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Post by wrighty on Mar 27, 2015 8:07:22 GMT
Morning. Flew back to Gatwick on Wednesday from Larnaca onboard G-EZWV. I've flown this route a number of times in the last four years but this was the worst flight I've ever experienced for a number of reasons. The aircraft was late arriving due to the rear airstairs getting stuck under the aircraft at Gatwick. This took them 50 minutes to sort out. The flight was called as the aircraft was taxiing in. We were then moved to a corridor so that everyone was ready to board as soon as possible. We were then moved onto the apron at the foot of the stairs for twenty minutes, Cyprus isn't the warmest of places at 9.30 at night. When we finally took off the arrogant flight attendants in formed us that they very few sandwiches and no hot drinks which I assume had been distributed to the passengers at Gatwick. On arrival at Gatwick we had to remain in our seats as a lady had fallen ill during the flight and Paramedics boarded first to attend to her. This was clearly no ones fault and I hope she is okay but just another level of frustration. At Larnaca the Captain did come out of the cockpit and explain the reasons for the delay which was a first for me but the attitude of the attendants really was something else. Anyway rant over.
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Post by graham on Mar 27, 2015 8:28:49 GMT
Hi wrighty
Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience coming home. When we last went to Crete in early September 2013, we were kept waiting on the steps down to the apron at Kazantzakis for our delayed EasyJet flight back to LGW, only difference was that it was 35C and everyone was steaming. Like you, there was nothing on board to eat or drink but you can't really blame the cabin crew for that, they can only sell what they have I guess. I've enjoyed your logs fCyprus, roll on Crete again for us in June.
I remember flying out to Crete in late September 2001- it was just a couple of weeks after 9/11 and it was clear to see that some passengers were very uneasy. At the last minute, for whatever reason, we were told that we would be taking a Transavia flight to Heraklion instead of whatever we were scheduled to travel on. We were no more than 20 minutes into the flight when the cabin tannoy crackled and the captain, with a heavy Dutch accent, said, "ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have a problem". Cue 200 passengers all taking a sharp intake of breath and a few female passengers did actually scream. As it happens, it was a fault with one of the onboard navigation systems so all he had to tell us was that we would land at Rotterdam to have the unit replaced.
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Post by zz on Mar 27, 2015 9:20:58 GMT
Another great day, went to Gosport to see the US Navy carrier, she was parallel to the coast so easy to pan along her deck and see all on board albeit too far to make any codes or regs. Saw a few Navy frames as I passed by HMS Sultan. Then onto Popham again, potted one there, then Middle Wallop, another one there and then Old Sarum where I made eight. Approximately 60 on the carrier, so a great day's total in all. There should have been a total of 50 on the deck from Tuesday afternoon onwards. What was great was that it was a completely different set of aircraft from its previous visit. I needed 49 out of the 50!
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Post by jamiewinstanley on Mar 27, 2015 9:21:48 GMT
Woke up to clear blue skies here, some OTT spotting has resulted in 20 or so hitting the book so far this morning! Just waiting for RA-89007 Centre south to land then heading into the moscow for a bit of sight seeing
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Post by christoff on Mar 27, 2015 18:36:01 GMT
Not much to report today as spotting was undertaken before 10am,rest of the day spent looking for a new car ( I use the word "new" loosely ) anyway a replacement vehicle has been purchased.
EC-LDE C525 EGBJ?-? 9H-VJH GL6T EGLF-? CS-DHP C550 EGTE-?
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Post by keithh on Mar 27, 2015 19:46:15 GMT
A very fruitful couple of hours in London today with a few nice gap fillers 3B-NBJ A340 9V-SWO 777 D-AECD E190 PH-BXU 737 VT-ANQ 787 A7-APD A380 D-CCCF CL600 HL8274 777 F-BKXQ A320 5Y-KZB 787 N609FE 11
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Post by keithh on Mar 27, 2015 19:47:57 GMT
Oops, D-CCCF C550
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 27, 2015 21:44:15 GMT
Plenty of blue sky today and decent trails, but only one in daylight, N502VJ GLEX heading E, faint trail at FL450.
Very bright after dark with Venus and Jupiter both prominent. Made two on LHR departure, 9V-SNA 777 and B-LJI 748F (am picking these off slowly, need only B-LJH/K of their 13).
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Post by graham on Mar 28, 2015 8:39:36 GMT
Eight in the book yesterday, and mainly a biz jet feast with five of them.
N1955M GLEX EC-LDE C525 N1777M GLF6 N761LE GLF6 G-TCDX A321 EC-337 A330MRTT N917R GLEX SE-RLA B762
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Post by keithh on Mar 29, 2015 15:37:27 GMT
Weather has finally cleared up but I still managed to miss EI-FIF on DUB-LGW. One bit of cloud went thru and blocked the only bit of sky I wanted to see!
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Post by keithh on Mar 29, 2015 19:09:03 GMT
Weather has finally cleared up but I still managed to miss EI-FIF on DUB-LGW. One bit of cloud went thru and blocked the only bit of sky I wanted to see! Missed FIF on return in cloud and it's on it's way again but I guess it will be too dark. Did manage two though YL-LCP A320 G-EZOC A320
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Post by keithh on Mar 29, 2015 19:10:05 GMT
Just missed C-GHQQ into LHR, bah!
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 29, 2015 21:37:11 GMT
Cloudy here all day, saw a French KC-135 mucking about over London on FR24 and PlaneFinder but could not see it. Saw the Azerbaijan 787 on LHR departure, consensus is that it was VP-BBS so I will count it as that in my blue category (strobes only seen).
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Post by keithh on Mar 30, 2015 18:04:22 GMT
Just one made today into LHR B-KQE 777
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Post by graham on Mar 30, 2015 18:14:59 GMT
Good day today, made four at Kemble and 22 at Staverton,logs on those forums
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 30, 2015 18:57:53 GMT
Just one for me too today, A6-BLA 777 of Etihad on the ETD130 OTT before the clouds closed in.
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Post by graham on Mar 31, 2015 16:36:05 GMT
Great to meet up with Jeff, Bill and Viv today at Fairoaks, we spent a couple of hours there in the windy sunshine and looks like I've potted 14 on the ground and 10 OTT's so well chuffed with those. Log to follow on Fairoaks forum
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 31, 2015 16:36:20 GMT
Sunny periods and showers here today but no trails. Made just one, N80HD BD.300 heading W at FL430, but missed several including sister ship N88HD, N650ER Gulf 650, EI-FIE descending to STN, new Norwegian 738 LN-NHD OTT and F-GZHP 738 of Transavia France on delivery.
B-2047 777 of Air China is in LHR, due out at 20.25, hope to see this on departure.
Graham - if I had known you and friends were at Fairoaks I would have popped over, I am only 5 miles away.
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Post by billsamuels on Mar 31, 2015 16:46:58 GMT
Sunny periods and showers here today but no trails. Made just one, N80HD BD.300 heading W at FL430, but missed several including sister ship N88HD, N650ER Gulf 650, EI-FIE descending to STN, new Norwegian 738 LN-NHD OTT and F-GZHP 738 of Transavia France on delivery. B-2047 777 of Air China is in LHR, due out at 20.25, hope to see this on departure. Graham - if I had known you and friends were at Fairoaks I would have popped over, I am only 5 miles away. Hi Jerry, We mentioned you as well - so please accept our apologies, next time we have a meet we'll drop you a PM. Cheers. Bill
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Post by billsamuels on Mar 31, 2015 16:53:12 GMT
Great to meet up with Jeff, Bill and Viv today at Fairoaks, we spent a couple of hours there in the windy sunshine and looks like I've potted 14 on the ground and 10 OTT's so well chuffed with those. Log to follow on Fairoaks forum Hi Graham, You'll be confusing people, it was Jeff, Bill and Lynda.... LOL..... And don't forget Ospray 66 (Sean).... I only potted two coming out of LGW whilst at Fairoaks today, LN-NIG & EI-FHB (scrap)... Shame really, but hey-ho.... Bill P.S. From home I have potted; G-TCDF A321 Thomas Cook OTT, D-AIDM A321 Lufthansa from LHR, OY-TCG A321 Thomas Cook Scandinavia OTT.... So not a bad day...
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Post by graham on Mar 31, 2015 17:03:05 GMT
Yes, so sorry Jerry, I had no idea you were so close so rest assured we will keep you in the loop for the next visit.
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 31, 2015 18:55:05 GMT
Yes, so sorry Jerry, I had no idea you were so close so rest assured we will keep you in the loop for the next visit. No problems Graham, hope to meet you soon. Made EI-FIE at the second attempt, inbound STN from Zaragoza, and ZZ331 A330 inbound Brize, courtesy of PlaneFinder (did not show on FR24). (edit) Just noticed CN-RGR EMB.190 inbound LHR, will look out for it on departure.
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Post by christoff on Mar 31, 2015 18:56:51 GMT
The weather gods looked to be shining in my favour this afternoon with the following hitting the log book.
LN-NHD B738 NAX52Y ENBR-LEMG M-JCBA S76 JCB02 HB-VPV BE40 N551PM GLF5 EI-FIE B738 RYR70RK LEZG-EGSS N863MF GLF5
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Post by graham on Mar 31, 2015 19:03:42 GMT
Likewise Jerry.
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Post by keithh on Mar 31, 2015 20:40:08 GMT
Just one again today, JY-BAC 787 into LHR
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Post by jerryrowe on Mar 31, 2015 22:02:58 GMT
A good evening, made 3 out of LHR, B-2047 777 of Air China, CN-RGR EMB.190 of Royal Air Maroc and A40-DJ A330 of Oman Air (went right overhead). Missed LN-NHD returning to Bergen from Malaga, just too far east to see the strobes.
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Post by Jeff on Apr 1, 2015 15:32:59 GMT
Another good month for me......417.....yes 417 in the book as Bill keeps telling me, I must get out more !! lol
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Post by graham on Apr 1, 2015 15:40:26 GMT
Just totted up the month for me too, I might even top Jeff, not sure till I do the sums. Made more visits this month than any other since I took the bins up again two years ago. Breakdown is..
Devizes International 126 Birmingham 3 Bodmin 4 Blackbushe 4 Culdrose 6 Dunkeswell 20 Exeter 5 Fairoaks inc OTT's 24 Gosport (HMS Sultan) 11 US Theodore Roosevelt 55 approx, still tying in a few reggies Gloucester 28 Kemble 11 Kidlington 8 Lasham 6 LCY 3 LHR 100 Middle Wallop 1 Newquay 6 Old Sarum 8 Popham 7
Grand total for March 436
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Post by jerryrowe on Apr 1, 2015 16:15:25 GMT
Can't compete with either of you! March was a poor month, only 57.
OTT 35 White Waltham 8 Denham 5 Booker 4 Fairoaks 1 Gatwick 2 Tenerife South 2
Better start to April with 4 so far today and B-2006 777 of Air China awaited on departure.
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Post by christoff on Apr 1, 2015 16:34:42 GMT
Could only manage 77 for March this year as against 104 for the same period last year,but still not bad considering I didn't get to the mainland.
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