Here’s a nice little professional video showing a bunch of aircraft preparing for departure at Delhi International Airport. You’ll see both domestic and international airlines and aircraft and some really nice angles.
Don’t forget our book Mumbai Airports Through Time is a fantastic collection of photographs of aircraft in India from the 1970s to the present day. Makes a great addition to any aviation book collection. More information…
ANA All Nippon Airways has announced that the new name for its low cost subsidiary, formerly AirAsia Japan, will be Vanilla.
I reported last month that AirAsia Japan was to close. The joint venture between ANA and AirAsia has now been bought and will relaunch in December using two aircraft leased from ANA.
The new airline’s president, Tomonori Ishii, stated “Vanilla is loved by everyone in the world,” adding “The smell of vanilla makes people relaxed.”
The airline will focus on international holiday destinations from Tokyo Narita. Routes will be announced in September.
If you’re in Dublin on 15th September you’re in for a treat. Head down to the River Liffey in the centre of the city and you will enjoy FlightFest, “a once-in- a-lifetime, international fly past.”
More than 30 aircraft will take part in the show running along the river at low level for all below to enjoy.
A large section of the quays will be pedestrianised, with many family attractions and festivities available, contributing to a carnival atmosphere that will showcase Irish aviation. Large commercial aircraft from Ireland and abroad will fly past, including:
Airbus A320 (Aer Lingus ‘Retro’)
Airbus A321 (Aer Lingus)
Airbus A300 (Air Contractors)
Airbus A330 (Aer Lingus)
Airbus A340 (Etihad)
Airbus A380 (British Airways) aircraft.
ATR 42 (Aer Lingus Regional)
ATR 72 (Air Contractors)
Avro RJ85 (CityJet)
Boeing 737-800 (Ryanair)
dH Dragon Rapide (Aer Lingus)
L100 Hercules (Air Contractors and RAF)
The Irish Air Corps, and the Royal Air Force will also participate and spectators will enjoy a variety of helicopters and historic aircraft, including the B-17 Flying Fortress, Catalina, Hawker Hunter and Vulcan Bomber.
The show starts mid-afternoon. Exact times and more details can be found at http://flightfest.ie/
New Haitian carrier Sunrise Airways is working on establishing its base at Port-au-Prince, and has now added its first international service.
It will start regularly scheduled passenger service between Cap Haitien and Providenciales, Turks & Caicos beginning August 26, 2013.
“Haiti is moving forward, and Sunrise Airways right along with it,” said Philippe Bayard, the airline’s President. “All of us at Sunrise and Haitians everywhere can all take pride in the type of modern, professional airline we’re building from the ground up here in Port-au-Prince to enhance air travel options throughout the region.
Air Koryo is reportedly planning to replace its ageing Tupolev TU-134 and TU-154 airliners with more modern Antonov An-148-100 and An-158 aircraft.
It is in the process of ordering two An-148s and a single An-158 to replace the older aircraft, meaning the days of flying on these historic types may soon be at an end.
Having said that, people who have been on recent aviation tours to the country have reported that the airline’s IL-18 will remain active for many years to come, and the IL-62s will also likely remain active as the type is in use as a government transport.
For details of rare and historic aircraft still in passenger service, see our ebook Last Chance to Fly
Aeromexico has received its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on delivery from Boeing.
The aircraft, owned by International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), arrived at Mexico City following a direct flight from Everett.
The airplane is the first of nine 787-8 airplanes that Aeromexico will operate, including five on lease from ILFC. The airline will operate a total of 19 Dreamliners, including 10 787-9 models ordered last year.
“This 787 Dreamliner delivery to Aeromexico is another milestone in our four decade-long, strategic relationship with the airline and ILFC”, said ILFC Chief Executive Officer Henri Courpron. “ILFC obviously shares Aeromexico’s views that the 787 will deliver significant operational benefits and customer value.”
See our Boeing 787 Routes page for information on where Aeromexico will fly their Dreamliners.
I had requested a room with a view of the airport, and upon arrival this was confirmed. My visit was planned to make the most of the evening cargo flights, which are busiest on weekdays. Odd-numbered rooms in the range 301-319 and 401-419 all face the airport and are close enough to read off aircraft registrations. All airport movements are visible, however after dark a SBS or flight tracking website is required to log the aircraft identities. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi with all room rates.
Photography is also possible from the rooms with a 250mm lens, particularly in the daytime when aircraft are landing or departing on runway 09. However, the glass may cause distortion in some cases.
The photos on this page are from my stay, and show the views that are possible from the room. All movements on the runway are visible.
International Airlines Group (IAG), which is the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, has placed firm orders and options for 220 Airbus A320 aircraft.
120 of the aircraft are set to be delivered to Vueling, which has seen a successful campaign of growth and expansion. The aircraft, which include both A320ceo and A320neo models, will be used partially to replace older examples, and partially to allow continued growth.
Options for 100 aircraft could be exercised for delivery to any of the airlines in the group depending on their situation at the time.
Deliveries are expected to run between 2015 and 2020.
Italy’s newest commercial airport, and the fourth on Sicily, recently welcomed its first passenger flights as it looks to take a share of tourist traffic to the island.
Comiso Airport is a converted military and NATO field which has had its runways and passenger facilities upgrades. The first commercial service was a charter by Medavia (see picture) from Malta. The first scheduled flights are operated by Ryanair, who started their new route from Rome Ciampino on 7 August.
Another two Ryanair routes, to London Stansted and Brussels Charleroi, will begin in September.
An improved Observation Gallery at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Marshall) is now open to the public. The gallery was temporarily closed in June 2012 for construction of a series of terminal enhancements. The work included improvements and new exhibits for the Observation Gallery and the installation of Sky Azure, a new food and beverage concession.
“The Observation Gallery is an important part of the travel experience for our passengers,” said Paul J. Wiedefeld, Chief Executive Officer of BWI Marshall Airport. “The improvements feature new and updated exhibits that showcase Maryland’s rich aviation and aerospace history.”
Similar to the outdoor observation deck that was part of the original Friendship International Airport, the Observation Gallery was first created in 1995 to offer views of airport operations. The public space included a number of exhibits related to aviation and air travel, including large sections of a Boeing 737-200 aircraft.
Views from the gallery include aircraft parked at the nearby terminal gates, and using the distant runways beyond. Photographs are through glass, and binoculars are required for reading registrations. There are some binoculars provided for public use.
The BWI Marshall Observation Gallery is adjacent to the new B/C security checkpoint on the upper level. It is open to the public and located prior to the security checkpoint. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
