General aviation/airplane news and chat

[2hats]

On less spectacular aviation news, I was in Bradford on Avon last Saturday night and we observed in the distance what must have been two single-prop planes perform a fireworks display that were shot off from the planes themselves.

Possibly this then.

 

[spitfire]

Here's the one I saw, (not in person).

 

[T & P]

Possibly this then.

Yeah, that was the one!

 

[T & P]

If fireworks are indeed being released from airplanes now, I’d like to know what safety measures are involved. Because letting off pyrotechnics from an aircraft carrying shit loads of highly flammable fuel is a bit concerning

And they were being released from the wings or fuselage of the plane as far as I could see, rather then say from a device being trailed fifty metres behind.

 

[Saul Goodman]

If fireworks are indeed being released from airplanes now, I’d like to know what safety measures are involved. Because letting off pyrotechnics from an aircraft carrying shit loads of highly flammable fuel is a bit concerning

And they were being released from the wings or fuselage of the plane as far as I could see, rather then say from a device being trailed fifty metres behind.

You'll be checking bathroom doors for locks next

 

[spitfire]

...I’d like to know what safety measures are involved. ...

Light blue touchpaper and stand well back innit?

 

[Sprocket.]

Just had the foundations shaken by an Ilyushin-76TD—90VD passing overhead at 2,500 ft on its way into Doncaster. Awesome.

A library shot of the very aircraft.

 

[T & P]

You'll be checking bathroom doors for locks next

I didn’t express myself as I could have. I’m actually pleasantly surprised to discover such concept was given the thumbs-up, given how ultra-safe the aviation authorities usually play regarding safety risks however small.

I mean, I’m no pilot and there might well be lots of valid technical reasons that validate their approach. But the same authority that deems safe having two airplanes shooting fireworks attached to them whilst performing loops will also stop all traffic out of a major airport for days if a puny non explosive drone is spotted flying 500 m away from a runway. Which in the extremely unlikely case was swallowed by a commercial aircraft, would pose no realistic danger to it landing safely on their remaining engine.

Here’s a short snippet of their display. Unfortunately I missed the money shots, but as well as this they were also realising loads of the traditional fireworks that explode into the familiar crowds pleasing fireball that you would see on any professional display on 5 November.

View attachment trim.D6F3B046-7AFC-4C67-91D2-DC403CC67385.MOV

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Light blue touchpaper and stand well back innit?

The fireworks code; light it, lob it, leg it.

 

[A380]

If fireworks are indeed being released from airplanes now, I’d like to know what safety measures are involved. Because letting off pyrotechnics from an aircraft carrying shit loads of highly flammable fuel is a bit concerning

And they were being released from the wings or fuselage of the plane as far as I could see, rather then say from a device being trailed fifty metres behind.

CAA AFORS 325.76. When hoying fireworks out of an aeroplane in flight the pilot should not wear shorts in case he/she should drop a lighted banger in their lap...

 

[teuchter]

Is there, somewhere, a graph or something that shows number of flights into/out of heathrow each day or week or whatever?

 

[A380]

Is there, somewhere, a graph or something that shows number of flights into/out of heathrow each day or week or whatever?

Traffic Statistics

Find monthly statistics for passenger numbers, air transport movements and cargo at Heathrow.

www.heathrow.com

Monthly stats going back years.

 

[teuchter]

Traffic Statistics

Find monthly statistics for passenger numbers, air transport movements and cargo at Heathrow.

www.heathrow.com

Monthly stats going back years.

I want a graph though rather than a spreadsheet that I then have to do something with.
Something like the Covid dashboard graphs. So I can check in now and again and see how things are changing.

 

[A380]

Passenger traffic at London Heathrow Airport 2002-2021 | Statista

This statistic represents passenger traffic at London Heathrow Airport from 2002 through 2021.

www.statista.com

Only $800 a year…

 

[T & P]

On this very subject, JetBlue is launching a brand new service between London and NY from tomorrow. Pretty brave in the middle of a pandemic, more so on a route that is already well served.

IIRC however, this will be the first ever non-stop LON-NY route operated by a narrowbody, Which must offer lower operating costs than the much heavier widebodies. So JetBlue could be onto something here, certainly for the non- business crowd.

Any buzz about this in your industry, Bahnhof Strasse ?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

UA and DL have used 757’s. With the much lower passenger numbers right now they might just work with these aircraft.

Jet Blue are lovely to fly with, decent food and free wi-fi should make them popular. They are not really particularly cheaper than the others though. I wish them well.

 

[Storm Fox]

Graphy McGraphface for teuchter :




I think something must have happened in March 2020

 

[teuchter]

Graphy McGraphface for teuchter :


View attachment 283084

I think something must have happened in March 2020

Thanks. Now can you post a version each month from now on

Last night I saw several contrails criss-crossing the sky in south London. Haven't seen that for a while.

 

[Elpenor]

I believe Aer Lingus plan to fly the new narrowbodies from various UK secondary cities to the US, but those plans have been curtailed due to you know what

 

[LDC]

CAA AFORS 325.76. When hoying fireworks out of an aeroplane in flight the pilot should not wear shorts in case he/she should drop a lighted banger in their lap...

Safety googles. Don't forget the safety googles.

 

[A380]

Thanks. Now can you post a version each month from now on

Last night I saw several contrails criss-crossing the sky in south London. Haven't seen that for a while.

That’s probably because you spend 97% of your time when out pitifully looking at the ground in a pathetic attempt to spot a moomin and so don’t often cast your perverted eyes skyward.

 

[Storm Fox]

That’s probably because you spend 97% of your time when out pitifully looking at the ground in a pathetic attempt to spot a moomin and so don’t often cast your perverted eyes skyward.

Any contrail crossing London is not going to be landing at Heathrow, They are going to be aircraft for Western Mainland Europe.

teuchter Looking at FlightRadar 24 the two aircraft crossing London at the moment at contrail level 1 is going to Dubai from JFK and the other is going to Frankfurt.

 

[teuchter]

Any contrail crossing London is not going to be landing at Heathrow, They are going to be aircraft for Western Mainland Europe.

teuchter Looking at FlightRadar 24 the two aircraft crossing London at the moment at contrail level 1 is going to Dubai from JFK and the other is going to Frankfurt.

yes I see, planes landing at Heathrow would be too low to form contrails.

I do however live under the flight path for Heathrow, at least when they are approaching from the east; there used to be a constant parade of aircraft but there have hardly been any for the past 18 months.

Possibly they have been using different flight paths and holding patterns from 'normal' during this time?

I have been seeing a few aircraft starting to reappear on the heathrow flight path in the past few weeks. Partly why I'm interested in how many are now restarting.

Also aviation fuel trains for Colnbrook for Heathrow come past the house. Used to be one or two each day, but they stopped completely in 2020 and have recently started again, but only 3 or so per week.

 

[A380]

yes I see, planes landing at Heathrow would be too low to form contrails.

I do however live under the flight path for Heathrow, at least when they are approaching from the east; there used to be a constant parade of aircraft but there have hardly been any for the past 18 months.

Possibly they have been using different flight paths and holding patterns from 'normal' during this time?

I have been seeing a few aircraft starting to reappear on the heathrow flight path in the past few weeks. Partly why I'm interested in how many are now restarting.

Also aviation fuel trains for Colnbrook for Heathrow come past the house. Used to be one or two each day, but they stopped completely in 2020 and have recently started again, but only 3 or so per week.

I though Heathrow got its AVTUR via the National pipeline network?

 

[teuchter]

I though Heathrow got its AVTUR via the National pipeline network?

I think it does, topped up with these trains which come from Thamesport on the Isle of Grain. They have only been running for 2-3 years.

I think these replaced ones that used to come from Lindsey oil refinery. Or maybe those still run too.

I'm not sure if they need the trains because the pipeline can only carry so much, or whether it's a strategic thing so that they can continue to get deliveries if the pipeline has problems.

 

[Teaboy]

yes I see, planes landing at Heathrow would be too low to form contrails.

I do however live under the flight path for Heathrow, at least when they are approaching from the east; there used to be a constant parade of aircraft but there have hardly been any for the past 18 months.

Possibly they have been using different flight paths and holding patterns from 'normal' during this time?

I have been seeing a few aircraft starting to reappear on the heathrow flight path in the past few weeks. Partly why I'm interested in how many are now restarting.

Also aviation fuel trains for Colnbrook for Heathrow come past the house. Used to be one or two each day, but they stopped completely in 2020 and have recently started again, but only 3 or so per week.

I live very close to Heathrow and I have noticed a significant uptick in planes in the last couple of weeks. Nowhere near normal times but still significant nonetheless.

I don't know whether they are back to using both runways yet?

Anyone know whether they are?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I live very close to Heathrow and I have noticed a significant uptick in planes in the last couple of weeks. Nowhere near normal times but still significant nonetheless.

I don't know whether they are back to using both runways yet?

Anyone know whether they are?

Yes, both have been in use for a while, one for landing one for take offs. Obviously the plans to use each for take off and landing at the same time is back on ice.

 

[T & P]

Sitting on a plane at LHR right now. First one since the pandemic. I’ll be talking to the pilot shortly and request a low pass over teuchter ’s guff for added lulz.

 

[A380]

 

[Lancman]

I shared an apartment in Beirut in the early 1980s with three "furloughed" PanAm pilots who were struggling to make a living flying anywhere while PanAm collapsed around them.