Friday 30 November 2012 - Transaero Boeing 747 VP-BGX diverts in from Bruntingthorpe!!

Transaero Boeing 747-346 VP-BGX was an afternoon arrival when in diverted in due to poor visibility
at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire, where it is due to be scrapped. The aircraft arrived from Moscow  

Thursday 29 November 2012 - Monarch Airbus A321 G-OZBF now flying in their new style colour scheme

Monarch Airbus A321-231 G-OZBF was a morning departure to Sharm el Sheikh - it is
the first Monarch 321 to wear their new style colour scheme with the yellow tail

MHS Aviation Dornier 328-100 D-CIRD operated the morning Loganair/flybe service
to Dundee - the last daylight departure of this service which ceases on Sunday evening

CityJet Fokker 50 OO-VLS was a morning arrival operating a day stopping charter from Rotterdam

Wednesday 28 November 2012 - Thomson Boeing 737 G-TAWK in new colours makes its first visit to BHX

Thomson Boeing 737-8K5 G-TAWK operated their weekly flight from Enfidha, Tunisia - its first visit
to BHX - this is the first 73H to be painted in the new colour scheme by the manufacturer Boeing and
wears additional "thomson.co.uk" titles on the engines that does not (yet) appear on the other aircraft

easyJet Airbus A319-111 G-EZDU operated their morning service to Belfast - its first visit to BHX

Piper Malibu Meridian N6108F was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron Photo: Mike Hollick

Tuesday 27 November 2012 - Falcon 50EX F-HCDD is a day stopping visitor to the Elmdon apron

Falcon 50EX F-HCDD was a day stopping visitor to the Elmdon apron Photo: Mike Hollick

TCS & Starquest Expeditions Boeing 757-28A G-OOBE which had been parked up at BHX
since it arrived on Sunday 18 November 2012....

.... positioned back to Luton - the aircraft which is operated by Thomson and has their
standard scheme on the other side of the fuselage is in a VIP configuration and operates
worldwide luxury tours on behalf of TCS & Starquest Expeditions

Enter Air Boeing 737-400 off to see Santa in Arctic Finland from Birmingham during December 2012


Enter Air - the Polish charter airline - is planning to operate a series of Boeing 737-400
"Santa flights" from Birmingham to Enontekio in Arctic Finland during December 2012

The programme comprises of a day trip and a series of longer breaks which conveniently
depart Birmingham at 1000 - please see below for the planned schedule

SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2012

1835/ N/S ENT321P 734 from Gatwick
- positioning flight - Enter Air

SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER 2012

N/S /1000 ENT3235 734 to Enontekio
- Santa flight to Lapland - Enter Air

TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2012

1755/1830 ENT3240/321P 734 from Enontekio/to Manchester
- Santa flight from Lapland - Enter Air

WEDNESDAY 19 DECEMBER 2012

1850/ N/S ENT321P 734 from Bristol
- positioning flight - Enter Air

THURSDAY 20 DECEMBER 2012

N/S /0700 ENT3243 734 to Enontekio
- day trip to visit Santa in Lapland
2120/2155 ENT3244/321P 734 from Enontekio/to Doncaster
- return of day trip to see Santa
 
SATURDAY 22 DECEMBER 2012

2210/ N/S ENT321P 734 from Manchester
- positioning flight - Enter Air

SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2012

N/S /1000 ENT3115 734 to Enontekio
- Santa flight to Lapland

THURSDAY 27 DECEMBER 2012

1745/1820 ENT3118/321P 734 from Enontekio/to Leeds
- return Santa flight from Lapland - Enter Air

Schedule/timings subject to change!!


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Monday 26 November 2012 - HM Coastguard Cessna 404 G-EXEX parked on the Elmdon apron

HM Coastguard Cessna 404 Titan II G-EXEX spent the morning parked on the Elmdon apron
- the aircraft which is operated on behalf of the MCA - Maritime and Coastguard Agency - by
Reconnaissance Ventures - RVL - had been based (on standby) at BHX over the weekend
because of the overnight closure of East Midlands runway for maintenance....

 
.... unfortunately the expected early morning visit of another Star Air/UPS Boeing 767F did not
happen when the runway work at East Midlands was cancelled because of the bad weather

Sunday 25 November 2012 - West Air Europe BAe ATP G-MANO spends the day on the Elmdon apron

West Air Europe/Atlantic Airways BAe ATP G-MANO spent the day parked up on the Elmdon apron

Thomson Boeing 757-236 G-OOBH which is in their new "dreamliner" colour scheme
was an afternoon departure to Tenerife

Saturday 24 November 2012 - Emirates Boeing 777 A6-EGU departs to Dubai in the rain!!

Emirates Boeing 777-31HER A6-EGU operated their lunchtime service to Dubai on a very wet day!
- this was the aircraft's first daylight to BHX - it had visited twice before on their evening service 

Friday 23 November 2012 - Starquest Expeditions Boeing 757 G-OOBE parked up at BHX

TCS & Starquest Expeditions Boeing 757-28A G-OOBE spent the day parked up....

.... the aircraft is in a VIP configuration but wears standard Thomson titles on the other/starboard side
and had positioned in from Luton on Sunday 18 November 2012 for short term parking at BHX

Thursday 22 November 2012 - MHS Aviation Dornier 328 D-CIRD flying for Loganair/flybe to Dundee

MHS Aviation Dornier 328-100 D-CIRD operated the morning Loganair/flybe service to Dundee
- the aircraft wears small SUN-AIR/British Airways titles on the nose from an earlier lease

easyJet Airbus A319-111 G-EZDD operated their morning service to Belfast - its first visit to BHX

Air France Airbus A318-111 F-GUGH made a very late "go around" due to wind shear on final approach to
Runway 15 while operating their lunchtime flight from Paris CDG  - it landed safely at the second attempt

SAS Boeing 737-683 LN-RRX operated their flight to Stockholm Arlanda

Citation CJ3 F-GVVB was a day stopping visitor

RAF BAe 125 CC3 ZD621 was a morning visitor to the Elmdon apron

Wednesday 21 November 2012 - Air Berlin Boeing 737 D-ABMJ visits on "Santa Claus Tour 2012"!!

Air Berlin Boeing 737-86J D-ABMJ in their "Santa Claus Tour 2012" special seasonal colour
scheme operated their flight from Hannover on a very wet day - its first visit to BHX

.... the face of "Santa" has been created from the photos of nearly 2,000 airberlin
fans and employees who uploaded their images to the airline’s Facebook page

.... and better illustrated on this airberlin promotional photo!

There is a different image of "Santa" on the starboard side of the aircraft Photo: Ron Kosys

Thomson Boeing 737-8K5 G-TAWG operated their flight from Enfidha - its first visit to BHX

SAS Boeing 737-683 LN-RCT operated their flight to Stockholm Arlanda

WDL BAe 146-300 which had arrived on Tuesday took the Mahler Chamber Orchestra
onto their next concert in Brussels

Farnair Europe ATR 72-201F HB-AFS which had arrived from Stuttgart
on Tuesday evening positioned out to Cologne



Monarch Aircraft Engineering to develop new state-of-the-art maintenance facility at Birmingham Airport

The new hangar for Monarch Aircraft Engineering will be located on the Elmdon site at Birmingham Airport
Monarch Aircraft Engineering - MAEL - the award-winning independent aircraft maintenance
provider today, Tuesday 20 November 2012, announced plans to significantly expand its UK
operations with a new 110,000 sq. ft state-of-the-art maintenance facility, creating 150 new
jobs, with the potential for a further 150, at Birmingham Airport

Due to be completed and operational by the end of 2013, the new MAEL facility will incorporate
industry-leading design and build standards and is the first UK hangar to have the capacity for
Boeing 787 dreamliner maintenance, with sufficient capacity for other wide body aircraft, such
as Boeing 777, 747 and Airbus A350. The facility will be large enough to accommodate two
Boeing 777-300ER aircraft or 10 narrow-body aircraft and will contain a number of component
repair and back shops

Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham Airport, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the
Airport for Monarch Group’s UK engineering expansion, following the growth of its flight operation
in Birmingham this year. The decision to create this state-of-the-art facility in the West Midlands
demonstrates Monarch’s long-term commitment to the region, creating job opportunities for
skilled engineers and young people looking to start a career in aircraft maintenance"
 
The new facility at Birmingham Airport will complement MAEL’s existing heavy maintenance
facilities in the UK at London Luton and Manchester Airports and supports the recent and
continuing growth of MAEL’s high-quality aircraft engineering activities

MAEL’s own third-party (i.e. non-Monarch Airlines) maintenance activities have grown to 27%
of business in 2012 from 18% in 2010, and over the next three years this is planned to increase
to almost 40% of turnover and to consolidate MAEL’s position in the top 10 largest airframe
maintenance and repair organisations (MRO) in Europe

MAEL operates globally, supporting clients throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia and
North America, where it applies superior knowledge of maintaining both legacy fleets and new
technology aircraft such as the Boeing 787 dreamliner, for which it is one of only six worldwide
Boeing-approved GoldCare providers. Current MAEL operations include an extensive global line
maintenance network, engineering technical management team, component maintenance and
spares trading organisation as well as a new purpose-built training academy

As a division of The Monarch Group, the leading UK-based travel group, MAEL also provides
high-quality aircraft maintenance and engineering services to the Monarch Airlines’ fleet,
contributing significantly to the scheduled leisure airline’s efficiency and reliability. Birmingham
Airport is one of Monarch Airlines’ six UK bases, and during 2012 the airline also expanded
its services from the airport

Mick Adams, Managing Director of MAEL, apprentices and Paul Kehoe, CEO at Birmingham Airport
Commenting on the new MRO facility at Birmingham Airport, Mick Adams, Managing Director
of MAEL, said: "Our new state-of-the-art hangar at Birmingham Airport combined with our
existing facilities at London Luton and Manchester, and large line maintenance operation at
London Gatwick, will ensure that MAEL is uniquely positioned to provide its international and
domestic customers with a high-quality and leading maintenance and repair service in key,
strategically-important MRO locations across the UK"

Caroline Spelman, MP for Meriden, which includes Birmingham Airport, said: "I am delighted
to hear about the engineering facility Monarch are investing in at Birmingham Airport. The
creation of 300 jobs through this facility and the opportunities for apprentices is a vote of
confidence in the airport and the great heritage in engineering our area has"

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Tuesday 20 November 2012 - WDL BAe 146 D-AWBA arrives with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra

WDL BAe 146-300 was a lunchtime arrival from Vienna bringing in the Mahler
Chamber Orchestra for their concert at Symphony Hall in Birmingham

SAS Boeing 737-683 LN-RPA operated their service to Stockholm Arlanda

RAF BAe 125 CC3 ZD703 was a morning visitor to the Elmdon apron

Monday 19 November 2012 - TAG Aviation Global Express G-XXRS makes its first visit to BHX

TAG Aviation Global Express G-XXRS arrived on Sunday evening on its first visit to BHX - after
spending the night parked up on the Elmdon apron it departed to Kiev Photo: Mike Hollick

Star Air Boeing 767-25EF OY-SRM flying on behalf of UPS made its first visit to BHX when it was an
early morning visitor to the Elmdon apron routing from Cologne to Belfast International via BHX due
to the overnight closure of the runway at East Midlands for maintenance Photo: Mike Hollick

Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-8F2 TC-JHM operated their service to Istanbul - its first visit to BHX

Austrian Arrows Dash 8-402Q OE-LGE operated the morning Brussels Airlines flight
in place of the usual DH4 OE-LGC

SAS Boeing 737-76N SE-RET operated their flight to Stockholm Arlanda - another first visit to BHX!

Finishing the day as it started Global Express VP-CNY was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron
- it is operated for "New Yorker" a German fashion company Photo Mike Hollick


Sunday 18 November 2012 - Glock Challenger 300 OE-HGL was a morning visitor to the Elmdon apron

Glock Challenger 300 OE-HGL was a morning visitor to the Elmdon apron

McDonnell Douglas Helicopters MD-500/Hughes 369E N7NP was a day stopping visitor

Boeing 737-73T BBJ N500LS which had arrived on Saturday spent the day parked up

SAS Boeing 737-683 LN-RPW operated their flight to Stockholm Arlanda

flybe Dash 8-402Q G-FLBD operated their afternoon flight from Belfast City....

.... it was recently named "The Mary Peters" to mark the 40th anniversary of
Dame Mary Peter's gold medal winning performance in the Munich Olympics

First Choice Boeing 767-324ER G-OOBK was a morning arrival operating the Thomson flight from Cancun