Planes and stuff

Just yesterday, Luís Rosa made a post on Linhadafrente.net aviation fórum regarding the last flight from a Lufthansa Airbus A300 to Faro . The end is near for this bird. (at least at Lufthansa)... Checking my spots, I noticed that the A300 that made this last flight was the only A300 I had ever photographed at Madeira, then with Hapag Lloyd colors.... Besides this one, the only other A300 I ever photographed was this Monarch, last year, in Lanzarote: Quite a far photo, taken with a 18-55mm lens but for me, it's quite a nice record.

It's time for a new Photo of the Week . Haven't seen today's shots in much detail but this one instantly called my atention. Even thought of not going to the airport today but the fact of the Travel Service got delayed for around 17:30h and the fact of runway 23 being in use made my decision to go. Later afternoon light is always the best at LPMA (in my opinion) and runway 23 is a lot less comon than runway 05 so it was the oportunity for getting some diferent shots. Plus, the take-offs from runway 23 allways offer some great background (unless the planes make a really early take-off...) In this case, the background was made by the sea with SAS's OY-KBP restarting its taxi, after holding off runway, on taxiway "Bravo".

Last 25th June, Binter made an importante marketing operation around here: It baptized one of its ATR-72 after our island: "Madeira". The plane: EC-KGJ , oposite to what some press said is not a new plane (it's not old...but it's not brand new and it's not even new on the airline...) The plane was received on arrival with a salute bath, from the Airport's Fire Department. The first time I saw a "bath" on a propeller plane...nice effect on the propeller blades... A salute from the F/O to the Madeira Spotters Arriving at the stand Alpha 5. Exceptionally was parked by side. Ususally it parks by nose in (as every other plane) and pushes back reversing engines... Preparing the things... As you can see, by the door, it's operated by Naysa, also in red, on the back, the alert for the position of the flight recorders... aka Black Boxes. Ready for the cerimony. Hum...will that cargo door remain open?? Unveiling the plane's name...and yes, the cargo do

Today arrived at Madeira the "new" Heliatlantis helicopter, replacing the CS-HCY (an Ecureuil) The "new" helicopter is a Robinson R44, operated by Helibravo. DN had publish a few days ago that it would arrive today by sea so, after leaving work made a quick stop at the entrance of the Funchal Port (local of operations for Heliatlantis) to see if it was already there... Yes, there it was...it was the first time I put eyes on one of these and my first impression was that it was kind of an R/C Helicopter....lol Not much light but here's a first pic just for the record, let's see if this weekend I can get some airborn pics...

Was processing some pics of today's baptism of Binter plane at Madeira when I read on RTP site the news about the death of M.Jackson. I'm not a fan but it got me real surprised. After all, musics like "Thriller" and a few others were quite unforgettable. In the case of "Thriller", I was quite a young kid and that videoclip made me have some creepy nights...bbrrr..... LOL Peace to its soul....

Last night I got the info that Travel Service flight, from Warsaw would be done by a "different" plane. At that time wouldn't be able to get to the airport in time for the landing....anyway it would already be too dark for any kind of pic without a tripod so...decided to take care of my life first and then go for the departure. When I was arriving at Santa Cruz, noticed a Travel Service tail....so, not the plane I was expecting...unless it had been paint with Travel Service livery. Went for the terminal balcony, for some tripod shots...it really wasn't the plane I was expecting but it wasn't a bad catch at all. OK-TVJ, received by Travel Service only last month. Besides that, it was the first time I caught regular Travel Service colors at night... Right after I arrived, CS-TKJ from Sata, pushed back: Anyway, don't know what happened but it took quite a while for disengaging the tow from the plane and the Travel Service capt. was quite impancient for leaving...

Acabei há pouco de ler o "Voo Final", de Ken Follet. Foi um livro de leitura fácil e interessante, embora sem ser viciante. A temática ajudou, claro...Aviões e Segunda Guerra Mundial... Mas, deixou um pouco o sabor àquelas histórias de aventuras que eu próprio costumava imaginar, quando miúdo, acerca de ser aquele que se tornava o herói que salvava toda a situação e mesmo nunca tendo pilotado nada com asas conseguia efectuar um voo quase melhor que qualquer famoso "ÁS". Ah....e ainda ficava com a "miúda" giraça...(claro que esta parte, na altura, passava-me ao lado, já que ainda não tinha começado a apreciar as qualidades do sexo oposto...) LOL...

Last Sunday, went with the family to the east side of the island and we returning to Funchal, made a quick stock at the airport as there was a bizjet that called my atentions for its colors... It was almost sunset and the only traffic was these bizjets and the Swiftair/Agroar white cargo B737. The Falcon livery reminded me of the one use by Falcon 7X at Le Bourget 2005. Local Madjet plane. Looks like it's used only for the owner's own trips...

The day of the return of SBA (06.Jun.2009) to Madeira was also the first day of daylight operations of CS-TKO, the new A320 from Sata, with the new livery. The day before was the first day of operations for this plane and it came to Madeira in the begining of the evening but I didn't go to the airport. Considering the amount of times it came to Madeira, on the first 3 days of operation, there will be plenty of ocasions for other shots. Beeing the first time I put eyes on it, live, I really enjoyed the new livery. Not so much the tail...but generally speaking, it's a very nice livery. At this time of the day, there were 3 A320 from Sata at the airport... On the back CS-TKK taking off from runway 23. Any future pilot around? Airports and planes have lost some of the mystical of the past as air trips are more and more comon but it still can put the imagination to work.... This reminds me of a pic taken in 1987 here at the balcony from a visitor: You can see it HERE . Taking off to

Yesterday (06.Jun.2009) it was quite an interesting morning at LPMA: The return of SBA (Santa Bárbara) from Caracas and the first daylight visit of Sata's new A320, with the new livery. Any way, the Sata's photos will be for another post. Initially schedulled for the 8h, the Santa Bárbara had a 2hour delay, arriving a few minutes after 10h. Must admit that I the B767 is not one of my favorite planes. It doesn't come much to Madeira and I don't really miss it but in this livery it looks really amazing!!! A lucky shot, with the beacons on... This Swiss Air Ambulance was an unexpected visitor. It's allways a nice catch... After this, took my daughter to the playground, at Santa Cruz. Decided that would be there until she wanted to go home and wouldn't worry much on getting the departure of SBA. When she was ready to leave, we made a quick pass behind the airport just to check the status of SBA and then noticed it was just finishing the push-back to runway 05. Heade

Today I noticed that the plane that made the Transavia flight, from Amsterdam was the PH-HZM . Nothing special there...no special livery, no story at all... But then, I was checking some old photos when I noticed this one very special: The first time I caught KLM colors....and, as far as I know, the only time those colors were here at Madeira. The plane: PH-HZM , the same one of today! Back then, (3th August 2006) the plane had just returned to Transavia, after some time on duty with KLM and was still using its colors...Great!!! I remember it was a day I had went to the airport to photograph an An12 (another very rare visitor) and was about to leave when the Transavia was arriving. Still though of leaving without photographing it but, as I was already there, so waited a bit....and BIG prize!! I couldn't believe... Anyway a unique catch on my colection...

Last Sunday (30 May, 2009) made a quick night stop at the Airport to "get" a Spanish Cessna 404. Had already got this plane last October but it was the first night shot of it. Was about to leave when I noticed that local Aeroclube's Piper was at its usual parking with a clear view from the Terminal balcony...quite a sad sight... Why a sad sight? Well, those familiar with LPMA parkings know that usually this used to be behind CS-DIR, the plane that crashed at the airport, the other weekend. So...a visible emptyness....

Last Tuesday, the President of the National Parliament made a visit to Ilhas Selvagens (Savage Islands) which are part of the Madeira Archipelago and the most southern portuguese territorry, near the Canary islands. He made the trip on board N.R.P. Bartolomeu Dias, the new Portuguese frigate. Anyway, alghtough the crew had to make the trip since Lisbon ;) the dear President of the Parliament came by plane to Madeira and then by Helicopter to the frigate. So, the frigate's helicopter made a few trips during the day for transportation of the political and military high ranks and also the journalists. Just caught one of those flights, by the end of the day and what a surprise it was... Comms were bad and wasn't understanding the call sign (also the comms heard from the heli had a background sound of a washing machine or a cake beater...a long flight in that should be nice...argh..!) Anyway, it was the first time I caught the Lynx at the Airport, and with a nice afternoon sunlight,