Latvia - Paul Gregg Tuesday 4th March till Thursday 6th March 2008

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Day One…early start…nothing out of the ordinary…just for a change….  
     
East Midland Airport    
     
9H-AEN Airbus A320214 2665 Air Malta
EI-DHM Boeing  7378AS 33821 Ryanair
EI-DHV Boeing  7378AS 33582 Ryanair
EI-DWB Boeing  7378AS 36075 Ryanair
EI-DWI Boeing  7378AS 33643 Ryanair
EI-DWT Boeing  7378AS 33626 Ryanair
EI-DWW Boeing  7378AS 33629 Ryanair
G-BMRJ Boeing 757236f 24268 DHL
G-BVKB Boeing 73759D 27268 bmi Baby
G-BYAW Boeing  757204 27234 ThomsonFly
G-CDFS Embraer ERJ-135ER 145431 British Midland Regional
G-CDZI Boeing 737804 28229 Thompsonfly
G-EZAN Airbus A319111 2765 EasyJet
G-EZBW Airbus A319111 3134 EasyJet
G-EZEP Airbus A319111 2251 EasyJet
G-FCLK Boeing  7572Y0 26161 Thomas Cook Airlines
G-OBMP Boeing 7373Q8 24963 bmi Baby
G-OMYJ Airbus A321211 677 MyTravel
G-OOAE Airbus A321211 852 First Choice Airways
G-TOYE Boeing 73733A 27455 bmi Baby
G-TOYK Boeing  73733R 28870 bmi Baby
N310UP Boeing 76734AF 27762 UPS
OO-DLI Airbus A300B4 234 DHL Worldwide Courier Express
OO-DLW Airbus A300B4 199 DHL Worldwide Courier Express
OO-DLY Airbus A300B4-203F 116 DHL Worldwide Courier Express
OY-SRF Boeing  767219ERF 23327 Star Air A/S
OY-SRG Boeing  767219ERF 23328 Star Air A/S
     
On arrival at a rather chilly Riga the two IL76’s can be seen in the trees opposite the terminal, whilst the TU-134 is parked away on a remote apron on the terminal side. Whilst the two Mil-2’s are stored near to the 134…also sat on the ramp was an unidentifiable French Air Force Falcon 50.
     
Riga, Latvia    
     
CCCP-65874 Tupolev Tu-134A-3 29315 Preserved
EC-KMF IAI Gulfstream 150 233 Executive Airlines (EC)
EI-DLK Boeing  7378AS 33592 Ryanair
EI-DXW Learjet 60 60-300 Airlink Airways
OE-FNA Cessna 525 525-0659 Corporate
OH-LEH Embraer Emb-170100ST 17000112 Finnair
SP-KPH SAAB 340AF 15 Sky Express
YL-BAR Fokker F-50 20149 Air Baltic
YL-BAW Fokker F-50 20148 Air Baltic
YL-BBF Boeing  737548 24878 Air Baltic
YL-BBI Boeing  73733A 27454 Air Baltic
YL-BBN Boeing  737522 26683 Air Baltic
YL-BBP Boeing  737522 26688 Air Baltic
YL-BBQ Boeing  737522 26691 Air Baltic
YL-BCB Airbus A320212 726 Lat Charter
YL-KSA Antonov An-74200 36547098957 KS Avia
YL-LAB Tupolev Tu-154B2 81A515 Leasing Company
YL-LAJ Ilyushin IL-76TD 1013409295 Inversija
YL-LAK Ilyushin IL-76T 3424707 Inversija
YL-RAA Antonov An-26B 112-06 RAF Avia
YL-RAE Antonov An-26B 140-04 RAF Avia
YL-RAF Antonov An-74TK100 36547095905 Riga, Latvia 
YL-SKY Bombardier 604 5532 VIP Avia
YR-FKB Fokker F-100 11369 Carpatair
YL-LHC Mil Mi-2 527541032 Private
YL-LHH Mil Mi-2 549329075 Private
     
The Main reason for the visit…a visit to the rather excellent Museum, and to meet Victor the “keeper” of the beasts!
     
Riga Museum, Latvia    
     
01 red Antonov An-14A 903007 Preserved
06 red Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21US 2685133 Preserved
09 red Mil Mi-6A 903007 Preserved
10 yellow Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SMT 50023100 Preserved
14 red Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI 22638 Preserved
15 red Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 18715 Preserved
16 red Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MF 390206503 Preserved
17 red Mil Mi-8T 9710615 Preserved
17 yellow Mil Mi-1M Unknown Preserved
20 red Mil Mi-24A 2201407 Preserved
21 red Mil Mi-2 513219103 Preserved
22 blue Aero Vodochody L-29 290421 Preserved
22 red Yakovlev Yak-28R 7960808 Preserved
22 red Mil Mi-2 513832104 Preserved
22 yellow Antonov An-2 110547307 Preserved
26 red Aero Vodochody L-29 691847 Preserved
27 white Sukhoi Su-7BKL 25710 Preserved
30 blue Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25U N020CM03 Preserved
34 red Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RBS N84027607 Preserved
38 blue Aero Vodochody L-29 294966 Preserved
40 yellow Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21ST 50029084 Preserved
43 red Sukhoi Su-7UM 23184 Preserved
47 red LET L-13 Unknown Preserved
52 blue Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB 952 Preserved
53 red Tupolev Tu-22M0 Unknown Preserved
58 yellow Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI 22611 Preserved
60 white Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27M 3910601 Preserved
72 red LET L-13 171511 Preserved
74 white Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23M 7525 Preserved
76 yellow Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21ST 50027071 Preserved
92 red Aero Vodochody L-29 291109 Preserved
94 yellow Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM 516939011 Preserved
CCCP-02660 Antonov An-2R 1G123-26 Preserved
CCCP-24057 Kamov Ka-26 6900401 Preserved
CCCP-31449 Mil Mi-4 unknown Preserved
CCCP-32418 Antonov An-2 1G101-36 Preserved
CCCP-38342 Yakovlev Yak-18T 4200803 Preserved
D-EMEH Cessna 150A 150-59081 Preserved
Unknown Mil Mi-24A 2201108 Preserved
Unknown Sukhoi Su-17M4 4219 Preserved
Unknown Sukhoi Su-24 515318 Preserved
Unknown Sukhoi Su-24 915306 Preserved
YL-LCD Antonov An-24B 77303902 Preserved
     
On the opposite side of the airport from the terminal is the small town of Skulte, which has an IL-28 preserved on a plinth and looks magnificent!
     
38 red Ilyushin IL-28 unknown Preserved
     
Our first stop away from Riga was Jelgava, an old Russian Air Force base that is now used as a paradrop base and for gliding also…for the main navigation around Poland we use TWO main sources, my Garmin Satnav, which proved to have about 60% of the roads covered, and also a view from Google Earth that had all the points of interest marked…the combination of the two helped us find ever destination we needed to!
     
Jelgava, Latvia    
     
CCCP-28813 PZL-Mielec An-28 1AJ003-02 stored minus cockpit
ES-NOW PZL-Mielec An-28 1AJ002-07 Leasing Company
OK-6112 Aerotechnik L-13SDM 860123 Private
YL-CAO Antonov An-2T 1G98-48 Private
YL-DAL LET L-13 174636 Private
YL-DBH LET L-13M 173474 Private
YL-JAK Yakovlev Yak-18T 22202034006 Private
YL-KAF PZL-Mielec An-28 1AJ009-09 Rigas Aeroklubs
YL-MMA ?   Jelgava, Latvia 
Unmarked LET L-13   Jelgava, Latvia 
     
CCCP-28813 consisted of the fuselage and wings at the side…can’t remember if the cockpit was still attached!! The Yak-18 was in its own small covered hanger, whilst the rest were out in the open, with the exception of YL-MMA which was in a building opposite the CCCP An-28
     
At the side of the road in a private garden we noted a Blanik on a trailer…at 14a Rigas Iela, Jelgave  
     
YL-DDL LET L-13   14A Rigas Iela, Jelgava
     
Next we visited a small privately owned grass strip, at Ikskile, again after asking permission we were allowed access to one of the two hangers
     
Ikskile, Latvia    
     
YL-CAF American Aviation AG-5B 10153 Private
YL-CCD Cessna 172N 172-69293 Private
YL-CCP Mooney M.20J 24-0345 Private
YL-CCU Christen S-2B Special 5083 Ikskile, Latvia 
YL-CCZ Cessna 172N 172-67697 Private
YL-CDJ Pioneer Flightstar 374 Private
YL-EON Liberty XL-2 ? Private
YL-ROS P92-JS ? Private
Unmarked EV97 Eurostar 2007-3108 Private
     
Whilst en route to Vielvarde we came a across the Dakota Café(Prieiou Str 1, Ciemupe, Ogregals parish, Ogre District)…fascinating place…with the following on view
     
Ciemupe, Latvia    
     
07 yellow An-2   Preserved
(YL-LCA) An-24   Preserved
17 white ?   Preserved
     
The An-2 is actually ex Latvian Air Force example 252 which was last reported as being stored at Lielvarde, and the “252” can be seen under the new paint job! The An-24 is the forward fuselage only, whilst the 17 white is posing in a crash position…we were not convinced it was real…nor were we convinced it wasn’t…anyway…the beer was good as well!!
     
     
Lielvarde, the main Latvian Air Force base…preserved and able to be photographed after asking permission, even though there were signs stating no photos!! at the main gate was…
     
Lielvarde, Latvia    
     
09 red Mig 21   Preserved
     
     
Found behind a garage on the way back to Riga was this ex Air Force base being used by any number of companies doing all sorts…noted during and following a snowstorm were the following…
     
Rumbula, Latvia    
     
CCCP-22461 Mil Mi-8 232 Private
CCCP-56509 Antonov An-2R 1G183-07 Withdrawn from use
HA-XBO Sikorsky S-52-93 Humingbird260L 09    
YL-ADA     Private
YL-CAS PZL-Okecie 104 Wilga35A 15800569 Rumbula, Latvia 
YL-CBA PZL-Okecie 104 Wilga35A 15800575 Rumbula, Latvia 
YL-CBM American Aviation AA-5A 136 Rumbula, Latvia 
YL-CBZ Cessna 152 152-81070 Private
YL-CDA Cessna 172N 172-68704 Private
YL-DBG LET L-13M 173001 Private
YL-ERC     Private
YL-FSB Reims-Cessna F.172D 2 Rumbula, Latvia 
YL-KGB Cessna 172   Private
YL-NLO Cessna 150   Private
YL-SIM Best Off Skyranger 743 Private
Unmarked red helicopter similar to R22    
     
The AN-2 is wingless, the Mi-8 is rotorless and looking pretty rough…the two Wilga’s are wingless and look very sorry for themselves and were identified from the c/n plates in the cockpit…whilst the subject of many discussions later in the bar the Hummingbird was in a “temporary” blue hanger…wearing a  military colourscheme again permission was sought and gained to photograph everything…
     
     
Riga, Latvia    
     
Back to the airport before retiring to the bar….    
     
145 LET L-410UVP 820737 Latvian Air Force
LY-ARI Aerospatiale ATR 42312 012A DOT - Danu oro transportas
YL-BAT Fokker F-50 20163 Air Baltic
YL-BAU Fokker F-50 20126 Air Baltic
YL-BAW Fokker F-50 20148 Air Baltic
YL-BBF Boeing  737548 24878 Air Baltic
YL-BBK Boeing  73733V 29332 Air Baltic
YL-KAA LET L-410UVP 851425 Concors Airlines
     
Day two…thick heads all round! First stop back to Riga…    
     
Riga, Latvia    
     
YL-LCC Airbus A320 310 Lat Charter
YL-LCD Airbus A320 359 Lat Charter
YL-RAB Antonov 32 105-08 RAF Avia
YL-BAR Fokker 50 20149 Air Baltic
     
Next Spilve, another ex Russian Air Force base was found fairly easily…the old terminal building looked rather spectacular if not a little neglected! On the deserted field (people wise) were the two An-2’s, the Air Force example was wingless…so probably safe to say not on their books anymore! One hanger was viewed via various openings….there was more in the big hanger but proved rather hard to see. One other hanger was noted and we can confirm that it did contain some aircraft, that all failed to be identified!
     
Riga-Spilve, Latvia     
     
248 Antonov An-2R 1G212-18 Latvian Air Force
YL-AKI Aeroprakt A.22 151 Private
YL-CBL Yakovlev Yak-18T 17-33 Private
YL-CCF Antonov An-2TP 1G96-22  
YL-CDD Lilienthal X-32 346 Private
YL-DBI LET L-13M 174515 Private
YL-PAS ? ? Private
YL-RAM Yak-52 5610912 or 5010912   Private
YL-TGS ? ? Private
YL-CDB ? ? Private
YL-CCE ? ? Private
     
Rather fortunately found as the area was in a low-res Google Earth area…Limbazi was a again a very welcoming little grass strip with the An-2 YL-LEF on the gate wearing Russian Air Force markings…the “ex” Latvian Air Force L-13’s are all stored dismantled in the first hanger…it appears that we missed out on two LAK-12’s that were in two glider boxes that were told were empty…that may have been a misunderstanding between me not speaking Latvian and the very nice Latvian gentleman not speaking English…just a word of warning…when you shake his hand when you leave be prepared to have your arm shaken off in enthusiasm…great reception!
     
Limbazi, Latvia     
     
202 LET L-13 171202 Latvian Air Force
203 LET L-13 Unknown Latvian Air Force
204 LET L-13 171929 Latvian Air Force
76 red LET L-13 Unknown Latvian Air Force
YL-670 LAK LAK-12 670 Private
YL-CBN Cessna 150L 150-72614 Private
YL-CCK Piper PA-28235 28-10473 Private
YL-IMA Aerostyle Breezer 56 Private
YL-LEB Antonov An-2TP 1G41-16 Private
YL-LEF Antonov An-2R 1G212-17 Private
YL-PIF Ikarus Comco C-22 0301-3750 Private
     
All the gliders were dismantled in the first hanger.    
     
Onto Cesis, a small grass strip on the outskirts of the town…two different sides to the field, the Aeroclub and the general aviation side…the An-2 was over by the Aeroclub. 
     
Cesis, Latvia     
     
YL-CCA Jodel D.18 422 Private
YL-CCO Reims-Cessna FR.172E 49 Cesis, Latvia 
YL-CCW Cessna 172F 172-52009 Private
YL-CCX Piper PA-31-310 31-647 Corporate
YL-FBI Partenavia P.68OBS2 433-29-OB2 Cesis, Latvia 
Unmarked Microlight   Private
     
Over at the Aeroclub the An-2 is outside, whilst all of the rest were in a pretty rundown hanger and identified through gaps in the door and some windows…
     
YL-DBN LET L-13M 26701 Private
YL-DCI LET L-13 ? Private
Unmarked SZD-48-3 Jantar Std 3 ? Private
YL-GAW PZL-101 Okecie 63107 Private
214 PZL-104 Wilga 17820680 ex Latvian Air Force
Unmarked PZL-104 Wilga ? ?
YL-DAK LET L-13 172227 Private
222 LET L-13 26438 ex Latvian Air Force
224 LET L-13 174633 ex Latvian Air Force
239 LET L-13 27323 ex Latvian Air Force
88 Red PZL-Bielsko PZL-36A unknown Cesis, Latvia 
plus 4 other unidentified dismantled gliders    
YL-LEO Antonov An-2R 1G178-41 Cesu Aeroklubs
     
YL-DCI was last noted as a gate guard at the airfield, no idea when that situation changed!  
     
Back to the airport before dinner at TGI Fridays!    
     
Riga, Latvia     
     
145 LET L-410UVP 820737 Latvian Air Force
LY-ARI Aerospatiale ATR 42312 012A Riga, Latvia 
OE-LGI de Havilland Canada DHC-8Q-402 4100 Riga, Latvia 
OH-LEM Embraer Emb-170100ST 17000141 Riga, Latvia 
SE-DJO British Aerospace 146-RJ85 E2226 Riga, Latvia 
YL-BAR Fokker F-50 20149 Air Baltic
YL-BAW Fokker F-50 20148 Air Baltic
YL-BAT Fokker F-50 20163 Air Baltic
YL-BAU Fokker F-50 20126 Air Baltic
YL-BBD Boeing 73753S 29075 Air Baltic
YL-BBL Boeing  73733V 29334 Air Baltic
YL-BBM Boeing  737522 26680 Air Baltic
YL-BBP Boeing  737522 26688 Air Baltic
YL-RAE Antonov An-26B 140-04 RAF Avia
YR-FKB Fokker F-100 11369 Carpatair
     
Day three…and home time…the Air Baltic Fokker 50 was definitely Lithuanian registered and it is understood that two other Air Baltic Fokker 50’s wear Lithuanian registrations…LY-BAV and LY-BAZ
     
Riga, Latvia     
     
EI-DLF Boeing  7378AS 33588 Ryanair
LY-AQV Boeing  73735B 25069 Lithuanian Airlines
LY-BAO Fokker 50   Air Baltic
OH-FLM Bombardier Challenger 300 20155 Jetflite
OH-LEK Embraer Emb-170100ST 17000127 Finnair
P4-XZX Hawker-Siddeley 125700B 257136 Corporate
VP-BWK Airbus A319111 2222 Aeroflot Russian Airlines
YL-RAE Antonov An-26B 140-04 RAF Avia
YL-VIP Hawker 800B 258078 VIP Avia
Others noted, EI-CSS, EC-KMF, 145, SP-KPH, YL-BAR, YL-KSA, YL-BAW, YL-BBQ, YL-LCD, YL-BBI, YL-DCC, YL-BBM, YL-BBF, YL-BAU, YL-KGB
     
Back in the UK…      
     
East Midlands Airport    
     
EI-DHM Boeing  7378AS 33821 Ryanair
EI-DWW Boeing 7378AS 33629 Ryanair
EI-DHV Boeing 7378AS 33582 Ryanair
G-BIKI Boeing 757236F 22180 DHL
G-BLZP Reims-Cessna F.152 1959 Private
G-BMRA Boeing 757236F 23710 DHL
G-BVKD Boeing 73759D 26421 bmi Baby
G-BVZG Boeing  7375Q8 25160 bmi Baby
G-CDFS Embraer ERJ135 145431 BMI
G-CDZI Boeing  737804 28229 ThomsonFly
G-EMAA Eurocopter EC135T2 338 Bond Air Service
G-EZJS Boeing 73773V 32414 Easyjet
G-EZAN Airbus A319111 2765 EasyJet
G-EZBW Airbus A319111 3134 EasyJet
G-EZEP Airbus A319111 2251 EasyJet
G-FCLK Boeing 7572Y0 26161 Thomas Cook Airlines
G-GBMR Beech B200 BB-1693 Corporate
G-OOBL Boeing  767324ER 27393 First Choice Airways
G-TEBZ Piper PA-28R-201 28R-7737050 Private
G-XBLU Cessna 680 680-0143 Corporate
N719EL Beech 400XP RK-488 Corporate
N71VE Aero Commander Turbo Commander 690  11043 Cooper Aerial Surveys
OY-MRG Boeing  7377L9 28010 Sterling Airlines
OY-MRR Boeing  7377K9 34402 Sterling Airlines
YL-RAC Antonov An-26B 99-03 RAF Avia
ZS-RSG Lockheed L-10030 4565 Safair
     
The G-BVZG was in full Aeroflot Don colourscheme, the Easyjet 737 was crew training  
     
     
     

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