Civilian Aviation

I've just spent a long weekend with my daughter's family in Imola and persuaded her to take me to some viewing points outside Bologna airport before we set off for Imola, It was shirtsleeve weather unlike the UK and I actually suffered from heat haze on some of the pics but it was interesting to try pics from the outside. The northern end (where most of these are from) has a high welded mesh fence which was a bit awkward to take pics through but I did the best I could. The locals all had shortish step ladders to get above the fence so I asked my daughter to put a set in the car next time she picks me up!

I also took a few from the terminal yesterday evening on my return but the light was going and I was behind glass so not very good i'm afraid, might post them later but there was nothing exceptional in the way of content, they are in my flickr album anyway.

firstly one taken en-route on my compact
6474 over the Alps STN-BLQ 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

the first two were taken from the southern end but it was a bit awkward and next to a busy road so I didn't stay there long

8651 A6-EGD B777 Emirates Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

8665 PH-EZN Emb.190 KLM Cityhopper Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

then it was round to the northern end, to begin with they were taking off towards me (runway 30) which was a bit useless really but then they changed round to runway 12 which made things much easier..


the 737 that brought me into BLQ departing on it's next journey
8692 EI-DPI B737 Ryanair Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

8779 EC-LJR CRJ1000 Air Nostrum Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

8855 TS-IMV A320 Tunis Aiir Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

then they changed and the outbounds taxied right past me and the inbounds were very close as they came in too
8904 F-GVZM ATR72 Hop Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

the queue to take off!
8926 Waiting for take off, F-GVZM & PH-EZN Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

8930 F-GVZM ATR72 Hop Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

8960 PH-EZN Emb.190 KLM Cityhopper Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

a wave from the pilot...
8970, PH-EZN Emb.190 KLM Cityhopper Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

the only biz jet movement...
8993 D-ISCH Ce.525 Citation Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9019 D-ISCH Ce.525 Citation Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

the view as they landed
9013 d-AGWF A319 Germanwings Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

this EasyJet had received a change of cowling by the look of it...
9050 G-EZBN A319 EasyJet Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9062 I-ADJP Emb195 Air Dolomiti Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9093 I-ADJP Emb195 Air Dolomiti Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9140 EC-LUN A320 Veuling Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9146 CS-TNL A320 TAP Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

9167 CS-TNL A320 TAP Bologna 18-3-2016 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

hope you find them interesting, it's not the busiest of airports but a few operators that we dont often see in the UK

C&C welcome

andy

I found them very interesting!! Thank you very much for sharing these, a superb set it must be said!

Favorite shot is the Air France ATR and the Air Dolomiti E195

Another vote for ATR72 close-up, and the Air Dolomiti - great livery.

Thats a nice set from adifferent location, looks like its a photo friendly location?
Cheers
Paul

bunglebilly wrote:Thats a nice set from a different location, looks like its a photo friendly location?
Cheers
Paul

thanks for the comments guys.

if you have a set of steps and they are using runway 12 it's very photo friendly. The fence is think welded mesh - not the welded mesh we get in the UK but about 1 cm wide strip welded into little boxes about 50mm square so a sod to take pics through and I had several failures. I used very high aperture settings (5.6 or 6.3) to try to eliminate the effect of the mesh but the shots angled still ended up with shadowy edges so I zoomed out to keep the aircraft well into the centre but then the detail goes slightly so a real balancing act. My daughter has promised to take me there again and to bring a set of steps along for me so I'm looking forward to having another go but if it's high summer then the sun will be almost directly above the aircraft at midday which is about the time I'd be there so it will still be tricky.
I couldn't believe how bright the sun was which made the pics a bit harsh, you can see how white the fuselage tops are and then the undersides in deep shadow - that usually only happens in the UK in June, July & August, this was midday-ish in March! All in all it really put my photographic skills (what there are of them) to the test.
The subjects are okay for one or two visits but there isn't a terrific variety there, it's not somewhere I would go out of my way to visit too often as it would soon be repetitive but there are a few regional types that don't visit the UK, the locals seem to enjoy it there and there were quite a few there watching and photographing, I guess it's a popular lunchtime pastime. Oh, and if you're into trains there's a major train line on the opposite side of the road just behind you! There are usually a few nice cargo types at the cargo centre but it's not possible to get pics of them and they don't seem to move much during the day and there are usually a few biz jets on the biz ramp but it's just down to luck whether they move or not to give a chance of pics but that goes for lots of places really. You can also see a lot from the departure lounge, there is a good spot around gate 8-ish (from memory) and also from gates 18 upwards so worth getting there in plenty of time before your flight leaves, photos (as expected) will be through glass but I've had good ones in the past there although yesterday's weren't so good as the light was going and the high ISO made them a bit/very soft.

that's a brief guide to photography/spotting at BLQ for you! hope it's interesting

Andy

Some nice shots there Andy.

The both look like good vantage points, and the best thing about all of the shots - there is not a single lamp post or some other form of pole in any of them!!

And you had the added benefit of warm weather and sun...in March... lucky so and so!! lol

Dan