The 366 challenge

[Jeff]

A few years back myself and another couple of spotters played the 365 challenge. The aim being to pot a new frame every day of the upcoming year. The only rules were scrapes didn't count but night spotting was ok. Was harder than it sounds, I dropped out within a week due shift work 🙄. One persondid however complete the challenge, he even went spotting Christmas day !

It's self policing and only a bit of fun for those who wish to challenge themselves

Any takers?

[dave]

hi,
i've aimed at 1 aday for afew yrs now, but up here in N.Staffs it does not match with restrictions, all, anything, they all matter... so total f/overs this yr 978, June was my best month with 137...
all the best to any taking you up on it.
regards,
dave...

[Trevor B]

Up for having a go, my goal is to get past the first week 👍

[Jeff]

Lol, me too 🤗

[christoff]

Mmmmm!!! Me thinks that is going to be a tad difficult, I'll try for a while but I seriously think 24 hours may be my limit. But I wish anyone going for it all the very best...

[rugbyref]

Dec 31, 2023 19:32:40 GMT christoff said:

Mmmmm!!! Me thinks that is going to be a tad difficult, I'll try for a while but I seriously think 24 hours may be my limit. But I wish anyone going for it all the very best...

Survived day 1, with 2 in the book on 1 Jan!

[Trevor B]

Dec 31, 2023 15:59:17 GMT Trevor B said:

Up for having a go, my goal is to get past the first week 👍

Day 1 also survived with 1 😂

[christoff]

Dec 31, 2023 19:32:40 GMT christoff said:

Mmmmm!!! Me thinks that is going to be a tad difficult, I'll try for a while but I seriously think 24 hours may be my limit. But I wish anyone going for it all the very best...


I did manage to survive the the first 24hrs with one..

SE-RGG A320 BIX212U ESSA-GCFV

[Jeff]

Well that didn't last long, even with a trip to Farnborough I made a big fat zilch yesterday, roll on 2025 😂

[davidallum]

I'm out already,didn't see a single thing yesterday.

[rugbyref]

Jan 2, 2024 8:09:23 GMT davidallum said:

I'm out already,didn't see a single thing yesterday.

Proving a real challenge, isn’t it! I am happy with my 1 on this second day, CS-CLC CL60 making its second aborted attempt to land at Biggin in gusting winds.

[christoff]

I'm out on day 2, tried for YL-ABP coming south, but the cloud gods did a big wee wee on my bonfire...Good luck to all that are still in the hunt.

[billsamuels]

Evening Folks,

Well I’m still in… 

1st Jan.
EI-SCE A320N SAS
9H-WAB A321NX Wizz
LZ-EAF A320 Electra A/W
D-ATUZ B737 Tui

2nd.
OK-PHA Phenom 300
SU-GFS A321NX Egyptair
N2425J Gulf 650ER

3rd.
G-MDSE PC12 NGX
G-DUDI Rotorsport MTO
EC-NOI A350-9 World2Fly
OE-FRJ Ce525

Hope it continues…

Bill

[billsamuels]

4th.

A half decent day considering the weather. 

N424DX A330-9 Delta (OTT to CDG)
OE-LVG A319 Easyjet (ex LGW)
D-AIJM A320N Lufthansa (ex LHR)
9H-WAS A321NX Wizz (ex LGW)
G-WUKX A321NX Wizz (ex LGW)
G-RORE Praetor 600 (to FAB)
N180QS Global 7500 Netjets (to FAB)
G-VERO PA-46 (o/f heading South)
SE-RTL B737 Max 8 Norwegian (ex LGW)

Hope everyone else had a good day.

Bill

[chrisj]

None starter down here in North Devon ! Usual zero on Jan 1 . Could not even count hearing something going over due to noise of the wind ! May go for one per month !! Chrisj

[Trevor B]

Still going just!

As on 2nd had none until a trip to the dustbin looking up see an Iberia A320 going over from Heathrow, then smashed it the last 2 days with an over night stay at Heathrow.

[rugbyref]

Still in…just! Saw 1 new biz into Biggin before heading off to hospital for my regular plasma and platelet donation.

[graham]

I'm out, Jan 2nd, NIL POINTS as most of Europe usually gives to our Eurovision entry ( which to be honest, are usually crap anyway..)

[billsamuels]

Thought I was a gonna today, until 15.07 when I sighted G-POLZ and G-HWPK (Sling 4) coming into BBS…

The latter saved my bacon for another day…

Gotta keep going.

Bill

[rugbyref]

Still going. Global into Biggin yesterday, and this morning new A350 of Iberia and A320 of SAS into Heathrow. This luck can’t last!

[billsamuels]

A lot more blue sky, for brief periods, today (6th).

But, under the circumstances, I’m delighted to survive another day…

SX-NEG A320N Aegean (on its way home from Dublin)
N115MH Global 6000 (to FAB 14.00)
G-XWBR A350-1000 BA (ex LHR to PHX)
D-IDAL King Air 260 (didn’t know there was one of these)
YL-ABT A220-300 Air Baltic (OTT heading South)

All frames, which makes a nice change…

Bill

[rugbyref]

I am out. What I thought was a frame on 5 Jan was just a scrape.

[Trevor B]

Well i didn't think i would make it 7 days in but i have survived 😳

Trev

[billsamuels]

Well guys, I’m still on a roll…

7th.
TC-RDK A321NX Pegasus 
G-JZBW B737-8 Jet2
OM-GTK B737-8 Go2Sky (where do they find these names!!)
G-WUKW A321NX Wizz
G-CMCZ PA-28
CS-PJB Phenom 300 Netjets
A9C-FJ B787-9 Gulf Air
EI-HXB A321NX ITA

8th.
G-SIRT A109

9th.
A7-AOC A350 Qatar (OTT to MAN)
G-TUOD B737 Max8 Tui
F-HUVE A350 Air France
SU-GFR A321NX Egyptair (OTT to/from MAN)
9H-EUW A320 Eurowings
G-CJAF Ce182
EI-SCC A320N SAS
OO-SBA A320N Brussels
N121CL Global 7500

10th.
Museum of Berkshire Aviation.
XG883 Gannet RN
TF-SHC Martinet
XJ389 Jet Gyrodyne
G-MIOO Miles Student
T9841 (L6906) Hawk Trainer
G-ALMN AP-7 Primary
XP895 (XP849) Scout AH.1 AAC

If you haven’t been to this museum it’s well worth a couple of hours. Some great exhibits, star of which has to be G-APWA Dart Herald, which has just received a winter repaint, in the open, and looks very, very nice. Lovely to see the old Red Box BEA scheme alive and kicking.

From home on 10th.
N769F Global 7500
PH-ZDZ Beech 200 (OTT to Exeter)
EC-OBZ Gulf 650ER (ex Northolt headed home)
PH-NXP EMB 195 KLM
B-32EE A350 China Southern

Hope there’s a few more left in the game.

Bill

[Trevor B]

So today looked like a blow out with low cloud which was a shame after being at Heathrow for the last two days, could have popped in to Lee On Solent but that would be cheating as i don’t collect light aircraft. But on the way back from an appointment with my daughter she suggested that we get a bag of chips and eat them at Portsmouth Harbour.

Sitting there munching through the chips in come ZZ514 Wildcat low level down the harbour landing at Whale Island.

Don’t care how i get them i am still in it on day 12!!

Trevor

[billsamuels]

Well it’s all over for another year…

Was doing so well up to the 11th, then the weather and easterlies at LHR and FAB messed things up…. 

11th. From home.
9H-VVL B737 Max Ryanair
CS-TVL A320N TAP
TC-RBR A321NX Pegasus
N945FL B737-8 Flight Lease

I then went to LHR to drop the wife off and pick-up an old spotting mate, Viv, who sadly is no longer mobile as his car is now non-compliant according to Adolf Khan. We didn’t go far but started off at….

Denham.
G-GSAR AW.139 Heli-Ops
N908TC Ce.182
G-RAWM R44 HQ Aviation (hangared)
G-MADX AW.119 Saxonair
G-RICE R22 (hangared)
N166BZ R66 (hangared)
G-GOMS R66 (hangared)

if it’s been some time since you last visited Denham, do stick it on your list of field’s to get to. It’s always very friendly, the folks in the HQ hangar are always very accommodating - just ask at reception, I’ve never been turned away. Free access to walk up along the line of choppers being worked on… Also the cafe always offers a warm welcome for tea/coffee, breakfast or lunch. Ed, the owner and chef, is always friendly and offers some great grub. We then went back to….

Heathrow.
CS-TXM A321 TAP (my second of the day…)

Then from the 12th till today it’s been like a desert… Saw one (un-needed) descending through the low cloud for FAB (they normally pass me between 1200-900ft) but sadly I didn’t need it….

Good luck to all of you who are left in the challenge.

Bill


 

[Trevor B]

Saturday 13th was truly unlucky for me , the only thing i saw was helimed G-HIOW EC-135 which is common down here.

So I am out as well which is a same as i was enjoying the game, good luck to all of you who are still going 👍

Trevor

[Jeff]

Well done everybody, anyone still in ?