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Thursday 29 May 2014 - BBC News Eurocopter Squirrel 2 G-TAKE is a visitor to the Elmdon apron

BBC News Eurocopter Squirrel 2 G-TAKE was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron.... Photo: Brett Allen

.... departing to Lichfield Cathedral to cover the memorial service for cancer fund raiser Stephen Sutton
- the helicopter is operated on behalf of BBC News by Arena Aviation

United Technologies Falcon 2000EX N810U which had arrived on Wednesday
was an afternoon departure Photo: Brett Allen

Challenger 300 D-BIGA made a brief afternoon visit departing to Cologne

Monarch Boeing 757-2T7 G-DAJB which went into the hangar back on Friday 25 April 2014....

.... was towed outside and turned around to park up during the afternoon

PIA Boeing 777-240ER AP-BGL operated their flight from Islamabad
making use of the extended runway for the first time

Wednesday 28 May 2014 - Gulfstream IVSP N432HC "Hotel California" is an arrival from Amsterdam

Gulfstream IVSP N432HC was an afternoon arrival from Amsterdam bringing in the "Eagles"
- an American rock band - for their concerts at the LG Arena - the "HC" in the aircraft coming
from their 1976 album "Hotel California" one of their greatest hits



Gulfstream V N225EE made a brief afternoon visit to the Elmdon apron....

.... before continuing onto Farnborough Photos: Mike Hollick

Aravco Embraer Legacy 650 G-OTGL was an evening arrival parking up to night stop

Air Transat Airbus A310-304 C-GTSH operated their weekly flight to Toronto
making use for the first time of the extended runway

Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-8F2 TC-JHV operated their morning service to Istanbul
catching some brightness on a very wet day as it proceeded along Taxiway Sierra

Hamburg Airways Airbus A320-214 D-AHHF operated their weekly flight to Hannover
entering the runway via Taxiway Echo/Echo 1 - no full length departure for him!

Icelandair announce new service to Reykjavik and onto the USA and Canada from Birmingham Airport

Icelandair has announced a new scheduled service to Keflavik Airport, Reykjavik,
from Birmingham Airport which will become the airlines 5th UK gateway - the new
flights will operate twice weekly from Thursday 5 of February 2015
 
Andres Jonsson, General Manager of Icelandair UK, said: "We are delighted to announce
Birmingham as our newest gateway in the UK. Our first route from the Midlands will not
only open up opportunities of travelling to and from Iceland but also a refreshing and
convenient way to North America"

Just under 3 hours from Birmingham, the Nordic country is expected to become a popular
year-round destination from the Midlands. "Iceland’s nature, including the Northern Lights
and the hot springs, has always been the biggest attraction but Icelandic locals will also
offer a warm welcome. In fact, Iceland was voted the friendliest nation on earth in a recent
poll by World Economic Forum" adds Andres

The new service will also offer an attractive flight option to North America. Andres explains:
"By using Iceland’s geographical position midway between Europe and North America we
can offer some of the fastest elapse times from Birmingham to popular destinations such
as Washington DC and Seattle

William Pearson, Birmingham Airport’s Aviation Development Director, added, "The decision
by Icelandair to commence services from Birmingham is fantastic news for Midlands’ business
and leisure travellers wanting to reach Reykjavik, and indeed onwards to the USA and Canada
using Icelandair’s strong network of connecting flights"
 
The Birmingham service operates an Icelandair Boeing 757, seating 183 passengers, offering
three cabin service, leather seats and personal in-flight entertainment systems. Tickets go on
sale today, Wednesday 28 May 2014 with one way fares to Iceland from £119.23
 
Icelandair schedule from Birmingham Airport effective from Thursday 5 February 2015

1025/1225 FI494/495 75W from/to Reykjavik Keflavik
- operates on Monday and Thursday 
 
Onward connections are available from Reykjavik to Anchorage, Boston, Denver, Edmonton, Halifax,
Minneapolis, Newark, New York JFK, Orlando, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington DC
Wednesday 28 May 2014

Oxfam operate a relief flight to Juba in South Sudan from Birmingham Airport using Antonov 12 UR-CGW

Oxfam operated a relief flight to Juba in South Sudan from Birmingham Airport on Sunday 18 May 2014....

Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov 12BP UR-CGW positioned in from Riga to operate the flight....

.... which was carrying a large amount of Oxfam relief supplies for South Sudan

.... including a framed tent - yes everything in these photos was to go inside the Antonov 12!

Loading of the Antonov 12 soon started....

.... with all the crates having to be carefully positioned and tied down - it was a long
slow process as it was important to get the aircraft's "weight and balance" correct....

.... but finally everything was on board with every inch of space used!!

Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov 12BP UR-CGW then started up for Heraklion its first stop
en-route to Aswan, Egypt and then onto Juba in South Sudan....

.... it was almost certainly the heaviest loaded Antonov 12 to ever depart Birmingham

.... so made full use of the runway followed by a long slow climb out

The flight was organised by Air Charter Services on behalf of Oxfam
and was handled at Birmingham Airport by Blue City Aviation

Donations to the Oxfam South Sudan emergency response appeal can be made here -
Sunday 18 May 2014

Runway Watch - Monday 26 May 2014 - first phase of commissioning the runway extension completed!

Birmingham Airport completed the first phase of the commissioning of its 400 metre runway extension
in the early hours of Monday 26 May 2014 with Thomson Boeing 737-8K5 G-FDZU on its way to Naples
being the first aircraft to depart off the now extended runway at 0611....

.... with Emirates Boeing 777-31HER A6-EGN from Dubai becoming the first aircraft to land 2 minutes later

The runway had been closed during the early hours of Monday morning to enable the contractors to
commission the lightning, markings and signage in the "extended" runway layout - and remove the
cones! - with the BHX Ops team performing final checks on the now extended runway just before 0600....

.... with the new runway lighting - which includes restored centreline lights - handed over to ATC
this was then checked first for Runway 15 - illustrated - before changing to Runway 33 as above

While the runway extension is now "open" it will not be used today/Monday pending the commissioning
of Taxiway Sierra - the parallel taxiway - that is planned to take place in the early hours of Tuesday
morning when the runway will again be closed - the new taxiway and with it access to the extended
runway is planned to be operational at 0600 on Tuesday 27 May 2014 - after that time aircraft that
require the "full length" of Runway 33 for departure will be able to access the runway via Taxiway Sierra

Monday 26 May 2014

Saturday 24 May 2014

Royal Thai Air Force Boeing 737-4Z6 HS-CMV/11-111 performed a "touch and go"
on Runway 15 during the afternoon while on a training flight out of Farnborough
More photos soon

Wednesday 21 May 2014 - Privilege Style Boeing 757-256 EC-ISY arrives to be based flying for Monarch

Privilege Style Boeing 757-256 EC-ISY was an afternoon arrival positioning in
from Gatwick to become based flying for Monarch

SAS Airbus A321-232 OY-KBL operated their evening service from Copenhagen

Air Transat Airbus A310-304 C-GFAT operated their weekly flight from Toronto

SaxonAir Beechjet 400XP G-KLNR was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron while....

SaxonAir Super King Air G-KLNB made two visits during the day

Tuesday 20 May 2014 - Falcon 7X N82RP is a lunchtime departure to Teterboro, New York

Falcon 7X N82RP which had arrived on Monday was a lunchtime departure to Teterboro, New York

JOTA Aviation King Air G-JOTB was a lunchtime visitor Photo: Mike Hollick

Zorex Metro II EC-JYC spent the day parked up on a crowded Elmdon apron

Eastern Jetstream 41 G-MAJE operated their afternoon service to Newcastle
in place of the usual AIS Airlines aircraft departing in a rain shower

Monday 19 May 2014 - flybe Dash 8Q-402 G-ECOH now flying as their second "#purpleplane"

flybe Dash 8Q-402 G-ECOH has become the second aircraft to be repainted into their new purple colour scheme
"#purpleplane" - it arrived from Amsterdam and then operated to Inverness before departing to Guernsey

Gulfstream IV N728LB which had arrived last Thursday made a brief afternoon visit to Manchester

Falcon 7X N82RP was a morning arrival from Luton parking up to night stop on the Elmdon apron

Sunday 18 May 2014 - Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov 12BP UR-CGW operates relief flight to South Sudan

Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov 12BP UR-CGW positioned in from Riga to operate a relief flight....

.... on behalf of Oxfam to Juba in South Sudan - photo report here - with the aircraft
departing off Runway 15 to its first stop at Heraklion Photos: Mike Hollick

GainJet Boeing 737-406 SX-ATF operated the return charter from Santorini....

.... parking on stand 42L before positioning out to Luton Photo: Matt Kidgell

Austrian Dash 8-402Q OE-LGF operated the afternoon Brussels Airlines flight in place of the usual aircraft OE-LGC

Blue1 Boeing 717-23S OH-BLJ operated the SAS service from Stockholm Arlanda Photo: Matt Kidgell
 
Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-8F2 TC-JHO which had gone "tech" on Saturday afternoon was towed
to the Elmdon apron for engine runs before departing back to Istanbul Photo: Mike Hollick

Estonian Air Embraer 170LR ES-AEB positioned out to Edinburgh to operate a charter back to Farnborough

Challenger 300 N425DB which is a Bombardier demonstration aircraft made an early morning visit
routing from Bradley, Connecticut, via Goose Bay and then continuing onto Geneva where it was to
be displayed at annual the EBACE business aircraft show

Gulfstream 200 N217BA was an evening arrival from Teterboro, New York....

.... parking up to night stop on the Elmdon apron Photo: Mike Hollick

Super King Air N820DL made a brief evening visit Photo: Mike Hollick

Robinson R-66 Turbine N4480W made a brief morning visit