Return to Palma (by Chris Smith)

Myself and a couple of old school pals had been planning a lads holiday for a while and I insisted on Majorca as I had many fond memories of Palma Airport from family holidays as a child before I was a 'proper' enthusiast and I've long wanted to return.

This was not a spotting trip though and I had to respect that, but luckily we picked the Palmanova Hotel, located in the resort of the same name, and from here and the nearby beach, you could see r/w 24 departures or 06 arrivals at a distance of 2 miles, and as it turns out, logging aircraft from a beach makes for a pretty damn good hangover cure!! All bar one day 24 was in use.


Aside from a couple of American biz and a tech Hawk T2, there was just the usual stuff in at Newcastle, good thing about an early morning flight is you find the airport at it's busiest with all the night-stoppers still on the ground. Brand new A321 G-TCDF was our ride, it was absolutely gleaming both inside and out and the flight could not have been any smoother.

Tuesday 24th June

Newcastle International Airport (NCL / EGNT)

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
EI-FXC ATR-42-300/F Air Contractors FedEx Express c/s
EI-RJT BAe Avro RJ85 CityJet  
G-CELH Boeing 737-330 Jet2.com  
G-CELY Boeing 737-377/QC Jet2.com  
G-CGWV Embraer ERJ-145MP Eastern Airways  
G-EUYV* Airbus A320-232 British Airways  
G-EZBN Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZGC Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZTH* Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-FDZA Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-GDFB Boeing 737-33A Jet2 Holidays  
G-LSAC Boeing 757-23A/W Jet2 Holidays  
G-LSAD Boeing 757-236 Jet2 Holidays  
G-MANO British Aerospace ATP/F West Air Europe  
G-MAJZ British Aerospace Jetstream 41 Eastern Airways  
G-RJXR Embraer ERJ-145EP bmi regional  
G-TAWN* Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWP* Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TCDD* Airbus A321-211/S Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-TCDF* Airbus A321-211/S Thomas Cook Airlines My flight
N82MF* Dassault Falcon 900 Speedero LLC  
N410M Gulfstream G-V Ripplewood Aviation LLC  
PH-EZA Embraer ERJ-190-100STD KLM Cityhopper  
PH-OCI* British Aerospace Jetstream 32EP AIS Airlines Operating for Eastern Airways
YL-LCK* Airbus A320-214 SmartLynx Airlines Operating for Thomas Cook Airlines
ZK031/V* BAe Hawk T2 Royal Air Force (4 Squadron) Tech

Although I new this would be the case, Palma is not the airport I remember it as, gone are the days of Condor, Hapag Lloyd, Iberworld, Spanair, DC-10s, MD-80s etc etc (at least in their classic form), as well as an overall drop in movements due to holiday makers favouring other Countries after Spain moved to the Euro. Despite this, I still felt a sense of nostalgia and was damn glad to be back. Air Berlin dominate here and easyJet and Ryanair both have bases, so add in the usual Brit holiday airlines and you sometimes start to wonder if you've ended up at Manchester by mistake. One of the first things to stand out on arrival was the amount of 737s sporting the new Aviation Partners Boeing "Split-Scimitar" winglets, with Sunwing, Thomson and TUIfly all in the process of retro-fitting their fleets with the unusual design.

I foolishly expected to make half of the Iberia short-haul fleet whilst in Majorca, but I soon realised the mainline division of Iberia no longer operates to Palma, their flights now split between Vueling and Iberia Express.

Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI / LEPA)

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
C-FEAK* Boeing 737-86Q/W Sunwing Airlines On lease to Thomson Airways
C-FTJH* Boeing 737-8BK/W Sunwing Airlines On lease to Thomson Airways
CS-DHQ Cessna 550 Citation Bravo NetJets Europe  
D-ABKS* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABOB* Boeing 757-330/W Condor  
D-ABOC* Boeing 757-330/W Condor  
D-ABOI* Boeing 757-330/W Condor  
D-ABOK* Boeing 757-330/W Condor  
D-ABXA* Airbus A330-223 Air Berlin OneWorld c/s
D-ABXD* Airbus A330-223 Air Berlin  
D-AHFI* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly  
D-AHFW* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly Operating for Air Berlin
D-AIAD* Airbus A321-211/S Condor  
D-AICC* Airbus A320-212 Condor  
D-AICE* Airbus A320-212 Condor  
D-AIPZ* Airbus A320-211 Germanwings  
D-ALSA* Airbus A321-211 Air Berlin  
D-ASTT# Airbus A319-112 Germania  
D-ATUI* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly  
EC-JTT* Bombardier CRJ-900ER Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum)  
EC-JXZ* Bombardier CRJ-900ER Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum)  
EC-LEK* Embraer ERJ-195-200SR Air Europa  
EC-LFZ* Embraer ERJ-195-200LR Air Europa  
EC-LKH* Airbus A320-214 Iberia Express  
EC-LVB* Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EI-ESM* Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-EXF* Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-FCB* Boeing 717-2BL Volotea Airlines  
F-GNHI* Partenavia P68B Victor N/A Preserved
F-HJUL Boeing 737-8Q8/W XL Airways France On lease to Luxair
G-EZTT Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
HB-IHY* Airbus A320-214 Edelweiss Air  
HB-IOQ* Airbus A320-214 Belair Airlines On lease to Air Berlin
LN-DYZ* Boeing 737-8JP/W Norwegian Air Shuttle  
LY-VEN* Airbus A320-233 Avion Express On lease to Thomas Cook Airlines
OE-LEB* Airbus A320-214 Niki  

Wednesday 25th June

I've excluded 'repeat sightings' from the PMI logs below.

Palma de Mallorca Airport

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
D-ABBJ* Boeing 737-86Q/W Air Berlin  
D-ABCF* Airbus A321-211 Air Berlin  
D-ABDQ* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-ABKW* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABMS* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABNB* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-AGWV* Airbus A319-132 Germanwings  
D-AHXE* Boeing 737-7K5/W Air Berlin  
D-AILL Airbus A319-114 Lufthansa  
D-AIQH Airbus A320-211 Germanwings  
EC-ISN* Boeing 737-86Q/W Air Europa  
EC-LKX* Embraer ERJ-195-200LR Air Europa  
EC-LRA* Airbus A320-232 Vueling Airlines  
EI-DAF Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-DLH Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-ENI Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-FEC* Boeing 737-8KN/W Ryanair On lease from flydubai
G-EZTE Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-EZTH Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-EZUA* Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-EZWS* Airbus A320-214/S easyJet  
G-GDFS* Boeing 737-86N/W Jet2.com  
G-LSAH Boeing 757-21B Jet2.com  
G-ZBAA Airbus A320-214/S Monarch Airlines  
G-ZBAM Airbus A321-231/S Monarch Airlines  
HA-LPK Airbus A320-232 Wizz Air  
N737CC* Boeing 737-74Q/W BBJ1 Mid East Jet  
OE-LEA* Airbus A320-214 Niki  
OK-TVS* Boeing 737-86N/W Travel Service Airlines  
PH-HZI* Boeing 737-8K2/W Transavia Airlines  
PH-HZW* Boeing 737-8K2/W Transavia Airlines  

Danny Banks of NEAM group fame, tipped me off about a yacht with a ZK- registered helicopter on the back in the main Palma harbour, I was hoping to find time to go and see it when it came to me instead! The yacht appeared around lunchtime and came to rest in the sea in front of us for the rest of the day, they took the Squirrel out for a spin around mid-afternoon but sods law I didn't have my camera on me.

Palmanova

ZK-ITS* Eurocopter AS350B3 Squirrel Private On back of Yacht
       

OTT

EC-LRY* Airbus A320-232 Vueling Airlines  
EI-XLZ* Boeing 747-444 Transaero Airlines  

Thursday 26th June

Palma de Mallorca Airport

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
D-ABBY* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABCC* Airbus A321-211 Air Berlin  
D-ABDU* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin Air Berlin / Etihad Airways hybrid c/s
D-ABKM* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABMP* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABMU* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABXC* Airbus A330-223 Air Berlin  
D-AHFY* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly  
D-AIPX* Airbus A320-211 Germanwings  
D-AIQB Airbus A320-211 Germanwings  
D-AIQR Airbus A320-211 Germanwings  
D-ATUF* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly Hapag Lloyd retro c/s
EC-KLB* Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EC-LQJ* Airbus A320-232 Vueling Airlines  
EC-LZZ* Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EC-MAX* Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EI-DWZ Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
G-OOBH Boeing 757-236/W Thomson Airways  
OE-LEE* Airbus A320-214 Niki  
OE-LET* Airbus A321-211 Niki  
OO-JLO* Boeing 737-8K5/W Jetairfly  
VQ-BET* Airbus A320-214 S7 Airlines  

Saturday 28th June

Palma de Mallorca Airport

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
9A-BTE* Fokker 100 Trade Air Operating for Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia
CS-DLD* Dassault Falcon 2000EX NetJets Europe  
CS-TRL* Airbus A320-214 Evelop Airlines  
D-ABCA* Airbus A321-211 Air Berlin  
D-ABFK* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-ABFP* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-ABMI* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABNA* Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-ABNE# Airbus A320-214 Air Berlin  
D-AGEN* Boeing 737-75B/W Germania  
D-AGWR Airbus A319-132 Germanwings  
D-AHFP* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly  
D-AHHF* Airbus A320-214 Hamburg Airways  
D-AHHH* Airbus A320-214 Hamburg Airways  
D-AILN* Airbus A319-114 Lufthansa  
D-ALPG* Airbus A330-223 Air Berlin  
D-CHHH* Cessna 560XL Citation XLS Augusta Air  
EC-HGZ* Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EC-JYA* Bombardier CRJ-900ER Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum)  
EC-KCG* Boeing 737-85P/W Air Europa  
EC-LEA# Airbus A320-214 Iberia Express  
EC-LIN* Embraer ERJ-195-200LR Air Europa  
EC-LKM* Embraer ERJ-195-200LR Air Europa  
EC-LLR* Embraer ERJ-195-200LR Air Europa  
EC-LOP Airbus A320-214 Vueling Airlines  
EC-LSN# ATR-72-202 Cimber A/S Operating for Air Europa
EC-MBS* Airbus A320-232/S Vueling Airlines  
EI-EKV Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-ESV Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
EI-EVW* Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  
F-GYAQ* Airbus A321-211 Air Méditerranée  
G-273* Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules Royal Netherlands Air Force  
G-BYAY Boeing 757-204/W Thomson Airways  
G-EZAZ Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZWC* Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-EZWH* Airbus A320-214/S easyJet  
G-FDZF Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-FDZS Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-FDZY Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-OMYJ Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-OOBE Boeing 757-28A/W Thomson Airways  
G-OZBE Airbus A321-231 Monarch Airlines  
G-SMAN Airbus A330-243 Monarch Airlines  
G-TAWB Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWF Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWG Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWI* Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWU Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TCBC Boeing 757-236 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-TCDA Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-TCDC* Airbus A321-211/S Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-ZBAR# Airbus A320-214 Monarch Airlines  
HB-IXO* BAe Avro RJ100 Swiss European Airlines  
LN-NIA* Boeing 737-8JP/W Norwegian Air Shuttle  
LN-NOU Boeing 737-8FZ/W Norwegian Air Shuttle  
LN-RCY Boeing 737-883 SAS Scandinavian Airlines  
LN-RGB* Boeing 737-86N/W SAS Scandinavian Airlines  
LN-RGG* Boeing 737-85P/W SAS Scandinavian Airlines  
LN-RGI* Boeing 737-86N/W SAS Scandinavian Airlines  
OE-LEW* Airbus A321-211 Niki  
OE-LEX* Airbus A320-214 Niki Air Berlin c/s
OH-LZH* Airbus A321-231/S Finnair  
OO-JAQ* Boeing 737-8K5/W Jetairfly  
OY-PSB* Boeing 737-8Q8/W Primera Air Scandinavia  
OY-PSC Boeing 737-86N/W Primera Air Scandinavia  
OY-VKA* Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia  
OY-VKH Airbus A330-343X Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia  
OY-VKT* Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia  
RA-76951* Ilyushin Il-76TD-90VD Volga-Dnepr Airlines  
SE-DZV* Boeing 737-804/W TUIfly Nordic  
SE-RFY* Boeing 737-8K5/W TUIfly Nordic  
V-11* Gulfstream G-IV Koninklijke Luchtmacht  
VQ-BOG* Boeing 767-341/ER Nordwind Airlines  

OTT

EC-DKA* Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub Private Banner-towing over beach
EI-EBT* Boeing 737-8AS/W Ryanair  

Sunday 29th June

I managed to find a couple of hours to do some proper spotting as I'd always wanted to visit Son Bonet Aerodrome, located just four miles north-west of Palma Airport, Son Bonet was the original airport for Majorca back in the day and is now a GA field comparable in size to Gamston. Like most of Spain, the first thing you notice is the Germans have taken over, with the first three aircraft I saw being D- registered! It's a very multinational airfield with companies from several European countries represented including Sloane Helicopters from the UK.

When you arrive, there is a security check-point immediately at the entrance but you can simply walk through this. Visiting one of the companies should gain you an airside pass so long as you have your passport but unfortunately with it being a Sunday most of the companies were closed-up, strange given most GA flying takes place on a weekend! So I could only log what was outside as well as the far right hangar which had windows, although the four aircraft that were in here were in various states of disrepair as was the hangar itself, so I'd say they'd long since been abandoned.

I'm surprised Palma Airport is such a biz-hub as with little effort Son Bonet could easily 'clean up shop' in this area.

There is a big sign stating no photography is permitted here, I feel I could easily have gotten away with some but being in a foreign land I wasn't prepared to take the risk.

I noted the King Air on short finals from the taxi on the way home, but we were too far away from Son Bonet at that point so I figured it was going in to Palma Airport but my taxi had no reason to be anywhere near there so I've included it below.

A big thanks must go to Danny Banks for his help with spotting at Son Bonet.

Son Bonet Aerodrome (LESB)

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
D-EFUX* Beech F33A Bonanza Private  
D-EKUR* Mooney M20K-231 Private  
D-EVTP* Piper PA-46-500TP Malibu Meridian Private  
D-EWVZ* Socata TB20 Trinidad Private  
EC-BEI* Cessna 182J Skylane Private  
EC-CKC* Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub Private  
EC-DGJ* Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer Private  
EC-EJB* Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain Aeromarket Express Gate Guardian
EC-EPS* Cessna 172M Skyhawk Planet Finder Air Service  
EC-ERT* Cessna 172N Skyhawk Private  
EC-EZZ* Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer II Private  
EC-FQD* Cessna 172P Skyhawk Panamedia SL  
EC-GDF* Piper PA-28R-201T Turbo Cherokee Arrow III Private  
EC-GGT* Mooney M20J-205 Private  
EC-GHA* Piper PA-44-180T Turbo Seminole Private  
EC-GVN* Air Tractor AT-802 Private  
EC-ICE* Reims Cessna F172N Skyhawk Private  
EC-IFP* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II Private  
EC-JGB* Beech B200 Super King Air Corporate  
EC-JJT* Robin ATL-L Private  
EC-JYM* Cirrus SR22 GTS Private  
EC-JZB* Socata TB9 Tampico Air Pal  
EC-KBS* Vulcanair P68 Observer II Private  
EC-KEA* Cirrus SR22 Private  
EC-KXL* Beech B24R Sierra Private  
ER-AJM* WSK-PZL Antonov An-2R Fly LPI Gate Guardian
F-GGHP* Robin ATL Private  
G-OEVA Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six Private  
N67AG* Velocity XL RG Private  
N753TW* Cirrus SR22 Private  
SE-IAM* Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II Private  
UR-84627/IV* WSK-PZL Antonov An-2R Fly LPI Stored

Tuesday 1st July

Despite it being time to go home and not wanting to leave, going to the airport is always the most anticipated part of the holiday for me. I checked-in and then made the short walk out of the terminal to the biz ramp which sods law was unusually deserted, so I logged the few that were there and made my way through security. Once through security, we had breakfast, before heading to the gate, normally you have a fair whack of time to sit at the gate logging from the windows, but sadly we boarded straight away and we were in the British section so the few aircraft that were visible were of little interest, so I did leave feeling somewhat underwhelmed.

Palma de Mallorca Airport

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
D-ABKI* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
D-ABME* Boeing 737-86J/W Air Berlin  
EC-JBJ* Boeing 737-85P/W Air Europa  
EC-LVT* Airbus A320-232/S Vueling Airlines  
G-BYAW Boeing 757-204/W Thomson Airways  
G-EZDD Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZDR Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZEZ Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-EZTV Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-EZTY Airbus A320-214 easyJet  
G-GDFH Boeing 737-3Y5 Jet2.com  
G-GDFL Boeing 737-36N/W Jet2 Holidays  
G-NIKO Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-OBYF Boeing 767-304/ER(W) Thomson Airways  
G-OOBP Boeing 757-2G5/W Thomson Airways  
G-OZBR Airbus A321-231 Monarch Airlines  
G-TCBB Boeing 757-236 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-TCCB Boeing 767-31K/ER(W) Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-TCDD Airbus A321-211/S Thomas Cook Airlines My flight
G-TCDZ Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines  
G-ZBAB Airbus A320-214/S Monarch Airlines  
HB-JRA* Bombardier CL-600 Challenger 604 REGA Swiss Air Ambulance  
LN-DYR* Boeing 737-8JP/W Norwegian Air Shuttle  
M-AYRU* Bombardier CL-600 Challenger 605 Xclusive Jet Charter  
M-RLIV Bombardier CL-600 Challenger 605 Mobyhold Ltd  
N337FX* Bombardier CL-600 Challenger 604 Bombardier Aerospace Corp  
N343FX Bombardier CL-600 Challenger 605 Bombardier Aerospace Corp  
N560GT* Cessna 560 Citation Encore Corporate  
N698EE* Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 650 Embraer Executive Aircraft  
OE-FVJ* Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1 Airlink Luftverkehrsgesellschaft GmbH  
OE-HPG* Bombardier BD-100 Challenger 300 Amira Air  
OO-JEB* Embraer ERJ-190-100STD Jetairfly  
SP-ENE* Boeing 737-4Q8 Enter Air  
VP-BBO* Gulfstream G-V-SP (G550) Corporate  

The Spanish Air Force have a facility to the north east of the airport, it seems to be a Search and Rescue unit operating CASA CN-235MPA-100 aircraft, and a couple of Aerospatiale SA-330J Puma's.

Son Sant Joan Airport (LESJ)

D.3B-6* CASA C-212M-200 Aviocar ex-Spanish Air Force Gate Guardian, confirmation needed
EC-BZO* Convair CV-990A Coronado ex-Spantax PWFU, fire trainer
EC-GRL* McDonnell Douglas MD-87 ex-Iberia Stored, fire trainer
EC-LTU/33* Eurocopter EC135 P2+ Policia  
HE.10A-6* Agusta-Bell 205A ex-Spanish Air Force Pole-mounted Gate Guardian

In-Flight

Seen over north-west France.

G-EZWI Airbus A320-214/S easyJet EZY1918/62LV Alicante - Manchester
       

Back at Newcastle, it was dead, they've lost a lot of traffic too over the years but because of their size to begin with it's not as noticeable as with us.

Newcastle International Airport

REG A/C TYPE OPERATOR NOTES
A6-EGM* Boeing 777-31H/ER Emirates  
G-CELX Boeing 737-377/QC Jet2.com  
G-CGWV Embraer ERJ-145MP Eastern Airways  
G-EZDS Airbus A319-111 easyJet  
G-MAJT British Aerospace Jetstream 41 Eastern Airways  
G-MAJZ British Aerospace Jetstream 41 Eastern Airways  
G-MANM* British Aerospace ATP/F West Atlantic  
G-RJXR Embraer ERJ-145EP bmi regional  
G-TAWP Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways  
G-TAWU Boeing 737-8K5/W Thomson Airways Followed us from Palma
G-TCDF Airbus A321-211/S Thomas Cook Airlines  
PH-DCI* British Aerospace Jetstream 31 AIS Airlines Operating for Eastern Airways
PH-EXD* Embraer ERJ-190-100STD KLM Cityhopper Revised c/s

To summarise, I'm very pleased with the trip but feel I need to return one day on a purpose spotting trip rather than a holiday. As always, thanks for reading if you got this far!

Click here for Newcastle photos.

Click here for Palma photos.


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