Lisbon African Summit  Dec 9th   Ian Gordon

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LISBON - 9th DECEMBER 2007                      
Ian Gordon                          
It's strange how a Radio Five Live news item in September can lead to a day out aircraft spotting a little later in the year. With the news that Gordon Brown would
boycott the upcoming EU/African Union Summit in Lisbon over the weekend 7th to 10th of December if Zimbabwes' Robert Mugabe attended, thoughts turned to 
finding out who exactly would be visiting Lisbon. After a little 'Googling' it quickly became apparent that this could be an excellent idea to see some rare 'classics'. 
With the idea of a day-trip, the easyJet schedule out of Luton duly obliged and was booked along with the on-line check in facility.      
As the big day approached our appetite was whetted by following the blog of a Portuguese spotter who had photographs of the early arrivals on Thursday and Friday.
His excellent photographs can be found here  
                           
The journey south began just as Saturday turned to Sunday and the first stop of the trip was East Midlands. We visited the crash gate on the north side of the  
airport to begin with and this area affords views of the cargo ramp. Whilst in this location the growth in passenger flights at this airport can be witnessed by the surprisingly
 large number of night stoppers in front of the main terminal - there must have been around 15 aircraft from the Bmibaby, easyJet and Ryanair fleets.    
                           
        EMA - 9th December               
                           
easyJet A319 G-EZIA G-EZIO                    
Bluebird Cargo B737F TF-BBF                      
Budapest Air Services AN-26 HA-TCX HA-TCY                    
DHL B757F OO-DLP                      
  DC-8F N803DH                      
Fleet Air SF340 HA-TAD                      
RAF Avia SF340 YL-RAG                      
Amongst the unidentified were an Air Malta A320/A319 and a Swiss BD700                
                           
                           
Upon our arrival at Luton, before seeking the warmth of the terminal, we toured the biz-jet ramps and nearly froze in the process.       
                           
        Luton - 9th December              
                           
DHL A300F OO-DLD                      
Ryanair B738W EI-DWE                      
Silverjet B767 G-SJET                      
Others BAE125 CS-DNT CS-DNV OE-IPH                  
  BBJ VP-BBW                      
  BD100 C-GFHR                      
  BD605 N605BA                      
  BD700 OE-INC                      
  CRJ VP-BHX                      
  CL601 C-FJJC C-GRPF                    
  CL604 C-GAWH G-EMLI HB-IVS P4-SAI VP-CKR              
  C550 G-DWJM                      
  C551 YU-BBT                      
  C560 CS-DNY G-WINA HB-VMU                  
  C750 C-GAPT VP-CFZ                    
  F50 N428CC VP-CBF VP-CRF                  
  F900 G-HMEV N900JG                    
  F2000 CS-DNR                      
  Gulf 2 5N-AGV                      
  Gulf 4 D-AJGK HZ-AFV N94AE N151ST N498QS              
  Gulf 5/550 CS-DKD N1HC N256LK N501CV VP-BGN              
                           
We flew on B737 G-EZJN and departed at 0721 for the 2:21 long flight. Conditions en-route were good and once over the coast      
our route followed a straight line direct to Lisbon out over the Bay of Biscay which looked, from above, suitably windswept.        
From various sources we had information that due to the restricted ramp space at Lisbon, the majority of visiting African aircraft had      
positioned out to either Faro or Porto but because the Summit was due to conclude at 1200 local, they would reappear (hopefully!) at      
some stage in the day to collect their parties. It transpired that some aircraft would not return until Monday but, fortunately for us, an      
interesting selection did show up. In these days of capital airports being dominated by Airbus and Boeing I think it will be many years, if      
ever, that I see such a widespread variety of active aircraft (don't travel far, do I!).                
                           
Having collected our hire car we immediately set off for a spotting location on the western side of the main runway. This location is on a hill    
adjacent to the airport therefore good pictures can be taken from this elevated vantage point even though the approach is hidden by a      
building depending where you stand. Some trees on the perimeter will test your skill at taking photos particularly if they are taking off to       
the north as on this day - seePaul Mitchells' site 'OTNE' for his additions to the gallery.              
                           
        Lisbon - 9th December              
                           
On display leaving the terminal area is CV-880 N8806E                     
                           
Summit traffic                          
Algeria C130 7T-WHD                      
  Gulf 4 7T-VPS                      
  Gulf 5 7T-VPG                      
Benin BBJ A6-AIN                      
Burkina Faso B727W XT-BFA                      
Cameroon F-28 TJ-ALG                      
Djibouti B727W J2-KBA                      
Ethiopia B737W ET-ALN                      
Gabon B777 N777AS                      
Libya A300 5A-IAY                      
  A340 5A-ONE                      
Malawi B737 7Q-YKP                      
Mali BAC 1-11 TZ-BSB                      
  B707 TZ-TAC                      
Morocco F50 CN-ANO                      
Mauritania B727 P4-FLY                      
Mozambique F900 F-GKHJ                      
Nigeria BBJ 5N-FGT                      
P.R. Congo MD83 SX-IFA                      
Rwanda BD700 ZS-ESA                      
Senegal B737W 6V-AHU                      
Sudan IL-62 ST-PRA                      
Tchad A318J HB-IPP                      
Tunisia CL604 TS-IAM                      
                           
Austria Astrajet OE-GBD                      
Belgium E135 CE-02                      
Finland F20 OH-WIP                      
France A310 F-RADB                      
Germany A310 10+21                      
Italy A319J MM62243                      
Latvia BAE125 YL-VIP                      
Macedonia LJ60 Z3-MKD                      
Portugal F50 17403                      
Romania B707 YR-ABB                      
                           
Also visiting the VIP area were:                        
  F900 G-HAAM                      
  F2000 HB-IGQ                      
  Gulf 550 HB-IGM                      
                           
                           
Scheduled airliner traffic:                        
REGIONAL AIR LINES ATR42 CN-RLG                      
                           
TAP A310 CS-THE CS-TEI CS-TEJ                  
  A319 CS-TTA CS-TTB CS-TTE CS-TTF CS-TTG CS-TTI            
    CS-TTJ CS-TTK CS-TTL CS-TTN CS-TTP CS-TTQ            
  A320 CS-TMW CS-TNB CS-TNE CS-TNH CS-TNI CS-TNK            
    CS-TNL CS-TNM CS-TNN CS-TNP CS-TQD              
  A321 CS-TJE CS-TJF CS-TJG                  
  A330 CS-TOE CS-TOF CS-TOG CS-TOI CS-TOJ CS-TOK            
    CS-TOL                      
  A340 CS-TOA CS-TOB CS-TOC CS-TOD                
                           
EUROATLANTIC B757 CS-TFK                      
                           
PORTUGALIA B1900 CS-TMU CS-TMV                    
  E145 CS-TPG CS-TPI CS-TPJ CS-TPM                
  F100 CS-TPD CS-TPE CS-TPF                  
                           
SATA A310 CS-TGU CS-TGV CS-TKM                  
  A320 CS-TKK                      
                           
WHITE A310 CS-TDI CS-TKI                    
                           
AIR BERLIN B737W D-ABBB                      
                           
GERMANWINGS A319 D-AGWA D-AKNL                    
                           
LUFTHANSA A319 D-AILK                      
  A321 D-AIRX D-AIRY D-AISG                  
                           
AIR NOSTRUM CRJ EC-IAA EC-IJE                    
                           
CLICKAIR A320 EC-HQI EC-ICU                    
                           
FLYANT B737F EC-KDJ                      
                           
IBERIA A320 EC-HAF EC-JDR                    
  A321 EC-HUH                      
                           
VUELING A320 EC-JZI EC-KEZ                    
                           
AER LINGUS A320 EI-CVA                      
                           
AIR FRANCE A320 F-GFKG                      
  A321 F-GTAK                      
                           
AIGLE AZUR A320 F-HBAE                      
                           
ALIA CARGO A310F F-ODVF                      
                           
BMIBABY B737  G-TOYA                      
                           
EASYJET A319 G-EZAH G-EZBU G-EZDC                  
                           
EASYJET SWITZERLAND A319 HB-JZK HB-JZP                    
                           
SWISS A320 HB-IJJ                      
                           
ALITALIA A320 I-BIKA I-BIKF                    
                           
SAS BRAATHENS B737 LN-TUA                      
                           
CONTINENTAL B757W N33132                      
                           
FLYNIKI A320 OE-LEU                      
                           
FINNAIR A320 OH-LXA                      
                           
TRAVEL SERVICE B737W OK-TVB                      
                           
SN BRUSSELS B737 OO-VEX                      
                           
KLM B737 PH-BXT                      
                           
THY B737 TC-JFR                      
                           
VISITORS C525 G-TBEA                      
  F900 D-AMBI                      
                           
                           
By 1530 things were becoming slower so a decision to  visit to Alverca was agreed upon. This airfield houses the Portuguese AF museum    
and is the instructional headquarters for training technicians hence a number of older airframes are to be seen.           
A small compound near the entrance to the facility has 6 aircraft on display:                
                           
  A-7   15508                    
  A-37   2411                    
  G91   5441                    
  Hurricane (replica) 591                    
  F-86 Sabre   5319                    
  T.38   2601                    
                           
Other inmates can be seen by some slow drive-by 'poling' along the perimeter and adjoining car-park:            
                           
  A-7's   15507 15508 15509 15511 15512 15514 15515 5517      
      15522 5526 15527 15529 15532 15534 15536 15544      
      15545 15546 15547 15549 15550            
                           
  Beech 18   2517                    
                           
  Cessna T-37 2411 Gate guard                
                           
  DC-4   6606                    
                           
  DC-6   6706                    
                           
  Junkers Ju-52 6300 6301 6310 6311 6315            
                           
  Lockheed PV-2 4620                    
                           
  Lockheed P-3 14801                    
                           
  Nord Noratlas 6412 6417 6420                
                           
  F-86 Sabre   5319 5333 5360                
                           
  T-38   2601                    
                           
A short drive from this facility a Cessna T-37 2412 is displayed on a pole in a local school.              
From here it was back to Lisbon and time to return the hire-car but not before checking out the military area at Lisbon        
airport where T-38 2603 is on display.                      
                           
The flight back to Luton on G-EZJR was delayed 90 minutes affording the opportunity to 'pot' one or two visitors which included the Comlux A318Elite.  
The uneventful flight was followed by a roller coaster approach due to strong winds but the co-pilot flying the leg nailed the landing first time    
which to be honest was a surprise as I was expecting a go-around due to the nature of the buffeting.            
                           
By now it was the small hours of the 10th and the biz-jet ramp near 'easyland' had  changed completely. Adjacent to the taxiway, Gulf 3 ZS-TEX was visible.  
Elsewhere on 'the pond' and in the 'north west corner' new biz for the log were:                
                           
  BD700 C-GDPG N613WF                    
  CL604 P4-CHV                      
  Gulf 4 EC-KEY N950DM VP-CMR                  
  Gulf 5 A6-DEJ 9K-AJE                    
                           
I arrived home at around 0500 completely shattered but having enjoyed a day with a difference. On reflection a number of the African visitors were missed  
but a fair number were logged the majority of which I'll probably never see again. Well worth the effort.            
                           

 

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