Civilian Aviation

As the wife was going to meet up with two friends in Liverpool this afternoon for a meal and a few cocktails and some girly chat, and also with the blues doing an early exit from the FA Cup. After dropping her off at the railway station- I nipped to the AVP at Manchester to get a couple of books I was after, and to have £5 worth of spotting – anyway seen between 12:20 and 14:00 were the following:-

A6-EEA- A380
D-ABQT- DH8-4
D-AIPM- A320
D-AISC- A321
EI-CVC- A320
EI-DLV- 737-8
EI-DWY- 737-8
EI-EFI- 737-8
EI-EFO- 737-8
EI-FZM- 737-8
F-HEPE- A320
G-BYAY- 757
G-CIEL- C560XL
G-EUUK- A320
G-EUXF- A321
G-EZAJ- A319
G-EZGD- A319
G-EZOW- A320
G-EZRN- A320 *
G-EZTR- A320
G-EZUK- A320
G-FDZA- 737-8
G-GDFD- 737-8
G-GDFR- 737-8
G-GDFS- 737-8
G-GDFU- 737-8
G-LCYM- E190
G-JECN- DH8-4
G-JOTR- RJ85
G-JZBF- 737-8
G-LSAI- 757
G-OOBG- 757
G-PRPA- DH8-4
G-RJXA- ERJ145
G-TAWJ- 737-8
G-TCDL- A321
HB-IJR- A320
N789RR- Global XRS *
N904TS- G450 *
OE-LKH- A320
OE-LKJ- A320
PH-EXP- E170
SE-RIL- C560XL
TF-FIV- 757

Only made three out of that lot, but got my books so a happy chappie. The Global and the G450 are both night stoppers.

Bit of Info:- Lots of works going on Wilmslow road which goes past the AVP. Although it is sign posted, it is a very sharp left hander when travelling from the M56 & Altrincham, watch out for boy racers. There is a new road going past the Romper which is in a letter S. Then as normal after the Romper. Also when coming out of the AVP where you could once turn right to get back to the M56- you now have to turn left and follow the diversion signs back down to the roundabout after the runway flyover. I was fortunate due to a break in traffic to be able to turn around in the mouth of another road just before the runway. Then there is traffic lights and quite a queue of single file traffic leading up to the motorway.

Happy Days

Bob

Thanks for the info Bob.

The strangest thing that I've ever seen at the AVP was a guy arriving all alone in his car, he turned the engine off, got out, looked all around for a couple of minutes and then let 3 of his mates out of the back of his estate car.

Mike, You certainly see some strange things/people at the AVP

Bob

That's true !

Just to add - he let them out of the tailgate and they'd been covered with a blanket, they obviously thought that the AVP charged per person, and not just by the vehicle.

Good point Mike, I also thought that was once the case, but now days all you have to do is get a disc from the machine and go in. You pay when you leave it is £5 for 2 hours and £12 all day which is good value. So if there are a few of you -a cheap days spotting.

Bob

I've always liked the AVP, it's such a shame that other airports don't have similar facilities.

So true Mike, and a money spinner at that. Heathrow's big mistake was shutting the Queens Building- imagine the money that would role in if they made a viewing area there again. Likewise with Gatwick. It has got to be a no brainer really having viewing area for spotters and visitors alike saves people going into and stopping at various shady spots in and around airfields. Also would make life a lot easier for the Police and security.

Bob