Nostalgia at BHX

[elmdon74]

BHX LOG/INFO July 1991,

The new Eurohub Terminal began operations on 22/7 with aBA series of Concorde charters during the day with subsonic trips f/t LHR on offer from Carrick Travel. Scheduled Services, Air France used 2 A320`s in July F-GFKE 5/7,F-GFKT 26/7, and 727`s F-BPJS 4/7,F-GCDH 8 and 10/7.JAT suspended their Monday and Friday services to Pula and Dubrovnik due to the political situation in Yugoslavia,the last inbound service was on 1/7 with YU-AKE.KLM Cityhopper Fokker 50 PH-KVK first visited on 17/7. Lufthansa continued to use new 737-500`s on the evening DUS service,D-ABIF 5,6/7,D-ABIE 13/7,D-ABIH 20/7,D-ABIP 15, 27/7,D-ABIS 19/7,D-ABIX 30/7,D-ABIT 31/7,D-ABIM 13/7.The lunchtime F50 service saw new D-AFKN used on 30/7.727`s operated twice on the FRA flight D-ABKM 24/7,D-ABKQ 25/7 and A320 D-AIPT 14/7.Iberia used MD87`s to MAD EC-EVB 19/7,EC-EYY 22/7.Nothing unusual on the SAS and Swissair flights. I.T. Flights, Oasis MD80 6/7 EZU,13/7 793,20/7 733,27/7 FEB ADR Suspended AGX 737 4/7 AOP,3/7 ANP,1/7 727 AKH then suspended CMM 757 4/7 FXOK,11/7 FOOE,18/7 FXOF,25/7 FOOE LAZ TU154 7/7 BTD,14/7 BTG,21/7 BTG,28/7 BTK LAZ TU154 6/7 BTF,13/7 BTK,20/7 BTD,27/7 BTF NXA 757 3/7 GNXC,10/7 GNXC,17/7 GNXC,24/7 GNXI,30/7 DC8-62 C-GMXR SPP MD80 9/7 EHT,16/7 EHT,23/7 EJQ,30/7 EHT SPP MD80 4/7 SE-DFT,11/7 EJU,18/7 EJQ,25/7 EJU Air UK Leisure 737-400`s were used by Nationair to shuttle pax to/from MAN and LGW due to aircraft shortages,G-UKLC 17/7 and 31/7. Britannia 767 G-BYAB was a first visit on 1/7 from LTN then onto RHO. Diversions, 2/7 G-TNTE 146F TNT LTN 3/7 G-BPLA 737 BY LTN G-BYAB 767 BY LTN G-BAZH 737 BY LTN G-APEP Vanguard ABR LTN 4/7 SE-DIM 146F TNT LTN G-TNTB 146F TNT LTN G-TNTE 146F TNT LTN G-OAHF 757 BY LTN 27/7 G-BDXG 747 BA LGW (first wide body to use the Eurohub) 28/7 G-BYAB 767 BY LTN Freight flights, Unusual visitors were Sun Air Skyvan 4/7,Flanders Airlines F27 OO-SVM for Fedex on 8/7 from BFS,20/7 Heavylift Belfast G-HLFT for ABR from MAN to BFS. Charters, BA Concorde G-BOAD arrived on 22/7 for the opening of Eurohub f/t LHR with 2 supersonic charters performed during a 7 hour stay.5 days later Concorde G-BOAB arrived from LHR departing to MAN.These were charters arranged by ex Orion pilot David Gladwin for charity.Braathens 737 LN-SUU was NEC related from Oslo 3/7,with LN-SUZ on 7/7 to operate the return.JAT extended their Split-LHR service to BHX on 4/7 using 737-300 YU-ANV.Finally Business Air Saab 340 G-GNTA arrived from NCL on 6/7. GA/Military/Biz-jets, 1/7 F-GCPV PA31,238 BAE 125-700B IAC,F-GFJL CIT 550,G-XRMC 125-800B,XX379 GAZELLE AAC,F-GICV BEECH 200,G-BPCA BN2 2/7 249 GULF 3 IAC,PH-MCX CIT 550,XV190 C130 From BFS,SE-KML PA28 3/7 D-IATA BEECH 90,G-BRBZ BE 400,90 XINGU FN,G-BKUY JETSTREAM 31 4/7 G-TSAM 125-800B 6/7 D-CLAN LJ 35,G-RAFF LJ 35 7/7 D-IADR C340,G-OAVX BE 200 8/7 SE-DKC FALCON 10,I-LOOK LJ 35,SE-IZM LANCE,HB-VGF 125-700B,F-GFHB MU2 9/7 VR-CSH BEECH 350,F-GGVH BE 200,OO-OSA CIT 550,XZ596 SEA KING 10/7 I-ALPT LJ 35,PH-RBA ROBIN,ZE702 146 RAF,G-LEAR LJ 35,XV190 C130 RAF from BFS 11/7 OO-LRY PA32,D-IAWK BE 90,,I-FLYF FALCON 20,F-GIFX BE 90,HB-VGP CIT 550,N9417C PA28 12/7 F-GCCB C310,N119EZ RUTAN LONGEZ 14/7 EI-BUF C210 and 15/7 16/7 G-CJET LJ 35 17/7 VR-BLK RC690,G-BGYR 125-600B 18/7 N8300E FALCON 50 from LHR 19/7 ZE412 A109,N8333S PA28 20/7 ZG847 BN2 AAC 21/7 G-BLNW BN2 22/7 D-CFAN 125-800B,SE-KIT PA28 24/7 N222CQ SENECA,EI-BJS AA-5 25/7 XV102 VC10 RAF from BFS 26/7 F-GETG PA28,G-OAFB BE 200 27/7 N4443H MOONEY M20,G-BFVI 125-700B 29/7 EI-BUM C404 31/7 240 BEECH 200 IAC,G-WBPR 125-800B Regards,Simon. -- view my 1990`s BHX photographs at: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6rk4j2

 

[JENNYJET]

Wowee, what a list of classic aircraft. I bore people when I say it was a golden time for spotters and enthusiasts when aircraft had something about them!!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I bore people when I say it was a golden time for spotters and enthusiasts when aircraft had something about them!!

It doesn't bore me, Jenny. You are quite correct. Aircraft then had real character. Even those that had similar layouts (e.g. B727, Tu-154 and HS Trident) still had very distinct differences. Today's aircraft all look like clones.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

Oh to see a Tupolev again, the 154 was distinctive an many ways but overtaken by computer design and the pursuit of the buck! Take Dreamliner and A350, a keen eye and advanced recognition knowledge is now necessary to distinguish between them. Not good for newcomers to the hobby!

 

[Nethercote2019]

154 the 3 black stripes & the howl …. Great memories

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Oh to see a Tupolev again, the 154 was distinctive an many ways

I too would love to see a 'classic' Tupolev again. Such distinctive characteristics to these designs. Typically, the Pods to the rear of the wings into which the undercarriage retracted. The anhedral (downward sloping) wings, the long pointed bullet fairing at the top of the tail fin and in the case of older jets, the glass 'bomb aimers' nose. I do recall once seeing either a Tu-104 or more likely a Tu-124. I was a10 year old and we were at LGW awaiting to fly to JFK (Laker Airways DC-10) and I watched the Tupolev take off towards us in the lounge. I distinctly remember it being in bare metal finish and a single engine in each wing root.
There are may other aircraft that I remember with fondness. The Trident and Vanguard spring to mind. I rarely saw these at BHX (except later I would regularly see the Merchantman of Air Bridge operating), possibly they were more frequent on weekdays, when I didn't get to visit that often.
One of my all time favourites has to be the VC-10, which I saw at BHX in several different airline schemes (mostly, diversions).
The list goes on. So many great looking aeroplanes that used to seem so familiar, but now are just pleasant memories.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

All the Soviet era civil aircraft, I believe, doubled as military hence the quirky design features, the bomb aimer glass nose, now only seen in Illyushin IL76/86 cargo and military transporter jets.

They also sound glorious and smokey. Definitely worth a trip to any airfield that regularly graced their presence. 134, 154 and the widebody IL86/96 4 engine types. I used to look out for Balkan airlines as the chance was high to see a Soviet airliner.

Definitely great days to be spotting.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

All the Soviet era civil aircraft, I believe, doubled as military hence the quirky design features, the bomb aimer glass nose, now only seen in Illyushin IL76/86 cargo and military transporter jets.

They also sound glorious and smokey. Definitely worth a trip to any airfield that regularly graced their presence. 134, 154 and the widebody IL86/96 4 engine types. I used to look out for Balkan airlines as the chance was high to see a Soviet airliner.

Definitely great days to be spotting.

And don't foreget the An22 we had come in (think there was just the one) what a beautiful aircraft.

E.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

the bomb aimer glass nose, now only seen in Illyushin IL76/86 cargo and military transporter jets.

I don't recall the IL-86 having a glass nose. If it had, it would also have had a chin blister to house the weather radar.

Kevin

 

[JENNYJET]

I apologise to members, should be IL78, there was an 8 somewhere. The 86 of course was / is a pure passenger airliner. My thanks to Kevin for the jump start!

 

[Nethercote2019]

Looking back after all these years does make you realise how different times are now with so few aircraft types & fewer airlines. Plus you could get so close to the aircraft without all the security measures we have now- Happy times- I’m just off to see if I can find video of a caravelle reversing off stand …..

 

[JENNYJET]

I only once witnessed a Caravelle, or should I say heard one! Sat aboard a BA 737 at Paris CDG for a return to Birmingham, a Caravelle of if i recall, Air Inter, departed and above the cabin kerfuffle the noise was enough to create a vibration on the fuselage as I was sat at a window. Never saw many of them and would have been biased towards the BAC One Eleven.

 

[HPsauce]

Caravelles that I recall at BHX include S.A.M. (Italy), Aviaco ( Spain), Hispania, Sobelair ( Belgium), and occasional Air France visits. Many others that i have forgotten.

 

[rollo]

Air Algiers operated Carevalles on IT work to Spain for a while but I don't know who for though.

 

[HPsauce]

Transeuropa of Spain has also sprung to mind.

 

[Nethercote2019]

I think the last caravelles late 80’s ? We’re ski flights to TLS by Euro air charter ? These I remember them self reversing off stand in a very noisy plume of smoke !
I also remember Friday afternoon & Saturdays afternoons great times for varied airlines & flights ….
for instance 2 spantax Coronad’s side by side

 

[Seasider]

The Caravelles were Europe Aero Service.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I was lucky enough to see many Caravelles, several at BHX. A very good looking aeroplane helped by the fact that it used the cockpit section from the DH Comet.
Here are a couple of my photos -

Sorry for the quality of that one (probably taken on my Zenit-E camera with a Chinon 90-190mm zoom and possibly a teleconverter. I don't know why I was uasing B&W film). My Dad and I went to see Air France Concorde (F-BTSC) at BHX. We were in a field where now stands the current terminals and long stay car park. To the left, in front of the (then) terminal you can see a Caravelle and in front of that, a B737-200 which I think is Transavia. Sadly, F-BTSC was the aircraft lost in the Paris crash.

Kevin

 

[Elmdon80slad]

I was lucky enough to see many Caravelles, several at BHX. A very good looking aeroplane helped by the fact that it used the cockpit section from the DH Comet.
Here are a couple of my photos -

Sorry for the quality of that one (probably taken on my Zenit-E camera with a Chinon 90-190mm zoom and possibly a teleconverter. I don't know why I was uasing B&W film). My Dad and I went to see Air France Concorde (F-BTSC) at BHX. We were in a field where now stands the current terminals and long stay car park. To the left, in front of the (then) terminal you can see a Caravelle and in front of that, a B737-200 which I think is Transavia. Sadly, F-BTSC was the aircraft lost in the Paris crash.

Kevin

Yep was there that day for the AF Concorde, I was down the other end where the flying club was and that little cafe.

E.

 

[JENNYJET]

I cut my photography teeth on a Zenit e or the Dixon's Prinzflex version, one had to think before depressing the exposure button, use of separate light meter. My first job got me into using Nikon and swear by that brand to this day. I always considered the Air France Concorde a beauty but missed the visit into BHX.

Thank you Kevin sir!