P 1825 B753 - note the 757-300, pretty rare aircraft here
03 July TCX12P 0955 A330
03 July TCX988P 1900 B757
04 July TCX12L 0625 A330
04 July TCX62P 0925 A330
05 July TCX87P 1040 A330
07 July TCX49P 0805 A330
08 July TCX49L 0440 A330
08 July TCX481P 1825 B753 - 757-300 again
10 July TCX470K 0520 B763
10 July TCX12P 0950 A330
10 July TCX988L 1645 B752
11 July TCX12L 0625 A330
12 July TCX76L 0420 A330
13 July TCX87L 0715 A330
15 July TCX49L 0430 A330
16 July TCX481L 0235 B753 - and again
16 July TCX72L 0650 A330
17 July TCX44P 0755 A330
17 July TCX988L 1645 B752 - meh, its only a 757-200
18 July TCX12L 0435 A330
19 July TCX62L 0420 A330
19 July TCX76L 0420 A330
20 July TCX87L 0840 A330
22 July TCX49L 0430 A330
23 July TCX72L 0615 A330
24 July TCX481L 0235 B753 - yay, again
24 July TCX12P 0910 A330
24 July 1635 TCX470L B763
24 July 1645 TCX988L B752
25 July TCX12L 0545 A330
26 July TCX76L 0420 A330
31 July TCX12P 0910 A330
31 July TCX988L 1645 B752

01 Aug TCX12L 0545 A330
08 Aug TCX12L 0545 A330
15 Aug TCX12L 0545 A330
21 Aug TCX85P 0610 A330
28 Aug TCX85P 0610 A330
04 Sep TCX12P 0910 A330
05 Sep TCX2L 0545 A330
12 Sep TCX12L 0545 A330
19 Sep TCX12L 0545 A330

All other Thomas Cook flights are being operated by A320s. Thomson are operating using C-GTDH, a leased A320 the same as First Choice did last year. It arrives 1st May til 1st November. There are now 2 based Jet2 737s for the summer.  Aer Lingus remains 3 based A320s, and easyJet have replaced the nightstopping A319 to a based 737, so 6 (or maybe 7) 737s based from them.

Thanks to Chris for the information sent!

Regards,

Dave

[casper]

And thanks to Dave for posting it Fantastic info, many thanks

[Angry Turnip]

Regarding the TNT/STAR Airlines UPS/DHL cargo flights they all arrive at approx 0600 or there abouts.

When I worked at Aldergrove we handled the TNT and UPS flights.
Not much fun in the winter as many of the vehicles we used had no roof or doors-totally exposed to the elements on an icey/wet morning was grim.

See pic below of the sort of vehicle I mean.

Only chance of getting shots of them are late summer when they depart between 2030 and 2100 hrs approx.

Below a couple of shots I have from my vast collection-I spend too much time up at BFS



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Dave]

Thanks Angry, and nice shots of the cargo aircraft. They're pretty awkward to catch as it's almost impossible to catch any aircraft departingBFS so well caught.

If they all arrive around 6am then theres probably a chance to catch them around June as the sun usually pops up around 5.30 for a while in June 

I take it theres no heating or radio on those little tractors 

[Angry Turnip]

No heating,no radio,and most of the seats were torn so the sponge under them was soaking.Like sitting in a cold puddle-not very glam

[EGAA/EGAC]

Just a heads up for later, Croatian Airlines A319 due in from LPL at 1750L. Back out an hour later to Dubrovnik.