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| Mark enjoying the view at Imperial Hill, Los Angeles Airport in November 2017 |
Mark Allum passed away on Monday 6 April 2020 - his funeral is being held at
Sutton Coldfield on Monday 18 May 2020 but due to the current Coronavirus
restrictions attendance is limited to family members only
Mark, who lived in Tamworth, Staffordshire, was only 52. He was a regular
visitor to Birmingham, East Midlands and Heathrow as well as other airports
around the UK and he will be known to many as a really great guy and a
dedicated enthusiast who will be sorely missed. A tribute is set out below
Our thoughts are with all Mark's family and friends at this sad time
Gordon Stretch
Mark Allum - a true "plane spotter" remembered
I first met Mark about 15 years ago when ATC was in the Elmdon building. Whilst stood
at the crash gate Mark would talk to ATC staff starting or finishing a shift, probably trying
to glean some information on what was due in. I eventually let on to Mark that I was also
spotter & that started the friendship between us.
Mark would regularly be seen at the finish of an afternoon shift at 2130 and would keep
you talking for at least 30 minutes. He would always be last man standing rain or shine.
Regular cups of coffee made their way from ATC to the front door of the Elmdon building
or MSCP. On a quiet evening he would get invited upstairs for a chat & coffee. He would
then usually then try & empty the vending machine of crisps & chocolate!
I started to join Mark on his regular Saturday trips to Heathrow (but not every week like
he seem to manage), up at the crack of dawn and if you were lucky back before midnight.
After waiting for that last good number when we were the last people at the visitor centre.
In those early dates he would spend most of his time peering into the boot of the car
watching his SBS screen updating his flags etc.
I invited him on numerous overseas trips but I always felt like a travel agent / tour guide
(I did not mind as I enjoy arranging trips & seeing a plan come together). Mark would just
follow me around (I even had to check him-in!) and I would have to do the logging because
I couldn't read his hand writing.
Mark always thought McDonalds was for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Over the last couple of
years I had slowly convinced him that there were other options & Denny's was a start! On
our last trip to the US he ordered T bone steak and a draft beer!
Whilst driving he would always point out the cars that had a new door, rear end shunt,
respray etc. I could not tell but that was his job collecting / delivering cars which had been
repaired. He would also criticise other people's driving. One day whilst driving back to the
hotel at LAX in the dark a SUV was tailgating our hire car. He started criticising until the
rear view mirror filled up when blue flashing lights. He had forgotten to switch the lights
on. After apologising, explaining we had been sat at Imperial Hill all day, going back to the
hotel and we were English we got away with it!
We went to SFO (even hit the tourist trail to visit the Golden Gate Bridge) & Seattle in
March on a MAX bash, but unfortunately we did not make it to Moses Lake due Wx
forecast of strong winds and drifting snow. We then decided to come home early due
covid19.
Mark would always say that he did plane spotting not just for the numbers, but it was also
a social activity. He was just happy spending hours at BHX / LHR / EMA talking even if he did
not make a number.
Jonathan Woodland
Birmingham ATC
Sunday 17 May 2020
Air Bee MD 82 I-DAVA operated the first of a weekly series of
Corsairfly Boeing 747-422 F-HLOV positioned in from 
bmi regional Embraer 145 G-RJXM operated a charter flight 
Delta Boeing 757-251 N544US operating flight "DL 154" from
.... after refueling it continued onto Manchester
The other two diversions were Continental Boeing 757-224 N17133 
.... and Saga Airlines Boeing 737-86J TC-SGI which was in an all
Tailwind Airlines Boeing 737-4Q8 TC-TLC operated the KTHY 
Viking Boeing 737-86N SE-RHX which had positioned in on
Citation CJ2 YU-BUU was an evening visitor to the Elmdon apron
Iberworld Airbus A320-214 EC-KEN positioned in from Edinburgh
Spanair MD 83 EC-HNC operated the first service of a 
Eurowings BAe 146-300 D-AEWP operated the morning
Challenger 300 D-BUBI - which had arrived on Wednesday
As part of the preparations for Ryanair's move into Terminal 2
Astraeus Boeing 757-23N G-STRW operated the return charter 
Augsburg Airways Embraer 195LR D-AEMB operated the morning
Avion Express Italia Airbus A320-212 LY-VEX which had
Aer Arann ATR 42-300 EI-CPT operated their service from
Luxembourg Air Rescue Learjet 35A LX-TWO which had arrived
Niki Embraer 190-100LR OE-IHA which arrived from Vienna was
CSA Airbus A321-211 OK-CED which arrived from Prague
.... Thomas Cook Belgium Airbus A320-214 OO-TCH which 
.... Adria Canadair CRJ 200ER S5-AAJ which arrived from Salzburg
All the visitors spent the day parked up on the 70's and 80's stands
First departure was Hello MD 90 HB-JIF which returned to Zurich....
.... while Air Nostrum/Iberia Regional Canadair CRJ 900ER EC-JTU
Eastern Saab 2000 G-CDEB which had visited during the morning
Thomas Cook Belgium Airbus A320-214 OO-TCH returned to Cologne
while Niki Embraer 190-100LR OE-IHA departed back to Vienna....
.... in the gathering gloom!
"IPEX 2010" - the international print, publishing
Hello MD 90 HB-JIF, which arrived from Zurich, operated the first 
Wideroe Dash 8Q-402 LN-WDG arrived from Oslo Torp while ....
Air Nostrum/Iberia Regional Canadair CRJ 900 EC-JTU arrived
Many scheduled flights were also upgraded for the show with 
General aviation day stopping visitors included Pan Europeenne 
.... and Hans Grohe Pilatus PC-12 D-FKGI
"IPEX 2010" - the international print, publishing 
Bahrain Air Airbus A319-111 A9C-BAX was a surprise morning
.... climbing away and returning to Manchester
Air Transat Airbus A330-243 C-GTSN operated their flight to Toronto
Sky Wings Airbus A320-231 SX-BTP which had arrived from Athens
Eastern Saab 2000 G-CFLU was an afternoon arrival
.... but first we have the diversions! With the Volcanic Ash Cloud
.... and with 7 Ryanair Boeing 737's parking on Taxiway Tango 
Aurigny ATR 72-202 G-BWDB operated the afternoon Guernsey
.... a number of biz jets also diverted including Learjet 40XR G-HPPY
.... and Learjet 31A D-CSAP
Pegasus Boeing 737-8S3 TC-APH operated their weekly flight
Turkmenistan Boeing 737-7GL EZ-A007 was an early morning