Monthly Archives: November 2009

Eurowings says goodbye to BAe 146-200 D-AJET “A-JET”

Eurowings (Nuremberg) is gradually replacing its BAe 146-200 and 146-300 fleet with newer Bombardier CRJ900s. On Thursday (November 26) the company said goodbye at the Nuremberg base to its long-time BAe 146-200 D-AJET (msn E2201) known in the company as “A-JET”. This picture is taken on the ramp at NUE picturing D-AJET heading to runway 28 for its delivery flight to Star Peru (Lima). The aircraft was flying to Keflavik via Glasgow that day. After an overnight crew rest stop, the second day would see the aircraft flying via Kangerlussuaq (Greenland) and Iqaluit (Canada) for a second overnight stop at Montreal (Trudeau). The third day the airliner was due to stop at Orlando, continuing on to San Josรฉ (Costa Rica). The last phase of the delivery flight is planned to go via Chiclayo (Peru) onward to the Lima base with a planned arrival date of November 29, 2009. Note the HF antenna on the top fuselage for communications over the North Atlantic. After being delivered on March 20, 1995 the dependable airliner operated for over 14 years with Eurowings. It is pictured in the Lufthansa Regional 2003 colors.

Copyright Photo: Gunter Mayer.

Ex-easyJet Boeing 737-73V G-EZJB departs Southend on delivery to Aerolineas Argentinas as N385DF

Aerolineas Argentinas (Buenos Aires) has now taken delivery of ex-easyJet Boeing 737-73V G-EZJB (msn 30236). The airliner is pictured departing from Southend as N385DF on November 27.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

Newly-delivered Avient Aviation McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Z-BAV crashes today at Shanghai

Copyright Photo: Eddy Gual/www.air72.com. The new MD-11F is pictured at Miami as N408SH before it was delivered as Z-BAV on November 20, 2009.

Avient Aviation (Harare) took delivery on November 20, 2009 of its first McDonnell Douglas MD-11 (F) freighter registered Z-BAV (msn 48408, ex N408SH/PR-LGD). Today (November 28) the ex-VARIG airliner caught on fire on takeoff tragically crashed at Shanghai (Pu Dong). Three (of seven) American crew members died in the crash. The aircraft is destroyed.

News links:

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34177650/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/27/china.plane.crash/index.html

AirTran Airways to start Des Moines-Orlando flights

N971AT, originally uploaded by bwione.

AirTran Airways (Orlando and Atlanta) will start weekend only nonstop service between Des Moines and Orlando starting on March 6, 2010 with Boeing 717s.

Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/AirTran-Airways-Introduces-prnews-2212434732.html?x=0&.v=1

Copyright Photo: bwione.

A now rare shot of AirTran’s Boeing 717-2BD N971AT (msn 55032) with the image of race car driver (and model) Danica Patrick landing on runway 33L at Baltimore/Washington (BWI). Note the “AirTranica” special titles (now gone).

AeroGal to acquire its first Boeing 767-300

 

Copyright Photo: Andres Ramirez. Ex-OceanAir Boeing 767-322 ER N287AV (msn 25287) named "Piquero" is being prepared for delivery at Medellin.

AeroGal (Aerolineas Galapagos) (Quito) is set to soon take delivery of its first Boeing 767-300.

 

Air Saipan to launch next month with assistance from Lufthansa

Air Saipan (Saipan) is again attempting to get airborne as an airline. Previously in 2005 it was planning to launch operations with a Boeing 757-200 but was under capitalized at that time and did not start. Now with the assistance of Lufthansa Consulting it is planning to launched operations in December with wet leased aircraft. The first route will be to Guangzhou.

News link:

www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=95233

PB Air suspends all operations

 

Copyright Photo: Roy Lock. Embraer ERJ 145LR HS-PBE (msn 145597) was delivered to the company on December 19, 2002. It is pictured at BKK prior to being returned to GECAS. It is now with Passaredo as PR-PSH.

PB Air (Bangkok) was forced to suspend all operations this month after Bangkok Air declined to extend the lease of two ATR 72-500s it was wet leasing the company through the end of October. The ATRs were leased in April 2009 to replace the two Embraer ERJ 145 regional jets that had been returned to GECAS earlier this year. The airline was planning to take delivery of two SAAB 340s starting in September but reportedly declined the delivery of the aircraft and was therefore forced to suspend all operations. The airline was formed in 1990 for executive transport of the Singha Brewery executives. Scheduled public passenger flights commenced in March 1998.

 

News link:

www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism/27764/new-aircraft-delivery-delay-downs-pb-air

Air China transports almost 10,000 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

 

Please click on AG icon for a direct link to the Air China photo gallery.

Air China (Beijing) between October 30 and November 18 transported nearly 10,000 pilgrims and to and back from Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj.

 

Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Air-China-Transports-10000-prnews-2892828708.html?x=0&.v=6

El Al reports a 3Q net profit of $12.3 million

 

Please click on AG icon for a direct link to the El Al photo gallery.

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) reported a net profit of $12.3 million.

 

News link:

finance.yahoo.com/news/El-Al-Israel-Airlines-Results-pz-1340780945.html?x=0&.v=1

Moskovia Airlines to add its first Boeing 737-800

Copyright Photo: Ola Carlsson/Aviaction.net. Ex-SAS 737-883 SE-DTN (msn 30467) is pictured on the ramp at Stockholm (Arlanda) prior to its delivery. This livery also appears to be a revision of the 2009 livery introduced on Boeing 737-73A VQ-BDI (click on photo to compare).

Moskovia Airlines (Moscow-Zhukovsky) is getting ready to add its first Boeing 737-800, joining its 737-700 and Russian aircraft.