Get ready guys… it’s time for the obligatory posts at this time of year that look to the year ahead and all it’s likely to bring.

Here are a few aviation and airport related topics that are likely to dominate the headlines in 2013…

1. Airbus A350 First Flight
The date is not yet announced, but Airbus’ long-awaited next widebody, the A350, is expected to make its maiden flight from Toulouse, France, in Spring or early Summer 2013. We’ve already seen the first glimpses of the aircraft, so stay tuned for the official date of the first flight.

2. Boeing 787s Everywhere
2012 was the year of the 787 Dreamliner. They started flying with various carriers and making lots of ‘firsts’ around the world. I had the opportunity to visit the demonstrator aircraft at Heathrow as part of its World Tour. In 2013, we’re going to see a lot more airlines take delivery of the type, including Thomson Airways and British Airways in the UK, and Norwegian who will fly it on low-cost long-haul flights.

3. American Airlines New Livery
It’s been kept under wraps for a while now, but I think everyone know American Airlines will get a new livery soon. It’s new Boeing 777-300s were supposed to be the first aircraft to feature it, however the first example was delivered unpainted. Keep your eyes out as it’s likely to emerge soon in a new scheme.

4. The End of Passenger 707s
Saha Air in Iran fly the last Boeing 707 passenger services and enthusiasts have visited for many years for the chance to fly on one. But I genuinely believe 2013 will be the year they are retired for good. I may be wrong, but the airline has recently taken Airbus A300s as replacements, so the writing may finally be on the wall for the legendary airliner.

5. A Decision is Made about UK Airports/Runways
Here in the UK, tensions are running so high over the issue of extra runways for London airports, or the idea of a completely new airport built out to sea. Whilst I think it will be MANY years before we see anything appear, I think a decision has to be made in 2013 which will bring a solution.

ATI – the last operator of Douglas DC-8s with passenger seats – says it will retired the type in early 2013 as it purchases Boeing 757 aircraft to replace them.

ATI (Air Transport International) are primarily a cargo carrier, however they retain four DC-8s with a section of seating in the rear for carrying passengers alongside cargo. This made them the last chance to fly on a DC-8, however you would have to be part of a special charter to do so.

But now the carrier is looking to reduce fuel costs and modernize its fleet with the purchase of three Boeing 757s (to accompany one already in the fleet) which will also be in a combi configuration, allowing both cargo and passengers to be carried. The aircraft will be sourced from National Airlines.

ATI and their DC-8s feature in Last Chance to Fly – an ebook I’ve written detailing how to fly on the world’s rarest and most historic aircraft. Get a copy here.

As you may have read in my earlier trip report, I passed through Marrakech, Morocco recently on holiday.

The flights were with Ryanair from London Luton. On the return, I explored a bit to see what spotting opportunities there are at the airport, and what kind of flights are on offer.

First of all, at the moment there’s a new terminal under construction to the east of the current main terminal. This, I believe, is on the site of an older, recently demolished, terminal. No doubt this will have similar views to the existing terminal once complete.

The airport has a single runway, 10/28, and roads between the airport and the city pass close to the end of runway 28. The pavements alongside these roads are perfectly suitable for photographing aircraft just before landing.

There is also an area of waste ground at the end of runway 10 which is suitable for watching movements.

Outside the terminal building there are few opportunities to see what’s on the ground, save for a small gap to the right of the building which looks towards the runway.

Once inside the terminal, the only opportunities to see aircraft are once you’ve passed through to the departure lounge. This upstairs gate area runs the length of the building, with all stands visible. You can also see the runway, and get limited views of the military base on the far side of the runway (including the preserved Fairchild C-119G Boxcar, CNA-MH).

Not visible from the terminal are the parking stands at the extreme eastern end of the ramp, where executive and general aviation aircraft park. If you are departing on runway 28, sit on the right side of the aircraft and you should see these aircraft as you taxi past.

Marrakech is mainly a tourist destination, and operators are generally low-cost and leisure airlines from countries in Europe. The main operators are easyJet, Jetairfly, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Royal Air Marco, and Ryanair. A decent number of bizjet movements also pass through.

May I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, from the Airport Spotting Blog!

Thank you all for visiting this site over the past year and supporting the site by buying books and guides.

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And let me know what you’d like to see more of in 2013 by leaving a comment below!

I admit, I had to do a double-take when I first read this headline. Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, has announced that she wants to build 800 new airports in the country to tackle its economic slowdown.

However, after looking a little further into the reasoning, it might not be such a crazy idea after all.

The plan is to build an airport within 40 miles of every town and city of 100,000 or more inhabitants. When you think that Brazil has a population of 194 million, and is 17 times bigger than Spain, it starts to make sense.

Brazil’s economy was once booming, but has started to slow. It is also going to be an important few years for the country, as it approaches the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Many of the existing airports in Brazil, such as Sao Paulo Guarulhos, are bursting at the seams and need further capacity. Air transport in the country has grown 120% in the past ten years, and the number of people coming out of poverty has been 30 million in the same period.

It is therefore clear that the infrastructure needs to be improved and expanded. So we’re going to have a lot more places to visit in the future for spotting endeavours!

Emirates are going to bring their Airbus A380 super jumbos to Barcelona on their daily link to Dubai twice in the new year, replacing the usual Boeing 777-300.

The flights will take place on 24th February 2013, and 1st March 2013.

Booking is open for both of these flights if you wish to step aboard!

Sad news to report now, as Filton Airport, one of the most important pieces of British aviation history, is closing today after 102 years.

More recently known as Bristol Filton Airport, it was originally opened as a flying ground in 1910 when Sir George White set up the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company.

From then on, a proud heritage of aircraft manufacturing on the site emerged. Filton saw the production of thousands of Bristol Fighters during World War I, and during World War II types such as the Bristol Blenheim, Beaufort, Beaufighter and Brigand were produced there. Many US wartime aircraft were shipped to Bristol and assembled at Filton, too.

Since the war, Filton continued to be a major manufacturing site for civil aircraft, such as the Bristol Britannia and Bristol Freighter, and aircraft engines, such as the RB211. The site was home to the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), who produced Concorde components at the site, and later amalgamated into British Aerospace who produced some BAe 146s there, and later many components for Airbus aircraft.

When Concorde retired in 2003, British Airways’ example G-BOAF performed the last ever landing of the type when it arrived at Filton from London Heathrow. Today it is a tourist exhibit at the airport, and it’s hoped more heritage aircraft will be brought in to join it.

But sadly the airport, with its huge runway, is to be redeveloped. Airbus A380 F-WWDD flew in on 18 December along with a Supermarine Spitfire, to mark the event.

Photos on this page courtesy of Graham Wasey. See his Filton photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/egbj/sets/72157632293780694/

Air Canada‘s new leisure airline has been announced, and it’s called ‘Rouge’.

The national carrier of Canada announced a few months ago that it was seeking to set up a new carrier to handle lower cost flights to Europe and the Caribbean using Boeing 767 and Airbus A320 aircraft in 2013.

Rouge will initially fly from Montreal and Toronto, and will launch operations on 1 July, 2013. It features a new colour scheme on its two A319s and two 767-300s.

For enthusiasts, look out for some new destinations, including Edinburgh. The full list of flights are:

Toronto to:
Athens
Cayo Coco
Edinburgh
Holguin
Kingston
Liberia
Puerto Plata
Punta Cana
Samara
San José
Santa Clara
Varadero
Venice

Montreal to:
Athens

All flights will have introductory low fares to take advantage of.

Two new European airports will become Ryanair‘s newest bases next year, it has been announced.

Chania, in Crete (Greece) will become a base in April 2013, and welcome 11 new routes, including:

Billund
Bremen
Bristol
Eindhoven
Katowice
Marseille
Memmingen
Thessaloniki
Venice
Vilnius
Warsaw

Zadar (Croatia) will also open as a base in April 2013, and welcome seven new routes, including:

Dublin
East Midlands
Gothenburg City
Haugesund
Liverpool
Paris Beauvais
Wroclaw

Despite all the talk about the speed and size of growth at Turkish Airlines as it tries (quite successfully so far!) to provide a more suited alternative hub and spoke system at Istanbul Ataturk to those offered by Middle East carriers, Pegasus Airlines has just shown its own cards by placing Turkey’s largest aircraft order to date.

The order comprises a mix of 100 Airbus A320neo and A321s, with deliveries starting in 2016.

This is also significant in the fact that Pegasus to date has been a solely Boeing 737 operator, and has now chosen to switch to the European manufacturer as it seeks a “Fleet of the Future”.

The airline is hoping to capitalise further on Turkey’s dramatic growth in aviation and will challenge Turkish Airlines and other carriers’ networks from Istanbul.