Chasing Rumours (by Chris Smith)
Despite the title, the first port of call was based on
fact more than rumour - it had been pretty well reported on the various groups
that a Qatar Amiri Flight A320 was in and was due to be joined by Prince Albert
of Monaco's Falcon 900. You can't ignore jets of this calibre so the alarm was
set for 8am and off to Leeds I went. I got there just in time for the Falcon
leaving. It's also worth noting that the wasteland/mound behind the Multiflight
hangar has had work done on it and no longer has any potholes (I snapped a
suspension coil on there last year!!).
Leeds/Bradford International Airport
05-09-2011 1040 - 1300
| 3A-MGA | Dassault Falcon 900EX | Government of Monaco | |
| A7-MBK | Airbus A320-200CJ | Qatar Amiri Flight | |
| CS-DSA | Dassault Falcon 7X | Netjets Europe | |
| G-CELG | Boeing 737-300 | Jet2.com | |
| G-CEYU | Aerospatiale SA365N1 Dauphin | Multiflight | |
| G-GDFA | Boeing 737-300 | Jet2.com | |
| G-IFIT | Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain | Dart Group | |
| G-JECY | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Flybe | |
| G-RJXP | Embraer ERJ-135ER | bmi regional | |
| M-DINO | Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1 | Bentley O-S Ltd | |
| M-LEYS | Raytheon C90GT King Air | Heres Aviation | |
| N425ST | Cessna 550 Citation II | Aircraft Guarantee Corp | |
| OK-UBA | Let L-410UVP-E Turbolet | Van Air Europe | Operating for Manx2.com |
| PH-KZK | Fokker 70 | KLM Cityhopper |
With Coney Park being practically on the same site as Leeds/Bradford Airport, it would have been rude not to call in. It appears one of the two resident ex-German Army Bolkows has been recently painted all yellow (assuming it's the same Bolkow).
Coney Park (Leeds Heliport)
05-09-2011 1300 - 1305
| (80+39) | Bolkow Bo-105 | German Army | All yellow, no markings |
| 80+40 | Bolkow Bo-105 | German Army | |
| G-BRVI | Robinson R22 Beta | Yorkshire Helicopters |
After Leeds I made a brief call in at RAF Linton-on-Ouse to chase up some Tucano's.
RAF Linton-on-Ouse
05-09-2011 1350 - 1415
| ZF169/169 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF239/MP | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF287/287 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF289/289 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF290/290 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF294/294 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF295/295 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF342/342 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF348/348 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF378/378 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | Special colours |
| ZF407/407 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF448/448 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force | |
| ZF512/512 | Short S312 Tucano T1 | Royal Air Force |
Next it was time to follow up on another rumour, I'd heard Jordan (anyone's guess as to whether it's the country or the glamour model!) have bought 150 ex-RAF Slingsby's and Bagby Airfield has a contract to fit out 50 of these. Obviously Bagby can't handle 50 all at once but I made my way over there to see if there was any and indeed there were four, so I would imagine they'll be coming and going for the next few weeks. I've only recently been to Bagby so I didn't get/seek a tour, so I've only logged what could be seen and no photos were obtained.
Bagby Airfield
05-09-2011 1445 - 1450
| G-AVZP | Beagle B121 Pup I | Private | |
| G-AXHT | Socata MS880B Rallye Club | Private | |
| G-AZCP | Beagle B121 Pup I | Private | |
| G-AZSW | Beagle B121 Pup I | Private | |
| G-BCXB | Socata Rallye 100ST | The Rallye Group | |
| G-BRBF | Cessna 152 | Unknown | De-registered, not airworthy |
| G-BSSE | Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee | Unknown | De-registered, not airworthy |
| G-BWXH | Slingsby T67M Firefly | Swift Aircraft | |
| G-BWXK | Slingsby T67M Firefly | Swift Aircraft | |
| G-BWXN | Slingsby T67M Firefly | Swift Aircraft | |
| G-BWXX | Slingsby T67M Firefly | Swift Aircraft | |
| G-DSKY | Diamond DA42 Twin Star | Papa Bravo Aviation | |
| G-LFSJ | Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II | Flybpl.com | |
| G-OPUB | Slingsby T67M Firefly | Private |
Finally, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to call into Leeming, I usually avoid this place unless I specifically know of something that's in or due, because whenever I visit nothing happens, despite me reading daily logs about GR4 overshoots, Apache hot re-fuels, F3's being towed out of the HAS etc etc. When I got there, a GR4 was in fact overshooting and two Hawks that landed decided to taxi the 'long way around' back to the ramp, i.e. via the viewing area side of the runway, which allowed for an unexpected photo or two, so I'll consider this progress!!
RAF Leeming
05-09-2011 1525 - 1545
| XX189/CR | BAe Hawk T1A | Royal Air Force | |
| XX255/CL | BAe Hawk T1A(F) | Royal Air Force | |
| XX280/CM | BAe Hawk T1A(F) | Royal Air Force | |
| XX285/CB | BAe Hawk T1A | Royal Air Force | |
| XX318/CN | BAe Hawk T1A | Royal Air Force | |
| XX329/CJ | BAe Hawk T1A | Royal Air Force | |
| (XX332/CD) | BAe Hawk T1A | Royal Air Force | May have actually been XX289/CO |
| Panavia PA-200 Tornado GR4 | Royal Air Force | Overshoot |
That's it for now, this trip was done on the first day of a week off work, so more reports may follow!! Click here for photos.