Friday 15 May 2009 - Eurojet Citation XLS G-OSVM makes its first visit to BHX

Eurojet's Belfast International based Citation XLS G-OSVM was an

evening arrival parking on the Elmdon apron - its first visit to BHX
.

Citation CJ3 D-CNOB was an afternoon visitor to the Elmdon apron

Thursday 14 May 2009 - Titan Agusta A109E G-WELY visits the Elmdon apron

Titan Airways Agusta A109E G-WELY was an afternoon

visitor to the Elmdon apron

.

Gulfstream IVSP N757MC was a morning visitor....
.
.... as was Piper Aerostar N70VB

Birmingham Airport welcomes new US Airways transatlantic service to Phildelphia

Stephen Raeder, US Airways, Philly's finest "Rocky" and Paul Kehoe, BHX CEO,

welcomes the new service to Philadelphia

.

Birmingham International Airport today, Wednesday 13th May 2009,

welcomed the inaugural service by US Airways to Philadelphia

.
The new, seasonal 5-times-weekly service is the first direct link

between Birmingham and Philadelphia, and gives passengers another

route to destinations in the US such as: Boston, Chicago, Fort

Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Miami, San Francisco

and Tampa. Onward travel also includes Canada, the

Caribbean and Latin America
.

Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham International Airport, was on hand to

welcome the passengers this morning and said: "Having US Airways

as one of our partners is excellent news, not just for the Airport but

also for the region. This established carrier, which is part of the

Star Alliance, announced that it would be flying from Birmingham

back in October last year, and we are delighted that they have shown

both confidence in the region and Birmingham during what are

extremely trying times"

.

"It is encouraging that the outbound flight this morning is over 70%

full which is excellent for an inaugural"

.
"Having US Airways on board to Philadelphia will help us to

welcome home some of the 60% of the regions’ travellers who punish

themselves by driving miles along crowded motorways to other

Airports hours away"
.

Senior Vice President, East Coast, International and Cargo

Operations Suzanne Boda said, "We’re thrilled to expand our

presence in the United Kingdom with new Birmingham flying.

Customers in both countries will have spectacular access to and

from the U.S. via our Philadelphia International Gateway

from Birmingham. We appreciate the support and hard work

of Birmingham officials as well as the continued support

and commitment of the Philadelphia City Division of Aviation"
.
Cassie Muir, Executive Director, British American Business Council,

added, "As an organisation that promotes the strong transatlantic

trade relationship that the UK and the US share, we are delighted

with the start of this transatlantic route on US Airways. Many of

our organisation's members travel to the US on a regular basis

for business purposes, so this route from Birmingham directly into

Philadelphia and beyond, allows companies within our region

greater access to the US, and also allows ease of transport in the

reverse manner. This route on US Airways will help save companies

time by providing them with direct access into the Midlands region

where many viable business interests lie"
.
Flights will operate five times a week, arriving into Birmingham

at 06:25. The service will then depart at 08:45, arriving

in Philadelphia at 11:50
.

Operating a Boeing 757-200 aircraft, US Airways will offer
a mixed cabinof 164 Economy seats and 12 business class seats

.

Passengers interested in booking on US Airways should visit

www.usairways.co.uk or call 0845 6003300 to make a reservation

.

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Wednesday 13 May 2009 - Croatia Airbus A319 9A-CTH operates IT flight to Dubrovnik

Croatia Airbus A319-112 9A-CTH positioned in from Cardiff

to operate an IT flight to Dubrovnik

.

The Al-Kharafi Group insignia has been added to the tail

of Twinjet Airbus A319CJ G-NMAK
.

Air Berlin Airbus A319 D-ABGH operated their flight from Hannover

in place of the usual 320 - the aircraft is in their interim new colours

Monday 11 May 2009 - Titan King Air G-POWB visits the Elmdon apron

Titan Super King Air G-POWB was a morning visitor to the Elmdon

apron operating a flight for the NHS Transplant service

.

NetJets Hawker 800XP CS-DRA was a morning visitor
.
flybe Dash 8Q-400 G-JEDP in their "Low cost but
not at any cost" special green colour scheme
.
Eastern Jetstream 41 G-MAJZ operated their evening
service from Newcastle

Birmingham Airport launches a quieter approach to the Airport‏ at 2008 Pathfinder awards

John Morris, Head of Corporate and Community Affairs, Birmingham Airport

and Caroline Spelman MP celebrate with the winners

Caroline Spelman, Conservative MP for Meriden, has helped

Birmingham International Airport and NATS launch a new

scheme - Continual Decent Approaches - to further reduce the

noise of aircraft operations
.
The basic principle of a Continual Decent Approach (CDA) is that

arriving aircraft stay higher for longer, by descending at a

continuous rate. This technique uses significantly less engine thrust

which makes life quieter for communities around the airport. Less

thrust means less fuel burn – and that’s good news for the

environment too, as it also means fewer carbon emissions
.
Continual Decent Approaches (CDAs), will be introduced at

Birmingham from May, following the successful completion of

a trial, driven by NATS. Throughout the trial, the Air Traffic

Controllers at NATS have worked with airlines to change the

way that arriving aircraft approach the airport. Their hard work

has already led to an improvement in CDAs from 50% to 90%
.
Caroline Spelman launched this new initiative at the annual

"Operation Pathfinder" Awards at the Airport, which are now in

their third year. The awards were inspired by Mrs Spelman,

following her regular meetings with the Airport on behalf of her

constituents
.
The awards encourage a more open dialogue between the Airport

and its airlines, ensuring that everyone has a part to play in

maintaining defined routes, and reducing nuisance to neighbours.

Regular ‘Operation Pathfinder’ meetings take place, with more

airlines having joined the scheme in the last year. This year’s

awards were presented to Swiss International Airlines, Ryanair,

Monarch Airlines and Brussels Airlines
.
Caroline Spelman said: “It is great to be at the Airport for two

celebrations today. This third anniversary of Operation Pathfinder

is testament to the hard work that the Airport’s Environment Team

and the airlines have undertaken to ensure that residents are not

subjected to unnecessary noise from low flying aircraft. Over the

three years, it has been encouraging to see that airlines realise the

impact that their aircraft can have over populated areas, and they

are keen to improve. I would like to congratulate the airlines,

NATS and the Airport for their continued work on this project and

the successful partnership that they have developed through

Operation Pathfinder
.
"Additionally, the implementation of Continual Decent Approach

means that residents will be subjected to less noise from arriving

aircraft which is good news for everyone and something that I am

pleased Birmingham Airport has launched as an initiative, as it

demonstrates the company’s commitment to its environmental

promises"
.
John Morris, Head of Corporate and Community Affairs for the

Airport, said: "As many residents are aware, the Airport constantly

strives to be a good neighbour and we often can’t achieve our goals

alone. We are delighted that so many airlines have continued to

take part in the Operation Pathfinder initiative and with the on

track results improving since last year, from 97.79% to 98.37% this

year, it shows how Birmingham Airport is aware of its close

connections with the community, and in working with the airlines

we hope that this can continue"
.
"It is not generally known that the ‘footprint’ for noise disturbance

at Birmingham has been reduced by about three quarters over the

last twenty years or so, and that far fewer people are affected by

us than used to be the case"
.
BIA’s noise and track-keeping monitoring system, ANOMS 8, has

provided the Airport Company with the information for these

awards to take place. ANOMS 8 is an aircraft track-keeping and

noise monitoring system to assist in noise exceedences, off-track

departures, as well as providing detailed maps and sound recordings.

It also offers an advanced database to help the Airport’s

Environment Team monitor and investigate community enquiries,

thus enhancing the Airport’s ability to communicate more

effectively with its neighbours
.
The awards for best practise track-keeping in 2008 -

.
· Swiss International Air Lines: Special Award – improved from 84.1% to 95.4%
· Ryanair: Best track-keeping in category (>200 ATMs)
· Monarch Airlines: Best track-keeping in category (>100 ATMs)
· Brussels Airlines: Best track-keeping in category (>50 ATMs)
.
The following airlines were given awards for participating

in the Operation Pathfinder meetings and providing

invaluable feedback:

.

Flybe, bmibaby, Thomsonfly, Thomas Cook Airlines

The following airlines were given certificates for achieving

a 95% target of "on-track" departures in 2008:

.

Ryanair, Aer Lingus, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, bmibaby,

Monarch Airlines, Thomsonfly, Emirates, Eastern Airways,

Brussels Airlines, Thomas Cook, Lufthansa, Flybe, Air Malta,

City Airline, Air India, Continental Airlines,

Swiss International Air Lines, Brit Air, Loganair

.

Monday 11 May 2009

Sunday 10 May 2009 - Air Finland Boeing 757's OH-AFI and OH-AFJ based at BHX

Air Finland currently have two Boeing 757's based at BHX for

charter work that reside between flights on the 80's stands

- OH-AFJ (left) and OH-AFI (right) with winglets

Saturday 9 May 2009 - KLM Boeing 737 PH-BGG makes its first visit to BHX

KLM Boeing 737-7K2 PH-BGG operated their mid morning

service from Amsterdam - its first visit to BHX

.

Thomsonfly Boeing 757-204 G-BYAH was an early morning departure

Friday 8 May 2009 - RAF C17 ZZ176 operates a medivac flight

RAF C17 ZZ176 operated a medivac flight before

positioning out to Brize Norton

.

SAS MD 82 LN-RMC operated their evening service from

Copenhagen in place of the usual CR9
.

Sikorsky S 92 G-LAWX - which was previously N908W -
arrived with the passengers for Boeing BBJ N500LS....
.
.... which was soon on its way to Columbus, Ohio, in the US
.
Onur Air Airbus A321 TC-OAI operated their morning
IT flight from Dalaman

Thursday 7 May 2009 - Citation F-GVYC visits the Elmdon apron

Citation XLS F-GVYC visited twice during the day

.

Boeing BBJ N500LS which had arrived on Wednesday evening
spent the day parked up on the Elmdon apron

Wednesday 6 May 2009 - Sikorsky S 92 G-LAWX visits the Elmdon apron

Sikorsky S 92 G-LAWX - which was previously N908W -

arrived to await the passengers on Boeing BBJ N500LS....

.

.... which duly arrived from Milan in the gathering gloom
.
Global Express N881TS arrived from the US
.
City Airline Embraer 135 SE-RAB is currently wearing
a special/non standard colour scheme
.
Air Finland Boeing 757 OH-AFJ - which arrived on Tuesday
evening - spent the day parked on the Elmdon apron.
75W OH-AFI is parked on the 80's stands
.

Thomsonfly Boeing 737-300 G-THOH which had positioned in on

Tuesday operated their first IT flight of the season to Verona

Tuesday 5 May 2009 - Jetfly Avanti LX-JFP visits the Elmdon apron

Piaggio P-180 Avanti LX-JFP of Jetfly Aviation was a visitor

spending the day parked on the Elmdon apron

.

KLM Boeing 737-8K2 PH-BXA - which is in their "retro" colour

scheme - operated their mid morning service to Amsterdam

Monday 4 May 2009 - First Choice Boeing 757 G-OOBH now flying with winglets

First Choice Boeing 757 G-OOBH has become the first winglet

equipped Thomson/First Choice 757/75W to be based at BHX

.

SAS MD 82 OY-KHE operated their morning service from Copenhagen

in place of the usual CR9. The aircraft is in "Star Alliance" colours
.

Thomas Cook Airbus A320 G-TCAC operated their IT flight from
Dalaman. The aircraft has recently returned from lease to Skyservice
(of Canada) and was previously G-ERAA with MyTravel

Monday 3 May 2009 - Jet2 Boeing 757 G-LSAE flying for Thomas Cook to Monastir

Jet2 Boeing 757 G-LSAE positioned in from Manchester

to operate a delayed Thomas Cook flight to Monastir
.

Brit Air Canadair CRJ700 F-GRZJ operated the Air France

service from Lyon in place of the usual CRJ200
.

The delayed Emirates flight - operated by Boeing 777-300ER

A6-EBZ - parked on Stand 42C - the first time a 777 has used

this stand on the new International Pier
.

Saturday 2 May 2009 - Aer Lingus Airbus A320 EI-DVH celebrates 60th anniversary!!

Aer Lingus Airbus A320 EI-DVH operated the morning EI262/263

service from/to Dublin - sixty years ago today - on Monday 2 May

1949 and using the original Elmdon terminal in the background -

DC 3 Dakota EI-ACL operated flights AT270/271 the first

scheduled Aer Lingus passenger service from Dublin a route that

has now been operated continuously for sixty years!

Please see our Aer Lingus photo feature below!

.

Thomas Cook Boeing 757 G-WJAN operated the first of a twice
weekly service to Toronto that will operate for the summer

Aer Lingus celebrates 60 years of flying between Dublin and Birmingham Airport

The Douglas DC-3 aircraft which operated the first Aer Lingus flight
to Birmingham Photo: Will Blunt, Global Air Image Photo Archive

.
Today Aer Lingus celebrates 60 years of flying between Dublin
and Birmingham. On Monday May 2nd 1949, a Douglas DC–3
aircraft with 26 seats and bearing the name “St Declan” left
Dublin Airport bound for Elmdon Airport, Birmingham
.
Fares at the time were £6-0-0 single, £10-16-0 return and £9-0-0

excursion return. In 1949, the Dublin to Birmingham service operated

on week-days (in those days defined as daily except Sunday). It

carried in excess of 10,000 passengers in its first year of service
.
"This is an important day in the history of Aer Lingus and our

evolution from a single week-day flight with a capacity for 26

passengers in 1949, to today where four A320 aircraft with a

capacity of 174 seats take to the skies four times daily. We are very

proud of our long standing association with our colleagues at

Birmingham and we look forward to the next 60 years flying,"

said Aer Lingus Corporate Affairs Director, Enda Corneille

.

Commenting on the occasion Paul Kehoe, Birmingham International

Airport's CEO, said, "2009 is a very special year as not only is it 60

years since Aer Lingus started its operations from Birmingham, it's

also 70 years since the Airport opened its doors and 25 years of

operating from the current site. We are therefore delighted to be

sending our congratulations to the airline that has had the longest

continuous standing relationship with Birmingham Airport and we

look forward to working with the team for many more years"
.
Aer Lingus has a long history of flying to the UK, Birmingham was

the fifth destination in Britain to be served by Aer Lingus, the other

cities included London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow

.

Aer Lingus currently serve Dublin 3 times daily Cork 4 times a week
.
www.aerlingus.com
.

Saturday 2 May 2009

Friday 1 May 2009 - Onur Air Airbus A321 TC-OAF operates their first IT flight of the season

Onur Air Airbus A321 TC-OAF operated their first IT flight of

the summer 2009 season to Dalaman....
.

.... while First Choice Boeing 767-300 G-PJLO positioned in from

Manchester to take up station as the based "Thomson" 763 for the

summer IT season. It later departed to Sanford

Birmingham Airport - 70 years ago today!!

Birmingham "Elmdon" Airport opened Seventy Years ago

today on Monday 1 May 1939

.
BHX - a historical perspective

.

Birmingham’s “Elmdon” Airport was constructed by the City of Birmingham

on a site eight miles south east of the city centre and opened on 1 May 1939.

The first arrival was the Lord Mayor in a two-seater Swallow aircraft to be

followed that same afternoon with the first scheduled flight, a De Havilland

Dragon Rapide from Liverpool.
.

A Dragon Rapide was the first arrival
.
A formal opening attended by HRH The Duchess of Kent and the Prime Minster,

the Rt Hon Neville Chamberlain, was held on Saturday 8 July 1939 by which time

no less than eight destinations were being served from Birmingham.
.
Unfortunately this early success was short lived as within two months the Second

World War broke out and the Air Ministry requisitioned the site. During the war

years the airfield was used for both flight training and flight testing of Lancaster

and Stirling bombers built in nearby factories.
.
The airport reopened for civil flights on 8 July 1948 but in the austere post war

years it was not until 1949 that scheduled services recommenced – a daily service

to Paris operated by a British European Airways Dakota. Over the following years

scheduled services – and passenger numbers – grew steadily and in the 1950’s the

first “package tour” flights were introduced to the continent.

.
In 1967 main runway was extended to allow the regular use of jet airliners for the

first time and this resulted in a further increase in routes and passenger traffic.
.
By the mid 1970’s the airport was handling over a million passengers a year and

the existing terminal on the “Elmdon” site was already bursting at the seams. A

long planning and consultation exercise thus began to build a completely new

terminal on a site on the eastern side of the airfield adjacent to the main railway

line to London and the recently built National Exhibition Centre.
.

1984 saw the opening of the new site and terminal – with a capacity for 3 million

passengers a year – while the Elmdon site was retained for use by business and

general aviation, VIP and cargo flights and the Air Traffic Control service.
.
A video feature marking 25 years of the current terminal can be found at -
http://bhxflightguide.blogspot.com/2009/04/bhx-1984.html
.

Concorde was a visitor for the official opening of the "new" terminal in 1984
.
Passenger traffic grew strongly in the 1980’s and in 1988 work commenced on a

second terminal “Eurohub” adjacent to the “Main” terminal with both terminals

subsequently being joined together by the “Millennium Link” and being renamed

Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
.

In 2008 work started on the new “International Pier” ....
.
.... to give us the airport we see today.
.

BHX in 2009!

The Airport Company will be marking the Airport's
70th anniversary later in summer - more details
here in due course!!
.