Wednesday 8 February 2012 - Ruby Star Antonov 12 EW-275TI makes first visit to BHX

Ruby Star Antonov 12BK EW-275TI was an afternoon arrival
parking up to night stop on the Elmdon apron.... Photo: Mike Hollick
.

.... it arrived from Graz with a load of cargo on its first visit to BHX

becoming the 8th different Antonov 12 to visit Birmingham in 2012!!
.
More photos later!!

Tuesday 7 February 2012 - MyJet Mustang I-STCA visits the Elmdon apron

MyJet Cessna 510 Mustang I-STCA was an afternoon arrival
from Farnborough departing after a short stop to Nice
.

Castle Air Agusta A-109A G-OCMM was a morning arrival on
the Elmdon apron parking up to night stop Photo: Mike Hollick
.

Air Contractors Lockheed L100-30 Hercules EI-JIV was
an early morning departure to Saarbrucken returning later
with another load of freight
.

BA Cityflyer Embraer 170 G-LCYI which had arrived from Amsterdam

when it diverted in on Monday evening positioned back to London City

Monday 6 February 2012 - Jet2 Holidays Boeing 757 G-LSAL makes first visit to BHX

Jet2 Holidays Boeing 757-204 G-LSAL positioned in from Glasgow....
.

.... to operate a charter to Friedrichshafen on its first visit to BHX
wearing this registration - it was formerly G-BYAI with Thomson.
The scheme is based on the colours used by Allegiant Air of the US
.

Challenger 300 N424TM was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron

Birmingham Airport invests in Solar Power

Birmingham Airport will save 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year
with the installation of 200 solar panels on the roof of its terminal.
The 1.6m x 1m panels will generate 40,000 kWh a year; sufficient
to power 12 average sized houses
.
The Airport has worked in partnership with npower to install the
50kpw solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to provide renewable green
energy on-site as it reduces its dependency on mains power electricity

.

This is the first renewable energy and zero carbon installation
on the Airport site and is part of a wider project to improve
its energy management and reduce its carbon footprint
.
The solar PV panels capture the sun’s energy using photovoltaic
cells, which then convert the sunlight into electricity and even
on cloudy days can still produce some electricity, making it
incredibly efficient. The system also generates no greenhouse
gases, helping the Airport reduce its carbon footprint
.
Paul Kehoe, the Birmingham Airport’s CEO, said: "It’s exciting
for the Airport to present such a visible commitment to energy
reduction. Managing our greenhouse gas emissions is a high
priority for the company and we’re always seeking new
opportunities to work with partners to reduce our carbon footprint"
.

Graham Ryott, Development Manager at npower, added:
"Birmingham Airport is committed to a sustainable future so
installing solar PV as a way of generating energy is fundamental
to its ongoing programme in reducing its environmental impact.
As one of the busiest Airports in the country, Birmingham is
understandably a large energy user but supplementing its
energy use with on-site generation is a positive step for the
site’s future and npower is delighted to be involved"
.

For more information about Birmingham Airport and
its environmental programmes, please see here
.

Monday 6 February 2012

Sunday 5 February 2012 - winter comes to Birmingham Airport!!

Heavy snow fell overnight closing the airport but at least
it made Meridian Aviation Antonov 12BK UR-CAJ which was
parked on the Elmdon apron feel at home! Photo: Andy Davies
.

PIA Boeing 777-240ER AP-BGL which was stranded at BHX
when snow closed the airport on Saturday evening finally
departed to Islamabad during the morning while....
.

.... easyJet Airbus A319-111 G-EZDW which was also stranded after
it arrived from Grenoble on Saturday positioned out to Gatwick
.

Challenger 300 N360PA was a lunchtime arrival from Boca Raton,
Florida, via Goose Bay, Canada - its first visit to BHX
.

Cirrus SR-22 N150ZZ was a visitor to the Elmdon apron

Saturday 4 February 2012 - Aston Villa off to Newcastle on Scot Dornier 328 G-BZOG

Scot Airways Dornier 328-110 G-BZOG which had positioned
in on Friday was an afternoon departure taking Aston Villa
to Newcastle for the Premiership match on Sunday

.

Austrian Airlines Boeing 737-8Z9 OE-LNT which is in "Star Alliance"
colours operated their weekly ski IT flight to Innsbruck
.

RAF C 17 ZZ175 was a lunchtime visitor to the Elmdon
apron operating a medevac flight

Travelodge Birmingham Airport offers an airport hotel room with a view!!

Birmingham Airport and the new ATC Tower as seen
from the Travelodge Birmingham Airport on a
fine winter's day - "click" on image to see full size! ....
.

.... the upper floors of this new hotel on the Elmdon
site offer commanding views over the whole airport
.

.... the original - 1939! - airport terminal now known as the
Elmdon building with the current ATC Tower on its roof
.
The Travelodge Birmingham Airport can be booked at
www.travelodge.co.uk
.

Friday 3 February 2012

Tower Watch - Friday 3 February 2012

The construction of the structure of new ATC Tower at
Birmingham Airport is reaching its final stages with
cladding now being fixed to the tower structure....
.

.... the Control Room is complete
.

.... and the site round the tower has been cleared - when
completed the new ATC Tower will still have to be fitted out
with the new ATC equipment and as a result will not be
in use until 2013
.

Friday 3 February 2012

Friday 3 February 2012 - Air Charter Europe Beech 1900 N800CA makes first visit to BHX

Air Charter Europe Beech 1900D N800CA was a day stopping visitor
from Groningen parking on the Elmdon apron - its first visit to BHX
.

Aviavilsa ATR 42-300F LY-ETM was an early morning arrival
from Saarbruken parking up to night stop at BHX
.Meridian Aviation Antonov 12BK UR-CAJ and Air Contractors

Lockheed L100-30 Hercules EI-JIV both spent the day parked up....

.

.... BHX where East meets West!!
Photos: Ron Kosys

New "Compass Base" now in use on the Elmdon side of Birmingham Airport

The new "Compass Base" that has been constructed on the Elmdon
side of the airport adjacent to the new Eurojet is now in use - this
is an area were instruments on an aircraft can be calibrated
.

flybe Embraer 195 G-FBED is seen above on the new Compass Base

.

Thursday 2 February 2012

Thursday 2 February 2012 - Nightexpress Beech 99 D-IEXB visits from Frankfurt

Nightexpress Beech 99 D-IEXB was an afternoon visitor
operating a freight charter from Frankfurt
.

Meridian Aviation Antonov 12BK UR-CAG was an afternoon
arrival from Graz with another load of priority freight while
UR-CAJ departed back to Graz to collect another load
.

Air Contractors Lockheed L100-30 Hercules EI-JIV was
an afternoon departure on its second trip of the day to
Saarbrucken to collect yet more freight
.Air Bright/RAF Avia Antonov 26B YL-RAC which arrived in the

early hours of the morning from Graz spent the day parked on
the Elmdon apron before departing to Valencia Photo: Ron Kosys

New night time flying policy agreed by Birmingham Airport and Solihull Council

Birmingham Airport and Solihull Council have agreed
a new night time flying policy that will reduce noise
for neighbouring communities
.
At a meeting of the Council’s planning committee,
members agreed proposals which will see a reduction
in noise during the night period, where the Airport will
reduce it night noise violation level limit from 87dB(A)
to 85dB(A), which would encourage airlines to operate
quieter aircraft. The Airport also agreed to ban the
scheduling of noisy aircraft at night. The proposals
have also changed the night period to bring it in line
with other UK airports and that defined by the Civil
Aviation Authority -11.30pm-6am (previously 11pm-6am)
.
The Night Flying Policy at Birmingham Airport is
reviewed every two years. In 2010/11, an interim review
was carried out, subject to the airport carrying out a full
review in 2011. As part of the review the Airport carried
out a 16 week public consultation, launched in June 2011,
seeking the views on their proposals. The proposals were
put to the Airport Working party, who worked closely with
the airport to gain further information in order to be able to
put forward a suitable proposal to the Planning Committee
.

Chairman of Solihull Council’s Planning Committee,
Councillor Stuart Davis, said: "I’m extremely pleased that,
by working closely with Birmingham Airport, we have
been able to agree a night time policy that reduces noise
levels for our communities, and is also in line with other
UK airports, giving Solihull, Birmingham and the wider
West Midlands equal economic benefits. I’d like to thank
colleagues on the airport working party and the Airport
itself for showing true partnership working, with the
environment and the local community in mind"

.
Birmingham Airport’s Environment Manager, Kirstin Kane
said "We are committed to meeting the air travel needs of
the Midlands region in an environmentally responsible way
and the Night Flying Policy is an integral part of the Airport
Company’s overall programme of environmental mitigation.
We would also like to thank the Airport Working Party for
their approach to working in partnership to achieve a Night
Flying Policy that can be considered as the most stringent
in the UK"
.

Wednesday 1 February 2012