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Athens and Venice

Dave Rose   27/8/2011 - 3/9/2011

It was time for some much needed sun, so another cruise was in order, this time starting in Venice. On the itinerary was a day in Athens so I negotiated a day pass!! We left LBA on Ryanair B738 EI-EKA for the 2 hour flight at 6.25am on 27/8, routing over Amsterdam and through Germany then descended over the Alps into Venice Marco Polo. With Venice Treviso being closed for improvements it meant Ryanair actually flew into the main airport for a change!! After landing on 04R we taxied to a remote stand, it being fairly busy with some transatlantic traffic etc.

Leeds Bradford 27/8/11

EI EKA Boeing 737 8AS Ryanair 35022
N 604Z CL604     5496

Venice Marco Polo 27/8/11

EI DEZ Airbus A319 112 Meridiana Fly 1283
F GFKX Airbus A320 211 Air France 228
EI DSW Airbus A320 216 Air One 3609
D AISC Airbus A321 231 Lufthansa 1161
TC JNF Airbus A330 202 THY - Turk Hava Yollari 463
A6 ERT Airbus A340 313X Emirates Airlines 149
4X EKO Boeing 737 86Q El Al 30287
EI EMR Boeing 737 8AS Ryanair 40284
N 245AY Boeing 767 201ER US Airways 23897
I DANH Douglas DC-9 82 Alitalia 53177
ER SFB SAAB 2000   Moldavian Airlines 022
YR SBB SAAB 2000   Carpatair 026

YR-SBB SAAB 2000 Carpetair

ER-SFB SAAB 2000 Moldivian

We cruised south calling at Dubrovnik then it was Athens, the main port of Piraeus is west of the city and the airport can be easily reached using the Metro system. I wanted to get shots around the perimeter so hired a car from Hertz at the port, 55 euros for the day which wasn't bad. The quickest way to the airport is to head north and join the toll motorway, it being rush hour wasn't for the faint hearted!! It took 45 minutes of madness and I was there in one piece. I had looked on the excellent Hellenic Aviation website CLICK HERE  so headed for 03L and the spotting points 1 and 2, they were easy to find and sampled shots from both places and was joined by some Greek spotters for a while. Photos ar good from here in the morning and 03L is the main arrival runway although some Aegean and Olympic switch to 03R on short final as this is closer to the terminals. Traffic is steady, but quality is good with Aegean and Olympic the dominant carriers joined by european and middle east operators. Biz is quite common but you need to get them on arrival as the parking area is difficult to read off.

Athens photos - CLICK HERE 

I took my scanner which is needed to catch 03R departures, I had a drive around the Biz and Olympic maintainance areas, not hanging around but managed to see all of the old Olympic ATRs and A340s that are still stored. Also stored is the Hellenic Imperial 747 fleet.

Athens 30/8/11

D AKNM Airbus A319 112 Germanwings 1089
SX DGG Airbus A319 132LR Aegean Airlines 1727
SX DGH Airbus A319 132LR Aegean Airlines 1880
5B DCF Airbus A319 132 Cyprus Airways 2718
SX OAF Airbus A319 111 Olympic Air 3895
SX OAJ Airbus A319 112 Olympic Air 3905
SX OAG Airbus A319 112 Olympic Air 3950
G EZFJ Airbus A319 111 Easyjet 4040
OO SSR Airbus A319 112 Brussels Airlines 4275
SU GCA Airbus A320 232 Egyptair 2073
5B DCJ Airbus A320   Cyprus Airways 2108
SX DGI Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 3162
TC JPJ Airbus A320 232 THY - Turk Hava Yollari 3239
SX DVK Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 3392
SX DVS Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 3709
SX DVW Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 3785
SX DVY Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 3850
G EZTM Airbus A320 214 Easyjet 4014
A9C AB Airbus A320 214 Gulf Air 4030
SX DGC Airbus A320 232 Aegean Airlines 4094
F GKXY Airbus A320 214 Air France 4105
F OMRN Airbus A320 232 Middle East Airlines 4339
VQ BKT Airbus A320 214 Aeroflot Russian Airlines 4712
OY KBH Airbus A321 232 SAS 1675
D AISH Airbus A321 231 Lufthansa 3265
SX DVO Airbus A321 231 Aegean Airlines 3462
A7 AIB Airbus A321 231 Qatar Airways 4382
EI IXD Airbus A321 112 Alitalia 532
D AIRU Airbus A321 131 Lufthansa 692
EI IXV Airbus A321 112 Alitalia 819
A6 EYI Airbus A330 243 Etihad Airways 730
A6 ERP Airbus A340 313X Emirates Airlines 185
SX SEC BAe 4100 41 Sky Express 41014
TS IOH Boeing 737 5H3 Tunis Air 26640
YL BBI Boeing 737 33A Air Baltic 27454
VP BYP Boeing 737 524 Transaero Airlines 28927
F HJER Boeing 737 86N XL Airways France 32736
PH HSB Boeing 737 8K2 Transavia Airlines 34172
C GHPD Boeing 767 3YOER Air Canada 24999
OY SRJ Boeing 767 25EF Star Air 27195
N 66051 Boeing 767 424ER United Airlines 29446
VP BCL Canadair RJ700   Consolidated Contractors 10247
EI DRJ Canadair RJ900   Air One 15077
OE IND CL605     5797
SX BIP DHC Dash 8 102A Olympic Air 347
SX BVE DHC Dash 8 106B Aeroland Airways 351
SX BIT DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4148
SX BIU DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4152
SX OBA DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4267
SX OBB DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4268
SX OBC DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4276
SX OBE DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4314
SX OBF DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4318
SX OBG DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4321
SX OBH DHC Dash 8 402 Olympic Air 4327
CE 04 EMB 145 LR Belgian AF 145548
CS DNS Falcon 2000     139
VQ BMT G 4 SP   1362
CS DKJ G 5 G550   5174
N 185GA G 5 G550   5185

The ship was leaving at 5pm so I left at 2.30pm as I wanted to visit the old airport at "Hellinikon" I have fond memories of staying at the Hotel Emmentina and the famous roof spotting area. Well, the hotel is still going strong and looks very "up market" as does the whole area of Glyfada. The old airport has been developed at the "city" end into an Olympic sports venue, with arenas etc but the old eastern apron and terminal are untouched, even the approach lights remain!! I could see the "inmates" parked in the corner next to the road so managed a few shots, not sure of their future but may be part of a museum as they are all intact apart from the BAC1-11 which is missing some windows.

SX-BCA 737, SX-CBA 727, SX-OAB 747

SX-OAB 747

SX-BAR 1-11

SX-CBA 727

SX-BCA 737

We made our way back to Venice and checked in for our return flight to LBA, the Venice film festival was on so there were plenty of Biz on the apron. I managed a few shots as we taxied out on EI-DHB.

EC-KAI ATR42 FED EX/SWIFTAIR

BIZ

BIZ

Venice 3/9/11

EC FDB Airbus A320 211 Vueling 173
EI DSM Airbus A320 216 Air One 3362
EI DNP Airbus A320 212 Wind Jet 421
D AIDJ Airbus A321 231 Lufthansa 4792
EC KAI ATR 42 300 Swiftair 141
HB VHV BAe 125 800B   258153
I DLOH BAe 125 800XP   258450
I RONY BAe 125 800XP   258506
N 980GG BL701     9009
N 375WB BL701     9288
N 926AF BL701     9352
TC JFO Boeing 737 8F2 THY - Turk Hava Yollari 29777
EI EFZ Boeing 737 8AS Ryanair 38489
N 248AY Boeing 767 201ER US Airways 23900
OE FCB Cessna 510 Mustang   510-0044
EC LDK Cessna 510 Mustang   510-0152
N 510MD Cessna 510 Mustang   510-0202
F HBER Cessna 525B     525B-0183
CS DHD Cessna 550     550-1017
D IHAG Cessna 551     551-0180
M SNAP Cessna 560 Excel S   560-5770
OE GEM Cessna 680 Sovereign   680-0033
N 228DB Cessna 750 X   750-0228
M ERCI CL605     5841
YR OTN Douglas DC-9 82 Belle Air 49119
I DACR Douglas DC-9 82 Alitalia 49975
I DANG Douglas DC-9 82 Alitalia 53176
I DATG Douglas DC-9 82 Alitalia 53225
I DATM Douglas DC-9 82 Alitalia 53230
G LCYK EMB 190 200LR BA Cityflyer 190-00343
I UCBT Falcon 2000LX     209
N 239AX Falcon 900     039
D AFKA Fokker 100   Contact Air 11517
N 1759C G 5 G550   5128
I ADVD G 5     5314
I RPLY LJ 60     60-212

We took a different route back (Airway UL613) through Switzerland, France and east of London before descending into LBA or "Ark Royal"!! Its certainly an interesting landing on 14 using full reverse thrust!!

Zurich from FL380

LBA 3/9/11

G GTIA BAe 125 900XP   HA-140
CS DSA Falcon 7X     030

Another great trip!!

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