Few from NCL 29/30th Oct 2007

Nice shots there like the Harrier shots and the Merlin, Lucky git luke if you get too look round her 😮 Is that Harrier ex No 1 Sqn, Wittering and 20(R) Sqn, RAF Wittering ?

James

Risky option…..flying to NCL on Monday evening, drive down to Teeside Airport for a meeting then fly to the ship Tuesday morning for 2 hours for another meeting, back to hopefully NCL and 1945 Easyjet to Bristol. Trying to get a few hours at NCL before it gets dark as I will have my trusty camera with me. Just had some good tips on where to go to get some shots from Adam Rowden (STN).

PM me and if you want a look round the ship on Sunday I could possibly arrange it, depends how sober the guys are! 🙂

All the best

Si

I know that pier well and the boat that is coverted into a pub which is very well situated right opposite the gangway 😉 hic!

Is she still there!! Bit of tactful placement there by the Navy dont you think! :diablo: I aint been down to see a carrier in years. Last ship i saw on the Tyne was the Geordie Gun boat H.M.S Newcastle which is now rusting away in Portsmouth Harbour !

You flying Navy though NCL or taking the more risky option.

Cheers for that dude The Lusty is alongside at North Sheilds just next to the DFS ferry terminal the only berth on the East coast that can handle her. The Harrier must have left NCL this morning as has the Mystery SAAB.

I know that pier well and the boat that is coverted into a pub which is very well situated right opposite the gangway 😉 hic!

Cheers for that dude The Lusty is alongside at North Sheilds just next to the DFS ferry terminal the only berth on the East coast that can handle her. The Harrier must have left NCL this morning as has the Mystery SAAB.

I belive that Harrier that is still at NCL is a Fleet Air Arm example.

Infact the Lusty is visiting the tyne today back to her birth place.

Let me guess Si your off to visit her soon ya lucky thing!

Edit: The Saab is now parked over next to the Jet2 757s aswell as a loverly Private Jet. It was odd to see the Saab Coned off.

Yes mate I am flying up to NCL on Monday, she is in South Shields (or is it North Shields?) for the weekend so the crew can have a weekend of rest and beer. Unfortunatley we don’t have any dedicated Fleet Air Arm Harriers, they all come under the Naval Strike Wing which technically is a Joint Force Unit under Strike Command. 800NAS are flying the jets with a mix of RN and RAF crews but 90% of the engineers are Gods children (Fleet Air Arm)! The boys are off to Afghanistan for Christmas. The jet in the photo is a GR7A model with the uprated Pegusus engine specifically designed for shipboard ops in hot and humid parts of the world. You can tell it’s a A model by the A on the tail after the serial (and it sounds a lot different from the standard model) Are we asleep yet!:)

All the best

Si

Absolutley right, Lusty is in the North Sea conducting an exercise with Joint Force Harrier aircraft and Merlins from 820 NAS.

Si

I belive that Harrier that is still at NCL is a Fleet Air Arm example.

Infact the Lusty is visiting the tyne today back to her birth place.

Let me guess Si your off to visit her soon ya lucky thing!

Edit: The Saab is now parked over next to the Jet2 757s aswell as a loverly Private Jet. It was odd to see the Saab Coned off.

purple and white for a fire engine? What happened to the recognised red or yellow?

I sat on the flightdeck out of NCL a couple of weeks ago and the Captain and I were talking about that very thing.

1L.

Great Shots mate. The NCL Fed Ex connection only got announced yesterday dont think it starts for a while yet, Im guessing useing a Feeder aircraft. Dont think we could fit an MD-11 on our cargo ramp.

The Fed Ex Annoucment.
http://www.newcastleairport.com/General/News/fedex.htm

I see RAF Newcastle is back in Bueiness!

Wonder how long we can expect the Harrier with us. How long was it for the Tonkas in the summer ?? Something like a week each lol.

As for the Merlin, I think H.M.S Illustrious is at sea of the coast. A couple of Merlins were in on Friday picking up crewmen. One of which seemed to hover for an age over the runway.

Absolutley right, Lusty is in the North Sea conducting an exercise with Joint Force Harrier aircraft and Merlins from 820 NAS.

Si

FedEx have been opping NCL-MAN for a few weeks now, using ATR42s.
NCL-CDG is additional, and will prob be operated by a Farnair F27 or West Air Bae ATP

Great Shots mate. The NCL Fed Ex connection only got announced yesterday dont think it starts for a while yet, Im guessing useing a Feeder aircraft. Dont think we could fit an MD-11 on our cargo ramp.

The Fed Ex Annoucment.
http://www.newcastleairport.com/General/News/fedex.htm

I see RAF Newcastle is back in Bueiness!

Wonder how long we can expect the Harrier with us. How long was it for the Tonkas in the summer ?? Something like a week each lol.

As for the Merlin, I think H.M.S Illustrious is at sea of the coast. A couple of Merlins were in on Friday picking up crewmen. One of which seemed to hover for an age over the runway.

…… Is the Hungarian Saab flying for FedEx to Manchester?

It’s not been flying into MAN, mate.

Some nice shots in that little lot.

Were the Harrier and Merlin subbing for Jet2, then? 😉

I like ’em! Great stuff!

What I don’t understand is Newcastles colour scheme on their fire appliances. Ok, so they may be painted in the colours of the airports branding, but purple and white for a fire engine? What happened to the recognised red or yellow? lol