Planes and stuff

Today we ended up having a couple of Tuifly special liveries for the first time (the Golden Haribo and the VW Sharan....) Too bad for me, couldn't get it... You can check some photos on Jorge Abreu's website: http://www.jorgeabreu.net/photo/ Anyway, time for a week off. There's lots of delayed updates on some really nice traffic, let's see if I'll get things running soon. See you in a week or so....

Last Sunday went to the aiport to get the premiere of Transavia France in portuguese domestic flights: The first flight from Porto. The DN (regional newspaper) annouced that the plane would be received by the Fire Dept. water cannons, so, despite the runway in use was 23, I went to the appron area....when I got there, no Fire trucks anywhere and the Transavia was already on final so...no time to go anywhere else, for the landing....crap... Anyway, the trip wasn't a total loss: TAP's A330 was preparing to depart and with runway 23 in use on the afternoon, there was an oportunity for some nice shots. A few guys were there so I also sayed there but conditions were really nice for a "higher" shot...maybe next time... and...it was CS-TOL, named after one of our island first discoverers and explorers: João Gonçalves Zarco.... As for the Transavia pics....well some day I'll post them...slow taxiing planes with a regular and usual livery don't really turn me

Today, the Golden Haribo (D-ATUD) finally came to Madeira for the first time. Unfortunatelly it seems like there won't be much of an oportunity for me to get it... It arrived this morning from Cologne-Bonn, as X3 2828 and should be departing now to Stuttgart, as X3 2811. On the afternoon, will arrive, around 6 p.m.from Stuttgart as X3 2810.... Happy shots for anyone of can get it...

I know that everyone is expecting to see the Sata Q400 photos at Madeira but yesterday, I was processing some PoAF photos and came up with these 2... It was the first time I had the oportunity to photograph a PoAF P-3P. The only other time I managed to do it again was last year, once more at Porto Santo.... Anyway, back then, the painting of these planes was still nice and looking rather new....

Once again, wasn't sure what pic I'd choose for this Week's Photo. As the Q400 is something new and expected for some time around here, decided for this one. Full report on this premiere, will be posted soon. Meanwhile you can read about it on the Madeira Spotters page . The other candidate was one from an interesting landing of an Air Berlin A330, taken last week, with the visibility conditioning the operation to LPMA...maybe any other week.... Also, full report on this day, soon...

Continuing from the post before the Photo of the Week, like I said, the Merlin had landed with the Pilgrim Virgin on board (from Porto Santo). An Overview of Maiata, with Penha d'Águia (the big rock mountain in the back) and the landfill used to land the helicopter (looking rather small againts the mountains...) As they started to unload the statue, some crew member took the time for some shots also... Behind us, some local people had gathered to see the arrival (don't know if the helicopter or the Virgin....probably both....)   The commander of the helicopter also took some shots and is now checking the results...(hope you can photograph as good as you "drive" that helo....LOL) (ah...yes...in the back the statue was beeing put inside a local Fire Department LandRover....) Time to get back...startup.... Everyone inside and ready for take-off.... Upa.... Right after take-off, they turned us the tail... And started gaining altitute... After which they came backw

It was more than time for a New Photo of the Week . This one was hard to decide. Received back my Bigma last week from the shop and, since then, went a few times to the airport. Didn't get any really stunning photo but the quality of the shots is definitely better and got back to some shots that would be impossible to do at 200mm with the 18-200 I was using. Anyway, decided on this one. Despite it's not my favorite kind of photos, I really like the colors and contrast of the shot, helped by the sky on the back getting dark and the bright of Aigle Azur's colors and redish Air Berlin tails with the new livery which looks great and quite better than the old one. Also, a long time since last shot Aigle Azur ....and if you look closely that green engine is from a very unusual visitor around here: White (CS-TDI), that brought Benfica, to play with C.D.Nacional....

This is a special post for me for several reasons. I allways was more a military aviation fan than civil one....here in Madeira, there aren't many oportunities to spot military traffic and even less to see them operating outside the regular aviation instalations (airports....) Also, allways was a big fan of Sqd.751 since the Puma time for their work here at Madeira and for the fact that helicopters do provide more interesting stuff than regular flying tubes... For that reason all the Merlin photos will be on 1024x683 format and not the usual 800x533. Also a big thumbs up for J.T. and C.J. and all the 751 personel. Last Saturday, like I already mentioned on the Photo of the Week post , one the the Merlins detached at AM3, at Porto Santo transported the image of the Pilgrim Virgin, from that island to the north coast of Madeira, to Porto da Cruz. It landed at a landfill near Porto da Cruz and really near to the sea. When I got there, the "road" to Porto da Cruz w

Yesterday, a Portuguese Air Force Merlin, transported the statue of the Pilgrim Virgin from the neighbour island of Porto Santo to Porto da Cruz, on the north coast of Madeira. I'm preparing a mega-post on that, for the next-update. For now, just this one for the New Photo of the Week, which was a hard choice as I took so many photos that didn't really know which one to choose....

A couple of weeks ago, Sata's ATP at Madeira got grounded with tail rudder problems, due to strong winds... Yesterday...it was still grounded, for obvious causes...LOL There's been another ATP replacing this one but is also sufering some problems, like a couple of days ago, when it had to stay at Porto Santo, due to altimeter problems....

After the storm at Madeira, last Feb.20th, the C-130's of Sqd.501 are assuring the transportation of lots of equipment and personel to help the recovery of the damage and victims. Yesterday and today four flights were made to bring the necessary equipment and personel to mount a temporary military brigde to replace a destroyed one and also to return some equipment and personal that is not needed anymore. Yesterday, Jorge Abreu got some fantastic shots of one of the arrivals. Check them HERE Today I managed to get one of the arrivals, of 16802. Almost didn't get them landing as runway 05 was in use but they wanted to cut short and asked to land in 23...not only was in the other side of the airport (from where I was) but also they would land in backlight, for the photos.... Too bad, got into the car and rushed into runway 23....

Today, on the afternoon, a C-130, from Portuguese Air Force (Sqd.501) will be arriving at Madeira with a military bridge for temporary replace of one of the bridges destroyed on the storm, 2 weeks ago. Don't know yet if I'll be able to go and photograph its arrival but it's a good moment to remember the first pic I ever had published on writen press: It was published on an extra number of " Flieger Revue ":

Last Feb.19th we had new airline around. Can't assure it was the first time it came to Madeira but, at least I hadn't any record of it around here. Came from Helsinki and departed to Tallinn. Will post a few more pics of that day, later. For now, just the new Photo of the Week, dedicated to new stuff! Keep them coming....