RE: Airports!

Coventry is an interesting airport – I’m going up there this weekend armed with my new digital camera….

RE: BA announces further 5800 job cuts

Concorde is the only one good thing they have left….

RE: BAC 1-11

Nice to see people still talking about this old timer. I think the 1-11 in Europe is a thing of the past – Tarom have disposed of theirs. One was written off in a landing accident. There are a number of executive aircraft still flying in N.America, but most passenger carrying examples will be found in Africa. Carriers such as Nationwide still use the -500, this is because noise restrictions aren’t as strict in Africa as they are in the EU. The 1-11 has a very strong airframe, and well maintained examples can fly on for several more years.

If you decide you want to go to Africa to see them, make sure you get your jabs!

RE: My future on this forum:

I hardly get the time to participate in this forum these days, but it’s unusual to see a slanging match going on in here. It’s usually very well behaved. I don’t see why you should leave the forum though, I think you’d be making a mistake. But it’s up to you.

If being bullied bother you, I suggest you avoid the Airliners.Net forums, it’s full of tossers.

RE: The National UK Airport Awards

My vote goes to Birmingham…

….It may not be a haven for dozens of big wide bodied aircraft like Heathrow is, but BHX offers scheduled services to all over Europe, as well as long haul flights to New York, Dubai, Tashkent and Delhi. Plus American will be returning the daily Chicago service from April.

On the European network, BA and Maersk Air UK dominate the Eurohub terminal with their fleet of A319’s, 737’s and CRJ200/700’s. British European also offers an impressive network from BHX.

The choice of holiday destinations makes BHX the 3rd busiest airport in the UK for charter flights, after Gatwick and Manchester. The likes of Airtours/MyTravel, Air 2000, Britannia, JMC and Monarch all have bases here.

As for the terminal buildings – They are excellent. Eurohub is the first hub and spoke concept terminal in Europe and is very modern, with ten airbridges. Main Terminal is very modern, having a recent major facelift. But the best part of the terminal area is the new Millenium Link – This building links the two terminals together making the airport all under one roof.

BHX handles 7.6 million passengers a year and is the 5th busiest airport in the UK. I have flown from here many times and it is so much easier than flying from the London airports…

RE: Aircraft crash at Birmingham

I work next to BHX and this accident is still sinking in. I didn’t see the aircraft explode, but I heard it. I was outdoors in the car park when it happened – It actually didn’t occur to me that it was a plane crash though, but I did wonder what the noise was.

I drove past BHX on the way home (around 5.30pm) and saw the crash scene. Lighting equipment has been setup in the vicinity of the wreckage, although I couldn’t make out the wreckage of the Challenger – It was too dark. I noted that among the aircraft stranded at BHX was an EK A330, used on the daily BHX-DXB rotation. It was due to depart around an hour after the crash happened. The main runway is not lit up, due to the airfield being closed. BHX is due to reopen at midday on 5/1/02. The wreckage stopped quite close to the main apron area of BHX, the two stored BA B767-300’s in particular are within close proximity of the wreckage.

Most flights have been diverted to nearby East Midlands Airport, although Manchester and Coventry are taking on BHX bound flights too. I assume Coventry is getting the light aircraft.

My thoughts are with those who lost their lives, and their families. This is truly a tragic start to 2002.

RE: Merry Christmas!!!

Well, I’m still waiting for my Batman costume I was supposed to get lasy year. I really doubt they’ll get me a 777 though, my drive is only big enough for a Ford Mondeo!

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all, and have a happy new year.